Love Doctor: How Sex Improves Every Aspect of Your Health

 

You may think sexual health is linked to emotional wellbeing, but in actual fact just about every aspect of your health is improved by a passion session between the sheets. Let’s take a look at how making love can benefit your wellness:

 

1. Boosts Intelligence: Wellness writer Dominic Midgley details, ‘Sex-mad people are getting brighter not madder, according to a new survey. Psychologists at the University of Maryland have discovered that love-making greatly increases the production of neurons in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for long-term memory. Their research conducted on mice showed that when the randy rodents were denied sexual partners it led to a fall-off in their intelligence.’ The researchers commented, ‘We discovered that even though there had been the production of new neurons the cognitive abilities acquired during the experiment decreased once the mice were subjected to long periods without sexual activity.’ Sex can also prevent dementia. According to Midgley, ‘The process of neuron creation outlined above is known as neurogenesis and is also thought to restore brain function lost through ageing.’

 

2. Reduces Pain: ‘A feigned headache is one of the most common excuses given by women to avoid sex,’ Midgley points out. ‘But the fact is that sexual intercourse is actually good for relieving pain whether it be a headache or a bad back. A study conducted by Southern Illinois University’s headache clinic found that one in two female migraine sufferers reported relief after climaxing. This is attributed to the fact that endorphins released during an orgasm closely resemble morphine. Others point to the fact that orgasms are associated with an upsurge of blood flow from the brain, another possible source of pain relief.’

 

3. Burns Calories: Midgley notes, ‘Half an hour of love-making can burn more calories than walking on a treadmill, according to a Canadian study. Twenty-one couples aged between 18 and 35 were fitted with armbands that monitored how many calories they burned during sex and the intensity of the activity. The results showed that in a typical session lasting 25 minutes the men burned an average of 100 calories and the women 69. Women came top when measuring the intensity of the activity, however. Measured in METs (the metabolic equivalent of a task) the average reading for men was six METs while for women it was 6.6. The findings endorse a previous study by the British Heart Foundation that found that 30 minutes of sexercise a day is as good for you as walking the dog.’

 

4. Improves Sleep: ‘Men are notorious for rolling over and nodding off as soon as the deed is done – and with good reason,’ says Midgley. ‘Brain scans have shown that the pre-frontal cortex, the area of the brain associated with consciousness, alertness and mental activity, “switches off” after orgasm. One study said the tension-relieving effects of climaxing were the equivalent of taking 2mg of the sedative diazepam. The cocktail of hormones released during orgasm – including melatonin, oxytocin, vasopressin and prolactin – also aid sleep. Contrary to myth this applies to both sexes.’

 

5. Relieves Stress: Midgley outlines, ‘People who have sex at least once every two weeks are better at handling stressful situations such as public speaking, according to a report from the University of the West of Scotland. It attributes this to the endorphins and oxytocin released during the sexual act. These feel-good hormones activate pleasure centres in the brain that stave off anxiety and depression and create feelings of intimacy and relaxation.’

 

6. Cuts Male Cancer Risk: ‘A study of 29,000 men in the US found that those who had the most orgasms reduced by a third their chances of contracting prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer among British men,’ Midgley explains. ‘This research by the National Cancer Institute was later supported by a NottinghamUniversity survey. After asking 840 men in their 50s about their sexual histories the Nottingham team found that those who engaged in regular sex – defined as more than 10 times a month – reduced their chances of prostate cancer.’

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Categories: Brain, midgley, nbsp, prostate cancer, sex improves, sexual, study

Love Doctor: How Sex Improves Every Aspect of Your Health

 

You may think sexual health is linked to emotional wellbeing, but in actual fact just about every aspect of your health is improved by a passion session between the sheets. Let’s take a look at how making love can benefit your wellness:

 

1. Boosts Intelligence: Wellness writer Dominic Midgley details, ‘Sex-mad people are getting brighter not madder, according to a new survey. Psychologists at the University of Maryland have discovered that love-making greatly increases the production of neurons in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for long-term memory. Their research conducted on mice showed that when the randy rodents were denied sexual partners it led to a fall-off in their intelligence.’ The researchers commented, ‘We discovered that even though there had been the production of new neurons the cognitive abilities acquired during the experiment decreased once the mice were subjected to long periods without sexual activity.’ Sex can also prevent dementia. According to Midgley, ‘The process of neuron creation outlined above is known as neurogenesis and is also thought to restore brain function lost through ageing.’

 

2. Reduces Pain: ‘A feigned headache is one of the most common excuses given by women to avoid sex,’ Midgley points out. ‘But the fact is that sexual intercourse is actually good for relieving pain whether it be a headache or a bad back. A study conducted by Southern Illinois University’s headache clinic found that one in two female migraine sufferers reported relief after climaxing. This is attributed to the fact that endorphins released during an orgasm closely resemble morphine. Others point to the fact that orgasms are associated with an upsurge of blood flow from the brain, another possible source of pain relief.’

 

3. Burns Calories: Midgley notes, ‘Half an hour of love-making can burn more calories than walking on a treadmill, according to a Canadian study. Twenty-one couples aged between 18 and 35 were fitted with armbands that monitored how many calories they burned during sex and the intensity of the activity. The results showed that in a typical session lasting 25 minutes the men burned an average of 100 calories and the women 69. Women came top when measuring the intensity of the activity, however. Measured in METs (the metabolic equivalent of a task) the average reading for men was six METs while for women it was 6.6. The findings endorse a previous study by the British Heart Foundation that found that 30 minutes of sexercise a day is as good for you as walking the dog.’

 

4. Improves Sleep: ‘Men are notorious for rolling over and nodding off as soon as the deed is done – and with good reason,’ says Midgley. ‘Brain scans have shown that the pre-frontal cortex, the area of the brain associated with consciousness, alertness and mental activity, “switches off” after orgasm. One study said the tension-relieving effects of climaxing were the equivalent of taking 2mg of the sedative diazepam. The cocktail of hormones released during orgasm – including melatonin, oxytocin, vasopressin and prolactin – also aid sleep. Contrary to myth this applies to both sexes.’

 

5. Relieves Stress: Midgley outlines, ‘People who have sex at least once every two weeks are better at handling stressful situations such as public speaking, according to a report from the University of the West of Scotland. It attributes this to the endorphins and oxytocin released during the sexual act. These feel-good hormones activate pleasure centres in the brain that stave off anxiety and depression and create feelings of intimacy and relaxation.’

 

6. Cuts Male Cancer Risk: ‘A study of 29,000 men in the US found that those who had the most orgasms reduced by a third their chances of contracting prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer among British men,’ Midgley explains. ‘This research by the National Cancer Institute was later supported by a NottinghamUniversity survey. After asking 840 men in their 50s about their sexual histories the Nottingham team found that those who engaged in regular sex – defined as more than 10 times a month – reduced their chances of prostate cancer.’

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Categories: Brain, midgley, nbsp, prostate cancer, sex improves, sexual, study

The Sexy Battle of the Sexes: How Sex Benefits are Different

Sex has many benefits to your wellbeing, but those benefits are different for men and women. While both sexes can stand to gain a healthier immune system and better mental wellness from having sex, there are some sexual health benefits that are just for the lads, and just for the lasses.

 

MEN

 

1. Prevents Prostate Cancer: According to an Australian study, men who ejaculated more than five times a week were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer. Clinical sexologist Gloria Brame, PhD, explains that this is because disease-causing toxins build up in your urogenital tract, but you flush those bad guys out of your system when you rub one out.

 

2. Strengthens Your Manhood: You naturally lose muscle tone as you age, and that still applies to your package. However, just like lifting weights can help you retain and build muscle mass, having sex or masturbating regularly gives your pelvic floor muscles a good old-fashioned workout. If you really want to prevent erectile dysfunction and incontinence, you should aim to ejaculate three to five times a week.

 

3. Strengthens Your Boys: A review published in Sexual and Relationship Therapy found that the semen you produce as a result of actual intercourse is of a higher quality than the swimmers you get from masturbating. However, the review also points out that if you don’t ejaculate for a period as short as five to 18 days, the quality and quantity of your sperm can decrease.

 

4. Helps You Last Longer: You learn control by mastering your own body. Brame notes, ‘Masturbating an hour before a date will give you more control.’ Ava Cadell, PhD, founder of loveologyuniversity.com, recommends timing how long it takes you to orgasm. If you usually take two minutes when you’re by yourself, Cadell suggests trying for three minutes next time. Alternately, you could try counting how many strokes you need to get to your happy place. If you’re spurting after 50, shoot for 60. Cadell details, ‘Most men can double the number of strokes and the time within one month.’

 

 

WOMEN

 

1. Helps Prevent Cervical Infections: When you orgasm, the orgasms ‘tents’ or opens your cervix and studies are showing that this can provide protection against cervical infections. Joann Ellison Rodgers describes this process in her book Sex: A Natural History, noting that the tenting stretches and pulls the mucous within your cervix, and this allows for a rise in acidity in your cervical fluid. When your cervical fluid is more acidic, more of it can move into your vagina and this increases ‘friendly’ bacteria. Altogether, this lubricates your vagina – which improves sex – and flushes out the unfriendly organisms that can cause infections.

 

2. Helps Relieve Urinary Tract Infections: If you’ve ever felt a UTI coming on, you may have felt the desire to masturbate. This is because having an orgasm helps to relieve pain and it flushes the old bacteria from your cervix. So masturbating is your body’s way of getting the bacteria out.

 

3. Lower Risk of Major Health Concerns: Having sex has been associated with improved cardiovascular health and lower risk of type-2 diabetes. A number of studies have found that if you experience more orgasms than average – as well as an overall greater frequency and satisfaction with sex – you are more resistant to coronary heart disease and type-2 diabetes. This is the case whether you enjoy sex with a partner or you go it Han-style (Solo).

 

4. Increases Pelvic Floor Strength: Ok, this one is similar to the boys, but it’s still worth mentioning. There are many health benefits to having a strong pelvic floor, but the most fun one is that it enhances your sexual satisfaction. So, the more you do it, the more satisfaction you’ll gain.

Categories: Benefits, cervical fluid, cervical infections, Health Benefits, helps, masturbating, men, nbsp, pelvic floor, prostate cancer, Women

Could a Test Determine Your Risk of Prostate Cancer?

While prostate cancer can be so slow to develop in some men that it never affects their wellbeing at all, for others the health concern can be a real killer. Up to now, there is no way to identify those whose wellness is at a high risk of dying from the disease, but scientists believe they have come one step closer. This breakthrough, which comes from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, means that we could soon have genetic tests that can identify high-risk men with prostate cancer – enabling them to be monitored throughout their lives – and other men who can avoid unnecessary treatment.

 

Award-winning wellness writer Sarah Boseley explains, ‘In some men, prostate cancer is so slow-growing that it will not cause them any harm in their lifetime – they will die with it, rather than of it. But in others, it is aggressive and a killer. Because side-effects of treatment can include impotence and incontinence, it has long been recognised that there is a need for tests to establish which men are in real danger and which are not.’ The researchers screened men from families with a history of prostate cancer, and, as a result have established that 14 mutations in known cancer genes can predict life-threatening disease. The investigators, who published their findings in the British Journal of Cancer, also found that men with these mutations were likely to have more aggressive disease.

 

Study co-leader Ros Eeles, professor of oncogenics at the Institute of Cancer Research and honorary consultant at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, commented, ‘Our study shows the potential benefit of putting prostate cancer on a par with cancers such as breast cancer when it comes to genetic testing. Although ours was a small, first-stage study, we proved that testing for known cancer mutations can pick out men who are destined to have a more aggressive form of prostate cancer. We already have the technical capabilities to assess men for multiple mutations at once, so all that remains is for us to do further work to prove that picking up dangerous mutations early can save lives. If so, then in the future, genetic testing may be needed as part of the prostate cancer care pathway.’

 

As a result of these findings, doctors could screen men with prostate cancer in the family for their risk, much in the same way that doctors can now screen women for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which gives them a 50% chance of developing breast cancer. The 14 mutations which predict aggressive prostate cancer are in eight genes, which include BRCA1 and BRCA2. The others are ATM, CHEK2, BRIP1, MUTYH, PALB2 and PMS2. According to Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, ‘The minefield of prostate cancer diagnosis is one of the biggest hurdles facing treatment of the disease today. Current tests fail to differentiate between aggressive cancers that could go on to kill, and cancers that may never cause any harm.’

 

He continues, ‘This lack of clarity means that too often men and their doctors are left having to make incredibly difficult decisions on whether to treat the disease or not. We urgently need to understand more about which men are at risk of developing prostate cancer and in particular aggressive forms of the disease. Genetic testing to predict risk could revolutionise how we treat the 40,000 men diagnosed with the disease every year in the UK. These results are exciting as they add to the growing weight of evidence that men with a family history of prostate cancer who possess certain genes may be at higher risk, providing us with another crucial piece of the jigsaw.’

Categories: breast cancer, cancer, cancer research, Disease, genetic testing, high risk, prostate, prostate cancer, Research, risk, risk assessment

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach to Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a sexual health issue that can negatively impact all areas of your wellbeing. According to recent projections from the American Cancer Society, of the 232,090 new cases to be diagnosed, about 30,350 men will die from prostate cancer. This is why it’s so important to get tested early and often, and find the right treatment.

 

According to Licensed Acupuncturist Dr. Mao Shing Ni, PhD, who has diplomas in Chinese Herbology and Anti-Ageing Wellness, ‘If you are a man over the age of 40 and prostate cancer runs in your family, it is extremely advisable to monitor your Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels. A PSA blood test measures the level of a protein released by prostate cells. Recent experts state that if a PSA level is 2.5 or higher, it reveals the possibility of prostate growth (hyperplasia), but it does not always mean that cancer is present. Since PSA levels may fluctuate with infection and lab errors, usually more than one test over a period of time is done to confirm your PSA level. Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) and ultrasound are other ways to evaluate the prostate. However, only biopsies can truly determine whether the growth in the prostate is benign or malignant.’

 

So what exactly is your prostate, and why does it become more likely to be damaged as you age? ‘The prostate gland lies at the base of the bladder surrounding the urethra (urinary tract from bladder to penis),’ Dr. Mao explains. ‘During ejaculation, the prostate secretes a fluid that combines with the seminal fluid in order to prevent infection in the urethra while protecting and invigorating sperm. Due to the ageing process, the prostate naturally enlarges as hormones change and weaken after the age of 40. The swelling of the prostate puts pressure against the bladder and urethra, thereby affecting the smooth flow of urine. Abnormal patterns of urination such as higher frequency at night, burning sensation, difficulty, blockage and dribbling are common symptoms and signs of prostate enlargement.’

 

But why are we asking a Traditional Chinese Medicine specialist about prostate cancer? Dr. Mao notes, ‘TCM associates hyperplasia of the prostate with damp heat and kidney deficiency. After the age of 40, one’s vital energy in the kidney system decreases, resulting in the disturbance of sex hormones. This process also decreases one’s sexual energy, which affects the function of the prostate and the circulation in this region. Throughout the ages, in order to compensate for the decline of prostate function, men in China have used regular acupuncture treatments to improve the circulation and energy in the prostate.’

 

Dr. Mao continues, ‘To enhance the effect of acupuncture, they have also used Chinese herbs such as Poly Goni He Shou Wu, in traditional, custom herbal formulas to replenish the kidney essence. In fact, at Tao of Wellness, we have had many successful cases of normalising elevated PSA levels in patients with prostate conditions. Kidney essence nurtures the prostate. As the prostate is revitalised, it is now capable of self-regulating toward normal functioning and maintaining a balance of growth and non-growth. This is the balancing property of Chinese medicine.’

 

Dr. Mao adds, ‘TCM nutrition encourages men to eat more nuts, seeds, pumpkin, mushroom and berries to help nourish their prostate. Managing stress, regular exercise and massaging the prostate are also vital to help maintain prostate health. Besides Chinese and western herbs such as saw palmetto, there are many delicious foods that you can eat to help maintain a healthy prostate. Regular consumption of foods that contain lycopene (a prostate protective antioxidant) is highly recommended.’

Categories: Chinese medicine, dr mao, kidney essence, nbsp dr, prostate, prostate cancer, psa level, psa levels, traditional chinese, traditional chinese medicine, treatment

Five Forgotten Checkups It"s Time to Schedule

Regular checkups are required to keep the body strong and healthy. If you want to prevent illnesses, you should know when to get regular checkups. Here are the five most commonly forgotten checkups that it’s time to schedule.

 

1. Schedule a Dental Cleaning 

A regular dental cleaning is necessary, and experts such as Able Dental Group can help. Every six months appointments are recommended by most dentists to remove plaque buildup and prevent cavities from spreading out of control. Prevention is the key to good dental care. X-rays taken annually during these visits will reveal the movement of the teeth. Braces or corrective measures can be avoided if the problem occurs.

 

2. Schedule a Breast Exam

In the past, women were required to have a pap smear every year. Recent studies have proven that this is not necessary unless there’s an abnormal test, but most physicians recommend a Pap smear and a breast exam annually. Women who are between the ages of 21 and 29 should have a Pap smear every three years.

 

Women who are between the ages of 30 and 64, you should get a Pap test and a human papillomavirus (HPV) test every five years or the Pap test every three years. Women who are 65 and over and have had three normal Pap smears consecutively do not need a Pap smear regularly any more. Women who do not have a cervix, have not been diagnosed with cervical cancer, or have had a hysterectomy do not need a Pap test annually.

 

3. Schedule a Prostate Exam

You should schedule a prostate cancer exam annually after the age of 40. Before 40, you should have a prostate exam every two to three years. This is the most common form of cancer in men. One in six is are at risk for developing prostate cancer. Keep in mind that African American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than white Americans.

 

4. Get an Annual Physical

How often you get an annual physical will depend on your age and health status. Your ability to pay for a physical may also affect how often you’ll need a physical. Most insurance plans will pay for having a test every few years.

 

5. Get a Colorectal Cancer Screening

A colorectal screening should be conducted regularly after 50 to check for abnormal or pre-cancerous growths in the colon or in the abdominal area. A colonoscopy may be conducted or a fecal occult blood test may be required.

 

Don’t forget these tests. Prevention can go a long way in helping people save money and avoid illnesses. Contact your physician today.

Categories: annual physical, breast exam, checkups, dental cleaning, exam annually, forgotten, pap smear, pap test, prostate cancer, regular checkups, years nbsp

Why Men Need the Right Balance of Testosterone and Oestrogen

You know the deal with sexual health hormones; it’s testosterone for men, and oestrogen for women, right? While, to a certain extent, that’s true, all men do have some oestrogen, and all women do need a small amount of testosterone. That said, there’s still a lot wellness experts don’t know about the effects of oestrogen in men, and more research needs to be done into this area. What we do know is, like all hormones, oestrogen needs to be kept in check, or else it could have a detrimental effect on male and female wellbeing. However, as a bloke, you’re more likely to experience chronic health conditions as a result of oestrogen levels becoming too high.

 

In your body, testosterone and oestrogen are actually very closely related, with very similar chemical structures. Yet, the impact these hormone have on your body are substantially different. As a man, testosterone affects nearly every cell in your body, working to improve your muscle mass, bone density, heart and blood vessel health and cognitive wellness. An enzyme called aromatase actually makes oestrogen from the circulating testosterone in your body and, as you age, your body starts making more oestrogen and less testosterone. While oestrogen can be made in your liver, muscle and brain, much of the concern lies in the oestrogen made in your fat cells. As obesity rates rise around the world, men will begin making increasing amounts of oestrogen and decreasing amounts of testosterone, which is a dangerous thing indeed.

 

The right balance of testosterone and oestrogen is a beautiful thing; with enough testosterone, men may be able to prevent heart and vascular disease, and have better moods, muscles and blood sugar levels. High rates of oestrogen, however, mess with this latter benefit, which is why you’ll find that diabetics tend to have higher rates of oestrogen. Low levels of testosterone have also been linked to a higher rate of depression, while too much oestrogen might make you more likely to have a heart attack or develop prostate cancer. For years, testosterone has been blamed as the cause of prostate cancer, but actually research is finding that an imbalance of oestrogens in your body is more important in preventing or causing the condition. When all is said and done, too little testosterone and too much oestrogen may play a role in nearly all chronic diseases in men.

 

Oestrogen isn’t necessarily bad for you, but you need to have it in balance. One study recently investigated the role of oestrogen in heart failure, and found that the men with the lowest AND highest amount of oestrogen had the greatest problems – indicating that a happy medium is key. Plus, another research showed that giving elderly men testosterone supplements increased their spatial memory and verbal memory. Seeing as testosterone supplementation also naturally increased the enzyme aromatase, oestrogen levels also rose which, in this case was a good thing. When the researchers blocked the aromatase – and, consequently, the oestrogen – the men did not find any improvement in their verbal memory. This implies that you need some oestrogen, just not too much.

 

So how do you find that happy balance of oestrogen and testosterone? As obesity is perhaps the greatest hindrance to maintaining a healthy hormone balance, getting trim and building muscle through exercise can give you extra insurance against hormonal imbalance and chronic disease. Increased use of alcohol can increase production of oestrogen in men, and so sticking to the recommended limits can help keep things in check. You should also limit your exposure to plastic chemicals, as these may also disrupt proper hormone function. This means avoiding microwaving plastic containers and preventing water bottles from getting too warm in the sun.

Categories: Balance, body, men, nbsp, oestrogen, oestrogen levels, prostate cancer, Testosterone, verbal memory

A Problem for Most Men: The Issues of an Enlarged Prostate

As a man, your prostate gland is an essential part of your sexual health, as it is a key component in your reproductive system. Therefore, it’s important to know everything you can about your prostate, as knowing what’s normal can help you to protect your wellbeing when something goes wrong. So let’s take a closer look – figuratively speaking – at your prostate gland, and how it has an impact on your overall wellness.

 

While it’s commonly known as the prostate gland, it is not really a gland at all, but rather an organ that is made up of about 70% glandular tissue and 30% fibromuscular tissue. If you’re a male adult, your prostate gland will be about the size and shape of a walnut and weigh roughly 20 grams. You’ll find your prostate gland directly beneath your bladder and in front of your rectum, surrounded by a thick fibrous capsule. This glandular tissue of your prostate will secrete a fluid that will contribute to 20 to 30% of your overall volume of seminal fluid. While your prostate is always generating this fluid, it will really up its production when you’re sexually excited.

 

Your semen is made of a combination of spermatozoa, seminal vesicle fluid and prostatic fluid, as well as a tiny amount of fluid from some minor glands. The fluid created by your prostate gland is a thin, milky substance that gives your semen its characteristic colour and odour. In these secretions, there will be concentrations of calcium, zinc, citric acid, acid phosphatase, albumin, and prostatic specific antigen. Not only do these substances help to lubricate your urethra, but they also protect, nourish and mobilise your sperm when they get into the usually acidic environment of the female vagina.

 

Your prostate will grow very little when you’re a kid, but once you hit puberty it will undergo a growth spurt, increasing in weight and doubling its size. After this, the size of your prostate will more or less remain the same for another 30 years or more. Some men, in fact, find that their prostate never grows after puberty. This is healthy, but the unfortunate truth is that most men will experience prostate growth later in life, which is a real wellness issue. Some form of non-malignant enlargement of the prostate, medically known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is a likely thing for you to experience. The American Foundation for Urologic Disease estimates that more than half of men aged 50 and above have enlarged prostates, which is a number that steadily increases with age. While you may escape the over-50 bracket, by age 80 it is estimated that 80% of men have prostatic enlargement. So why is an enlarged prostate such a wellness concern?

 

If your prostate gland becomes enlarged, it can get in the way of the flow of urine through your ureters. If this happens, the blockage can cause a backpressure in your kidney which, if left untreated, can lead to chronic kidney disease. The good news is, however, that there are more and more medical and nutritional treatment approaches to this common male disorder that ever before, so the problem shouldn’t threaten your wellbeing as long as you get your prostate checked and treated. Aside from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), other conditions of the prostate include prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and prostate cancer. Again, as prostate cancer is currently the second leading cause of death from cancer in men (the first being lung cancer) the American Cancer Society and the American Urological Association currently recommend that healthy you begin an annual habit of rectal examination after the age of 40 and a rectal exam and a simple blood test to monitor prostate-specific antigen levels (called PSA) once you turn 50.

Categories: benign prostatic, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), Enlarged Prostate, gland, glandular tissue, prostate, prostate cancer, prostate gland, prostatic hyperplasia, specific antigen

Know Your Enemy: How to Prevent Prostate Cancer

In order to protect your sexual health – and overall wellbeing – against prostate cancer, you need to be well-informed. By knowing your enemy, so to speak, you can get proactive with your treatment in the best way for you as an individual, or even guard your wellness against prostate cancer in the first place. So what exactly is prostate cancer, and what can you do to prevent it?

 

Prostate cancer is a tumour that grows in your prostate gland, which is the part of your reproductive system that stores seminal fluid (the substance that mixes with sperm to form semen). Sometimes, prostate cancer can grow slowly over a period of many years, while at others it may grow rapidly and spread swiftly to other parts of the body. Prostate cancer has been known to spread its cells throughout your lymph system or bloodstream and along nerve pathways. In some cases, men with prostate cancer experience no symptoms, which is why it is so important to have your prostate checked by a doctor on a regular basis.

 

Sometimes, however, prostate cancer does exhibit certain signs and symptoms. These include:

• Blood in your urine or semen


• Dribbling when urinating


• Erectile dysfunction


• Frequent urination, especially at night


• Painful urination and/or ejaculation


• A smaller stream of urine


• An urgent need to urinate


• Painful bony sites (if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body)


• Occasional nerve paralysis or loss of bladder function

 

Unfortunately, the cause of prostate cancer remains unknown, although it is thought that your hormones – such as testosterone – may contribute to the disease as they control the growth of your prostate gland. Viruses or chronic infections may contribute to prostate cancer, and there’s also a link between the disease and common cancer-causing substances in the environment. Plus, researchers have recently identified a gene that is linked to some cases of prostate cancer. While the exact cause of prostate cancer remains unclear, scientists have identified five key risk factors:

 

1. Advanced age: Prostate cancer is seen mostly in men over the age of 55.

 

2. Diet: While a high-fat diet may increase your risk of prostate cancer, fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish may lower your risk.

 

3. Ethnicity: Prostate cancer is less common in American Indian and Asian men, occurring most often in African and northern European ethnic groups.

 

4. Family history: If your father or brother has had prostate cancer, your risk for the disease is heightened.

 

5. Other risk factors: Men who have had a vasectomy, who smoke, or who have been exposed to a metal called cadmium may also be at an increased risk of prostate cancer.

 

So that’s prostate cancer, but what can be done to prevent the disease? While prostate cancer cannot be completely prevented, prostate screening with exams and blood tests helps with early diagnosis. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), a digital rectal exam should also be offered every year to men 50 years of age or older who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years. The ACS also recommends that a prostate-specific antigen test (a PSA blood test) be offered every year to these men. However, if you have one of the above noted risk factors for prostate cancer – such as a high-risk ethnic origin or family history of the disease – you should start getting screened for prostate cancer at the age of 45. Finally, make sure you make good dietary choices, as this lowers your risk for the disease. Your diet should be low in fat, while packed with fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish.

Categories: cancer, cancer remains, family history, fatty fish, fruits vegetables, prevention, prostate, prostate cancer, prostate gland, risk factors, Symptoms

How Do You Ensure Your Prostate Is Healthy?

Prostate health becomes a growing concern with age for men. But there are ways to deter a future battle, such as an awareness of your dietary options and nutritional support, which promote an optimal prostate function. The prostate gland secretes fluid which combines with sperm to create semen – the gland is found in the urethra, the tube which takes urine out of the bladder. But with age, a common problem is that the gland becomes enlarged, and if it grows too much it can stem the flow of urine from the urethra. There are a number of symptoms for this condition such as frequently needing the toilet, a weak urine stream and a constant needing to go to the toilet. The prostate is almost more likely to become infected which can lead to pain in the pelvic area, or pain when urinating.  Men with  prostate problems may also have low testosterone levels which could lead to depression, vascular disease and fatigue. This can be tested with a blood test though, so speak to your GP about this.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst men. It’s a very serious diagnosis, though the aggressiveness of the cancer will vary among patients. It’s usually diagnosed in a routine prostate exam or through a prostate-specific antigen blood test. The symptoms are very similar to those with prostate enlargement, such as needing to urinate more often. There are various risk factors for prostate cancer, such as increasing age, family history and race. However, not every man who suffers from prostate enlargement will have prostate cancer, though the symptoms many overlap. If you’re suffering from symptoms you think may be a concern, you should speak to your GP as soon as possible. There is good news though – food can benefit your prostate, and if you choose wisely you can help to lower your risk of developing problems. For example, omega-3 fatty acids and a diet rich in fruit and vegetables are vital as part of a healthy daily diet. Fatty fish such as salmon or tuna, or a fish oil supplement, should dominate your intake. You should limit your intake of saturated fats, as with any healthy diet, as well as red meats and dairy. Soy is great for your diet and should be part of your daily nutrition – you can add this by eating tempeh, soy beans and tofu to your diet, such as in salads or stir fries.

 

A lot of nutrients can help with the frequent urination that is associated with prostate enlargement. These include zinc, saw palmetto, pygeum, stinging nettle, beta-sitosterol, lycopene, selenium and vitamin E. You should add pomegranate juice to your diet, as well as green tea as these have qualities and nutrients that are great for your health overall, as well as for your prostate. African Americans and those with a history of prostate conditions in the family should begin their screening at 40. If you don’t fall into either of these categories, however, you can begin your annual screening at the age of 50. Experts advise to get a check-up every year, but there isn’t actually any evidence to suggest that routine screening helps – however, it also does no harm. If you’re concerned about your health in any way, or have a family history of prostate problems, you should speak to your GP as soon as possible as they can run tests to determine if there is a problem.

Categories: Blood Test, cancer, diet, family history, men, prostate, prostate cancer, prostate enlargement, prostate problems, Symptoms

Natural Ways to Improve the Health of Your Prostate

If you are amongst the many millions of men who suffer from an enlarged prostate, you could look to more than just medication to improve your sexual wellness and wellbeing. There are other ways to help boost your health and treat an enlarged prostate, including foods, supplements and herbs.

 

Red clover, for example, is rich in something called isoflavones, which are a type of protein also found in soya beans which can be used to treat a wide range of conditions. It is believed that isoflavones can prevent the development of cancers of the prostate and other cancerous growths, and this protein may also treat an enlarged prostate.

 

Linked to this, soy can also be used to help treat an enlarged prostate. In Japan, men follow a diet that is high in soy, and there are very low incidences of prostate cancer. Some believe that this may be directly linked, and that the isoflavones in the soy are responsible for this. Soy can be a great overall health booster, anyway, so it’s a good idea to make sure you include plenty in your diet.

 

Something that you probably don’t include a lot of in your diet is African tree bark. Some studies have shown that pygeum africanum (the tree bark) can help to decrease inflammation, reduce the swelling of the prostate and block the growth factors that are responsible for prostate tumours and enlarged prostates. Many people in Europe and Asia swear by this treatment – so much so that the tree has been overharvested and is now on the Endangered Species list!

 

Lycopene is another thing to try. It is a type of antioxidant typically found in foods such as watermelon, grapefruit and tomatoes. Many studies have shown that by eating a diet high in fruit and veg, you can increase your intake of lycopene and reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer.

Categories: diet, enlarge, enlarged, Enlarged Prostate, health, nbsp, prostate, prostate cancer, treat, tree bark

Why Should You Ditch the Plastic in Your Life?

Plastic is both a godsend and a nightmare when it comes to its many uses. There are naturally a number of plastic perks, allowing for lighter-weight car parts that help to boost your mileage, computer housings and even disposable syringes that help to limit the risk of infectious diseases. Even polystyrene is a great insulator and long lasting, so it helps to conserve energy in our homes. However, when we use plastics for unnecessary conveniences, we put the planet and ourselves in danger.

It sometimes harbours other toxic, secret ingredients

A study analysing the black plastic travel mugs that so many people use found that an alarming percentage of them contained brominated flame retardants, which is a toxic class of chemicals that have been previously linked to cancer. Researchers suggest that electronic recycled waste is winding up in our consumer products that we eat and drink from, and increasing our exposure to these chemicals.

It’s exfoliating the Great Lakes

Plastic is added to facial scrubs and personal care products used for exfoliating, in the form of microbeads. This means that they will almost certainly be found winding up in waterways and last for centuries, highlighting the careless way in which we use plastics. A 4.2 ounce tube of facial scrub contains around 356,000 plastic beads – this is as many as 450,000 bits per square kilometre, when sampling the water from the Great Lakes. Using a natural scrub or making your own with sugar and natural oils will save the planet and will arguably be better for your skin.

Your veggies are soaking it up

Plastics are ideal for greenhouses and growing veggies, but they also leech chemicals into the ground and onto the food we’re later eating. Greenhouse plastics are often coated in phthalates to make them last longer in the sun.

It puts guys at risk

Studies have found that a common chemical found in polycarbonate water bottles mimics oestrogen in the body, which could sensitise the prostate stem cells that may promote prostate cancer later in life. Opting for food-grade stainless steel or glass water bottles could reduce this risk.

Some chemicals in bottled water are so potent, they’re like hormone-replacing cancer drugs

A recent study in Germany found 25,000 chemicals in bottled water, some of which inhibited oestrogenic activity by as much as 60 per cent and androgenic activity by as much as 90 per cent. The latter of these hormones is on par with the prostate cancer drug flutamide. Researcher have also found that potent chemicals such as maleates and fumarates are present in some plastic bottles, chemicals used to manufacture the form of plastic resin.

Even fleas are eating it

Plastic pollution isn’t a problem just for humans – it also affects ocean creatures such as sea turtles. Even water fleas are consuming microplastic pollution. Cutting out unnecessary plastic uses could help preserve the planet and all that survives on it, not just the human race.

Plastic chemicals are fuelling adult diseases in kids

According to a recent study, the odourless and colourless plastic additives known as phthalates found in plastics are responsible for the rising blood pressure rates in children and teens. These chemicals are readily available in food containers and mix with the food we eat, meaning its not just the fat and calorie content we need to be concerned about when it comes to our diets. Cutting back on processed foods can help to lower these rates, as well as encouraging a healthier diet along the way.

Categories: bottled water, chemicals, environment, Food, plastic, Plastics, prostate cancer, Water, water bottles

The Sexy Six: How Does Sex Benefit Your Overall Health?

You don’t need a sexual health expert to tell you that sex feels good and puts you in an amazing mood, but did you know that sex also benefits your wellness in a number of not-so-obvious ways? Scientists have found that, during lovemaking, your body products a cascade of hormones and other biological changes that can lower your risk of cancer, boost your immunity, ease your pain and even offset the symptoms of menopause – taking care of your wellbeing has never been so much fun!

 

1. Lowers chronic pain: While having a headache is a go-to excuse for not getting down in the bedroom department, having sex may make that headache disappear. When your clitoris and vaginal walls are stimulated, your body triggers the release of natural painkillers like endorphins and corticosteroids. According to Barry Komisaruk, PhD, a Rutgers University psychology professor and co-author of The Science of Orgasm, this relieves headache pain and muscle soreness from before orgasm to up to two days later. In fact, he reports that self-stimulation through the front wall of your vagina increases your pain tolerance and pain detection thresholds by up to 50%.

 

2. Lessens breast cancer risk: As arousal and orgasm raises your “happiness” hormone level, you have more oxytocin and DHEA in your body, which may help keep breast cancer at bay. Research has demonstrated that having sex more than once a month makes you less likely to develop breast cancer than women who are less sexually active. Another study from Greek researchers showed that men were significantly less likely to develop breast cancer if they had at least seven orgasms a month in their 50s.

 

3. Exercises your heart: For a mild-to-moderate cardio workout you’ll actually enjoy, get busy between the sheets! The more vigorous you are, the more you benefit your heart. However, the cardio health benefits also somewhat depend on the positions you try. As being on top requires more effort, it’s more cardiac-friendly. Plus, at the peak moment of orgasm, your heart rate may hit 110 beats per minute, which is comparable to what walking quickly or jogging might achieve.

 

4. Protects your partner’s prostate: Scientists surmise that the reason why Catholic priests have an elevated chance of dying of prostate cancer is that they aren’t getting any. A 2003 study, this time undertaken on middle-aged Australian men, found that having at least four ejaculations a week gives your partner a one-third lower chance of developing prostate cancer than those who have fewer. Irwin Goldstein, MD, head of sexual medicine at Alvarado Hospital, explains, ‘”When you drain the pipes, as it were, you have less clogging.’

 

5. Reduces stress: In 2005, researchers showed that men and women who had sex in the two weeks before a stressful day had an easier time while doing public speaking and some verbal arithmetic. Having sex beforehand prevented their systolic blood pressure (the first number in a blood-pressure reading) from increasing as much as those who had no sexual relations or had other forms of sex, including non-coital interactions or masturbation. Having sex also caused the participants’ blood pressure to drop back to its normal level at a faster rate. The researchers put forth the theory that having sex requires more complex brain activity, or it stimulates a number of important nerves not triggered during other kinds of sexual activity.

 

6. Amps up your immune system: According to research from Wilkes University, college students who engaged in sex once or twice a week had 30% higher levels of infection-fighting antibodies than did their abstinent classmates. This is not the only study that shows sex bolsters your immune system; in 2004, German scientists produced similar results.

Categories: blood pressure, Breast, breast cancer, cancer, develop breast, immunity, nbsp, orgasm, Pain, Pain Relief, prostate cancer, stress reduction

What Everyone Ought to Know About Nutritious Pomegranates

Pomegranates are distinctive fruits, with ruby-red flesh that is full of seeds. They are often sidelined, but can form an important part of your diet and nutrition, and have many medicinal properties that can contribute to your wellness and wellbeing.

 

The fruit has actually been used in medicine for thousands of years. It comes from the Middle East, and claims about its properties include those who feel that it has a beneficial effect on blood pressure (reducing high blood pressure in particular) and it can also help to protect against some cancers, such as prostate cancer, and guard against heart disease and various types of inflammation.

 

Pomegranates are also a great source of dietary fibre, and contain important vitamins such as A, C and E as well as iron and various other antioxidants, such as tannins.

 

A small study carried out in 2006 seems to show that drinking a daily glass (around 227ml) of pomegranate juice can significantly slow down the progress of prostate cancer in men who are suffering with recurring prostate cancer. The study was conducted well, but further evidence is needed to help boost the findings.

 

Another study also showed the pomegranate may have an effect on cartoid artery stenosis (narrowing of the arteries). In this study, researchers found that drinking a glass of pomegranate juice every day could help to reduce the damage that cholesterol can do to the arteries. The study showed that the damage was reduced by almost half, but further studies are needed in order to support this evidence.

 

A study into the effects of pomegranate juice on heart disease was carried out on 45 patients in 2005. It seemed to show that when the patients suffering from coronary heart disease drank a daily glass of pomegranate juice for three months in a row, the result was improved blood flow to the heart, reducing the patient’s risk of having a heart attack.

Categories: blood pressure, daily glass, diet, heart, heart disease, nbsp, nutrition, pomegranate, pomegranate juice, prostate cancer, study

How to Spot the Warning Signs of Different Types of Cancer

There’s no bigger health concern than cancer, but a lot of people can’t recognise when the disease affects their wellbeing. It’s important to get annual checkups and tests, but there are also a lot of cancer symptoms that are commonly overlooked which, if spotted early, may make all the difference to your wellness. Here are the 20 common cancer signs to watch out for:

 

1. Upset stomach or stomach ache: This is one of the first signs of colon cancer, but also occurs in leukaemia, pancreatic and liver cancer patients.

 

2. Acid pains in your stomach: This feels like gas or heartburn in your upper or middle abdomen, which is often aggravated by eating. It’s often a sign of liver cancer.

 

3. Unexplained weight loss: When the pounds are falling off despite not making any changes to your lifestyle, it could be a sign of colon and other digestive cancers.

 

4. Jaundice: This is a sign of pancreatic cancer, and includes symptoms such as yellowing of your skin and eyes have yellowed, darker than usual urine, clay-coloured stools and itching.

 

5. Wheezing or shortness of breath: This is one of the first signs of lung cancer, but as it can also signal asthma, COPD and heart disease, it’s worth getting checked out anyway.

 

6. Chronic cough or chest pain: Though several types of cancer, such as leukaemia and lung tumours, mimic a bad cough or bronchitis, you can tell its cancer if the problem persists, rather than coming and going in cycles.

 

7. Frequent fevers or infections: Leukaemia saps your body’s ability to fight fevers and infections, and causes frequent feelings of achiness, and flu-like symptoms.

 

8. Trouble with swallowing: If you have a frequent feeling of needing to clear your throat or that food is stuck in your chest, it could signal lung cancer or throat cancer.

 

9. Chronic heartburn: Regular heartburn and an acidic taste in the throat can trigger a condition called Barrett’s oesophagus, which may be a precursor of oesophageal or throat cancer.

 

10. Facial swelling: Small cell lung tumours block the blood vessels in your chest, which limits blood flow to your face and causes puffiness, swelling, or redness.

 

11. Lumps on your neck, underarm, or groin: Depending on where it occurs, lumps or swollen lymph nodes could indicate leukaemia or throat cancer, especially if they’re painless.

 

12. Excessive bruising or bleeding: This is another sign of leukaemia, as it suggests something abnormal happening with your platelets and red blood cells.

 

13. Weakness and fatigue: This is a symptom of many different cancers, especially if it doesn’t respond to getting more sleep.

 

14. Rectal bleeding: Blood in you stool or in the toilet alone is a common symptom of colorectal cancer.

 

15. Bowel problems: If constipation, diarrhoea, and changes in stools go on for more than a few days without a clear cause, it may be colon or pancreatic cancer.

 

16. Trouble urinating: Changes and difficulties in urination are commonly associated with prostate cancer.

 

17. Pain or burning during urination: Although it may be a urinary tract infection or sexually transmitted disease, pain during urination can also indicate prostate cancer.

 

18. Blood in your urine or semen: This is a sign of prostate cancer.

 

19. Erection problems: While it may be a sign of erectile dysfunction, erection problems can be a sign that your prostate cancer has progressed.

 

20. Pain, aching, or heaviness in your groin, hips, thighs, or abdomen: Men with testicular cancer report noticing a heavy, aching feeling low in the belly and/or testicles, and the condition also causes swelling in the hips, legs and back.

Categories: colon cancer, prostate cancer, warning signs

How to Prevent the Three Major Prostate Health Concerns

Prostate cancer is becoming more and more common, which is why it’s more important than ever to have regular check ups if you’re a man over 50. However, this isn’t the only health concern related to prostate, so let’s take a look at how yours might be affected, and what you can do to relieve or prevent the symptoms.

 

1. Enlarged Prostate. In this condition, your gland grows so big that it reduces the flow of urine through the urethra. You know this affects your wellness if you take frequent trips to the bathroom, have an increased sensation to urinate or experience a reduced urine flow. An enlarged prostate also leads to lower testosterone levels, which hinders your well-being with depression, fatigue and vascular diseases. However, you can find out if your testosterone levels are too low with a simple blood test done by your doctor.

 

2. Prostate Infections. For a variety of reasons, you can contract an infection in your prostate. You may experience such symptoms as pain or burning during urination, as well as pain in the pelvic area. If this happens, go get it checked out straight away so that your doctor can give you the treatment you need to clear up the infection.

 

3. Prostate Cancer. This is the most common type of cancer in men, but its severity varies in different patients. You may have no symptoms, and only discover you have the cancer as a result of your regular prostate examination – which is why regular checkups are so important if you’re over the age of 50. If your prostate is enlarged, you have low testosterone levels or there’s a history of prostate cancer in your family, you’re at a greater risk of prostate cancer. The symptoms are the same as prostate enlargement, which is why you should visit your physician ASAP.

 

If you have one of the above health concerns, or you want to prevent them, you can do a lot with your diet. You should reduce your intake of red meat, dairy products and fried food, and consume more soya, fruits, vegetables, Omega 3 fatty acids and fatty fish like salmon and tuna. Plus, you can find relief from your frequent need to urinate by using the following supplements:

 

• Zinc


• Saw Palmetto


• Beta-sitosterol


• Lycopene


• Green tea


• Vitamin E


• Selenium


• Pomegranate juice

Categories: Enlarged Prostate, health concerns, prevent, prostate, prostate cancer, Prostate Infections, testosterone levels

Fishy Findings: Omega-3"s May Increase Prostate Cancer Risk

Wellness enthusiasts always seem to be going on about omega-3 fatty acids. The anti-inflammatory properties of this compound, found naturally in oily fish, are widely believed to protect your well-being against heart attacks, strokes, arthritis and various cancers, but a new study has called the benefits of omega-3s into question.

 

A team from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle has reported that, if you’re a man with high levels of omega-3 in your blood, you’re 43% more likely to have prostate cancer, and 71% more likely to have aggressive “high-grade” tumors than those not taking supplements. In Britain alone, high street sales of omega-3 supplements are estimated to reach £116 million each year, making it one of the most popular supplements to take in this country.

 

For the study, which was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the researchers compared blood samples from 834 prostate cancer patient against 1,393 healthy controls. While the researchers were unclear as to why omega-3 supplements increased the risk of prostate cancer, they surmised that the effect could be related to how your body converts fatty acids into compounds that damage cells and DNA, and suppress the immune system. The researchers also didn’t look at how exactly omega-3 might affect your progression of prostate cancer, if you already have the disease. Still, according to Dr Alan Kristal, senior author of the paper, “We’ve shown once again that use of nutritional supplements may be harmful.”

 

Dr Iain Frame, Director of Research at Prostate Cancer UK commented, “Omega 3, such as is found in oily fish, has been the focus of a large amount of research in recent years, the majority of which points to it having wide ranging health benefits when eaten as part of a balanced diet. Therefore we would not encourage any man to change their diet as a result of this study, but to speak to their doctor if they have any concerns about prostate cancer.” Sarah Williams, health information officer at Cancer Research UK, added, “The evidence as to whether omega 3 fats affect prostate cancer risk is mixed and unfortunately this study doesn’t resolve the debate. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers, and the risk increases as men get older.”

Categories: cancer research, Cancer Risk, fatty acids, oily fish, Omega-3, prostate cancer, Research

Warning: Your Daily Vitamins May Cause Health Problems

You are probably the sort of person who is invested in their own wellness and well-being. Perhaps you eat healthy and exercise daily. You may even take vitamins, minerals and supplements on a regular basis. But what if we told you that this daily vitamin pill could actually be damaging your health?

 

Vitamins are a big business, ranging from liquid vitamins for babies, chewable vitamins for children and then a whole range of vitamins for adults, tailored for specific health problems, such as high doses of vitamin C for those who are suffering problems with their immune system, essential oils for those struggling with illnesses of the joints and vitamins tailored for men and women going through various stages of life (such as exercising healthily or going through menopause).

 

The data, however, has shown that many types of vitamins and supplements can be harmful to your health. Fish oil capsules, for example, have now been linked to increased incidents of prostate cancer, which is devastating news for the millions of people who take fish oil capsules on a daily basis in an attempt to help ease their joint pain, improve the health of their heart and fight against mental decline.

 

Carried out with more than 2,000 men, the study showed that men who had high levels of omega-3 in their blood samples were around 71 percent more likely to contract the most serious and lethal form of prostate cancer, and 44 percent more likely to get the milder kind, too.

 

It’s not just omega-3; researchers have found that multivitamins may also be doing more harm than good. For a start, there is very little evidence that multivitamins or vitamins of any kind have a significant effect on protecting you against any diseases, whereas further research seems to indicate that taking multivitamins can lead to premature death.

Categories: daily, fish oil, health, health problems, Multivitamins, nbsp, oil capsules, Omega, prostate cancer, vitamins

Do Other Health Problems Affect Prostate Cancer Treatment?

If you’re a man who suffers from prostate cancer, and your wellbeing is also affected by heart disease, you should think long and hard about your treatment choices, as you’re more likely to regret what you pick. This is according to a new study, which found that, of the 800 men with recurrent cancer studied, those with prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease were 52% more likely to regret their treatment choices than men without problems with their heart or veins.

According to lead author Dr Paul L Nguyen from the Department of Radiation Oncology at Harvard’s Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, ‘Treatment regret can have an adverse impact on a patient’s overall outlook and has been associated with a poorer global quality of life. Understanding predictors of regret can help clinicians better counsel patients about their treatments so that later regret can be avoided.’ So how does your treatment choice affect your wellbeing?

Dr Nguyen reported, ‘Most men with localised prostate cancer have multiple treatment options, each with their own set of potential risks and benefits. While many patients are grateful for the chance to select their treatment, some may subsequently regret their treatment if the outcomes after therapy do not meet their expectations.’ These treatment options included prostatectomy (which was chosen by 410 men), external beam radiation therapy (237), and brachytherapy (124) and primary androgen deprivation/hormone therapy (24).

The results of the study also revealed that 44% of the men with cardiovascular problems were experienced bowel problems, compared to just 36% of those without heart problems. These men with bowel problems had 58% higher levels regret, and those who were diagnosed at a younger age were also more likely to regret their choice of treatment. In addition, men with prostate cancer and cardiovascular problems were also more likely to experience urinary problems. 46% of these men suffered urinary problems, compared to just 39% of men without heart problems. The researchers concluded that their findings should highlight how important it is for your doctor to consider other health concerns when counselling you about your prostate cancer treatment options.

Categories: Cardiovascular Problems, prostate cancer, Research

Can Selenium Defend You Against Prostate Cancer or Not?

If you’re a man with higher levels of selenium, your wellbeing may be less at risk of developing advanced prostate cancer. This is according to a new study, presented this month at the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research, in Washington, D.C., which found that the mineral selenium, as found in foods such as Brazil nuts, in supplements and in foods grown in selenium-rich soil, could one day offer a way to reduce prostate cancer risk in men.

According to study author Milan Geybels, who is a doctoral candidate in cancer epidemiology at Maastricht University in Maastricht, the Netherlands, ‘There is very little evidence on modifiable prostate cancer risk factors. Any compound that would prevent the incidence of advanced prostate cancer would have a substantial impact on public health.’ However, as these results are yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, you should consider the findings preliminary.

Wellness experts have also warned that the results of the study should not be construed as an endorsement of selenium supplements. Elise Cook, MD, an associate professor of clinical cancer prevention at the MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston, said, ‘At this point, I wouldn’t recommend that all men run out and buy a bottle of selenium to take.’ She explained that taking too much selenium can be toxic, and you can develop skin problems, and possibly even diabetes. However, if you get your selenium from dietary sources, it shouldn’t be a problem.

For years, cancer researchers have been interested in the supposed benefits of selenium on prostate cancer, until a large trial several years ago revealed that selenium, taken either alone or with vitamin E, did not prevent prostate cancer. Alexander Kutikov, MD, an associate professor of urologic oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Centre in Philadelphia, noted, ‘Before that, selenium supplements had been flying off the shelves. Enthusiasm was really dampened by that trial.’

However, this new study only looked at men who were deficient in selenium and tracked only cases of advanced prostate cancer, which is linked with a poor prognosis. The selenium-dampening trial, on the other hand, evaluated men with normal selenium levels when they entered the trial. Dr Geybels study involved a group of almost 60,000 men aged 55 to 69 at the beginning of the study, and revealed that men with the highest selenium levels, as measured in toenail clippings, were more than 60% less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer.

Can Selenium Defend You Against Prostate Cancer or Not?

Categories: prostate cancer, Research, Selenium