Diet and prostate cancer

The link between diet and prostate cancer has been much debated, the latest advice is there is evidence to suggest that watching what you eat can help prevent this potentially fatal disease. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers amongst men living in the Western world.

It is now believed that this may be due to the high fat content of the typical Western diet. While prostate cancer is also genetic, research has shown that in countries where the overall consumption of saturated fat is high, there are a proportionally higher number of cases of this disease.

The prostate is a gland that produces prostatic fluid, which is one of the components of seminal fluid. Symptoms of potential problems in the cells of the gland include the following: lower back pain, pain in the pelvis area, pain while urinating, needing to urinate frequently, difficulties in beginning to urinate and/or breaks in the flow of urine, as well as blood in the urine or semen.

If you suffer from any of the above, you should see your doctor about being screened. The condition is slow developing and treatable if caught early enough. Being aware of how much saturated fat you are consuming is also very important. Red meat is thought to be the main culprit here as it is often very high in saturated fat. Dairy products are also a concern. Make sure you are eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables as a high fat content also exposes you to heart disease and other life threatening conditions.