Did you know that 1 in 6 men will be affected by prostate cancer in his lifetime? 30,000 men die every year from the disease, the most common non-skin cancer in America. 200,000 new cases are diagnosed every year, and most older men are believed to have traces of it within them.
But there is a lot that can be done to prevent getting prostate cancer. Most doctors believe that it’s caused by a high-fat diet—or, at least, that such a diet contributes greatly to the disease. It’s very prevalent in countries where meat and dairy are staple foods, rather than in countries known to eat mostly fresh vegetables and fruits.
In order to reduce your risk of prostate cancer as much as possible, you can do a number of things:
Avoid overeating. You’ve heard this one before, but that doesn’t change the fact that you should stop eating when you are full.
Stay away from high-fat foods. You can enjoy your steak every once in a while, but a diet that’s high in saturated fat is a diet that’s got a high risk of prostate cancer.
Keep yourself at a healthy weight. While a direct link between obesity and prostate cancer hasn’t been established yet, the condition may affect hormone levels that contribute to the cancer.
Eat healthy foods. This includes whole grants like whole wheat bread and brown rice and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Avoid drinking too much. Don’t drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day. If you can, make them red wine, which is being studied for its potential health benefits in warding off prostate cancer—among other things.
Eat plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. These are the good fats—the kind of fats that can help reduce cancer risk. You can find them in fish, such as salmon and herring, as well as walnuts and flaxseed.
Ejaculate often. This one is easy enough! Men who ejaculate 13 to 20 times per month have a 14% lower risk of getting prostate cancer. More than 21 times a month can reduce your risk by 33%! Talk about a healthy sex life.
Eat some soy and legumes. These may help lower prostate risk through the phytoestrogens they contain. Some experts believe that this is why Asian men typically have a low rate of prostate cancer occurrence.
Drink green tea. It has been found to lower many cancer risks and is being researched on its effects against prostate cancer.
