June is Men’s Health Month, and it is also the month when we celebrate Father’s Day, making it the perfect time to celebrate and remind the dads (and brothers, uncles, grandads, husbands, partners) in your life about the importance of regular check-ups and cancer screenings, and making healthy lifestyle choices.
According to Cancer Research UK:
- There are around 52,300 new prostate cancer cases in the UK every year, that’s more than 140 every day
- In males in the UK, prostate cancer is the most common cancer, with around 52,300 new cases every year
- Prostate cancer accounts for 27% of all new cancer cases in males in the UK
- Each year around a third (34%) of all new prostate cancer cases in the UK are diagnosed in males aged 75 and over
- Since the early 1990s, prostate cancer incidence rates have increased by almost half (48%) in males in the UK
The symptoms and signs of prostate cancer may include:
- Frequent urination
- Weak or interrupted urine flow or the need to strain to empty the bladder
- The urge to urinate frequently at night
- Blood in the urine
- New onset of erectile dysfunction
- Pain or burning during urination
- Discomfort or pain when sitting, caused by an enlarged prostate
Urinary symptoms such as difficulty passing urine are rarely caused by prostate cancer. They are much more likely to be caused by a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as prostate enlargement.
For many years, I’ve recommended Saw Palmetto capsules by Vogel to men who have BPH.
Here’s a little bit of science about how Saw Palmetto can reduce the risk of prostate cancer: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17671686.
Men in western countries have much higher rates of prostate cancer than men in Asia. While no one can definitively explain this phenomenon, experts suspect differences in eastern and western diets are to blame. Poor eating habits and diets that heavily rely on fats and animal proteins can cause DNA damage and lead to cancer.
So you may reduce your risk of prostate cancer by making healthy choices, such as exercising and eating a healthy diet. The best gift you can give Dad is the encouragement for him to lead a healthy lifestyle all year round.
To mark Father’s Day, I would like to share my prostate protecting recipe – Prostate protection tomato & herb soup.
The antioxidant lycopene, which is plentiful in cooked or processed tomatoes, has been shown in some studies to slow the growth of prostate cancer cells. Cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli and cauliflower) contain a compound called sulforaphane that may protect against cancer. So, as well as trying this delicious soup, do make sure Dad is filling his plate with lots of veggies!
Wishing all the men many more happy Father’s Days!
Linda
