The tomato prostate link

The tomato prostate link is now conclusively proven in the literature; many tumours are preventable as is inflammatory disease of the gland. We will also discuss the management of the engorged angry organ.

The prostate gland is usually described as being about the size and shape of a walnut. It surrounds the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the exterior. Its function is to produce the white fluid that carries the sperm cells.

Three main problems can occur in the prostate gland:

• Enlargement, called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH.
  
• Highly malignant prostate disease.
• Inflammation or infection, called prostatitis.

This is an enlarged prostate gland, bulging into the bladder and blocking the urethra, the tube that carries urine via the penis to the exterior.

Prostate disease and impotency

Prostate disease is the most common serious malignancy in men; more than a quarter. Often it is life threatening and, because it often metastasizes to the bones of the pelvis and spine, it can be an extremely painful way to the end of a man's days.

Surgery often leaves the poor victim impotent, that very emotion laden word that those from Mars avoid thinking about.

Every chiropractor has to be on the lookout. Lower back and pelvic pain takes up 60% of his or her day.

Only other men get prostate trouble, is that not right? No, I fear, it is dreadfully wrong.

Instead shall we focus today on prevention of prostate disease and in particular enjoying a tomato a day? If the family ostrich is blithely convinced that he will never have problems from the most common tumour affecting men then perhaps you, the good wife should be doing the thinking instead.

That is if you do not want to have an impotent husband; or something a lot worse.

The first sign of prostate disease is usually a problem having a pee. Is he urinating more frequently because of not being able to empty the bladder properly? Difficulty maintaining a full, strong stream is another symptom.

But that sign also goes commonly with a another condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Prostate tissue is particularly vulnerable to free radical damage which is what makes it prone to malignant tumors. That is where the tomato is so beneficial; it is rich in a phytochemical called a lycopene. Broccoli, raw or cooked is a particularly good source too.

Research proves that men low in selenium, a powerful antioxidant, have a massive five times greater chance of getting malignant prostate tumours. Broccoli again is a particularly rich in the element.

Tomato also has some selenium; nearly half as much. Mushrooms are the other great source; they are all delicious foods and should be regularly on the platter.

To sum up, tomatoes, broccoli and mushrooms should be enjoyed several times every week.

What are phytosterols, and why are they vital? Having a normal prostate when you are my age, upper seventies, need not be problematic, if you start doing the right things now when you are a younger man. Simple changes, like enjoying a tomato a day, fatty fish several times a week and regularly eating foods like broccoli, fresh spinach recipes and an avocado salad are the way to go.

• Your prostate: what are phytosterols?
  

Benign prostatic hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is an enlarged but non-malignant condition.

Tomato prostate will not help, but the beta-sitosterol in avocados will; more about that later.

BPH is a common affliction in older men. The prostate swells, shutting off the tube that carries urine from the bladder. The first sign of trouble is having to get up more frequently at night to pee, dribbling, air locks, and a weak stream.

It is controversial, but we think that an occasional prostate massage has all the benefits, with none of the horrible side effects of radical surgery.

Prostatic massage is not painful, though obviously awkward as it is done rectally; ask your doctor. Some chiropractors too have been trained to perform this very useful technique. A good time to have it done is at your annual checkup when you have to drop your britches in any case; and more frequently, as needed.

Personally, I would choose the indignity of a monthly prostate massage over surgery any day. The actual procedure takes no more than two minutes.

And now a few words about prevention.

To screen for prostate disease, or not to, is the perennial medical question. There is no simple answer and the debate rages on; for it seems that early detection may not actually be saving lives.

What is agreed is that men should learn all they can about early detection and treatment for prostate conditions, so that they can make their own informed decisions.

That is basically what our website is about anyway; helping you make informed decisions. And firmly placing the chiropractic emphasis on prevention where it belongs; it is worth more than a pound of cure. We think it wise that after age 45, every man should have two procedures.

1. A PSA blood test and
2. A rectal examination every year.

The latter is not very pleasant, though far more sensible than being faced with a common, extremely painful disease that leaves men impotent. If your doctor does not insist on it, then you should. Your second ounce of prevention is a tomato a day for your prostate; do some reading about lycopenes.

The good news is that there is very strong evidence that a delicious tomato eaten every day, actually halves the rate of prostate disease. Hence the monsoons, as my grandmother used to say whenever the word science was mentioned; perhaps we should change that to mushrooms.

It was originally noticed that Italian men had far fewer prostate tumours. Scientists agree that it is the humble tomato which acts to help fight the battle on our behalf.

There is one bit of bad news. If you have had a vasectomy, you are at slightly higher risk of getting a prostate tumour; all the more reason to eat tomatoes regularly.

BPH and the microbiome

According to a group of scientists there is evidence that inflammation of the prostate is influenced by the microbiome; those friendly bacteria, viruses and yeast cells in the gut, urinary tract and other organs that sustain harmony in our bodies.

An upset of this community of friendly bugs correlates strongly with many diseases including those of the prostate.

Prevention remains for ever king and uncertain cures the subservient nave; the research points to both the number of these friendly bugs and their diversity. Fermenting probiotics like kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi in one's own kitchen provides many different species. Consuming them regularly, even daily would have a hugely beneficial influence on the diseases of the prostate gland.

• How to make kefir in just five minutes
  

Lycopenes in tomatoes

Researchers at the University of Illinois found that the help comes from both lycopene, the substance that makes tomatoes red; and other unknown biochemicals in the fruit.

Says researcher Prof. Erdman, this study shows that taking lycopene as a supplement is not as effective in preventing prostate disease as eating whole tomatoes.

Lycopene is a carotenoid; that group of substances which make tomatoes red and butternut orange. They are antioxidants, powerful substances in coloured foods that improve our well-being by curtailing free radicals.

While there is much research showing the value of eating raw food, there are some studies now that reveal that cooking tomatoes actually triggers the effect of lycopene, making it even more effective. Read more about how frying tomatoes in oil made the lycopene more readily absorbed^[3].

Other good sources of lycopenes are watermelon and pawpaws.

• Fresh spinach recipes Apple Avocado salad.
  
• Broccoli facts
  

Other research done at the University of Chicago studied a group of thirty-two patients with a neoplasm who ate every day a dish based on cooked tomatoes; their Prostate Specific Antigen marker dropped by 18 percent in less than a month.

The tomato prostate link

In conclusion eat them raw, enjoy them cooked, but consume more tomatoes, by whatever means. Also note that whilst this research has been done on the prostate gland, it make good sense that the cancer resistant properties of this fruit probably applies to all tumours, in men and women and not only tomato prostate.

If one tomato a day reduces prostate malignancies by 50%, perhaps two or three might prevent it altogether; there is alas so much that we still do not know.

For a delicious dish, tomato recipes go very nicely with a vegetable protein dish called Tofu Nutrition.

Fresh tomato recipes

Fresh tomato recipes fit beautifully in with our slogan: delicious healthy slow food, made fast. For example, this relish takes only five minutes of preparation time, and thirty minutes cooking. Perfect for your Sunday morning healthy breakfast menu.

Tomato Prostate could be the most important page for men at Chiropractic Help.

• Fresh tomato recipes
  
• HEALTHY BREAKFAST MENU

Prostatitis

Chronic infection and inflammation of the prostate gland is a miserable, and currently untreatable condition. Antibiotics usually don't help. Since it has a very negative impact on a his sex life (pain during and after ejaculation), it cuts to the very heart of every man's being.

The best and only advice concerning prostatis is prevention. In short, condomise if you (or, you suspect your spouse) have several partners and enjoy those anti-inflammatory foods that greatly reduce the incidence.

Beta-sitosterol

Beta-sitosterol is a phytosterol, with a structure similar to cholesterol, that has a profoundly beneficial effect on the gland; it doesn't prevent tumours, but it does stop the enlargement causing prostatitis. It is most richly found in avocados.

In short every male should regularly be enjoying them, and avocados, mushrooms and fatty fish on a regular basis; get started with tomato prostate tumour prevention from early on. 

Why you may be asking are there notes on beta-sitosterol on this site? Because our patients are regularly complaining about difficulty passing urine, pain and incontinence; and occasionally a prostate neoplasm may be the cause of the lower back pain that a patient is experiencing.

FISH REDUCES METASTATIC PROSTATE TUMOUR deaths by 63%

• There is no strong evidence of any protection from fish consumption against prostate tumour incidence.
• The research conclusively proved a more than sixty percent reduction in death from prostatic CA. 
  

For more about the role of the omega-3 fatty acids in reducing prostate inflammation, follow this link from the official site of The Prostate Institute (Healthy Living for Men):

• What are omega-3 fatty acids
  
• WAYS TO COOK SALMON
  

Benign prostatic hypertrophy and exercise

Researchers from University of California did a review of the literature from the last fifty odd years, and their conclusion is that

• mild to moderate exercise doesn't seem to do much for men suffering from prostate conditions, but
  
• moderate to vigorous exercise reduces BPH by 25%; that's very significant. (Eur Urology; 2008)

The prostate gland and incontinence

There are 16 million American men suffering from incontinence, most of them after medical treatment for Benign Prostate Hyperplasia or a malignant tumour. Prevention is not just a buzzword. Don't just assume it is your neighbour who is going to get it.

Add-on effect

Add-on effects act with health both in a positive and a negative sense; do all the right things and there is a good chance that the prostate affliction won't affect you, or your husband if you are a woman reading this.

Remember that these effects all are additive. Feed him little or no fish, watch him do no exercise and not using tomatoes in your cooking then you and your husband are set up to get the nastiest of male afflictions. If neither you nor he have any pleasure in your greens, avocados are too expensive and you could not be bothered with pumpkin seeds then it often means de facto the end of marital relationships.

The only difficult one of all these is the exercise; and that we owe to our hearts, muscles and brains to do anyway.

Bee pollen

There are numerous studies showing the benefit of pollen on the health of the prostate gland, and in fact some showing dramatic improvement.

There are a variety of pollen extracts on the market (talk to your pharmacist), but one other interesting alternative is to keep a beehive.

There are few more delights than watching these little creatures get on with their work of bringing you honey for the table, and health for your prostate; and lightly filtered, raw honey (to include the pollen) is a taste without equal, and acts an a wonderful support for your gland.

• HOW TO START BEEKEEPING
  
• What is a raw honey

Pumpkin seeds

Prevention magazine explains why the zinc in pumpkin seeds is so beneficial for the prostate. This is confirmed by research done by the noted Linus Pauling institute, where researchers note that patients with tumours of the gland have only a quarter of the zinc compared to healthy men. Scroll down to page 6 at this link.

• Oregon State University: zinc^[2].
• Pumpkin seeds for the prostate
  

The gland clearly needs a wide variety of nutrients that are deficient in many diets; the tomato, zinc and beta sitosterol but how many other unknowns? We need to eat from a wide distribution of foods.

Red meat and Green bean recipes

There is strong research proving that a diet high in red meat, especially overcooked BBQ steak and sausage, and particularly that which is processed, dramatically increases the rate of prostate tumours.

Think rather of more fish and fowl, and legumes like green beans and hummus for your protein.

Tomatoes and green beans make a remarkably fine salad dish. Easy, quick and delicious, it fits in well with our motto of SLOW FOOD, MADE FAST. The beans are also full of phytosterols.

Take the PROSTATE questionaire

• What are the signs of prostate problems?

Pain in the upper leg and groin is a common complaint at the Chiropractic Coalface. Usually it's related to an upper lumbar subluxation, or a hip condition like Femoro Acetabular Impingement syndrome but always the astute clinician is on the look our for swollen lymph nodes. The prostate can be a very nasty gland, when neglected. Have a tomato and an avocado today.

Bean researchers at Colorado State University, after following half a million people, found that the risk of a malignant tumour, in particularly of the digestive tract, was greatly reduced in those who regularly ate beans, tomatoes and carrots.

Our authentic hummus recipe opens the way for you to cheaply and easily have a good spoonful of garbanzo bean spread every day; perfect with any salad.

Loma Linda University researchers found that folk who ate beans three times a week were at third less likely to develop colon polyps, the precursors to a bowel neoplasm. Brown rice too was protective but the refined white is a fattening junk food. Colon tumours are the second biggest cause of death in the USA from a malignancy.

Why on a tomato prostate page? I don't believe it is stretching logic to assume that foods that reduce prostate tumours, will also reduce breast and uterine neoplasms.

And those that reduce stomach disease will also protect against prostate tumours too. It's just not proven; yet.

Bladder tumours

Bladder tumours and obviously that of the prostate go together. The breakdown products of all chemicals and foods that we eat pass through the bladder before being excreted via the urine. Prostate enlargement means that many of these toxic products remain longer in the bladder, with their nefarious effects; hence this page on the importance of the tomato.

Researcher Dr Marko Babjuk, from the Dept of Urology at Prague university, shows that a meta-analysis of many research studies proves that 66% of bladder tumours in men are caused by the breakdown products of smoking (30% in women).

However, he also outlines the effect of many chemicals, most notably aniline derivatives, used extensively in paints, petrochemical industry, pesticides and even certain analgesics, which cause about 25% of bladder neoplasms. 130,000 new cases of bladder tumours were diagnosed in the European Union in 2004.

He reports on current interest in the protective effect of carrots and fruits on bladder tumours. Carotenoids and certain vitamins are now known to be protective, thus tomato prostate is part of the solution.

Lung function and tomatoes

Not only the prostate gland is helped; researchers found a close relationship between lung function and tomatoes; again the carotene lycopene was found to be the active agent preventing the decline in lung function over a ten year period. This was even more clear in ex-smokers.

Apples and bananas also helped.

Lung function is a good predictor of mortality in the general population, in both those with lung disease and those who have never smoked. Lycopene in tomatoes has an important protective effect by reducing inflammation in the lining of the lungs^[1].

Nutritious choice foods

Nutritious choice foods are for those are prepared to ring in a few changes, like tomato prostate, for example, in order to prevent the nasties that await so many of us.

I and others can lead you to water, but no one can make you drink; you either choose to do these things or leave them to fate.

Useful links

Malignant tumours quite obviously are a highly complex subject, and it behooves all of us to take whatever steps we can to prevent it. Over and above tomato prostate you might like to spend the time looking at these links.

• How to get more fiber in the diet
• Capsaicin health benefits

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