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15/09/2009

Nutrition style for a healthy prostate

Only plant protein should be taken. Meat protein burdeons the entire system especially pancreas, liver and Kidneys. Work on the area with heated virgin castor oil packs. Utilise the mucus removal protocols and the Christopher formulas.

Eat your way to a healthy prostate

By Professor Margaret Rayman
Last updated at 11:48 PM on 08th August 2009
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-...y-prostate.html


There is growing scientific evidence that strongly suggests diets rich in certain foods can help prevent prostate cancer and its spread.

There is also evidence to indicate the harmful effect of other foods. Prostate cancer is often slow to develop and spread, so strategies that can influence its progression are worth considering.

For those with the condition, a controlled diet may provide the only means of active treatment. Here we untangle the science and show how, by following our tips and enjoying recipes by celebrity chefs from Raymond Blanc to Gordon Ramsay, you can improve the health of your prostate.

Each year there are 35,000 new diagnoses of prostate cancer. It is the most common cancer to affect men in the UK with about 80 per cent having evidence of prostate cancer at post-mortem examination, although it accounts for only 12 per cent of male cancer deaths.

Prostate cancer has become more common during the past two decades, though this is partly due to more widespread screening.

The numbers vary greatly between countries, with the highest rates reported in the U.S. and Sweden and the lowest in Japan, India and China.

This reported variation may also be partly due to differences in the availability of screening and detection techniques, but it is widely accepted that at least some of it is due to differences in diet.

WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE PROSTATE DO?

The prostate is part of the male reproductive system and its function is to secrete a fluid that forms a constituent of semen.

This fluid is alkaline and protects sperm from the acidity inside the female reproductive organs. The prostate also contains muscles that help to expel semen during ejaculation.

Sexual dysfunction, fertility problems and incontinence are common problems experienced once the prostate has been removed, which is why this is not done unless absolutely necessary.

WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS?

The causes of prostate cancer are not fully understood, but there are several known risk factors, the greatest of which is age, with risk increasing rapidly from 50 onwards.

The existence of prostate or breast cancer in an immediate family member also increases risk.

Men of African-American descent appear to have an increased risk while men of Asian descent have a lower risk. These risk factors cannot be modified.

IS MY DIET PUTTING ME AT RISK?

The link between diet and prostate cancer is reflected in the low disease rates in Asian countries where diets are low in meat and saturated fats, and high in plant foods, fibre and fish.

This contrasts with the high rates in Western countries where diets are rich in meat and fat and low in plant foods. When people migrate from Asia to a Western country and adopt the diet and lifestyle of that country, their risk of prostate cancer increases - and the incidence of cancer in Asia is rising as it becomes increasingly Westernised.

ALLIUM VEGETABLES

These include garlic, onion, spring onions (scallions), shallots, leeks and chives.

Some research suggests that men who eat a diet rich in these foods have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

Allium vegetables contain compounds with anti-cancer properties

The taste and smell of allium vegetables comes from a group of organosulphur compounds. These are formed during the natural ageing process of the plant, or from the activity of an enzyme called alliinase that is released when the plant has been chopped or crushed.

These compounds are the ones with anti-cancer properties. Heat during their cooking, however, can destroy alliinase activity, preventing the formation of the active anti-cancer compounds.

A small Turkish study found a reduction in PSA (a protein produced by the prostate gland, a high level of which can indicate cancer) in nine patients with prostate cancer after they had taken a liquid garlic extract for one month.

The average PSA level of the men fell from 8.9ng/ml to 3.6ng/ml and the fall was accompanied by an improvement in symptoms.

A study in Shanghai investigated the effect of intake of allium vegetables, including garlic, spring onions, onions, chives and leeks, on the risk of prostate cancer in 238 men with confirmed prostate cancer and 471 healthy men for comparison.

The men who ate more than 10g of allium vegetables a day were 49 per cent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who ate less than 2.2g a day.

When vegetables were considered individually, men who ate more than 2.1g of garlic or scallions a day reduced their risk of developing the disease by 53 per cent (garlic) and 70 per cent (spring onions) compared to those who did not eat any at all.

Allium vegetables are also often served with other foods, such as tomatoes, that have been identified as having anti-cancer properties so the effect may be from the combination rather than from one type of vegetable alone.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I EAT?

The current UK guideline for fruit and vegetable consumption is at least five 80g portions a day.

Although there are no specific guidelines for the consumption of allium vegetables, the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests 2.5g (approximately one clove) of fresh garlic a day. Garlic should be left to stand for about ten minutes after crushing or chopping before cooking to allow the anticancer compounds time to form.

WHAT SHOULD I LIMIT?

When research is carried out into the links between diet and prostate cancer, some foods or food components show a positive relationship, such as dairy products, fat and meat. This means that eating them in large amounts may increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Dairy products

These include milk and all products made from milk, such as yogurt, cheese and fromage frais. The evidence for a close association between prostate cancer and dairy products comes from population studies.

Calcium

Dairy products provide our main source of calcium, but some studies have shown a relationship between a high intake of calcium and an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Dairy products provide our main source of calcium

One of the suggested reasons for this is the relationship between calcium and Vitamin D, a potential anti-cancer agent. Calcium requires the action of Vitamin D to aid absorption, therefore, when calcium intakes are high, the demand for Vitamin D increases and may lead to the suppression of Vitamin D in the blood.

The relationship between an increased risk of prostate cancer and calcium appears to be most apparent when calcium intake is very high (1,500mg to 2,000mg per day) and in cases where the disease is more advanced, although the evidence is not consistent.

Studies that have considered the risk of prostate cancer with non-dairy sources of calcium appear to show no association, although the effect of calcium supplementation is unclear.

Phytanic acid

This is a fatty acid found in dairy products and in animal meat such as beef and lamb.

A small study showed that the amount of phytanic acid in the blood of prostate cancer patients was higher than that in the blood of those without.

This same study also showed that the blood levels of phytanic acid in this group of people were related to the amount of dairy foods and red meat in their diets.

The effect of phytanic acid on prostate cancer risk has also been linked to the over-expression of a gene in prostate cancer cells that is responsible for the breakdown of phytanic acid. This has led to speculation that prostate cancer cells may use this fatty acid as an energy source which can help them to grow.

HOW MUCH DAIRY SHOULD I EAT?

Healthy eating guidelines recommend that dairy foods should make up about one sixth of the food eaten by adults each day.

This equates to 568ml (about one pint) of milk or the equivalent in a combination of dairy foods, such as 189ml to 244ml (one third of a pint to one cup) of milk, plus one cup (245ml) of yogurt, and 28ml to 42ml of cheese.

This intake would provide between 700 and 1,000mg of calcium a day, which meets the recommended calcium intake for adults.

Other good sources of calcium, include dark-green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, oily fish with bones such as sardines, and dried apricots.

In countries where fat intake is relatively low, there appears to be a low risk of prostate cancer. Research has generally supported the association between high intakes of fat, particularly saturated or animal fats, and increased risk of prostate cancer.

Diets that are high in fat are also likely to be calorific, promoting obesity which is associated with more aggressive prostate cancer.

Encouragingly, some studies have suggested that low-fat diets may slow its progression.

While the general message is to choose low-fat foods, especially those low in saturated or animal fats, there are some high-fat foods, such as oily fish, that are probably beneficial and should be included in a diet aimed at prostate health.

Choose lean cuts of meat, removing any excess fat, remove the skin from poultry, and choose oils and spreads that are higher in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and particularly omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids such as olive oil.

Replace butter with olive spread or an omega-3 spread and use rapeseed oil for frying and olive oil for salads.

BUT I LIKE TO EAT MEAT ...

Diets that are high in meat, particularly red and processed meats, may increase the risk of prostate cancer. Meat intake has also been associated with high fat intake which, may also have cancer-promoting effects.

Diets high in meat may also be low in protective fruits and vegetables. Ruminant meats, such as beef and lamb, are also a source of phytanic acid, which has been linked to an increase in the risk of prostate cancer in the case of dairy produce. Red meat is a major source of zinc which promotes testosterone synthesis.

A number of studies have compared the relationship between the degree of meat cooking and prostate cancer risk. Meat that is 'well done' and 'very well done' is more likely to increase the risk of prostate cancer.

CAN I STILL HAVE MY STEAK?

To help prevent and control cancers it is recommended you eat less than 500g (18oz) a week of red meat. However, meat is part of a valuable food group that provides protein to build and repair body tissues, as well as other essential vitamins and minerals, such as iron. There are some other sources of protein such as fish, eggs, soya and pulses, that can substitute for some meat.

• The Prostate Care Cookbook, in association with the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation, by Professor Margaret Rayman, Kay Dillon and Kay Gibbons, is published by Kyle Cathie Ltd, priced £12.99. To order your copy at the special price of £11.99, with free p&p, call the Review Bookshop on 0845 155 0713.

For more delicious celebrity chef recipes from Nigella's sunblush tomatoes to Gordon Ramsay's tiger prawns, go to www.mailonsunday.co.uk/prostate

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