How Your Diet Affects Your Prostate Health: A Nutritional Guide for Men

Prostate problems are common among men as they get older. If you find yourself taking more frequent bathroom breaks, now is a good time to direct more attention to your prostate. A great place to start is finding ways to improve your diet, which your local team of integrative health professionals can help you with. First, let’s understand why prostate health matters.

Issues Affecting Your Prostate Health

One of the most common issues with the prostate is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate. This condition affects up to 33 percent of men over 65 and is the most common prostate problem in men over 50.

As your prostate changes and grows with age, you may need to urinate at night more often. You might also notice a weaker urine stream. Another BPH symptom is the feeling that you don’t completely empty your bladder when you go to the bathroom.

Another common condition, which affects about one in eight men, is prostate cancer. Urination problems are not typical of this form of cancer, unless the disease is in its late stages. If you’re over 50, prostate cancer screening is a good idea.

Maintaining Prostate Health with Diet

The possibility of prostate cancer or urinary difficulties can seem scary. The good news is that dietary and lifestyle changes positively impact prostate health. When your body gets what it needs from nutritious foods, you can slow your prostate’s growth and keep it healthy.

For your next meal or when you’re hungry, incorporate more of these foods:

• Whole grains have fiber and antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
• Nuts, such as walnuts, contain omega-3 fatty acids.
• Fresh produce like tomatoes, and pink grapefruit contain lycopene, an antioxidant linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer.
• Healthy fats, such as fatty fish and flaxseeds, contain omega-3 fatty acids. You can also try coconut or avocado oil when frying foods.
• Lean meats like chicken and turkey have selenium and zinc, which are essential to prostate health. You can also get these nutrients from pumpkin seeds.
• Try switching out your coffee for green tea, which has been found to reduce prostate cancer risk.

Whatever you do, strive for nuts, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, which make up a Mediterranean diet. These foods contain many antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that reduce the inflammation and oxidative stress typical of prostate issues.

 Hydration Is Also Good for Prostate Health

As you eat your nutritious food, wash it down with plenty of water, and stay hydrated throughout the day. Healthy amounts of water rid your body of toxins and promote proper urinary functioning.

One caveat to drinking lots of water, unfortunately, is that having an enlarged prostate means you’re already going to the bathroom quite often. If you have to get up several times at night to urinate, cut down your water consumption before bed

Dietary Support for a Healthy Prostate

A healthy diet benefits your overall health, and the state of your prostate is no exception. If your eating habits could use some fine-tuning, a local integrative diet expert at Blatman Health and Wellness Center can help you get back on track.

Although we maintain that diet is essential to prostate health, we offer additional treatment options to address BPH and other issues, such as male-related sexual difficulties. In addition to our compassionate care, we’ll help you develop a comprehensive treatment plan promoting a whole-patient approach that enhances your overall well-being.