Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
Chemopreventive Spice for Prostate Cancer!
- Image by annamatic3000 via Flickr
Recent cancer researchers in Europe ran tests that used curcumin that is derived from the well known spice turmeric. They tested curcumin in order to discover how efficacious it would be as part of a chemopreventive regimen for prostate cancer. The spice turmeric is used extensively in India and curcumin is the main curcuminoid found in turmeric. Curcumin is a natural compound that appears to interfere with the proliferation of prostate cancer and its metastasis.
The researchers also found that by using curcumin, they were able to regulate the inflammatory response by inhibiting pro-inflammatory mediators and the signaling pathways. Their results are consistent with curcumin’s known ability to induce pro-apoptotic proteins and to reduce the the anti-apoptotic counterparts. Other reports confirm that curcumin is effective in promoting the death of prostate cancer cells by apoptosis. In their study the researchers summarized the results of their work by affirming that curcumin appears to be an effective alternative for for the prevention and treatment or co-treatment of prostate cancer. This is very good news for senior men who are concerned about taking preemptive steps against prostate cancer or finding alternative treatment or co-treatment for prostate cancer.
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Diet and Supplements Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk
- Image by val’sphotos via Flickr
Recent reports about the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer show that men in China and Japan have a lower rate of prostate cancer by a factor of ten compared with men in Europe and the United States. A major factor that is suspected to be behind this large difference in the rate of prostate cancer is the differences in the diet of the men from the United States and Europe compared with the men from Japan and China. In Asia the men consume more plant lignans that are known to have a protective effect.
It turns out that consuming more plant lignans from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains results in higher blood levels of dietary lignan metabolites. The higher blood levels of dietary lignan metabolites are associated with lower rates of prostate cancer in men. Other studies show that lignans reduce the volume of tumors and increase the death of prostate cancer cells. This is good news for senior men who are trying to protect themselves by taking preemptive aging steps against prostate cancer. They can increase their consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and take newly developed supplements with concentrated lignans from Norway spruce or flax.
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Foods for Prostate Cancer Risk Reduction
- Image via Wikipedia
These well-known vegetables that can be eaten either cooked or raw make the good list of foods that contribute to preemptive aging for the benefit of seniors. The vegetables that qualify include broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. They belongs to the same family popularly known as cruciferous vegetables, which are members of the genus Brassica. Earlier epidemiological research indicated that consuming at least one serving a week of these vegetables would help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The researchers suspected that the compounds found in these vegetables known as isothiocyantes were responsible for this cancer risk reduction effect, but they were not able to reach a firm conclusion.
More recent studies with men who volunteered for a 12 month study did a comparison of the effects of a broccoli-rich diet versus a pea-rich diet. The volunteers on the broccoli rich diet showed beneficial anti-cancer changes in their medical tests on their prostates following the 12 month study compared with their medical tests performed prior to the study. The volunteers on the pea-rich diet did not show any beneficial anti-cancer changes in their medical tests following the 12 month study. The consumption of a broccoli-rich diet had a preemptive effect on the processes that allow inflammation and carcinogenesis to be initiated. The results of this study supported the conclusion that a diet that is rich in cruciferous vegetables may lower the risk of prostate cancer.
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Swallow Your Pride and Get a Checkup
Like many proud and stubborn men, I have a natural aversion to doctors. I know it’s not logical, but I’m always afraid of what they might find. As a result, I often convince myself that what I don’t know can’t hurt me – an obvious fallacy that has proved costly to so many men in the past. Logic and reasoning finally triumphed, however, when I thought about what might happen to my family if they lost me to a preventable disease.
I had always dreaded the prostate exam that comes standard for men in their 50s, but it’s really a small price to pay to ensure the wellbeing of such an important gland. The procedure was over in a matter of minutes and my physician gave me a clean bill of prostate health. Now I can enjoy the stress-free months from now until my next scheduled appointment.
Is It Time for Your Checkup?
Prostate health is a key factor in determining a man’s overall wellbeing. It’s a common occurrence for doctors to check the prostate for irregular growth during a routine checkup. In its natural, healthy state the prostate is about the size of a walnut. If it grows much beyond that mark, doctors could have reason to suspect the presence of prostate cancer, which commonly affects older American men.
From the age of 50 – and perhaps even earlier – men are encouraged to undergo regular rectal exams in order to ensure that prostate cancer is caught in its early stages. Once diagnosed, this type of cancer can be treated through surgical techniques and radiation therapy. Because many men never develop symptoms, prostate cancer often goes untreated and leads to premature death.