MEN: Meals And Exercises That Help To Prevent Prostate Cancer

 

Cancer is a disease caused when cells divide uncontrollably and spread into surrounding tissues. It also refers to any large number of diseases characterised by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and also have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue, which can spread throughout the body. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in humans in the world.

Cancer develops when the body’s normal control mechanism stops working when old cells do not die and instead grow out of control, forming new abnormal cells which are called tumour.

Cancer changes to DNA and most cancer-causing DNA changes occur in a section of DNA called genes (genetic change). Most cancers are caused by smoking and tobacco, diet and physical activity, sun and other types of radiation, viruses and other infections.

One defining feature of cancer is the rapid creation of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries and which can invade other parts of the body and spread to other organs.

With an estimated number of almost 1.4m cases and 375,000 deaths worldwide, prostate cancer is the second most frequent cancer and one of the leading cause of cancer deaths among men in 2020.

It is a common type of cancer in males and is largely treatable in the early stages. Prostate cancer begins in the prostate gland, located between the penis and the bladder. It comes in five stages, such as; sky stage, teal stage, azure stage, indigo stage and royal stage.

The sky, teal and azure stages are known to be the first three stages.

Azure is like the real cancer that if not cured on time can spread while the sky stage is said to be harmless and it doesn’t spread.

Teal are transitional in men and needs treatment. The last two stages are indigo and royal and it represents men that have relapsed diseases that spread to the bones or develop resistance to hormonal therapy.

People living with prostate cancer suffer from negative effects of erectile dysfunction, decrease in immunity, fertility dysfunction, and painful urination.

According to research, there are no known causes or clear symptoms of this disease but it can be controlled or avoided by some specific meals. Some foods that may be helpful in the recovery and relapse of prostate cancer includes; lycopene, soybean, green tea, cruciferous vegetables, fruits like cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, fish.

Men who consume tomatoes have a lower risk of prostate cancer than those who do not. According to a UK study, Men who consume over 10 portions of tomatoes each week reduce their risk of suffering from prostate cancer by about 20%.

Vegetables contain compounds that help the body break down cancer-causing substances and also help to slow the spread of cancer.

Eating fruits and vegetables throughout the day will reduce the body’s risk of getting filled up with cancerous substances.

Eating soybeans like chickpeas, lentils, peanuts helps to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

Drinking four to five cups of coffee or green tea every day can help to lower the chances of fatal high-grade prostate cancer.

This means that the effects on prostate cancer go up or down with the amount of coffee or green tea intake. Research also shows that men who drink boiled coffee seemingly have a lower risk of prostate cancer than those who do not.

Regular exercises like walking, running, bicycling, swimming, helps to avoid prostate cancer. It also helps in maintaining a healthy weight and as well prevent obesity, which is one of the increased risks of aggressive prostate cancer.

Since there is no known cure and as well no clear preventive strategies for prostate cancer, its mortality can be reduced if cases are detected and treated early.

It is important and advisable that men should choose a healthy diet (by eating a low-fat diet, reduction in the number of dairy products like the intake of milk, cheese and yoghurt each day), increase the number of fruits and vegetable intake, maintain a healthy weight, exercise most days of the week. Regular check-up and medication with a doctor is advisable.

The government on its own can also help by sponsoring cancer research and institutes in trying to discover possible curative measures to curtail the loss of lives of people suffering from the disease.

They can also help in providing and equipping our medical centres with proper and adequate medical facilities that will help them in fighting these diseases.