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Diet for Advanced Prostate Cancer

By: M. Goz

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As described in "My History" blog entry I was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer six years ago. The cancer had spread to my spine and my Gleason score, which reflects how aggressive the cancer cells are, was a very poor 9 out of 10. The medical prognosis at the time was not very optimistic. So I did exactly what you're doing now, I read everything I could about my disease. The trouble of course is that the internet presents as much bad information as it does good information. So what do you believe? The doctors had placed me on Hormone therapy which suppresses your testosterone in an effort to starve the prostate cancer. My reaction to this treatment was good but I knew I had to do more. There are vitamins, supplements and various foods that can help slow down the progress of advanced prostate cancer. I will present information with regard to vitamins and supplements individually but this entry is intended to focus on diet.

While my research was thorough, execution of what I learned was another matter. While the following information may stop you from reading the rest of this entry I suggest you hang on a little bit longer. I was always overweight and a poor eater. I currently weigh 260 lbs. some of which can be attributed to the hormone therapy. Weight gain is an unfortunate side effect. The irony of me lecturing about nutrition is abundantly clear during meetings of my support group when the group leader asks me to present my latest findings. My presentation is always preceded by an elbow from my wife who is always encouraging me to eat healthier. The irony of the situation is clearly not lost on her.

A prostate healthy diet is not too dissimilar from the basic heart healthy diet. All health conscious diets recommend that you reduce red meat consumption and increase your fruits and vegetables. But here is the dilemma. What do you do when you're told at age 59 that you only have a few more years to live? 1) Do you embrace a strict diet of limited calories and few of your favorite foods? or 2) Do you conclude that it makes little sense to deprive yourself of some simple pleasures during the last few years of your life?

Irrespective of how you answer those questions there are some basic changes in your diet that can help slow the progress of your cancer. For me it's more about what I've added to my diet rather than what I've eliminated.

The two diets most identified with longevity and reduced risks for prostate cancer are a traditional Japanese diet and a Southern Mediterranean diet. The Japanese diet is high in green tea, soy, vegetables, and fish, as well as low in calories and fat. The Mediterranean diet is high is fresh fruits and vegetables, garlic, tomatoes, red wine, olive oil, and fish. Both are low in red meat.

Specifically, you should incorporate the following principles when reevaluating your daily diet:

1)Research has indicated that excess animal fat, primarily red meat and high-fat dairy, stimulates prostate cancer to grow. This is the one I have the most difficulty following. I do enjoy a good steak once in awhile. But in order to minimize any negative effects I limit my consumption to the leanest cuts of beef.

2)Avoid trans-fats, which are known to advance cancer growth. Labeling has helped to identify foodsin this category. These include margarine as well as fried and baked foods.

3)Not all fats however, are created equal. You should increase your consumption of fish which contains significant concentrations of the cancer-fighting fatty acids EPA and DHA. The best choice is cold-water fish such as sardines, mackerel, salmon and trout, at least two to three times a week. Do not fry or char (as in barbecue) the fish. I would also avoid farm raised fish such as Atlantic Salmon. Instead seek out the wild Alaskan Salmon which has a higher content of EPA and DHA and fewer pollutants.

4)Avoid eating too many high-calcium foods. Reports suggest that these foods may stimulate prostate cancer growth.

5)Virtually all health conscious diets agree that you should increase your fresh fruit, herb, and vegetable consumption daily. These foods contain powerful anticancer nutrients. Eat foods that vary in color as they tend to contain different groups of important nutrients. Your diet should include fruits, vegetables, fresh herbs, leafy green vegetables, seeds, berries and nuts.

6)Increase your natural vitamin C consumption. Foods containing large amounts of this vitamin include citrus, berries, spinach, cantaloupe, sweet peppers, and mango. Limit your intake of grapefruit however, as evidence indicates that it neutralizes the effectiveness of prescription drugs.

7)Drink green tea which, unlike black tea, is not subjected to high temperatures in the drying process. This results in greater levels of a beneficial polyphenol called EGCG. This substance is reported to have beneficial health implications as it relates to Prostate Cancer.

8)Resveratrol is another beneficial polyphenol that studies indicate can slow the growth of Prostate Cancer. This substance is found in red grapes, red grape juice and red wine.

9)Avoid preserved, pickled, or salted foods. This is another class of foods that causes me trouble as some of my favorite foods fall into this category.

10)Tomatoes and especially tomato products are very high in lycopene, a powerful anticancer substance. This substance is found primarily in tomato based foods that have been exposed to heat. Therefore, pizza sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup provide more lycopene than fresh tomatoes.

11)Olive oil is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants. It is also a staple of the preferred Mediterranean diet. This should be your primary source of oil. I prepare my own salad dressing using olive oil, either balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and spices from a store bought packet.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

I believe that an important part of my success at slowing the progress of my Prostate Cancer has been the vitamins and supplements that I take each day. After months of trial and error I found the best source for information, research and the products themselves at LifeExtension.com Visit their website and search Prostate Cancer for some of the best information around. To read all my articles/blogs visit Please Rate this Article

 

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