Does what you eat help prevent prostate cancer? Do certain foods slow down its progression when it recurs? If how much you eat and what you eat—and what you avoid— works so well in preventing heart disease, then will it do the same for prostate cancer? For the one in six American men diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, these are just some of the questions for which they and many other concerned men want answered.
Based on epidemiological studies, in which researchers use food diaries, diet recalls, or questionnaires to closely examine what people eat, it's now believed that diet is one of the most important lifestyle factors that can influence cancer rates of many organs. The problem is that researchers haven't been able to specifically identify which components of the diet have the most effect.
Cancer experts estimate that diet accounts for up to 90% of cancers of the prostate, large bowel, breast, and pancreas—even lung cancer may have a dietary link. And we do know that people who consume plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grains and who exercise regularly, are less likely to develop various cancers—possibly including cancer of the prostate—than those who don't.
Scientific evidence suggests that differences in diet and lifestyle may account in large part for the variability of prostate cancer rates around the world. Researchers are now hard at work examining the foods we eat to see exactly what they contain and what affect they have on the prostate.
We do know, for example, that the prostate cancer rate for Asian countries, where the diet is primarily vegetarian, is ten times lower than it is for the United States, where meat and potatoes still rule. Looking at the mortality rates in Japan compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO) between 1990 and 1993, we see there were four deaths from prostate cancer per 100,000 men. Japanese men typically consume a diet high in soy-based foods, such as tofu, tempeh, and soymilk, and they eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. In the United States, where daily meat and fat consumption (which may affect hormones and cause chemical changes that may have the potential to make tumors grow) is much higher, the WHO death rate was more than four times higher than Japan's.
There are several possible reasons why people in Asian countries such as Japan and China are far less likely than Westerners to develop cancer of the prostate. Some believe there are important genetic differences between ethnic groups and that this difference in cancer rates could be specifically related to our genes. Interestingly, though, when people migrate from Japan to the United States, their rates of prostate cancer and the rates in subsequent generations rise markedly. Since genetic makeup is unchanged, the increase in risk is likely related to environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle.
Diet Does Matter
There is certainly a great deal of anecdotal evidence pointing to diet as a major contributing factor in predisposing some men to prostate cancer or accelerating progress of the disease in others.
Whether or not diet can help in the prevention or treatment of prostate cancer is a difficult question to answer scientifically at present.
However, a lack of scientific evidence does not necessarily mean a lack of benefit but rather that not enough research has yet been completed in this area. Of all the risk factors for prostate cancer, diet certainly seems to correlate with the difference in global distribution of the disease.
Diet does matter ;we just haven't been able to identify one particular component or constellation of components that scientists all agree have a preventive effect. Not one particular nutrient or food will offer the "magic bullet." What it may turn out to be is a combination of energy balance— calories consumed, calories expended— and the type of diet consumed that may provide the ultimate answers.
The good news is that diet is a risk factor that can be altered by every individual. Although eating habits are hard to change, what and how much food we eat is our choice, and under our control
compensating with increased physical activity.
Fast food outlets, the huge increase in portion sizes at restaurants, and the many hours spent watching television, or using computers are all contributing to this epidemic of obesity.
Food and good health
Perfect diets are no guarantee of perfect health.
Even if you do everything right in terms of nutrition, some of us will still get prostate cancer.
Because we know that diet and lifestyle are important for the prevention of other chronic diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, a good recommendation at present is to follow the nutrition and lifestyle guidelines of the American Cancer Society.
Here are the key parts to remember:
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Choose most of the foods you consume from plant sources. Consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
Be sure to consume a variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables
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Limit your intake of high-fat foods, particularly from animal sources. Choose foods low in fat. Limit consumption of meats, especially high-fat meats.
High-fat diets have been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, as well as cancers of the colon and rectum.
Ongoing research increasingly suggests that consuming a mostly plant-based, lowfat diet to reduce overall cancer risk may also reduce the risk of prostate cancer. People who are described as consuming "highfat" diets are generally consuming greater amounts of fatty meats and dairy products, both of which may be linked to an increased prostate cancer risk
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Be physically active and maintain a healthy weight.
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Limit consumption of alcoholic beverages, if you drink at all.
If you drink, do so in moderation.
Some studies show that limited amounts of alcohol may modestly lower the risk of heart disease, but alcohol can also lead to an increased cancer risk.
Talk to your doctor about what amount of alcohol consumption is appropriate for you
Increasing the amount of exercise you perform and improved eating habits may be better ways to improve and preserve general health.
The Western medical approach to cancer treatment has been aggressive attempts to kill all malignant cells.
But as you will discover in Key #7, complementary medicine can unite the body, mind, and spirit in health, while providing some relief of symptoms with few side effects.
KEY 7 is titled:
Consider Complementary Therapies
This Special Report is not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters or to substitute for consultation with a physician
Copyright © 2006 Medletter Associates, LLC
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