What lifestyle changes can help avoid prostate cancer?

 

Prostate cancer is primarily a “disease of aging”.

As you get older, your chances of developing prostate cancer increase. While many people may wonder how to prevent prostate cancer, there is no one way to avoid the disease. Staying healthy as you age, or working to reverse existing health problems, can lower the risk. However, like all cancers, prostate cancer has certain risk factors that cannot be avoided.

For example, race and genetics play a significant role. If you are African American, your chances of developing prostate cancer are double those of white American men. If your father, brother or multiple blood relatives had prostate cancer, you are more likely to get it, too.

Men in western countries have much higher rates of prostate cancer than men in Asia. Experts suspect differences in eastern and western diets are to blame. Poor eating habits and diets that heavily rely on fats and animal proteins can cause DNA damage and lead to cancer.

And even men who are already at greater risk due to age, race or genetics can reduce their chances of developing prostate cancer by adopting healthy diets and lifestyles.

Thus what you eat matters.

New data published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology shows how diet can help after a prostate cancer diagnosis.

UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers learned that a low omega-6, high omega-3 fatty acid diet, combined with fish oil supplements, could slow the growth of cancer cells in men with early-stage prostate cancer.

Dr. William Aronson, the lead study author, said, “Many men are interested in lifestyle changes, including diet, to help manage their cancer and prevent the progression of their disease. Our findings suggest that something as simple as adjusting your diet could potentially slow cancer growth and extend the time before more aggressive interventions are needed."

Improve Your Diet

Research has shown that the same types of diets associated with better heart and brain health are linked to a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

In a study published in the March 2022 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that men who reported eating primarily a plant-based diet, like the Mediterranean or DASH diets, had a significantly lower risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer.

Other studies have also shown that following healthier diets may lower the odds of dying from prostate cancer. While this benefit might be related to the high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in fish (a staple of the Mediterranean and DASH diets), taking a fish oil supplement, however, has not been shown to reduce prostate cancer risk.

As a matter of fact, healthy diets consist of:

Reducing fat intake.

Eat less trans fats and saturated fats. Focus on healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids from nuts, seeds and fish. Limiting meat and added sugars may also be good for prostate health.

Avoiding charred meat.

Charred meat, from frying or grilling at high temperatures, may produce a chemical compound that leads to cancer.

Eating Vitamin D-rich foods.

Many people do not get enough vitamin D. But it can help protect against prostate cancer and many other conditions. Vitamin D-rich foods include cod liver oil, wild salmon and dried shitake mushrooms. Since the sun is a better, more readily available source of vitamin D, many experts recommend getting 10 minutes of sun exposure (without sunscreen) every day.

Eating more fruits and vegetables.

Incorporate a wide variety of produce, including plenty of leafy greens. The antioxidant lycopene, which is plentiful in cooked or processed tomatoes, has been shown in some studies to slow the growth of prostate cancer cells. Also, cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli and cauliflower) contain a compound called sulforaphane that may protect against cancer.

Adding green tea and soy.

Clinical trials have suggested that soy may lower PSA (a blood test used to screen for prostate cancer. The test measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood) levels, and that green tea may help men who are at high risk for prostate cancer lower their risk.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

What you do not eat also matters. Maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding obesity is linked to a lower chance of developing advanced prostate cancer.

Obesity can be a risk factor for developing more aggressive prostate cancer. In general, losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight as you age can help reduce the risk of cancer and many other health problems.

Getting Regular Exercise

In addition to helping you achieve a healthy weight, exercise can reduce inflammation, improve immune function and fight some of the negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle—all of which can help prevent cancer.

In fact, some evidence suggests that regular exercise can lower a man's likelihood of getting prostate cancer. In 2019, Harvard researchers published findings that showed men who engaged most frequently in vigorous activity had a 30% lower risk of developing advanced prostate cancer and a 25% lower risk of dying from prostate cancer compared with men who exercised the least.

Stopping Smoking and Drinking Less

Quitting smoking can improve your health in many ways, including lowering your cancer risk. And if you drink, do so in moderation. But some studies suggest that red wine has antioxidant properties that may benefit your health.

Staying Sexually Active

Studies show that men who have a higher frequency of ejaculation (with or without a sexual partner) were up to two-thirds less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Some experts theorize that ejaculation clears the body of toxins and other substances that could cause inflammation. The release of semen flushes harmful substances from the prostate.