The prostate gland is called upon to participate in many tasks that affect the urinary tract, sexual function, reproductive health, and overall health as well. At the same time, the prostate is susceptible to problems, including enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH), prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate), and prostate cancer. Therefore it’s important to support…
What you eat can affect how you feel just as your mood can affect your food choices. Understanding this relationship can help you choose the best diet for mental health and well-being, which can also help naturally support both your psychological and digestive health. What is the brain-gut connection? It is important to support optimum gut…
A first-of-its-kind study has found evidence that dietary calcium, including calcium from non-dairy sources, may increase the risk of prostate cancer. Results of the study, which involved Chinese men, were published in Cancer Research. Previous studies performed in populations in North America and Europe have noted an association between a high consumption of dairy foods…
New findings about an herbal component called aristolochic acid, which is found in a plant used in herbal remedies for thousands of years, is proof that just because something has been used for millennia or is natural doesn’t mean that it’s safe. The new study linked aristolochic acid to cases of upper urinary tract cancer…
Healthy fats are an important part of an overall nutritious diet. To help people keep their focus on healthy fats, the American Heart Association strongly advises healthy Americans to limit their consumption of trans fat to less than 1 percent of total calories and saturated fat to 7 percent or less. Here are 10 ways…
Broccoli is a source of some very critical nutritional benefits that are not listed on a nutrition label. As a member of the cruciferous family, which is also populated by cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, kale, and many other vegetables, broccoli contains high amounts of the phytonutrients sulforaphane and the indoles, both of which have anticancer properties….
Quercetin and green tea for prostate cancer is a combination of natural substances that may help in the fight against this common disease. To help better understand the role of quercetin and green tea for prostate cancer, here are the findings of a research team from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). First, however,…
How much coffee is really good for you? Despite the popularity of coffee and the thousands of articles written on the topic, there is still some debate about the pros and cons of drinking coffee, including quantity and the ages at which it may be most beneficial. A recent 10-year study explored the latter scenario,…
Zinc is a mineral found in large concentrations in the prostate gland, which suggests its importance in prostate health. Experts also believe that a deficiency of zinc may lead to an increase in infections and prostatitis and possibly make men more susceptible to prostate cancer because the mineral has a key role in the body’s…
There’s reassuring news for those who are among the 33 million Americans with overactive bladder: a new double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 562 older adults helped answer the question: does Toviaz work for elderly patients who suffer with this often debilitating urinary problem? According to Pfizer Inc., which makes Toviaz (fesoterodine), the drug was better than…
Cayenne pepper, also known as chili peppers, African pepper, capsicum fruit, and Zanzibar pepper, is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum, which is related to jalapenos, paprika, and bell peppers. These peppers contain a high concentration of capsaicin, a substance that has demonstrated an ability to kill prostate cancer cells. Cayenne pepper for prostate cancer Scientists…
With respect to the ancient physician Hippocrates, I paraphrase one of his most famous quotes: Let food be thy prostate’s medicine, and your medicine be thy prostate’s food.” A darker admonition comes from an English proverb that I also paraphrase: Don’t dig your prostate’s grave with your own knife and fork. Both quotes address the…
If you prefer a natural way to prevent urinary tract infections, then the cranberry may be the answer. A new study appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine reports that cranberry products can help prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in certain people. Up to 50 percent of women experience at least one urinary tract infection…
It’s October, and that means once again it’s breast cancer awareness month. It’s easy to remember this fact, given all the pink ribbons and the pink events filling calendars across the country during October. But in the midst of all the consciousness raising, don’t forget men! Men may not have celebrities such as Suzanne Somers,…
Zinc may be the last entry on an alphabetical list of minerals, but it could be number one when you consider how important it is to men’s health. Clue number one: the prostate gland contains a high concentration of this mineral, and nature didn’t put it there for no reason. Clue number two: zinc has…
If you are experiencing unexplained weight gain (especially if you are exercising regularly), feeling cold, having a low libido or ejaculation issues, and your facial hair growth has slowed considerably, your first thought may be low testosterone. Low T can be one explanation for these symptoms, but if your testosterone levels are good, you may…
Nutritional supplements often contain additives that only do not contribute to the health benefits of the product, but can be harmful to your health as well. Here is a list of 43 supplement additives to avoid when shopping. GRAS means “Generally Recognized as Safe”. Acesulfame potassium (K): artificial sweetener. Beeswax: derived from honeycomb and then…
Picture 2.3 billion people. That’s the number of adults who will experience at least one lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) by 2018, according to a study from the University of North Carolina (UNC). In addition, urinary incontinence is also expected to increase, which means together there will be a staggering number of individuals who can…
How much vitamin D is enough? That’s a question often asked by people of all ages, and a team of University of Washington researchers undertook the task of answering it regarding the level needed in the blood to lower the risk of a major medical event in older adults. What they found may surprise you….
Your bladder is an organ that you don’t really think about unless it is very full or you have a problem. And in those cases it can become all you think about. But it’s important to consider your bladder health, especially since bladder cancer is three times more common in men than in women. Your…
