Protect Your Prostate — The Best Diet, Lifestyle, and Natural Supplements for Prostate Health
Just about 30 million men suffer from prostate conditions that negatively affect their lifestyle, and prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed type of cancer for men. Strangely, when it comes to prostate health, very few men know how to support their prostate — or even know exactly what it does! In this article, you’ll learn how to protect your prostate the natural way!
The prostate is a reproductive gland in men. It can be found between the bladder and the bowels and is about the size of a walnut. Its most important job is to create the fluid base for semen. The prostate muscles also help to forcefully push the semen into the urethra during ejaculation.
When it comes to prostate health, there’s more than just prostate cancer — although that’s definitely the most serious health issue to afflict the prostate gland.
- Enlarged Prostate: Approximately 50% of men in their 60’s have an enlarged prostate, also called BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia). For men in their 70’s, that number jumps to 80%. BPH — or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia — is very common among older men. BPH can cause discomfort, difficulty urinating, dribbling, and inability to fully empty the bladder.
- Prostatitis: This is a common condition that causes inflammation in the prostate gland. Half of the adult men will be treated for it at some point in their life. It’s the most common prostate problem for all men, regardless of whether they’re 20 or 60. Prostatitis affects 35% of men aged 50 and older.
- Prostate Cancer: This is the most common cancer among men and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. Over 230,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.
The Best Supplements for Prostate Health
So you want to take an active role in supporting prostate health and you’re wondering what age is best to start? The answer is now! Taking steps to protect your prostate health at a younger age will help ensure that as you enter the years where prostate concerns are heightened, you’ve already laid a solid foundation for prostate health.
There are a number of supplements for prostate health that we recommend here at The Healthy Place, and one of the best things about these is that they don’t just support the prostate — they support the whole male reproductive system and more besides!
Core Vitality Prostate Support Supplement
If you’re looking for the best prostate supplement, Core Vitality Prostate Support Supplement features some of our very favorite nutrients and herbs for prostate support. The key features here? Saw Palmetto, Nettle, and beta-sitosterol.
- Saw Palmetto has a long track record when it comes to Men’s Health. While it’s touted for benefits for BPH, its true abilities lie in how well it supports the male reproductive system and urinary system as a whole. Saw Palmetto has been shown to be useful in easing prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain. It is also used to support libido and reduce hair loss.
- Nettle Extract is widely used in Europe to treat prostate enlargement. The German Commission E and ESCOP recommend its use specifically to ease urinary problems associated with an enlarged prostate. It helps to improve symptoms of BPH and prostatitis. Of course, the use of the nettle is hardly new — it’s been in use in herbal medicine since Hippocrates was around!
- Beta-sitosterol is a plant compound that gets most of its glory from its ability to lower cholesterol levels. But when it comes to the prostate, it shines here too. Beta-sitosterol binds to the prostate gland to help reduce swelling.
Curamed Prostate
Vitamins for prostate health? This prostate support supplement is chock-full of them! Curamed Prostate is undoubtedly one of the best prostate supplements for men available because it’s created with a unique blend of herbal extracts and nutrients designed to target male hormonal health. It blends the following key elements:
- Pomegranate Seed Oil: This nutrient is the subject of many ongoing studies thanks to its unique ability to induce prostate cancer cell death. It helps to inhibit inflammatory pathways. It’s one of the absolute best nutrients to support prostate health! (Note: this is NOT A CURE for prostate cancer!)
- Curcumin: This is like an antioxidant supercharge! It offers intensive cellular protection and helps to balance inflammation levels in the body.
- French Grape Extract and Silybin combine to powerfully support hormonal health and testosterone balance while also delivering a huge dose of antioxidants.
Pomegranate Seed Oil
Each of the prostate supplements we recommend is remarkably safe. But, as with anything you put in your body, side effects can sometimes happen.
The above-listed prostate support supplements are all at levels that most men tolerate well. If you’re sensitive to an ingredient, such as saw palmetto, you may experience any of the following:
- Mild nausea after taking your daily dose
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Constipation or diarrhea
Does saw palmetto work well without side effects for most people? Yes, it does! But, if you do experience any discomfort, stop taking it and check in with one of our Wellness Consultants.
Nettle extract is another one of the best herbs for prostate health because it has very few side effects. If there are any side effects, it’ll likely be a mild stomach ache. Nettle is very well-tolerated in most people.
The Best Ways to Actively Protect Your Prostate
Whether you’re entering the age where prostate health is becoming a concern, or if you already know that prostate issues run in your family, there are many things you can do right now to begin actively supporting your prostate gland.
It will hardly come as a shock that diet and lifestyle changes are some of the best natural ways to support the prostate. But, there are specific nutrients you can take as well to boost prostate health!
Support Digestion: Prostate Health and Constipation
It may seem as though these are two unrelated conditions, but they’re far more connected than most men realize.
Constipation is an uncomfortable condition in which your bowel becomes blocked with stool. Usually, the stool is dry, hard, and difficult to pass.
How do you know if you’re constipated? You should be having 1-2 bowel movements every day. Anything less than 4 times a week means you’re constipated. Other signs include the inability to completely empty your bowel or straining when you go to the bathroom.
Here’s the link to your prostate…
When you’re constipated, there is a build-up of waste being stored in your colon. This is waste matter from the food you’ve eaten as well as waste from around your body, bacteria, and toxins. When you’re constipated, the stool builds up inside and begins to rot — so bacteria can multiply like crazy.
All this toxicity begins to leak into surrounding tissues. While your prostate gland does a pretty good job under ordinary conditions to protect your sperm, when excessive toxins are leaking around it so often, it gets overwhelmed. All those toxins? They’re like a poison — and the result is an inflamed, painful, swollen prostate gland.
The thing about ANY inflamed or irritated organ or tissue is that the more irritated it gets, the more sensitive it becomes to irritation. It’s easy for people with any chronic digestive issues — not only constipation — to find themselves in a cycle of inflammation.
So, the first item on your prostate health checklist? Supporting your digestive system!
Best Digestive Supplements for Prostate Health
Healthy digestion is key to a healthy prostate. Our first recommendation for gut health?
Probiotics
Your gut is populated by billions of bacteria. In a healthy gut, there is an even balance of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ microflora that keep each other in check. Unfortunately, thanks to increasingly environmental toxins and the standard American diet, most people have at least some degree of bacterial imbalance.
Help protect your digestion by supplying it with healthy bacteria. It won’t just help your gut — probiotics help facilitate nutrient absorption, skin health, heart health, and immune health too!
We’d recommend a high dose probiotic for anyone actively struggling with digestive issues. You can always drop to a lower daily support probiotic once your digestive system is functioning better. Lower potencies are good for those with mild problems or just for daily nutritional support.
Fiber
While you should be getting plenty of fiber in your diet, we both know it can be hard to eat enough of it — especially if you’re prone to constipation already. Help your body rebalance by taking a fiber supplement, like these:
The Best Foods for Prostate Health
We know — you’ve heard it from your doctor already a dozen times. But it bears repeating ‘cause it’s so true.
Your diet plays a tremendous role in your health. For your prostate, yes, but also for your whole body! When it comes to your prostate, protecting your digestive system becomes a little more important.
Here’s how to reduce prostate swelling naturally:
- Eat more vegetables. Not a veggie fan? Try something new! Go to a vegetarian or vegan restaurant and explore. You may not have had a great relationship with veggies in the past — but you can create one! Veggies CAN be absolutely delicious.
- Eat more fruit. Try berries, mango, kiwi, or citrus fruits. There are so many exciting fruits out there beyond apples, oranges, and bananas!
- Stay hydrated! Dehydration causes your stool to harden, making it more difficult to pass.
Looking for specific foods for prostate health? When in doubt, choose vibrantly colored organic fruits and veggies and eat a diverse diet. An enlarged prostate diet is not the standard American diet!
But, since you asked for specifics, here are some foods that are recommended especially for prostate health:
- Sesame seeds
- Salmon
- Peppers
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Brussels sprouts
- Watermelon
- Apricots
- Pink grapefruit
- Papaya
- Avocados
- Soybeans (including soy milk)
- Tofu
- Tempeh
Foods to Avoid for Prostate Health:
If you’re currently enjoying the standard American diet, it’s time for a few changes. Not just for your prostate, but for your heart, liver, brain, digestive system, immune system, and so much more! Foods to avoid with enlarged prostate, or to protect your prostate, include:
- Avoid all processed foods and carbs.
- Limit how often you eat red meat. When you do, switch it up. Instead of beef or pork, try lamb, buffalo, elk, rabbit, or goat. Try to eat other sources of protein several days a week, such as fish, poultry, eggs, and beans.
- Avoid processed meat, just as lunch meats, hot dogs, and sausages.
- Cut back on dairy. Not only is dairy a common allergen, but it’s also an inflammatory food that can contribute to constipation and/or digestive inflammation.
- Avoid sugar and especially sugar-based drinks such as sodas. Instead, sweeten your foods with honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, stevia, or xylitol.
- Avoid a high-sodium diet. This often means reducing or eliminating canned, processed, and fast foods.
- Reduce how often you drink alcohol. Using data from more than 10,000 men participating in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial, researchers uncovered that heavy alcohol drinkers were twice as likely to be diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer as moderate drinkers.
Get Moving! Exercise Supports Prostate Health
Regular, healthy exercise is important for just about every system in your body, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it also supports prostate health. Regular exercise helps to keep your heart strong, your muscles toned, your mood up, and your immune system ready for action.
Exercise plays a specific role in a few other areas of importance too:
- Regular exercise supports regular bowel movements — and we now know how important those are for prostate health!
- Researchers have noticed an inverse relationship between physical activity and BPH symptoms. Studies suggest that men who are more physically active are less likely to experience difficulties with their prostate gland.
- Exercise can help to reduce inflammation in the body. A study published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity found that 20 minutes of moderate exercise can stimulate the immune system, which produces an anti-inflammatory response in your cells.
Remember to Get Your Routine Physical Each Year
Even the best diet, healthiest lifestyle, and most supportive supplements can’t guarantee that you’ll never have prostate issues. We can do many things to support our bodies and our health, but there’s no magic pill that will prevent diseases from occurring.
When asking how to protect your prostate, the best thing you can do is show up for that routine physical each year to have it checked out. For men 40 and under, your doctor will likely only check on your prostate every few years. For those men over 40, it’s likely you’ll need an exam more often, as age plays a huge role in prostate health.
Prostate enlargement prevention is key! If you’re having any issues that you think may be related to your prostate health, go see your doctor promptly! The sooner any health issues are caught, the more likely a successful recovery will be.
Early Symptoms of Prostate Health Issues include…
- Difficulty urinating or a weak urine stream
- Blood in your semen
- Erectile dysfunction
- Bone pain or pain in your pelvic area
- Frequent urination during the night
- Unusually frequent urination during the day
- Urinary urgency (a sudden and very strong urge to get to a bathroom NOW)
- Dribbling urine after you’ve finished
If you’re experiencing any of the above prostate symptoms and haven’t already talked to your doctor, please do so!
Have More Questions on Prostate Health? We Can Help!
Do you have questions like “How much saw palmetto should I take?”
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