Prostate Cancer Risk
By Dr Theodore | February 11, 2010
Prostate Cancer is one the most common forms of cancer and its’ incidence is rising every year. In the UK the statistics show that in men less than 60 years, the incidence of this life threatening illness has been rising steadily every year.
So if you are a man approaching 60 years of age maybe you should start to think about how you can minimize your risks of developing this disease and what you can do to prevent prostate cancer from developing.
Prostate cancer prevention is in my opinion the best option for any man, as once a serious illness like this takes a firm hold of you, it is far more difficult to treat.
A recent study in England (published in the British Journal of Nutrition) has looked at the effects of a high fat diet on prostate cancer risk. The aim of the study was to look at the role of dietary fat intake and its derivatives on the risk of early onset prostate cancer.
The researchers studied the diets of 512 men with Prostate Cancer within the UK and compared them with 838 healthy men. What they found was that those men with the highest average intakes of total fat had an increase risk of Prostate Cancer by 153%, compared to those men with the lowest average fat intakes.
The researchers concluded that there was a positive statistically significant association between prostate cancer risk and intake of total fat in this group of men.
But in my opinion this association does not necessarily mean that there is a direct link – there are many other factors that lead to the development of cancer and these also need to be addressed. It’s highly likely also that the men in this group who ate large amounts of fat also had very few fruits or vegetables in their diets.
Hence rather than being caused by the high fat intake, the higher risk of prostate cancer could possibly have been to lower levels of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
One should not always quickly jump to the most obvious conclusion – it’s not always the most accurate.
Prostate Cancer Causes
So the what causes prostate cancer? Good question – we still don’t know the exact answer, but like most cancers there are many factors that come into play.
As men get older their levels of testosterone drop alarmingly, and their levels of estrogen rise significantly. Yes even men have estrogen, but in much smaller amounts than women. However, as men age and start to develop those lovely extra fatty deposits, this in turn leads to more estrogen production due to an enzyme within the fat that converts testosterone into estrogen (aromatase enzyme).
And guess what higher levels of estrogen do to your prostate gland? They cause it to grow, and they can also cause the growth of abnormal cells which can be the precursors to cancerous cells.
This is called estrogen dominance and I believe it is high on the list of what causes prostate cancer.
The role of toxicity cannot be dismissed as a major causative factor in the initiation and progression of any cancer. We have seen the cancer rate steadily increase year by year and this is directly reflected in the growing level of toxicity in our society, and therefore in our bodies.
Heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, aluminium) are extremely toxic in even small doses, yet are widely used in many products in our society. These toxins (and many more) are not easily cleared by your body and they therefore accumulate in your tissues and organs leading to cellular dysfunction and disease.
Good nutrition is also of vital importance in my opinion – without a good daily supply of all the essential vitamins and especially minerals, your cells will start to become abnormal and malfunction. Prostate cancer nutrition is no different to nutrition for optimal health – give your body all the essentials that it needs!
A regular intake of antioxidants (from fruits & vegetables and also supplements) is also very important for cellular protection from oxidative damage. Without this protection your cells’ DNA can become damaged, which is the first step towards cell mutation and hence cancer.
Finally and vitally, a lack of oxygen in your blood is a critical risk factor for not only prostate cancer but for any type of cancer. As we age the number of red blood cells that carry oxygen to our tissues starts to drop leading to a slow but significant oxygen deficit. Also, smoking, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, excess alcohol, and a body full of toxins and chemicals all lead to a low total body oxygen level.
Cleansing your body of toxins, reducing excess estrogen levels, taking a daily supply of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and making sure your blood oxygen is at a good level are the keys to minimizing your chance of developing prostate cancer or any other disease for that matter.
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