Luckily, there are things men can do to help lower their odds of being one of them…

As is the case with most disease, diet is an essential component of any prostate cancer prevention plan. Specific foods have been the subject of research on the potential to protect against prostate cancer.

Among them, mushrooms stand out. A study that followed almost 36,500 men for an average of over 13 years revealed that mushrooms could be a game-changer in the fight against prostate cancer.

Now, further research has given us a more detailed glimpse into exactly how mushrooms might affect prostate cancer…

Mushrooms influence the immune system

Researchers at City of Hope sought to determine why taking a white button mushroom supplement shows promise in slowing or even preventing prostate cancer from worsening. Researchers there focused on data from laboratory preclinical studies and a Phase II clinical trial that studied food as medicine.

They found that taking white button mushroom supplements reduces a class of immune cells called myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). These MDSCs have been linked to cancer development and spread.

The researchers discovered that the administration of white button mushroom extract in mice significantly delayed the growth of tumors and extended survival of the mice. It also improved T cell immune response by reducing MDSC levels, meaning it improved the immune system’s ability to kill cancer cells.

The scientists then profiled blood draws from some of the men participating in the Phase II trial. The men were under active surveillance as they took white button mushroom supplements.

After three months of white button mushroom treatment, the researchers found there were fewer tumor-creating MDSCs and more antitumor T and natural killer cells. This suggests white button mushrooms shore up anticancer immune defense and slow cancer growth.

The bottom line: the medicinal use of white button mushrooms appears to reduce the type of cells that weaken the immune system and allow prostate cancer to spread.

Food as medicine: a burgeoning field of research

The researchers are now focusing on whether the reduction in MDSCs is linked with improved clinical outcomes in patients with prostate cancer.

Dr. Xiaoqiang Wang, a City of Hope staff scientist and first author of the study cautions against self-prescribing supplements without seeking professional guidance.

“Some people are buying mushroom products or extract online, but these are not FDA-approved,” Wang says. “That said, it couldn’t hurt if people wanted to add more fresh white button mushrooms to their everyday diet.”

White button mushrooms aren’t the only food City of Hope researchers are investigating for their potential anticancer properties. Others include grape seed extract, pomegranate, blueberries and ripe purple berries called Jamun.

It’s encouraging that a large cancer center such as City of Hope studies these foods for their medicinal properties. The researchers note that the field of integrative oncology is growing in popularity as people become more health-conscious and aware of the benefits of holistic cancer care.

“We’re finding that plant-derived substances may one day be used to support traditional cancer treatment and prevention practices,” says Dr. Shiuan Chen, a professor and chair of the Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine at Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope and senior author of the mushroom study.

“This study suggests that ‘food as medicine’ treatments could eventually become normal, evidence-based cancer care that is recommended for everyone touched by cancer.”

If you decide to add mushrooms to your diet as a potential prostate cancer preventive, keep in mind that the way you cook them could affect their disease-fighting properties.

Research shows that grilling or microwaving your mushrooms are the best cooking methods for maintaining their health potency, mainly because they will give you more disease-fighting antioxidants.

Sources:

City of Hope researchers discover why taking a mushroom supplement slows or prevents prostate cancer from getting worse — EurekAlert!

Reduction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in prostate cancer murine models and patients following white button mushroom treatment — Clinical and Translational Medicine

The post The supplement that kept prostate cancer from worsening appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In other words, the average level of testosterone for a 45, 55 or 65-year-old man is lower than that of a man of the same age in 2010 — which was lower than that of a man of the same age in 2000!

The question is — why are testosterone levels declining so dramatically? And is there anything you can do to support your testosterone levels?

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Why men’s testosterone levels have dropped

While T levels decline with age, maintaining hormonal balance is more complex. Problems in one area of your health can sneak up and lead to problems in the endocrine system (headquarters for hormonal health).

Three health problems, in particular, have risen to almost epidemic proportions in the U.S. in the past several years, and they all have one thing in common — they can tank testosterone levels…

#1 – Type 2 diabetes

Testosterone is required to help all of the tissues in your body take up blood sugar in response to insulin. It’s no wonder then that men with low T levels are far more likely to have insulin resistance, meaning their bodies have to churn out more insulin to to keep their blood sugar in the normal range.

According to the American Diabetes Association, “If you have Type 2 diabetes, you are twice as likely to suffer from low testosterone as a man without diabetes.”

#2 – Liver problems

Studies show that men with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD (a condition where there is an excess buildup of triglycerides in the liver), have reduced total testosterone.

Untreated, NAFLD can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and after that, possibly cirrhosis. 75 percent to 90 percent of men with these conditions experience extremely low T.

#3 – Obesity

Obesity is also a driving force behind the low T epidemic. One study showed that 30 percent of overweight men had low T, versus just six percent of those with weight in the normal range

Estrogen dominance can cause abdominal weight gain. That’s because elevated estrogen levels signal the body to reduce testosterone production and store more fat.

Estrogen dominance is a condition that occurs when fake estrogens disrupt hormonal balance and surprisingly can cause health problems for both men and women. In men, low T can impact stamina, muscle tone and prostate health as well as weight gain.

How to fight testosterone theft

While men’s testosterone levels have been under assault for quite a while now, you’re not powerless to do something about it…

First and foremost is to ensure you don’t fall victim to any of the three health conditions that make you a target for low T and declining health.

Many of the steps you can take to improve your health can also improve your testosterone levels, including:

High-intensity interval training and resistance training seem to be especially effective at boosting testosterone.

Eating a high-quality diet of protein, fruits and vegetables and healthy fats is also important (a keto diet has shown real benefits for Low T).

Stress management reduces the stress hormone cortisol which can cause weight gain and lower testosterone.

But you also need to face up to fake estrogens which are almost inescapable in our environment. Luckily, there’s a way to flush them out of your body…

The secret is a compound called Di-Indole Methane, or DIM for short, which is found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.

DIM can reduce estrogen levels in the body by stimulating the breakdown of estrogen into beneficial metabolites.

But it takes far more of this little compound than what you can get by sitting down to a dinner packed with veggies.

In fact, it would take a minimum of three pounds of broccoli every day to grab all of DIM’s hormone-supporting benefits. Fortunately, the nutrient is available in supplement form.

Sources:

Why Are Testosterone Levels Decreasing? – Cleveland Clinic

Low Testosterone – American Diabetes Association

8 Major Factors That Cause Low Testosterone Levels – Men’s Health

Low Testosterone (Male Hypogonadism) – Cleveland Clinic

Testosterone in men with advanced liver disease: Abnormalities and implications – Wiley Online Library

Low Testosterone in Males May Warrant Liver Health Assessment and Intervention – NIH

Relevance of low testosterone to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – NIH

Low Testosterone and Your Health – WebMD

Responses of sex steroid hormones to different intensities of exercise in endurance athletes – The Physiological Society

Endocrinological Roles for Testosterone in Resistance Exercise Responses and Adaptations – NIH

Testosterone-Associated Dietary Pattern Predicts Low Testosterone Levels and Hypogonadism – MDPI

Manipulation of Dietary Intake on Changes in Circulating Testosterone Concentrations – MDPI

Low-fat diets and testosterone in men: Systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies – Science Direct

Stress, cortisol, and other appetite-related hormones: Prospective prediction of 6-month changes in food cravings and weight – Wiley Online Journal

The post 3 health conditions that steal your testosterone appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Not only do they increase your risk of developing heart disease and 30 other health conditions and diseases, but they’re also behind the obesity epidemic.

In fact, I wrote about the research that confirmed it’s these foods, not lack of exercise — as previously thought — that’s fueling rising rates of obesity.

But what’s truly disturbing is their impact on reproductive and metabolic health…

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Weight gain is just the beginning

A 2025 study at the University of Copenhagen has confirmed that no matter how little of them you eat, ultra-processed foods lead to weight gain.

Researchers compared the health effects of an unprocessed vs. an ultra-processed diet on the same person, in order to get the most accurate results.

Forty-three men spent three weeks eating each of the two diets, with a cleansing period in between.

The unprocessed and ultra-processed diets had the same amount of calories, protein, carbs, and fats. But half the men were given an extra 500 calories per day.

Regardless of whether those extra 500 calories were involved, men on the ultra-processed diet gained about 1 kg (just over 2 pounds) more fat mass than those on the unprocessed diet.

But it doesn’t end there…

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“Our results prove that ultra-processed foods harm our reproductive and metabolic health, even if they’re not eaten in excess. This indicates that it is the processed nature of these foods that makes them harmful,” says Jessica Preston, lead author of the study.

Men on the ultra-processed diet showed:

• An increase in levels of phthalate cxxMINP, a hormone-disrupting chemical typically found in plastics.
• A decrease in testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone, both essential for sperm production. In addition to affecting fertility, low sperm count impacts a man’s sex drive and can be a cause of erectile dysfunction.
• An increase in LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels.
• Altered thyroid hormones.
• Altered markers of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress.

And in case you’ve forgotten, chronic inflammation causes the cellular damage behind a range of diseases from cancer to Parkinson’s disease to diabetes, not to mention an accelerated aging process that makes your body old before its time.

“We were shocked by how many body functions were disrupted by ultra-processed foods, even in healthy young men. The long-term implications are alarming and highlight the need to revise nutritional guidelines to better protect against chronic disease,” says the study’s senior author, Professor Romain Barrès.

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The choice is clear

I hope you don’t need any more convincing.

Whole foods are the best alternatives to ultra-processed foods. But for success, ease into eating more of them and fewer ultra-processed foods.

Ultra-processed foods are made to “hook” you, so don’t blame yourself if it’s hard to let them go. That being said, see about ditching the two ultra-processed foods considered the worst ASAP.

According to Heartfoundation.org, whole foods and minimally processed foods, like these, are what we all should be eating:

• Fresh, frozen and canned vegetables and fruit
• Dried, canned and frozen beans and legumes like lentils and chickpeas
• Whole grains like oats, brown rice, barley and quinoa
• Fresh and frozen poultry and meat
• Fresh, frozen and canned fish and seafood
• Milk and plain yoghurt (try sweetening with honey)
• Eggs
• Nuts and seeds.

An easy way to identify ultra-processed foods is that they are quick, easy, and require little to no preparation — the very definition of “convenience foods.”

They include foods like sweetened cereals, soda and white bread; frozen French fries, chicken nuggets and pizza; processed meats, like hot dogs and bacon; pre-packaged baked goods, like cookies and cakes; and microwaveable meals.

Make the choice today and start taking back your health and your longevity.

Sources:

Why ultra-processed diets make you gain fat even without extra calories — Science Daily

Effect of ultra-processed food consumption on male reproductive and metabolic health — Cell Metabolism

Here’s What Eating Processed Foods for Two Weeks Does to Your Body — Time

Five ways to eat less processed food — Heart Foundation

The post Ultra-processed foods: A metabolic and hormonal disaster for men appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Maybe it’s because women cross a proverbial threshold — menstruation — that eventually opens a door for young women to begin regular gynecological checkups. Along with those yearly visits come screenings for female-specific cancers.

This kickstarts a habit of regular preventive care that becomes ingrained. But for men, it’s a different story…

Our culture gives men the message that they need to “be strong” and “handle things.”

This message makes a lot of men — especially young men — reluctant to take care of their health, and it’s a habit that’s slow to change.

A new study shows just how big an impact this is having on the health of men, and the news isn’t good…

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An ounce of prevention = a pound of cure

It’s not just a saying. Preventing disease really is a much easier route than curing one. But it’s not a message men have gotten — and it shows…

Last year, Harvard researchers shared that the life expectancy gap between men and women had grown to as much as six years. Sadly, experts say it’s due in part to preventable deaths.

“When you’re in your 20s, 30s, you’re indestructible, you’re Superman,” says Scott Stephens, a 62-year-old who never thought about his health care until he was in his 40s and his father developed prostate cancer.

“It’s also a badge of courage; why should I go? I don’t need to call my doctor.”

A new survey by the Cleveland Clinic looked at members of Gen Z (born 1997-2005), Millennials (born 1981-1996), Gen X (born 1965-1980) and Boomers+ (born before 1965).

They grouped Gen X and Boomers together and Millennials and Gen Z together. Then they compared their survey answers to some specific questions:

• Get a yearly physical (61% Gen X and Boomers+ vs. 32% Millennials and Gen Z men)
• Avoid smoking/vaping (60% Gen X and Boomers+ vs. 43% Millennials and Gen Z men)
• Address mental health (53% Gen X and Boomers+ 59% Millennials and Gen Z men)

Additional revelations from the survey were:

• Most men fear getting cancer (74%), but rates of screenings and cancer awareness remain low.
• One-third of Gen X and Boomers+ who are eligible for colorectal cancer screening have not been screened or are not sure if they’ve been screened.
• A quarter of men with an average risk of prostate cancer (50+) have not been screened or are not sure if they’ve been screened.

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What men should do to protect their health

There’s a clear generational divide in how men approach health. But if we jumped back in time 30 years or so, we’d likely find the exact same habits playing out.

In other words, Gen Z isn’t the first generation of young men to place a low priority on their health. It seems that it’s just a matter of getting older before men begin to take health seriously — when symptoms crop up that require attention.

But regardless of age, there are steps men should be taking at each stage of life to safeguard their health:

In your 20s or 30s. Stop relying on the Internet. Make an appointment and get a handle on how healthy (or unhealthy) you are.

“Men should first come around age 21 for general health maintenance,” says Dr. Messmer. It’s also a good time to start measuring cholesterol, especially if there’s a family history of heart disease.

In your 40s. Colon cancer screening should start when men are in their 40s and then repeat every 10 years. If you have a family history, screening should start five years earlier than the age at which the relative was diagnosed and be repeated every five years.

Prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer screening should also begin in a man’s 40s.

In your 50s or 60s. This is the time when urologic issues tend to crop up. Many men come in with erectile dysfunction but discover they have a more serious prostate problem. Besides the standard PSA test, doctors now have other ways to gauge a man’s risk.

Finally, Dr. Ryon McDermott of the University of South Alabama points out, “The brain and the body are obviously very connected.” It’s never too late to start taking care of your mental health.

Sources:

National Cleveland Clinic Survey Examines Generational Divide in Men’s Health — Cleveland Clinic

It’s Time to Man Up and See a Doctor — Web MD

Widening Gender Gap in Life Expectancy in the US, 2010-2021 — JAMA Internal Medicine

Mars vs. Venus: The gender gap in health — Harvard Medical School

The post The unnecessary reason for men’s increasingly shorter lifespans appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For men, it’s a bit more complicated. While some older men with erectile dysfunction (ED) do suffer from low testosterone levels, it’s far from the only potential cause. Some others include:

• Heart disease
• Atherosclerosis
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Metabolic syndrome
• Parkinson’s disease
• Treatments for prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate

It may be surprising to see diabetes on this list. But high blood sugar can cause vascular and nerve damage (or neuropathy), both of which can decrease blood flow to the genitals.

If you haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes, you may think you’re in the clear. However, recent research indicates even a small increase in blood sugar levels could have an impact on your sex life…

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Blood sugar elevation and virility

For the study, researchers recruited 200 healthy men ages 18 to 85 in 2014 and tracked them through 2020. By the end of the study, 117 men were still participating.

The researchers examined progressive changes in participants’ semen and hormonal profiles, erectile function and metabolic health. The latter was measured through BMI and blood sugar levels monitored by the HbA1c test.

According to the results, hormone levels and semen parameters stayed largely within normal ranges over time. However, sperm movement and erectile function decreased in men with minimally elevated blood sugar levels below the diabetes threshold of 6.5% HbA1c.

The study also found that while testosterone levels did not have a direct impact on erectile function, they were related to participants’ libido assessment.

“Although age and testosterone levels have long been considered an impetus for men’s declining sexual health, our research indicates that these changes more closely correlate with modest increases in blood sugar and other metabolic changes,” says Dr. Michael Zitzmann, professor and doctor of medicine at University Hospital in Muenster, Germany.

“This means that men can take steps to preserve or revive their reproductive health with lifestyle choices and appropriate medical interventions,” Zitzmann adds.

Zitzman notes that the researchers hope the information gleaned from the study will help doctors and their patients establish effective male sexual health maintenance plans. “We now know that it’s in our power to retain sexual and reproductive wellbeing in men, even as they age,” he says.

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Keeping blood sugar in balance

The best way to keep blood sugar levels in check is through diet. Any diet that ditches added sugars and ultra-processed foods for more lean meats, fruits and vegetables and whole grains is a good place to start.

But if you’re on the road to diabetes, you may want to try a low-calorie keto diet. In addition to helping manage blood sugar, this diet can also boost testosterone. The downside is that it’s hard to stick to. In that case, consider a Mediterranean diet. Both diets improve blood sugar, weight and metabolic health.

Another lifestyle change that can help is getting regular exercise. Engaging in regular physical activity increases your body’s sensitivity to insulin, allowing sugar to be processed more efficiently. In fact, exercise can lower your blood sugar for up to 24 hours or more after you work out.

You should also consider a vitamin D supplement. Taking vitamin D has been associated with a reduced likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes in adults with prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are elevated but have not yet progressed to full-blown diabetes. The recommended therapeutic dose for vitamin D is between 4000 and 5000 IUs a day.

There are a few supplements that have shown promise in balancing blood sugar levels, including black seed oil and berberine. Make sure you talk to your doctor before taking supplements if you’re already on medication to lower your blood sugar.

Sources:

Not just diabetes: How slightly high blood sugar wrecks men’s sexual health — ScienceDaily

Male Virility Affected By Minimal Rises In Blood Sugar, Study Says — U.S. News & World Report

Erectile dysfunction — Mayo Clinic

Blood Glucose and Exercise — American Diabetes Association

The post How slightly elevated blood sugar tanks a man’s sex life appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, 12% of men will be affected by a UTI — a problem that can become chronic.

And some men are more susceptible than others, leaving them open to the extreme pain, bleeding and sepsis these infections can cause.

Here are the six most common causes behind this increased susceptibility…

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6 ways men get UTIs

#1 – BPH

Benign prostatic hypertrophy, or BPH, is one of the leading causes of UTIs in men.

That’s because when the prostate enlarges, it compresses the urethra, blocking the flow of urine. This can increase the chances of bacteria building up and lead to a UTI.

#2 – Kidney stones

As with BPH, kidney stones can cause a blockage in the urinary tract that leads to a buildup of urine in the bladder. When this happens, bacteria can multiply and take over, resulting in a UTI.

Additionally, as kidney stones pass through the tiny tubes of the urinary tract, they scrape and irritate the sides, leaving a pathway open for those bad bacteria.

#3 – Diabetes

Because diabetes can negatively affect your immune system, it can leave you open to a wide variety of infections, including UTIs.

Research has also revealed that the high blood glucose levels associated with diabetes result in a decrease in psoriasin, an important natural antibiotic that protects against urinary tract infections.

#4 – Age

Like with many medical conditions, UTIs become more common in men with age. In fact, while younger men rarely experience a UTI, men older than 50 tend to get more infections.

This can be due to the increased likelihood of prostate enlargement, which prevents full emptying of the bladder. Other issues that are more likely to be seen with age that can cause problems with bladder emptying may include nerve damage from stroke or injury to the spine.

#5 – Medical procedures/catheter use

Surgeries or exams of the urinary tract can also increase a man’s chances of suffering a UTI.

Catheters, which are thin tubes inserted into the urethra to reach the bladder to assist emptying it in people who can’t urinate on their own, are another known UTI risk.

#6 – Anatomical abnormalities

Structural deformities of the urinary tract, including abnormal narrowing, can prevent urine from leaving the body normally and lead to bacterial growth.

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6 steps to avoid UTIs

The good news is that while these six issues can make men more likely to end up with a painful UTI, there are easy steps that can be taken to prevent these bacterial takeovers.

The first is to empty the bladder often. After all, as urine builds up, so can bacteria.

Next, be sure to drink plenty of liquids, especially water.

It’s also wise to avoid bladder irritants when possible, like sugary foods and carbonated or caffeinated drinks.

I also recommend taking D-mannose and probiotics regularly to keep UTIs at bay.

D-mannose is a natural fruit sugar that helps prevent certain bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. And it’s been shown to be effective at keeping recurrent UTIs at bay.

And of course, probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help keep your body’s microbiome in balance to prevent bad bacteria from taking over your urinary tract.

Finally, don’t throw out the old wisdom for the new…

Cranberries are still a great, natural option for UTI prevention and are now research-backed.

Studies have shown that cranberry products (like juices and supplements) are linked to a lower risk of recurring UTIs. And they’ve proven that the polyphenols in cranberries work by keeping E. coli (the bacteria behind most UTIs) from sticking to the urinary tract lining.

Sources:

Urinary tract infections in men: Here are 10 things to know — CNN

All you need to know about UTIs in men — MedicalNewsToday

How Does a Male Get a UTI? Causes of UTIs in Men — MedicineNet

UTIs in Men: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment — WebMD

Why people with diabetes have more UTIs and how to prevent infections — MedicalNewsToday

3 steps to avoid recurrent urinary tract infections — Easy Health Options

The post 6 conditions that increase UTIs in men appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But for men, changes in the prostate gland can have them feeling the pressure, urgency and need to empty the old bladder numerous times a day — not to mention the frequent nighttime trips to the toilet.

The good news is that understanding these age-related prostate issues can help men find relief…

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A ‘growing’ problem

The prostate gland is located at the base of the bladder and is usually about the size of a walnut (about 4.8 grams in weight).

However, for reasons doctors still don’t understand, when men hit their 30s, the gland hits a second growth spurt. By the time a man is in his 70s, the gland is a whopping 40 grams on average — nearly 10 times its normal weight.

This growth puts pressure on the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder through the penis and out of the body, which is why many men experience urinary changes as they age.

Other issues can spur the growth of the prostate, worsening urinary symptoms. These include inflammation, which is also known as benign prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate, which is a blockage of the tubes due to non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate.

Bathroom and bedroom problems linked to a growing prostate

Numerous urinary symptoms can result from an enlarged prostate that are not only troubling but negatively impact a man’s quality of life, including:

• Trouble beginning to urinate
• Lack of force in urination (making it difficult to direct the urine stream)
• Dribbling after urination
• Feeling like you haven’t fully emptied your bladder
• Needing to urinate frequently (both during the day and at night)
• Urinary urgency (this can include urgency so sudden you can’t make it to the toilet in time)
• Feeling like you have to go soon after urinating

Next, two things happen that a man hopes he’ll never experience…

First, most men can reach this point without experiencing a bladder infection. But an enlarged prostate makes it difficult to empty the bladder fully. And when urine collects and stews, it’s ripe for bacteria and infection.

Secondly, prostatitis or BPH can put the brakes on a man’s sex life. Indirectly, these conditions lead to ED because they reduce both sex drive and satisfaction and create problems with ejaculation.

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Supporting prostate health

Luckily, an enlarged prostate gland doesn’t always cause urinary problems. And even if you have troublesome urinary symptoms, they’re rarely a sign of something serious. Of course, you should always let your doctor know about any problems you experience or changes, just to be sure.

But there’s no reason a man should silently suffer and stop doing the things he enjoys for fear of a bladder leak.

Over time, several natural remedies for prostate and urinary support have proven their worth and are available as individual supplements and in special formulations. Those always at the top of the list include:

1. Saw Palmetto appears to reduce levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone which, at elevated levels, causes the prostate to become enlarged.
2. Beta-Sitosterol. Studies show that beta-sitosterol can help improve urinary flow rates, reducing the amount of urine left in the bladder after urination and improving overall quality of life.
3. Lycopene is a prostate-reducing compound found in tomatoes and is considered the “ultimate male antioxidant” to help combat free radicals that can cause cell damage.
4. Selenium is an essential mineral for encouraging the natural death of old, damaged cells.
5. Red Clover Extract. Isoflavones from red clover may inhibit smooth muscle contractions in the prostate, which could be beneficial in BPH treatment and help relieve unwanted prostate symptoms.
6. Pygeum Bark Extract. Although pygeum has been studied for a variety of ailments, it has demonstrated the most promise for the management of an enlarged prostate, including calming the frequent urge to go.
7. Pumpkin Seed. Double-blind scientific studies have shown that pumpkin seed extract helps urinary flow, voiding time, and reduces leftover urine volume in men with prostate concerns.
8. Nettle Leaf Extract. Several studies have found stinging nettle root to be effective at promoting normal prostate size and relieving the urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged and aging prostate.
9. Zinc. The prostate gland contains a high concentration of this mineral, and nature didn’t put it there for nothing. It has an impact on testosterone levels, which are important to maintain as you age.
10. D-mannose can prevent certain bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. It’s been shown to be more effective than antibiotics at getting rid of recurrent urinary tract infections.

Sources:

Prostate gland and urinary problems – Better Health Channel

Walnut Weights & Calories (Including Calculator & Charts) – Weight School

The post How to handle that ‘growing’ prostate problem appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, research proves that the earlier you develop diabetes, the more likely you are to suffer from dementia and that as your weight and blood pressure go up, so do your chances of cognitive decline.

And while smoking is bad for your heart as well as your lungs, it could be just as deadly to your brain. One study found that male smokers lose their cognitive abilities quicker than nonsmokers. And a second study found that even secondhand smoke significantly increases dementia risk.

However, while we all must be careful of these risk factors to keep our brains healthy and our memories intact, scientists say that men need to start paying attention to their hearts an entire decade earlier than women.

Here’s why…

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Heart risk factors and brain volume loss

The findings come from a long-term study published online in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

The research, which followed 34,425 participants of the UK Biobank, used the Framingham Risk Score to assess heart disease risk and cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, diabetes and more. They then compared these to changes in brain structure and volume, which signal the development of dementia and cognitive decline.

The results showed a clear link between cardiovascular risk factors and dangerous brain changes…

For example, the researchers found that higher levels of abdominal fat and visceral adipose tissue (deep belly fat that wraps around your organs) were associated with lower brain grey matter volume in both men and women. 

The regions of the brain most vulnerable are the ones involved in aural, visual, and emotional information processing, as well as memory — the same regions that are affected early on in the development of dementia.

According to the researchers, these associations held true whether or not a person carried the Alzheimer’s (APOE4) gene or not.

However, what the researchers didn’t expect to find was that the strongest influence of cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, on brain neurodegeneration occurred a decade earlier in men than in women…

And that the effect of these risk factors on dementia risk was also stronger in men than women.

The researchers say that while women are most susceptible between the ages of 65 and 74, the danger for men starts at age 55, going all the way to 74 years old.

In other words, men’s vulnerability is greater, begins sooner, and lasts longer.

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Reducing heart risk to reduce dementia risk

With these results, the researchers concluded, “Targeting cardiovascular risk and obesity a decade earlier in males than females may be imperative for potential candidates to achieve a therapeutic benefit in preventing neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.”

In other words, men should focus on managing their weight and reducing other heart disease risk factors at a younger age to start staving off dementia.

This means giving up smoking, eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise to lose weight.

The good news is that those last two also reduce your chances of diabetes, another cardiovascular risk factor.

In fact, researchers have found that simply getting enough steps in daily can reduce your risk of diabetes by a whopping 44%!

An easy way to take down three risk factors at once — blood pressure, blood sugar and weight — is to increase your intake of flavonoids such as anthocyanins, fisetin, quercetin and isoflavones.

Sources:

Men at high risk of cardiovascular disease face brain health decline 10 years earlier than women — EurekAlert!

10 scientifically proven ways to lower your dementia risk — Easy Health Options

Tight blood pressure control may be key to closing door on dementia — Easy Health Options

Is your weight putting you at risk for Alzheimer’s? — Easy Health Options

How age, diabetes and dementia intersect — Easy Health Options

The post The warning men get 10 years before their brain shrinks appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It can be caused by bacteria, but the most common form of prostatitis, chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), does not usually involve bacteria and is often caused by problems elsewhere in the body and outside of the prostate itself.

The most frustrating part about CPPS is that it is very difficult to treat and can have devastating effects on a man’s health. If you have been suffering from recurring prostatitis symptoms, do not despair.

There are many things you can do, and the best way to manage chronic prostatitis is with a multimodal whole-body approach that involves diet, stress management, lifestyle adaptations and a number of natural and alternative treatments.

Here are six ways to deal with a flare-up of prostatitis. It is recommended to try several different approaches so you can get to the source of your pain.

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Relax the pelvic floor

In about half the cases of prostatitis, the pelvic pain is due to chronic tension in the pelvic floor muscles. One of the most significant contributors to this is stress. And, of course, having this difficult-to-treat and painful condition that does not go away only increases your stress and anxiety, contributing further to your problems.

Learn your best way to manage stress to help relieve prostatitis, whether by exercise (which is in itself helpful for treating prostatitis), breathing exercises, yoga, tai chi, mediation, or by talking to a therapist.

Cognitive behavioral training is commonly part of alternative treatment programs that treat pelvic tension. Some men are unaware that they clench their pelvic floor muscles when stressed or anxious. This can lead to inflammation and chronic tension in the pelvic floor, leading to pain, urinary problems, and sometimes sexual problems.

Since this tension likely developed over many years, you are not going to fix this overnight, but working to address the cause of the pelvic floor disorder by managing your stress and anxiety will help you manage your pain and prevent future flare-ups.

Change your diet

If you eat a lot of spicy foods or acidic foods, your diet can be causing prostatitis flare-ups. Studies have found that there are certain foods to avoid for prostatitis because they exacerbate symptoms. Try cutting out spicy foods, caffeinated beverages, hot peppers, chili, alcohol, wheat and acidic foods.

Pay attention to what you eat by keeping a food journal. If your symptoms worsen after eating a particular food, stop eating it for a while. Food allergies and intolerances can also lead to prostatitis flare-ups.

Try prostate supplements

There are many well-researched supplements for prostatitis. A few are even part of the treatment protocols recommended by urologists.

Supplements can help reduce inflammation, maximize prostate health, and support better pelvic and urinary health.

Some of the supplements with the most successful clinical studies and research behind them include Graminex pollen, quercetin, and turmeric (curcumin). Pollen extracts and quercetin are often combined in a therapy called phytotherapy, which is used for relieving sexual pain, reducing inflammation and supporting immunity.

Other supplements with significant research for prostate and urinary health include probiotics, plant sterols, green tea, stinging nettle, pygeum, phytonutrients like DIM, cranberry, saw palmetto, and vitamin D.

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Add some alternative treatments

The most successful approach to prostatitis usually involves employing several different treatments, including alternative therapies for prostatitis.

These drug-free ways to treat prostatitis may include simple treatments you can do at home, such as applying ice packs to the area or sitting in a sitz bath. Some men find relief from taking pressure off the prostate area by sitting on special cushions and pillows.

Other alternative chronic prostatitis treatments that require help from a trained professional involve acupuncture, biofeedback, prostate massage, trigger point release therapy, intrapelvic physiotherapy or pelvic floor rehabilitation. As mentioned, many of these methods are complemented by a good stress management or cognitive training program to lead to long-term success.

Have sex

Got your attention? Yes, sex is one treatment for prostatitis. Avoiding sex or a lack of sex can lead to prostatitis because semen can accumulate in the prostate and lead to inflammation. Aim to ejaculate at least once a week to clear out the prostate. If pain during sex is one of your problems, then look into treatments for sexual pain, like phytotherapy.

Medications for prostatitis

If none of the other treatments are working, there are several drugs for prostatitis. None of them “cure” chronic prostatitis, but they can help if you have severe symptoms. While antibiotics may be necessary if you have acute bacterial prostatitis, they are not recommended or helpful for CPPS and can lead to more complications and problems.

In the short term, you might find some acute pain relief with anti-inflammatory drugs, but these medications are not safe for long-term use, which is why it is wise to look into natural and alternative treatments for managing pain.

Several medications can help with severe urinary symptoms, muscle spasms, or neuropathic pain. Some of these medications have side effects, so be sure to research if the benefits outweigh the risks.

If you follow these ways to deal with a prostatitis flare-up and have patience with them, you may be able to resolve your pelvic pain long-term. Following a natural, whole-body approach that involves several different treatments so you can approach your prostatitis from different angles (diet, exercise, psychological health, supplements, and alternative therapies) is going to lead you down the path to better prostate and pelvic health.

The post Six ways to deal with a prostatitis flare-up appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

As common as BPH is, experts are still somewhat baffled as to precisely what causes the prostate to enlarge. There’s speculation, however, of a connection with a hormone known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

DHT stimulates the proliferation of certain cells in the prostate, enlarging the gland. However, dihydrotestosterone levels are the same in men with and without BPH, so it’s still anyone’s guess why some men develop enlarged prostates and others don’t.

As investigators continue to explore possible causes of BPH, they may have hit upon a link between BPH and a pair of conditions becoming more prevalent in aging men….

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Inflammation + metabolic syndrome = enlarged prostate

A team of Polish researchers decided to examine how inflammation and metabolic health contribute to BPH. They analyzed blood samples from 219 men, including 144 with BPH and 75 without, and measured markers related to inflammation and oxidative stress.

Their results showed that men with BPH had significantly higher levels of pro-inflammatory molecules such as 12S-HETE and 5-HETE and lower levels of anti-inflammatory substances like lipoxin A4.

This imbalance was even more pronounced in men with both BPH and metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions including obesity, high blood sugar and high cholesterol.

In short, these findings suggest that inflammatory-related molecules in the blood may play a key role in BPH development, especially in men with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic dysfunction and chronic inflammation may also exacerbate the severity of BPH and contribute to its development.

“Our research results suggest that pro-inflammatory mediators and suppressors of inflammation are involved in the development of BPH, but their exact contribution has yet to be investigated,” the authors write in the study paper.

“Furthermore, there is mounting evidence that links the onset of inflammation with the development of prostate diseases, including benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer,” they add.

The study indicates that monitoring metabolic health could play a role in reducing the risk of prostate enlargement. However, further research is needed and may focus on whether anti-inflammatory treatments or lifestyle changes such as improved diet, weight management and exercise could help slow the progression of BPH or reduce its symptoms​.

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Natural solutions to BPH relief

Some men with BPH don’t have any symptoms. But for many, it can cause problems such as increased urinary frequency and urgency and an inability to completely empty the bladder.

In these cases, doctors often prescribe medications such as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors to help shrink the prostate. Unfortunately, those medications can cause their own problems, such as an elevated risk of diabetes.

If you’re experiencing BPH and are at risk for diabetes, you may want to seek natural alternatives to these drugs for relieving your urinary symptoms. One place to start is with your diet. Research shows that a diet rich in whole fruits, vegetables and healthy fats, similar to the Mediterranean diet can improve prostate health and BPH.

Saw palmetto is a natural supplement that has proven effective in promoting prostate health, relieving the excessive need to urinate (particularly at night) and enhancing urinary flow.

Green and black tea have also been linked with improved urinary flow and reduced inflammation in men with lower urinary tract symptoms, such as those found in BPH. Just make sure you don’t drink it too close to bedtime as the caffeine could interfere with sleep.

Lastly, ensure you’re getting plenty of exercise, as that has been shown to lower your risk of BPH and prostate problems.

Sources:

Inflammation and metabolic syndrome linked to benign prostatic hyperplasia — EurekAlert!

The profile of oxidative stress markers (arachidonic and linoleic acid derivatives) in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia in relation to metabolic syndrome — Aging

Enlarged Prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) — Yale Medicine

The post Metabolic syndrome’s link to enlarged prostate appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

First of all, Kegel exercises are not just for women.

They are probably the easiest and most convenient exercises men can do to help improve urinary, prostate and sexual health, and you can do them without putting on athletic shoes or breaking a sweat.

In fact, no one will even know you are doing these exercises, even if you’re in a crowd or waiting in line at the bank.

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What are Kegel exercises?

For the uninitiated, Kegel exercises (sometimes called pelvic floor exercises) involve tightening your pubococcygeus (PC) muscle, the muscle in your pelvic area that stretches from the pubic bone to the tailbone.

The PC muscle is critical because it supports your pelvic organs and plays an important role in regulating the flow of urine and the passing of gas.

Have I got your attention yet? Obviously, the PC muscle is one you want to keep in tip-top shape. Fortunately, doing so is not hard, as long as you practice regularly.

How to do Kegel exercises

Kegel exercises for men don’t require any special shoes, clothing or accessories. All you need to do is concentrate.

To clench your PC muscle, think about how you try to stop the flow of urine. That involves your PC muscle. You can practice clenching or squeezing your PC muscle the next time you urinate: Try to stop the flow of urine, then let it start again, then stop it. This is the gist of doing Kegel exercises.

After you have practiced squeezing your PC muscle, you’re ready to do Kegel exercises. Here’s how:

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• Contract the PC muscle and hold it for five seconds, then release it. This is one repetition.
• Focus solely on your PC muscle. Do not tighten your abdominal, thigh or buttock muscles when you do these exercises.
• Repeat the repetitions 20 times, twice a day, for about a week, and then gradually increase to 40 repetitions twice a day, then 60.

You can do Kegel exercises anywhere, at any time. Stuck in traffic? Do Kegels. Waiting in line at the supermarket? Ditto. So you don’t forget to do your Kegels, put an alarm on your cellphone to remind you.

Benefits of Kegel exercises

If you’re wondering how effective Kegel exercises can be, here are a few examples.

• One study looked at 55 men who had experienced erectile dysfunction for at least six months. When the men practiced Kegel exercises daily for three to six months, 40 percent of them were able to regain erectile function, 35.5 percent said erection rigidity improved, and 25.5 percent reported no difference. The study’s authors concluded that men should “exercise their pelvic floor muscles to maintain normal pelvic floor function.”
• In a subsequent review, experts evaluated randomized controlled trials in which men with urinary and fecal incontinence and erectile dysfunction had practiced Kegel exercises. The researchers found that practicing Kegel exercises significantly improved erectile function and urinary incontinence. It would be “prudent for all men” to practice Kegel exercises regularly to maintain normal pelvic floor function.
• Among men who undergo prostatectomy, erectile dysfunction is a common side effect, but Kegel exercises may help. A study of 63 men who had a prostatectomy looked at two groups: 35 practiced pelvic floor muscle exercises after surgery, while 27 did not until the third month after surgery. The researchers reported a significant beneficial difference among men who started Kegel exercises immediately after prostatectomy compared with the control group.

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Kegel exercises for all men

Kegel exercises can benefit men who are experiencing problems with erectile dysfunction and urinary tract issues. Still, they are also helpful for any man, because they strengthen a muscle that is critical for overall health.

In addition, Kegel exercises can help men who are experiencing problems with prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland) as well as men who are facing the challenge of premature ejaculation or who have undergone prostatectomy and need to restore pelvic muscle strength.

Men who practice Kegel exercises daily can expect to notice results in about four to six weeks. If you are planning to undergo any type of prostate or urinary tract surgery, you can benefit from beginning your Kegel exercises before the procedure.

That way, you will build up the PC muscle to weather the procedure better and bounce back post-surgery. After surgery, however, talk to your healthcare provider before you restart your Kegel exercises to be sure you are ready for them.

Sources

1. Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction — British Journal of General Practice
2. Restoring pelvic floor function in men: review of RTCs — The British Journal of Nursing
3. Effects of early pelvic-floor muscle exercise for sexual dysfunction in radical prostatectomy recipients — Cancer Nursing

The post Kegel exercises for men: Do they work? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

They’re critical components in the membranes that surround the cells in your body, provide calories to give your body energy and support many functions, including heart, blood vessel, lung, immune system and endocrine system health.

So, it’s not surprising that omega-3 supplements have grown in popularity.

But when it comes to men’s health, specifically anything prostate-related, there’s been some controversy…

Studies have shown omega-3s could slow the growth of prostate cancer, while some have seen a slight increase in risk.

As with research, there can be many variables, but a team of UCLA-led investigators decided to take a closer look at men with low-risk prostate cancer and are hopeful their findings may influence treatment strategies…

The prostate cancer benefits of omega-3s

Many men with low-risk prostate cancer choose active surveillance over immediate treatment. That means they have chosen to undergo regular monitoring of their cancer without immediate intervention.

However, within five years, about half of these men need to undergo therapy with either surgery or radiation. That’s why patients are eager to find ways to delay the need for treatment, including through dietary changes or supplements.

But so far, there have been no specific dietary guidelines established for prostate cancer patients under active surveillance. Clinical trials have looked at increasing vegetable intake and healthy diet patterns. Still, none have found a significant impact on slowing progression.

The UCLA team recruited 100 men under active surveillance for low-risk or favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Participants were randomly assigned to continue their regular diet or follow a diet low in omega-6s and high in omega-3s, supplemented with fish oil, for one year.

The typical American diet contains 14 to 25 more omega-6s than omega-3s and is not considered healthy. Unlike omega-3s, omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory and have been linked to heart disease, cancer, the development of high blood pressure in people with diabetes and high triglycerides.

Participants in the intervention arm of the study received dietary counseling from a registered dietician nutritionist who guided them on reducing the consumption of food with higher omega-6 content, including chips, cookies, mayonnaise and other fried or processed foods. They also were counseled to eat fish rich in omega-3s and given fish oil capsules for extra omega-3s. The control group didn’t receive any counseling or fish oil capsules.

The researchers tracked changes in a biomarker called the Ki-67 index, indicating how fast cancer cells multiply. This is a key predictor of cancer progression, spread and survival. Same-site biopsies were obtained at the beginning of the study and at the one-year mark. What did they find?

Great results, with a caveat

According to the results, those following an omega-3-rich diet, low in omega-6s and supplemented with fish oil, had a 15 percent decrease in the Ki-67 index. In comparison, the control group saw a 24 percent increase. In other words, consumption of the omega-3 diet significantly reduced the growth rate of prostate cancer cells in men with early-stage disease.

“This significant difference suggests that the dietary changes may help slow cancer growth, potentially delaying or even preventing the need for more aggressive treatments,” says Dr. William Aronson, a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and first author of the study.

While these results are promising, the researchers didn’t see any differences in other cancer growth markers commonly used to track prostate cancer progression. They caution that further study is needed to confirm the long-term benefits of omega-3s and lowering omega-6s in managing prostate cancer.

Omega-3-rich foods include fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines, as well as plant-based oils like hemp and linseed and some algae like spirulina.

Other options include adding a fish oil supplement to your daily regimen — or better yet, a krill oil supplement. Some studies indicated that the fatty acids in krill oil are more easily absorbed. In fact, one study found that taking krill oil versus fish oil resulted in higher levels of omega-3s EPA and DHA in the bloodstream.

Sources:

A low omega-6, omega-3 rich diet and fish oil may slow prostate cancer growth — ScienceDaily

High Omega-3, Low Omega-6 Diet With Fish Oil for Men With Prostate Cancer on Active Surveillance: The CAPFISH-3 Randomized Clinical Trial — Journal of Clinical Oncology

Omega-3 Fatty Acids — National Institutes of Health

The post More omega-3, less omega-6 could slow prostate cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

During IVF, mature eggs are collected from ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab. So it makes sense to want them to be in tip-top shape. That means eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants, that can promote fertility. And for men, it also means avoiding a single threat that could make their fertility levels take a nosedive…

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Pesticides impact male fertility rates

There is nothing good about exposure to pesticides. They can raise your risk of Parkinson’s, cancer and liver damage. One study found that men who were exposed to a lot of pesticides at work had a 45 percent higher risk of heart disease or stroke.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), non-organic produce is loaded with pesticides that may act as endocrine disruptors and harm the male fertility system. And a growing body of research is confirming this…

A study led by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health included around 240 couples undergoing IVF treatment. The researchers estimated the exposure of the male partners to pesticide residue from fruits and vegetables through self-reported diet data.

The findings were sobering. A higher level of male exposure to pesticides was linked with lower fertilization rates, while rates of fertilization were higher for those couples whose male partners had a lower exposure to pesticides.

Previous data have suggested that pesticide exposure can also affect semen quality.

“Our data suggest that exposure to pesticide residue through diet may have this important impact on reproductive function beyond what we have previously described with effects on semen quality,” says Jorge Chavarro, a professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who led the study. “This suggests that exposure to pesticides at levels that are assumed safe for human consumption by U.S. regulatory agencies may impair the ability of the sperm to fertilize oocytes.”

Chavarro notes there are no specific dietary guidelines for fruits and vegetables to recommend for couples getting fertility treatment or couples specifically trying to conceive. “But we do have very robust dietary guidance for the general population for maintaining health in general and for specific factors,” he says.

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Produce to buy — and avoid

If you’re trying to conceive, you’ll want to do all you can to reduce your pesticide exposure. And there’s one resource that can help.

Every year, the EWG releases its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. In the guide, the EWG names what it calls the Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides, as well as its Clean Fifteen fruits and vegetables with very low or no pesticide residues. In 2024, the Dirty Dozen were as follows:

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale, collard and mustard greens
4. Grapes
5. Peaches
6. Pears
7. Nectarines
8. Apples
9. Bell and hot peppers
10. Cherries
11. Blueberries
12. Green beans

And the Clean Fifteen were:

1. Avocados
2. Sweetcorn
3. Pineapple
4. Onions
5. Papaya
6. Sweet peas (frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Honeydew melon
9. Kiwi
10. Cabbage
11. Mushrooms
12. Mangoes
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Watermelon
15. Carrots

Food associated with improving semen quality and sperm count include walnuts, tomatoes, beans and lentils.

Use these lists the next time you go shopping to keep your pesticide exposure to a minimum. Try to buy organic whenever possible, particularly if the fruit or vegetable in question is on the Dirty Dozen list. And if you have to buy non-organic, make sure to rinse your produce thoroughly to remove as much of the pesticide residue as you can.

Sources:

Pesticide exposure from fruits, vegetables could lower male fertility — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

In vitro fertilization (IVF) — Mayo Clinic

Fruit, vegetable pesticide exposure may impair sperm during IVF cycles — Healio

EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce — Environmental Working Group

6 foods that boost fertility — UCLA Health

The post Planning a family? Avoid this robber of male fertility appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In the U.S., the average lifespan for a woman is 5 years longer than that of a man. And the difference is even greater worldwide, where the average lifespan for women exceeds that of men by 7 years.

For as long as science has recognized the difference, scientists have been trying to unravel the reasons. Now, they’ve zeroed in on one of them… a quirk of nature that occurs in some men as they age…

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Losing the “male” chromosome

We all know that the vast majority of women are born with two X chromosomes, while the vast majority of men have one X and one Y chromosome.

However, what is not as widely known is that an estimated 40 percent of men will lose their Y chromosome in a fraction of their cells by the time they reach the age of 70.

This Y chromosome loss primarily occurs in cells that undergo rapid turnover, such as blood cells. It doesn’t happen in male reproductive cells, so men who experience this loss won’t pass it on to their children.

In some studies, researchers have observed that men who lose their Y chromosome are more likely to experience age-associated diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, as well as early death.

This prompted researchers from the University of Virginia School of Medicine (UVA) to look further into the relationship between Y chromosome loss and early death. What they discovered is believed to be the first hard evidence that the loss of the Y chromosome directly causes harmful effects on men’s health.

The impact of Y chromosome loss on the heart

The UVA research team used gene-editing technology to develop a special mouse model, then used those mice to better understand the effects of Y chromosome loss in the blood. Results showed the loss accelerated age-related diseases, made the mice more prone to heart scarring and led to earlier death.

The scientists noted that the results weren’t just driven by inflammation in the mice. Their immune systems underwent a complex series of responses, leading to a process called fibrosis throughout their bodies. And this process is what the researchers believe may accelerate disease development.

The UVA researchers didn’t stop with mice. They also investigated the effects of Y chromosome loss in human men by analyzing data compiled from the UK Biobank, a massive biomedical database. What they found was that Y chromosome loss was associated with cardiovascular disease and heart failure. And as chromosome loss increased, so did the risk of death.

These findings could explain nearly four of the five-year difference in lifespan between U.S. women and men, according to UVA researcher Dr. Kenneth Walsh.

“The years of life lost due to the survival disadvantage of maleness is staggering,” Walsh says. “This new research provides clues as to why men have shorter lifespans than women.”

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Is it possible to combat Y chromosome loss?

Is there anything that can be done to counteract this loss of the Y chromosome? Science hasn’t found that answer yet. But there may be a way to counter its effects on the body.

According to Walsh, men who suffer Y chromosome loss could particularly benefit from an existing drug, pirfenidone, that targets dangerous tissue scarring and could help these men live longer, healthier lives. Pirfenidone is approved to treat a form of lung scarring and is being tested to treat heart failure and chronic kidney disease, two conditions in which tissue scarring occurs.

While Walsh believes men with Y chromosome loss could respond well to this drug, as well as other antifibrotic drugs in development, more research is needed to determine that.

But to administer any of these therapies, healthcare professionals will need to be able to identify men suffering Y chromosome loss. Unfortunately, doctors currently have no easy way to do that.

One of Walsh’s collaborators, Lars Forsberg of Uppsala University in Sweden, has developed an inexpensive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, similar to those used for COVID-19 testing, that can detect Y-chromosome loss. However, this test is largely confined to his and Walsh’s laboratories.

“If interest in this continues and it’s shown to have utility in terms of being prognostic for men’s disease and can lead to personalized therapy, maybe this becomes a routine diagnostic test,” Walsh says.

Is there anything men can do right now?

If you smoke, quit.

Walsh and his team discovered that smokers were especially likely to suffer Y chromosome loss as they age. Combine that with all the other health risks of smoking and the damage it can do to your heart and lungs, and you’re better off without those cigarettes.

Here are 6 proven ways for you to quit smoking this year.

But that may not be all men should do to try to live longer…

While your Y chromosome may not be a modifiable factor immediately in your control, there are plenty of others.

For starters, men have a bad reputation for putting off healthcare — both physical and mental. Instead:

• Pay attention to symptoms and changes and report them to your healthcare provider.
• Don’t skip out on regular checkups.
• Talk with a professional about feelings of depression and anxiety.
• Practice known healthy lifestyle habits, like eating right (more fruits, vegetables and fiber) and getting regular exercise.

Sources:

Loss of Male Sex Chromosome With Age Leads to Earlier Death for Men—UVAHealth

Hematopoietic loss of Y chromosome leads to cardiac fibrosis and heart failure mortality — Science

Why men often die earlier than women — Harvard Health Publishing

The post The one thing men lose with age that could shorten their lifespan appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Why is it recommended you have your PSA checked? An elevated PSA can be an early indication that something is not quite right with the prostate, such as the possibility of prostatitis, an enlarged prostate, or prostate cancer, while a lower PSA is a strong indication of good prostate health. However, an elevated PSA can be associated with other situations that don’t directly involve prostate health, such as a reaction to medication, a urinary tract infection, recent catheterization or ejaculation, or inflammation of the prostate associated with a sports injury or age.

In any event, it’s best to get a PSA test so you and your doctor can decide whether any action is necessary. As a general course of action, you can help ensure a healthy prostate by following certain lifestyle guidelines.

Eat more fruits, vegetables and nuts

Although several hormones have an impact on the prostate, one in particular — DHT, or dihydrotestosterone — promotes prostate inflammation and stimulates insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a hormone that can promote abnormal cell growth and cancer. Certain foods contain substances shown to naturally inhibit DHT. One of those substances is lycopene, which is found in carrots, mangoes, tomatoes, and watermelon.

A National Institutes of Health study noted that lycopene inhibits IGF-I growth in prostate cells by reducing DHT-modulated IGF-I production. Other food substances that inhibit DHT include L-lysine (in almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts), and zinc (in cashews, kale, spinach, wheat germ, white mushrooms, and supplements). Make a point to include several of the mentioned foods in your diet every day.

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Add some pomegranate to your diet

Whether you enjoy pomegranate juice, the tasty pulp and seeds, or prefer the supplement, be sure to include this fruit in your diet more often. Research at Johns Hopkins has shown that this phytonutrient-rich fruit can reduce the rate of PSA doubling in men who have prostate cancer. Overall, the doubling time increased from 11.9 months at baseline to 18.5 months after treatment with pomegranate extract. Since pomegranate is rich in sugar, taking a supplement may be better than having the fruit on a regular basis.

Exercise more

Staying physically active on a regular basis can help lower your PSA levels. Aerobic activities, such as walking, running, cycling, and rowing, are encouraged as well as some resistance exercise to help strengthen and tone muscles. A highly recommended exercise approach is HIIT (high-intensity interval training), which is perfect for men who want to maximize their exercise benefits in a minimal amount of time.

A study in the Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine looked at the PSA levels and physical activity of nearly 2,000 healthy males and found that “PSA levels were significantly higher among the group with hypertension or the group of individuals that did not exercise regularly or group of office workers who were considered to have lesser physical activities.”

Lose weight

Some contradictory evidence surrounds the association between overweight and obesity and PSA. On the one hand, excess weight is associated with a greater risk of prostate cancer, prostatitis, and enlarged prostate, all conditions also associated with an elevated PSA. However, several studies point to lower PSA levels in healthy overweight and obese men, including a new study in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine. Overall however, losing weight is the more logical and healthful step for the prostate and your general health.

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Take aspirin

Several studies have indicated that use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can reduce PSA levels. A University of Arizona study, for example, found that this effect was especially significant among men who had never smoked. Before taking aspirin, however, talk to your healthcare provider about whether it is safe for you to do so and the optimal dose for you.

Eat more tomatoes

Tomatoes are an important source of the potent antioxidant lycopene, which has been shown to reduce PSA levels and lower a man’s risk of prostate cancer. Lycopene is released from tomatoes when they are cooked, so you get the most benefit from enjoying stewed tomatoes, tomato soup, tomato-based pasta sauces, and tomato juice. One caution, however: don’t eat tomatoes that have been canned, as they may have been exposed to BPA (bisphenol-A) in the lining of the can, a chemical that disrupts your endocrine system and may contribute to prostate cancer. Fresh is definitely best when it comes to this fruit.

Reduce or avoid foods that harm the prostate

You may be surprised at how many common foods irritate the prostate and can contribute to a rise in PSA levels and an enlarged prostate. Here are some of the foods and beverages that fall into this category:

• Foods that contain acrylamide, such as French fries and potato chips (the two biggest offenders) and doughnuts
• Foods rich in saturated fats
• Excess alcohol
• Nonfermented soy products such as tofu and edamame, which can raise estrogen levels
• Microwave popcorn
• Nonorganic potatoes, meats, and dairy products
• Canned foods, especially tomatoes, which are acidic and more likely to leach bisphenol A (a hormone disruptor) from the lining of the cans
• And these 8 worst foods for prostrate health.

Reduce animal protein intake

Meat, poultry, and dairy foods are typically high in protein and also trigger the release of a substance called insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). When you consume a considerable amount of these high-protein foods, the body makes a lot of IGF-I and can use some of it to promote cancer growth, including prostate cancer.

A study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention reported that IGF-I levels were elevated among animal protein eaters but not among plant protein consumers. In fact, eating plant protein seemed to reduce IGF-1 levels. If you do eat animal protein, be sure to choose organic products that have not been raised with antibiotics or any other hormones.

Try quercetin and pollen

Both quercetin and pollen have demonstrated properties that promote and support prostate health, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant abilities, especially in the management of the inflammatory condition known as prostatitis. In addition, a new study in Urology looked at the effect of an anti-inflammatory combination (consisting of quercetin, nimesulide, saw palmetto, and bromelain) taken daily for three months by men with PSA values of 7.2 ng/mL or 7.3 ng/mL at baseline. By the end of the study, the combination had effectively and safely reduced PSA levels from 7.3 ng/mL to 4.6 ng/mL among men who had prostate inflammation. Both quercetin and pollen can be taken separately, but they also can be found together in supplement formulas designed to support prostate health.

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Follow The Prostate Diet

Men who want to help keep PSA levels low, support overall prostate health, and fight inflammation are encouraged to follow The Prostate Diet. The diet has 10 foundations which, if you follow them consistently, should reward you with a healthy prostate and overall health as well. Post them where you can refer to them until they become a habit.

• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, organic whenever possible
• Consume healthy fats — monounsaturated, omega-3 fatty acids
• Choose plant protein over animal protein
• Drink green tea often
• Choose whole, natural foods over refined, processed foods
• Include foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (e.g., cold-water fatty fish, walnuts, algae)
• Avoid or significantly limit certain foods and supplements (see “Reduce or avoid foods that harm the prostate”)
• Choose prostate cancer-killing foods and supplements, such as tomatoes, green tea, and vitamin D
• Stay well hydrated with pure water
• Consider taking natural supplements that support prostate health

Sources:

1. Algotar AM et al. Effect of aspirin, other NSAIDs, and statins on PSA and PSA velocity. Prostate 2010 Jun 1; 70(8): 883-88
2. Allen NE et al. The associations of diet with serum insulin-like growth factor 1 and its main binding proteins in 292 women meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 2002 Nov; 11(11): 1441-48
3. Gallo L. The effect of a pure anti-inflammatory therapy on reducing prostate-specific antigen levels in patients diagnosed with a histologic prostatitis. Urology 2016 Aug; 94:198-203
4. Kim SH et al. Serum prostate-specific antigen levels and type of work in tire manufacturing workers. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2014 Nov 4; 26(1): 50
5. Liu X et al. Lycopene inhibits IGF-I signal transduction and growth in normal prostate epithelial cells by decreasing DHT-modulated IGF-I production in co-cultured reactive stromal cells. Carcinogenesis 2008 Apr; 29(4): 816-23
6. Paller CJ et al. A randomized phase II study of pomegranate extract for men with rising PSA following initial therapy for localized prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Disease 2013 Mar; 16(1): 50-55
7. Zhang J et al. An inverse association of obesity and prostate-specific antigen in elderly males. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine 2016; 9(9): 18746-53

The post 10 ways to lower your PSA levels appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But I’ve been hearing a lot recently about black garlic, which has twice the antioxidant level of the better-known white variety.

Black garlic is simply white garlic that’s been subject to a fermentation process that’s been used in Asia for thousands of years.

It involves fermenting white garlic at controlled high temperature and humidity for about three to four weeks. During that time, the garlic produces dark-colored melanoidin in addition to natural sugars and amino acids.

The health benefits of black garlic are similar to those of white garlic. It also contains tons of probiotics, which means it can help stabilize the gut. And it is being investigated for even broader applications — including a disease that will strike one out of every eight men in their lifetime…

Fermented black garlic extract may slow prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in U.S. men, behind skin cancer. And it’s the third leading cause of cancer death in men in Spain, which is why researchers there decided to explore the impact of fermented black garlic extract on prostate cancer cells.

The researchers took into account a previous experiment in mice in which the extract was found to have anti-inflammatory characteristics. Inflammation plays an important role in prostate cancer.

“We tested the extract in different human prostate cancer cell models and found that it was capable of reducing various tumor aggressiveness parameters, including cell proliferation,” says researcher Antonio Montero. Put more simply, the extract appeared to make the prostate cancer cells less aggressive and less likely to spread.

“We also found that it did not affect normal prostate cells,” Montero adds. This means the compound could be administered as a dietary supplement without any potentially negative impact on healthy prostate cells.

Having demonstrated the anticancer effect of fermented black garlic extract, the researchers sought to identify which molecular pathways were affected by the compound. They were able to verify that the compound altered key signaling pathways in the cancer, including those related to inflammation.

“The treatment decreases the inflammatory environment that you can see in this type of cancer,” says principal investigator Raúl Luque. “The extract was more effective and was able to produce more changes when the cells were in a pro-inflammatory environment. The local inflammation could be related to the aggressiveness of the cancer, and the fact that this extract acts on it could be due to its reduced aggressiveness after the extract treatment.”

Luque notes that the results indicate fermented black garlic extract “could be a very good option to avert some of the adverse events that occur in patients who are going to progress to a more complex and aggressive stage of prostate cancer.”

Where to find black garlic

Further study in humans is needed to determine the preventive effect of the compound. This would involve conducting a pilot study in people with a family history of prostate cancer or continuing with a clinical study in patients who already have it, administering the extract to see whether the cancer’s progress can be slowed or stopped.

For now, if you’re a man with a history of prostate cancer in your family, you may want to add black garlic to your diet to help protect your prostate health. You can use black garlic just as you would use regular garlic in recipes, dips and spreads. One advantage black garlic has over white garlic is that it doesn’t have the same pungent odor.

Fortunately, black garlic has become more readily available in grocery stores in recent years. It can be bought whole, in ready-to-use peeled cloves or as a black garlic paste. Make sure you check the expiration date for the latter two forms and use them within three months after opening. If you buy whole black garlic, keep it in the refrigerator and use it within six months.

If you prefer the convenience of a supplement, you can also buy black garlic supplements in powdered or liquid extract form at health food stores or online.

Sources:

The beneficial effects of fermented black garlic extract on prostate cancer are evaluated — EurekAlert!

The Protective Effects of an Aged Black Garlic Water Extract on the Prostate — Nutrients

The Health Benefits of Garlic — Cleveland Clinic

A Cook’s Guide to Black Garlic: What It Is, How It’s Made, Plus 15 Tasty Ways to Use It — Forks Over Knives

Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer — American Cancer Society

The post How fermented black garlic slows prostate cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Now, the news has gotten even more dismal — at least for men.

That’s because according to research published in the journal Cancer, by the same date, cancer deaths in men are expected to rise almost 100 percent.

Yup, you read that right…

By 2050, it’s expected that almost double the number of men will die due to cancer.

Here’s why…

Fueling the cancer surge

The research, using data from the Global Cancer Observatory, analyzed more than 30 different types of cancer across 185 countries and territories worldwide.

Not only do their findings indicate that men’s incidents of cancer will to jump by 84 percent by the time 2050 rolls around, it’s estimated that the number of men who die from cancer will skyrocket by 93 percent.

Factors that the WHO says are at play in this massive surge include:

1. Population aging
2. Changes to people’s exposure to environmental risk factors, with air pollution a key concern
3. Tobacco and alcohol use
4. Obesity

Additionally, the researchers say that men may tend to participate less frequently in cancer prevention activities and underuse early screening metods and treatments, which could lead to poorer outcomes.

Tips to reduce cancer risk in men

There’s already a huge amount of research that proves there are ways to avoid cancer and stay healthier longer.

In fact, the American Cancer Society announced five modifiable factors that could reduce up to 50 percent of cancers. They are a great place to start, but here are a few more since cancer is nothing to leave to chance…

• Taking vitamin D daily – The VITAL study found daily supplementation of vitamin D reduced development of advanced cancer by 38 percent and reduced cancer mortality by 12 percent.
• Cutting out saturated fats – Lung cancer is the top cancer killer of men (prostate is 2^nd). A study including 98,000 people found a 24 percent lower risk of lung cancer in people who had the lowest amount of fat in their diets. The reduction was even greater for smokers at 29 percent.
• Eating less red meat – Red meat has been shown to cause carcinogenic compounds in the colon that eating chicken, fish or plant-based diets don’t.
• Just saying no to ultra-processed foods – Research involving 200,000 people found that men who ate ready-to-eat, meat-based products, like fish sticks, chicken nuggets and frozen burgers were more likely to end up with colon cancer.
• Drinking green tea – Studies have shown that men who drink green tea regularly are less likely to develop prostate cancer, the 2^nd leading cause of cancer deaths in men.
• Eating fermented foods – Fermented dairy products like yogurt, Greek yogurt, sour cream and kefir help balance your gut microbiome, which has been shown to reduce the risk of several kinds of cancer, including prostate.

And of course, while you’re taking steps to lower your risks, be sure to pay attention to the 10 cancer symptoms men should not ignore.

Sources:

Men’s Cancer Deaths to Rise 93 percent Globally by 2050 – U.S. News & World Report

The vitamin 10 times stronger than a cancer drug – Easy Health Options

Why red meat causes carcinogenic compounds in the colon – Easy Health Options

Foods that raise men’s colorectal cancer risk – Easy Health Options

Why obesity before 50 spells cancer – Easy Health Options

Young-onset colon cancer is on the rise and this habit’s to blame – Easy Health Options

These men reduced their prostate cancer risk three-fold – Easy Health Options

The complicated connection between dairy and prostate cancer – Easy Health Options

The post 4 reasons men’s cancer-related deaths are expected to double appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It’s an issue that can be caused by big players like prescription drug issues and vascular disease. But it can also be a result of hidden issues that are often overlooked.

Sadly, as if the problems associated with erectile dysfunction or ED aren’t enough on their own, men who live with the condition also experience a significantly higher risk of early death.

This makes finding a way to maintain healthy erectile function vital in men’s health.

Luckily, scientists at the Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University in Sweden may have discovered the secret to doing just that.

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The cells that make an erection possible

The secret they found was in cells in the penis known as fibroblasts.

While fibroblasts are the most abundant type of cell in the penis, they’ve been almost completely ignored in ED research… and we’re learning just how big that oversight has been.

It turns out that fibroblasts play a very important role in regulating blood flow in the penis — an essential mechanism for making a penis erect.

Fibroblasts control the ability to achieve a strong erection by taking up the neurotransmitter noradrenaline — which leads to the widening of blood vessels in the penis.

But whether or not the process works depends on how many fibroblasts there are. And since that number decreases with age, it’s easy to see why levels of ED begin to skyrocket in men over 40.

But there’s good news…

The scientists also discovered a way to maintain a youthful number of fibroblasts in the penis — and therefore, youthful erections.

They found that the more frequently an erection is achieved, the more fibroblasts are maintained and vice versa.

“It’s not so strange really. If you exert yourself a lot, your body adapts. If you run regularly, it will eventually become easier to breathe while running,” says Christian Göritz, senior researcher for the study.

In other words, to keep erectile dysfunction at bay, the old “use it or lose it” saying really works.

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Boosting erection ability

But what if you’re already experiencing troubles with ED? Is there a way to start improving erection ability in order to achieve regular results and nurture the number of precious fibroblasts in the penis?

The answer is yes!

Just a few things you can do to support strong, healthy erections include:

• Boosting nitric oxide – Nitric oxide or NO is a molecule that supports the widening of the blood vessels, including the ones in the penis so that healthy blood flow can be achieved. The easiest way to up your nitric oxide is to get healthy nitrates in your diet from beets or beetroot powder.
• Getting regular exercise – Sexual health and overall health and fitness go hand-in-hand. That’s why men should not only practice aerobic exercises — but also add in a variety of other activities, such as floor exercise, weights and even Kegel exercises to optimize sexual function.
• Going Mediterranean – The Mediterranean diet is packed with fresh fruits, veggies, fish and nuts that support heart and blood vessel health and help raise testosterone levels to combat ED further. In fact, it’s been shown to improve erectile dysfunction by up to 40 percent!

Sources:

Erectile dysfunction statistics 2024 — SingleCare

Fibroblasts in the penis are more important for erectile function than previously thought — EurekAlert!

The post The secret to better erectile function: Use it or lose it appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But while the recommendation was meant to save men the stress, pain and potential long-term effects of an unnecessary biopsy, like urinary incontinence, the fallout has been a rise in metastatic prostate cancer.

Unfortunately, it’s left men with few other options for early detection prostate screening.

Now though, thanks to the development of a novel test, researchers say they can detect prostate cancer with 90 percent accuracy — before any symptoms appear…

Advanced technology shines the light on prostate cancer

The research, performed at Aston University in Birmingham (UK), analyzed over 100 blood film samples taken from healthy men, men with prostate cancer and some men with a more aggressive form of the disease.

Specifically, they looked at crystal-like structures in these dried blood smears using a light-based technique known as new polarization-based image reconstruction.

This allowed them to zero in on how proteins in the blood actually changed shape three-dimensionally during the early stages of the cancer.

They were able to also conduct a detailed layer-by-layer analysis of the samples, which they say is crucial for identifying significant differences between healthy and cancerous samples.

In fact, according to the scientists, the technique showed a 90 percent accuracy rate for both early diagnosis and classification of cancer — which is far higher than existing screening methods.

Even better, because the only thing required for cancer screening is a blood sample, the technique is less traumatic and practically risk-free for patients — and takes just 15 minutes.

“Prostate cancer accounts for nearly 10 percent of cancer deaths in men and is one of the leading causes of death in older men,” said study author Professor Igor Meglinski. “However, the life expectancy of 90 percent of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer at stage 1 or 2 is 15 years or more”

“By enabling earlier and more accurate detection, our blood test has the potential to significantly improve outcomes and survival rates for many patients.”

Know your prostate cancer risks

The researchers believe this new test has the potential to revolutionize cancer diagnoses and early detection and monitoring as well.

That’s great news, but since the test is still in its early stages, it may be a while before your doctor can offer it.

For now, men will have to rely on traditional screening methods. Of course, the best first step is to lower your prostate cancer risk in the first place…

Ways to do this include:

• Maintaining a healthy weight to avoid the dangerous link between obesity and prostate cancer.
• Lowering the amount of three dietary molecules linked to aggressive prostate cancer.
• Following a prostate cancer-prevention diet.
• Exercising, which acts like a roadblock to prostate cancer progression.
• Keep up healthy levels of vitamin D. Low levels have been linked to prostate cancer.

Supplements may also help…

Previous research found three compounds — ursolic acid, curcumin and resveratrol — reduced the size and weight of prostate tumors in mice.

When ursolic acid was combined with curcumin or resveratrol, it blocked prostate cancer cells from consuming glutamine, a nutrient they need to grow, effectively starving them.

Sources:

Aston University researcher uses light to develop quicker, cheaper and less painful technique to detect prostate cancer — EurekAlert!

Breakthrough new cancer test could make prostate exams a thing of the past — MSN

5 Years After Routine PSA Testing Stopped Being Recommended — American Cancer Society

The cancer-fighting triple-threat for your prostate — Easy Health Options

The secret ingredients for prostate cancer prevention — Easy Health Options

The post Painless prostate cancer test claims 90% accuracy appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Urinary incontinence affects more than half of middle-aged women and up to 80 percent of women by the time they reach their senior years.

Not only is it an embarrassing and socially isolating condition, but it can present unexpected dangers…

An overactive bladder is among the biggest risk factors for falls and fractures among senior women. A broken hip is the last thing anyone needs.

Of course, doctors can dole out anticholinergic drugs for bladder control. But unless you’re an avid reader of medical journals like me, you may be unaware that these drugs are associated with a high risk of cognitive decline.

Anticholinergics trick nerve impulses that signal muscles involved in actions like urination, coughing and sneezing by blocking the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. But acetylcholine is also critical for memory function — and there’s scientific speculation that tricking it has devastating effects on the brain and could lead to cognitive decline.

The good news is that prescription drugs aren’t the only way to regain control of your bladder.

You could do it just by picking up a healthy habit at home — and don’t worry, I’m not suggesting those confounding Kegel exercises that are so difficult to master…

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An easier way to master your bladder

A Stanford study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine included women ages 45 to 90 who suffered from urinary incontinence issues an average of 3.4 times a day.

All the participants tried either a hatha yoga program, intended to strengthen the pelvic floor or a low-impact activity that included stretching and strengthening exercises that did not intentionally engage the pelvic floor.

All women exercised for 90 minutes, two times a week, along with an additional shorter, one-hour session. And the results were phenomenal…

Both groups — whether doing yoga for pelvic floor strengthening or simple low-impact exercises — experienced about 65 percent fewer incontinence episodes in just 12 weeks!

According to the researchers, these benefits are on par with the effects of those medications used to address incontinence — but with only good side effects, like stronger muscles and a healthier body.

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Safe support for a stronger bladder

Not only is low-impact yoga or exercise good for a stronger bladder, but numerous studies have shown a connection to a stronger, plump brain that scores better on cognitive tests. In my book, that makes it a better choice than questionable drugs.

Even better, you don’t have to be a yoga master to master your bladder…

Certain nutrients available in common foods can target your weak detrusor muscle — a collection of smooth muscle fibers in the walls of your bladder — and strengthen your ability to control urine elimination. They’ve been shown to work for both men and women!

I’m talking about pumpkin seed extract and soy germ isoflavones…

• Native Americans used pumpkin seeds as an age-old remedy for bladder, kidney and digestive problems. In fact, pumpkin seeds and their oil have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. They contain potassium, magnesium and zinc which help calm and relax bladder muscles, reducing that desperate urgency to urinate.
• Soy isoflavones are natural plant estrogens called phytoestrogens. They naturally support balanced hormones — an important key to healthy bladder function. Balanced testosterone and estrogen help sustain the strength of the bladder muscles and pelvic floor.

Avoid the adult diaper aisle at the drugstore. Just add a little exercise to your day and some delicious pumpkin seeds and other phytoestrogen-rich foods including berries, grapes, almonds, tofu, miso soup or broccoli.

You can also seek out a bladder formula that might fit the bill and help you cut that invisible leash that keeps you from getting too far from the nearest restroom.

Sources:

Anticholinergic drugs and incident dementia, mild cognitive impairment and cognitive decline: a meta-analysis – NIH

Low-impact yoga and exercise found to help older women manage urinary incontinence – Science Daily

Pumpkin Seed Oil Extracted From Cucurbita maxima Improves Urinary Disorder in Human Overactive Bladder — Journal of Traditional and Complimentary Medicine

Dietary soy isoflavone replacement improves detrusor overactivity of ovariectomized rats with altered connexin-43 expression in the urinary bladder — BJU International

The post The bladder exercise better than confounding Kegels appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

A lot is known about how diet and exercise can reduce a man’s risk of ending up with prostate cancer. But in terms of the standard treatment, one mystery remains.

Or it did, until a group of dedicated cancer researchers found the answer that had been eluding us…

The testosterone paradox

Many men with prostate cancer are put on hormone therapy (also called androgen deprivation therapy or ADT) to reduce levels of testosterone and keep the hormone from fueling cancer cells.

This is one half of the testosterone paradox…

While blocking testosterone production halts tumor growth in the early stages of prostate cancer, elevating testosterone levels can have the same positive effect in later stages of the disease.

The reasons for this have puzzled experts until a Duke Cancer Institute study uncovered the explanation…

Testosterone: one hormone, diverse cancer functions

The answer turned out to be pretty simple.

When testosterone levels are low, testosterone receptors in cancer cells tend to “go solo.” They activate the pathways that cause cancer cells to grow and spread — effectively paving the way for more cancer growth.

But as testosterone levels rise, the same receptors are forced to work in pairs. This creates a different form of receptor that stops tumor growth.

“Nature has designed a system where low doses of hormones stimulate cancer cell proliferation and high doses cause differentiation and suppress growth, enabling the same hormone to perform diverse functions,” says Dr. Donald McDonnell, in whose lab this experiment was performed.

Late-stage BAT protocol closer to becoming mainstream treatment

Prior to this, oncologists knew that a monthly injection of testosterone given to patients with late-stage prostate cancer — a technique called bi-polar androgen therapy, or BAT — helped to slow the advance of tumors and prolong life in many cases.

But they didn’t know why it worked and that hindered widespread adoption of the treatment protocol.

Now that the mechanisms are clear, the path is open to adopting this as a more mainstream approach to treating advanced cases of prostate cancer, and Dr. McDonnell hopes his study will pave the way.

“Our study describes how BAT and like approaches work and could help physicians select patients who are most likely to respond to this intervention,” he says.

“We have already developed new drugs that exploit this new mechanism and are bringing these to the clinic for evaluation as prostate cancer therapeutics.”

How to reduce risk for prostate cancer

As I mentioned earlier, a healthy diet, especially one rich in cruciferous vegetables, and exercise can contribute to preventing prostate cancer. Exercise may even suppress tumor growth in advanced prostate cancer.

Maintaining a healthy weight is important. But even more crucial is that you don’t carry a load of belly fat, better known as visceral fat.

Visceral fat has a mind of its own. It’s not just fat – it’s an organ that is biochemically active and can disrupt hormones, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) the hormone behind prostate cancer.

So your mission, then, is to keep that spare tire from catching up with you.

Here are a dozen habits that pack on dangerous belly fat. Not surprisingly, they include eating processed foods and drinking soda with aspartame, which actually increases belly fat.

But take a close look – because some of them may surprise you.

Sources:

Study solves testosterone’s paradoxical effects in prostate cancer — Eureka Alert

Androgen receptor monomers and dimers regulate opposing biological processes in prostate cancer cells — Nature Communications

The post The prostate cancer ‘testosterone paradox’ solved appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Yet, that’s not the only type of cancer that women have to be concerned with, since the odds of developing ovarian cancer due to this genetic risk can be close to the same.

Women with a family history of these diseases are encouraged by their doctors to get tested so that any changes can be detected early when they’re easiest to treat.

However, it’s important to note that it’s not only women that should be screened for the breast cancer gene.

In fact, according to researchers, men account for 50 percent of carriers of the breast cancer gene. And if they’re not tested, they could be playing Russian roulette with their lives, since the genetic mutation — that has been for too long considered to be a female condition breast — can lead to three types of deadly cancers in men.

Men and BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations

The breast cancer gene is really mutations on two separate genes known as BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Surprising to many, men are equally as likely as women to inherit one of these mutations from their parents, putting them squarely at risk for the cancers that can result.

Not only that but because genes are inherited from generation to generation, there is a fifty percent chance that a male carrier of a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation shares this mutated gene with their biological offspring.

This means that men who have a mother who has had breast or ovarian cancer, need to be checked for the gene — and have their children screened, even if their children are boys, not girls.

Yet, that’s not happening nearly enough.

“Not enough men are getting genetic testing to see if they carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variant that increases their cancer risk,” says researcher Heather Cheng, MD, PhD, the director of the Fred Hutch Prostate Cancer Genetics Clinic. “And the men who know they are carriers get tested for their daughters, but don’t always know why it’s important for their own health.”

Male cancer risks from breast cancer gene

Sreening for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations could be one of the most important steps for discovering cancer risks early that men can take.

That’s because a man who is positive for the breast cancer gene has a much higher risk of the three types of cancer. These include:

• Breast cancer – Only about 0.1% of men without the genetic mutations will develop breast cancer by the age of 70. Those numbers go up dramatically to 0.2%–1.2% of men with an inherited harmful change in BRCA1 developing male breast cancer and 1.8%–7.1% with BRCA2 mutations developing the condition by age 70.
• Pancreatic cancer – Whether male or female, up to 5% of people with the breast cancer gene will develop pancreatic cancer during their lifetime. Compare this to a rate of only about 1.7% of people in the general population.
• Prostate cancer – Approximately 10.6% of men without the breast cancer gene develop prostate cancer by the time they reach 80. However, up to 26% of men with BRCA1 mutations and up to 61% of those with BRCA2 mutations will get prostate cancer by the same age.

Additional studies have also found a possible link between BRCA mutations and other cancers, including melanoma and stomach cancer.

Know your risks, lower your odds

So if you have a family history of breast cancer, it’s vital to get screened, no matter your sex.

And if you find you’re genetically susceptible, begin taking steps right away to reduce your risks, starting with exercise…

Scientists from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found high-intensity exercise had a “mind-blowing” impact on cancer predisposition.

A good place to start is eating walnuts since they have been found to change the expression of 456 genes in breast cancer tumors.

Another easy dietary change that could help is to eat yogurt, which could help lower inflammation and improve bacterial diversity to combat cancerous changes.

You might also consider adding flaxseeds to your yogurt. That’s because intestinal bacteria convert components in flaxseeds called lignans into enterolactone and enterodiol, which naturally balance hormones to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

They also generate specific miRNA responses that regulate the genes involved in breast cancer, including those that control cancer cell proliferation and migration.

Finally, remember that although genetic cancer risk is important to understand, your metabolic risk of the disease can outweigh it.

Sources:

BRCA Gene Changes: Cancer Risk and Genetic Testing — National Cancer Institute

BRCA1/2: Why men should be screened for the ‘breast cancer gene’ — EurekAlert!

The post 3 cancers in men linked to ‘female’ cancer gene appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Until now, inherited baldness (which accounts for most cases) has been treated with drugs that carry some serious side effects.

But now science has accidentally discovered a much simpler and safer remedy…

Inherited hair loss: androgenic alopecia

Almost all men and women will notice hair loss or hair thinning as they age. However, up to 40% of men and women will experience a more obvious form of this condition, with hair loss typically beginning as early as their twenties and thirties — and for women, after menopause.

This condition is known as androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness. It’s caused by a combination of genetics, hormone levels, and the aging process. In women, it’s known as female pattern baldness.

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Is this why I’m losing my hair?

It’s easy to distinguish androgenic alopecia from more normal hair loss (we normally lose 50 to 100 hairs a day).

Pattern baldness, as the name implies, follows distinct patterns that are different for men and women.

In men, hair loss will follow one of three patterns:

• begins at the temples and/or crown of the head
• a single bald spot
• a receding hairline that forms an “M” shape

In women, thinning begins at the part line, sometimes appearing all over the head. Hair at the temples may also recede.

Treatments for alopecia

Two drugs are used to treat pattern baldness.

Minoxidil is FDA-approved for both men and women. To use Minoxidil, apply it to your scalp every day. Though it won’t fully restore the hair you’ve lost, it can grow back a significant amount, and give an overall thicker appearance.

Propecia is only FDA-approved for men. Used consistently, it slows down hair loss and thickens hair within about three months.

Unfortunately, both these drugs carry side effects.

When using minoxidil, you could experience weight gain, tachycardia (fast heartbeat), headaches, fluid retention, and dizziness. Propecia can cause decreased libido and erectile dysfunction, depression, even male breast cancer.

In addition, if you stop using them, the hair loss will resume.

But now, researchers have stumbled on what may be a simple, safe way to treat pattern baldness.

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An unexpected discovery for hair loss treatments

While studying the natural sugar deoxyribose (the ‘deoxyribose’ part of deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA) and how it healed wounds in mice when applied topically, scientists noticed that the fur around the treated wounds was growing back faster than in untreated mice.

So, they dug a little deeper.

They removed the fur from the backs of male mice with testosterone-driven hair loss and smeared some deoxyribose sugar gel daily on the shaved areas. Sure enough, within weeks there was robust hair regrowth in those areas.

In fact, the researchers found that it worked just as well as minoxidil!

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“Our research suggests that the answer to treating hair loss might be as simple as using a naturally occurring deoxyribose sugar to boost the blood supply to the hair follicles to encourage hair growth,” says tissue engineer Sheila MacNeil from the University of Sheffield.

Further investigation is planned on female mice to determine its effectiveness — and it may be a while before it turns into a product we can put to use. But it’s looking hopeful that stopping and reversing hair loss is going to become a lot safer.

When I hear about the results, I’ll report them here, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, there are some reports and small studies that indicate honey is great for healthy hair and may even promote hair growth. There are honey-based hair products already on the market. Avoid applying actual honey to your scalp, unless very diluted. Honey is sometimes used as an alternative to wax for hair removal since it’s super sticky.

Sources:

Surprise Hair Loss Breakthrough: Sugar Gel Triggers Robust Regrowth — Science Alert

Stimulation of hair regrowth in an animal model of androgenic alopecia using 2-deoxy-D-ribose — Frontiers in Pharmacology

Hereditary-patterned baldness — Harvard Health Publishing

The post Sweet news about safer treatments for hair loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Additionally, half of all men between the ages of 51 and 60 will experience benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate. This number increases to 70 percent for men aged 60 to 69 and reaches 90 percent for men over 85.

And while many men stay silent about their prostate problems, ignoring this widespread health issue won’t make it disappear.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH, Enlarged prostate)

The prostate, a walnut-sized gland, helps produce semen, the fluid that carries sperm. It surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine out from the bladder. As the prostate grows, it can squeeze the urethra.

As men get older, the prostate often enlarges such that the gland can double or even triple in size — imagine a walnut growing to the size of a lime. The resultant squeezing of the urethra can make urination difficult and prevent the bladder from emptying fully. Those affected may need to urinate more often, especially at night, experience extreme urgency to urinate or may even experience involuntary urination.

What causes an enlarged prostate?

There isn’t enough confirmed scientific evidence about the precise blend of genetic, environmental, dietary, and other influences that lead to prostate issues as men grow older. This uncertainty means there’s no simple way to avoid these problems.

Growing older appears to be the biggest factor in developing an enlarged prostate.

However, research has also shown that men who are overweight, or who have risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, may be more likely to have an enlarged prostate. So improving cardiometabolic health could potentially have a significant – and seemingly unrelated – side benefit in men.

In the extreme, an enlarged prostate can have serious consequences such as recurrent urinary tract infections or kidney malfunction, but for most men, symptoms are more about quality of life, and treatments aim to ease urinary difficulties. Cutting down on fluids in the evenings and limiting diuretics like caffeine and alcohol can help. For more significant relief, medications can relax or shrink the prostate, and surgical options can reduce its size.

Prostate cancer and at-risk groups

Men who live long enough are likely to develop prostate cancer; 70 percent of those over 70 have some cancerous cells in their prostate. Indeed, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. In the U.S. and U.K., prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men, following lung cancer. The average age at diagnosis is 67, with cases rare in men under 40.

Genetic mutations play a role, with family history increasing risk significantly. Men with two or more close male relatives with prostate cancer are 5-10 times more likely to be diagnosed. Additionally, Black men face a 70 percent higher risk of getting and dying from prostate cancer for reasons not yet fully understood.

When it comes to prostate cancer, the best offense is a good defense. Meaning – getting screened and catching it early. According to the American Cancer Society, starting screening is appropriate at:

• Age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer
• Age 45 for men at higher risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African American men and men who have a first-degree relative (father or brother) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65).
• Age 40 for men at even higher risk (those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age)

Prostate gland enlargement does not mean you have prostate cancer or that you will develop it. Prostate cancer and BPH are different conditions.

Treatment for enlarged prostate

Beta-sitosterol, a specific plant sterol, has been shown to improve urinary symptoms and even reduce the risk of prostate cancer. While the data on plant sterols and prostate health isn’t as strong as that for heart health, the benefits are promising.

The actual way plant sterols do this is unclear, but multiple potential mechanisms have been documented. For example, beta-sitosterol has been shown to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in the cells involved in the genesis/growth of prostate cancer. In terms of BPH, multiple studies have also shown that beta-sitosterol can significantly improve urinary tract symptoms, but as effectively as pharmaceuticals (though without side effects).

Most plant sterol supplements used for BPH symptoms deliver between 300 and 400 mg of beta-sitosterol. That means if you’re a man and you’re eating even one serving of Step One Foods per day, you’re getting plenty of beta-sitosterol for supporting prostate health as well! One serving of Step One Foods delivers 750 milligrams of beta-sitosterol. Each product contains at least 1000 mg of plant sterols, with around 75 percent being beta-sitosterol.

Beyond prostate support, Step One products offer extra health benefits, including improved heart health — the leading cause of death for men and women. Prostate cancer is clearly a scary prospect. But so is a heart attack or stroke.

The post Prostate problems: Too common to ignore appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For men though, it’s a process fraught with anxiety. PSA screenings are often inaccurate and present false positives that lead to unnecessary and very uncomfortable biopsies.

For these reasons, experts began to weigh the benefits against the potential for harm, including long-term urinary incontinence that can occur when the biopsy requires multiple needle sticks.

But in the time since routine PSA testing fell out of favor as a widespread practice, the number of metastatic prostate cancer cases has risen, with diagnoses increasing from 4 percent to 8 percent between 2003 and 2017

The 5-year survival rate for metastatic prostate cancer is 31 percent, compared with the nearly 100 percent 5-year survival rate for prostate cancer caught in the early stages.

Investigators hope they’ve finally hit on just the right test to set these numbers back…

A new test to reduce the need for biopsy

Researchers at the University of Michigan have created MyProstateScore 2.0 (MPS2), a test that screens for prostate cancer in urine samples. MPS2 seeks out 18 different genes associated with high-grade prostate tumors.

“If you’re negative on this test, it’s almost certain that you don’t have aggressive prostate cancer,” says Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan, a professor at the University of Michigan.

The researchers started with a database of more than 58,000 prostate cancer-associated genes and narrowed it to 54 uniquely overexpressed in cancers classified as Grade Group 2 (GG2) or higher. Prostate cancers are ranked from least (GG1) to most (GG5) dangerous.

Then, they tested those 54 genes against urine samples from 761 men with elevated PSA who were scheduled for biopsy. The effort yielded 18 genes that consistently correlated with high-grade cancer in the biopsy specimens — the same genes MPS2 now tests for.

The MPS2 was validated against more than 800 urine samples and correctly identified 95 percent of GG2 prostate cancers and 99 percent of cancers that were GG3 or higher. When estimates of the prostate’s size (or volume) were incorporated, test accuracy was even higher.

How many of those men could have avoided a painful and unnecessary biopsy if the MPS2 had been used? 41 percent — if the prostate volume was included in the measure — and 37 percent if it wasn’t

With the standard PSA blood test, only 26 percent of biopsies would have been avoided.

They noted that even though MRI scans can also be used to predict whether a prostate tumor is likely to spread, ruling out high-grade cancer with a urine test offers some advantages over MRI.

“This research is very encouraging, since many men in rural areas may not have access to prostate MRI machines or the added sophistication that is needed in interpreting these MRI scans,” says Dr. Marc Garnick, the Gorman Brothers Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “A widely available urine test may eventually help provide more precision in determining who should undergo a prostate biopsy, and may also help to assess the probability that a cancer is clinically significant and in need of treatment.”

Update: Researchers at the University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center have clinically validated the urine test, which can potentially bypass these invasive procedures among men who are unlikely to benefit. The team modified the urine collection approach so that the MPS2 test could detect markers for prostate cancer, without requiring a prior rectal exam.

From a cohort of 266 men who did not undergo a rectal exam, they found that the test could detect 94% of GG2 or higher cancers and was more sensitive than blood tests. Further, mathematical models demonstrated that the use of MPS2 would have avoided up to 53% of unnecessary biopsies.

MPS2 is currently available through Lynx Dx, a University of Michigan spin-off company that has an exclusive university license to commercialize MPS2. Patients interested in learning more can call the Michigan Medicine Cancer AnswerLine at 800-865-1125.

When to get tested

If you are a Black man, the American Cancer Society’s current recommendation is to discuss prostate cancer testing with your doctor beginning at age 45. All other men should discuss prostate cancer testing with their doctor beginning at age 50.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) has slightly different recommendations. They advise beginning testing at age 40 if you have a family history of prostate, breast, ovarian, pancreas or other cancers, are Black, or have known BRCA 1/2 mutations. All other men should begin testing at age 45.

Along with testing, lifestyle factors can cut down on prostate cancer risk…

The Mediterranean Diet is the best place to start according to experts who say men with higher levels of lycopene and selenium in their blood are less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

You also want to make every effort to maintain a healthy weight. Numerous studies have linked hormones secreted by excess fat cells with aggressive prostate cancer. And belly fat, in particular, has been associated with death from prostate cancer.

Last but not least is exercise — which, even in men diagnosed with prostate cancer, has been shown to act like a roadblock to cancer progression.

And don’t forget to check with your doctor on the availability of the MPS2 urine test.

Sources:

New urine test may help some men with elevated PSA avoid biopsy — Harvard Health Publishing

Development and Validation of an 18-Gene Urine Test for High-Grade Prostate Cancer — JAMA Oncology

Put your love into action. Get screened. — American Cancer Society

Should I Be Screened? — Prostate Cancer Foundation

The post The urine test that could save more men from a prostate biopsy appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Low T can lead to everything from depression and memory problems to weight gain and loss of muscle mass.

And according to researchers from Australia and Europe, there’s an even bigger reason to take low-T seriously…

The low T heart problem

A review of 11 studies consisting of more than 20,000 men says low T is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease that can end a man’s life…

The studies in the review followed men for a minimum of five years. The men were between the ages of 49 to 76. And it found beyond a shadow of a doubt that men with the lowest testosterone levels were in trouble.

While a normal range of testosterone in men is considered to be 300 to 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL), men with levels of 244 ng/dL or lower had up to a nine percent higher chance of dying from any cause compared to men with normal levels.

Even more frightening, men with low T had up to a 32 percent higher chance of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to men without low T issues.

Low T: a weighty issue

If you’re living with low T, losing weight is one of the best ways to fight back. Fat cells lower testosterone by transforming the hormone into estrogen.

But it’s just one way estrogen dominance becomes a problem that can contribute to low T… Xenoestrogens, chemicals found in plastics, pesticides, water and everyday products, are another.

These chemicals act as endocrine disruptors, mimicking the hormone estrogen and disrupting hormonal balance.

In men, estrogen dominance affects testosterone, stamina, muscle tone and body fat. It can also impact prostate health.

In women, it can lead to facial hair, menopause symptoms and weight gain. It can also result in skin, bone, breast and thyroid problems.

Diet can help you clobber both…

In one study, researchers found that overweight men who followed a strict Keto diet for four weeks:

• Reduced their body weight, fat mass and body mass index (BMI) significantly
• Improved testicular function
• Showed a substantial increase in all sex hormones
• Dramatically raised their total testosterone levels

The men stuck to a daily limit of 800 calories, eating little protein and minimal carbohydrates, and instead focused on healthy fats and low-carb veggies.

Of course, the calorie restriction was pretty extreme. But another reason for its success may have been low-carb vegetables — especially broccoli…

Fighting back against hormone theft

Broccoli isn’t only low-carb, it has special benefits because it contains Di-indole methane (DIM).

If you haven’t heard of it, DIM is a compound found in cruciferous vegetables. It doesn’t actually raise testosterone levels, but it puts up a fight against estrogen dominance…

DIM works against “fake estrogens” by binding to the “bad” estrogen metabolites and flushing them from the body.

To get the amount of DIM that research has shown can neutralize the effects of fake estrogens you’d need to eat at least three pounds of cruciferous vegetable DAILY.

Fortunately DIM is also available in supplement form, so you’re not resigned to eating broccoli all throughout the day.

Try to also cut down on your exposure to plastics (especially as water bottles) and look for phthalate-free personal care products.

Sources:

Associations of Testosterone and Related Hormones With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Men:Individual Participant Data Meta-analyses — Annal of Internal Medicine

Low Testosterone (Male Hypogonadism) – Cleveland Clinic

Health Benefits of DIM (Diindolylmethane) – WebMD

The post The dangerous side of Low T: Serious heart health risks appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Eventually, every muscle in the body is affected as those afflicted lose their ability to move, speak, eat and breathe.

It’s a deadly disease, but is it one you should worry about in your future? Here’s what we know…

Only 10 percent of cases are inherited through a gene mutation — and men are much more likely to get an ALS diagnosis than women.

So, men, I hope I have your attention…

The numbers are not on your side. Fortunately, researchers are honing in on your risk factors and have recently found a connection between sex-specific hobbies and ALS.

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Men’s many links to ALS

A study by researchers at the University of Michigan has revealed another layer of risks that are likely responsible for the ALS connection to men.

But before we take a look at the new findings, let’s see what risk factors have previously been identified among the medical community.

Previously uncovered risk factors for ALS include:

• Military service and playing some professional sports
• Working in manufacturing, trade industries, mining and chemical operations
• Working as an electrician, mechanic or train driver
• Exposure to metals, volatile solvents and combustion pollutants, like diesel fuel

Are you seeing a pattern here? While some women could fall into these areas, the vast majority of people affected by these risk factors are men.

And now Michigan researchers have found that men’s hobbies are also placing them at higher risk for ALS…

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Sex-specific hobbies and pesticide exposure

After surveying 400 people living with ALS and nearly 300 without the condition about hobbies and non-work-related activities, it became clear that certain activities went hand-in-hand with an increased risk of the disease…

• The team found that golf was associated with a whopping three times greater risk for developing ALS among men.
• Other activities that carried a heightened risk included gardening, yard work, woodworking and hunting. 

So what gives?

In 2016, the research team found that people with ALS had higher concentrations of pesticides in their blood compared to people without the condition.

A subsequent study published in 2019 linked organochlorine pesticides to worsening survival for ALS.

The answer is and has been toxic exposure.

According to first author Stephen Goutman, M.D., M.S., director of the Pranger ALS Clinic and associate director of the ALS Center of Excellence at University of Michigan, golfing, gardening and yard work may confer risk due to the use of pesticides — a risk already associated with people who have occupations in golf and garden maintenance.

As well, extensive studies of woodworking have led to the conclusion that formaldehyde exposure during the hobby could elevate ALS risk.

Researchers call this lifetime accumulation of toxin exposures the “ALS exposome.”

It’s important to add that the researchers don’t rule out that this exposure could increase ALS risk in women. But as we know fewer women have ALS, the number of females in the study was too small to draw that conclusion

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Reduce exposure to ALS-associated chemicals and toxins

As I was writing this, I came across subsequent research by the same Michigan research team identifying yet another threat: chemicals stored in home garages were significantly associated with ALS risk.

That would include chemicals in gasoline and gasoline-powered equipment, lawn care products, pesticides, paint and woodworking supplies. These chemicals could make it into the household via air flow or by simply opening doors, potentially increasing the ALS risk for all household members.

It goes without saying, and what the researchers stress, is that reducing lifetime exposure is key. Clear out the garage, find an organic golf course in your area and consider safer ways to enjoy these risky hobbies — or better yet, find new ones.

If you think your ALS exposome may be high support your body’s natural detoxification processes. Here are a few ways:

• Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and kale contain an abundance of sulfur compounds that help support glutathione production and other detoxification pathways in the body. Glutathione is considered the “master antioxidant” produced by the body. It attaches to toxic molecules and makes them water soluble for easy elimination.
• EDTA chelation helps clear out heavy metals and other toxins that build up.
• Probiotics not only support the gut, but can also optimize waste and toxin removal.
• Chlorella — a green superfood — helps accelerate the excretion of toxins, decreases their absorbency by tissues in the body and acts as a potent antioxidant agent.

Sources:

Recreational activities such as golfing, gardening may be associated with increased ALS risk among men — EurekAlert!

Chemicals stored in home garages linked to ALS risk — Science Daily

What is ALS? — ALS Association

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — Mayo Clinic

Who Gets ALS? — ALS Association

The post Sex-specific activities drive men’s higher risk of ALS appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But even so, prostate cancer comes with uncomfortable symptoms like pelvic pain, trouble urinating and bone pain.

There are two ways prostate cancer is typically treated:

• Prostatectomy, the surgical removal of the prostate, or a radical prostatectomy, which removes the prostate as well as the seminal vesicles and possibly nearby lymph nodes.
• Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays similar to X-rays to kill the cancer. It’s either done externally, where a machine outside the body directs radiation at the cancer cells, or internally, where radioactive seeds or pellets are surgically placed into or near the cancer to destroy its cells.

Not only are these two therapies pretty invasive, they can come with devastating side effects, including urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Luckily, other, less invasive treatments for prostate cancer are still under investigation — and one in particular is very promising…

Ultrasound method shows success

MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation (TULSA) is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a small catheter-like device to precisely apply ultrasound and MRI-guided thermotherapy (producing high heat) to destroy cancerous tissue within the prostate gland. TULSA can be performed in two to three hours in an outpatient or inpatient setting under general or spinal anesthesia.

According to Dr. Steven S. Raman, M.D., FASR, FSIR, professor of radiology, urology and surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, “This image-guided therapy maximizes our ability to kill cancer cells while minimizing collateral damage to the prostate to achieve the ultimate trifecta in prostate cancer treatment: full local cancer control while maintaining urinary continence and potency. The latter are the complications of most prostate cancer therapies that patients hate and often result from a lack of precision in treatment monitoring.”

As lead author of a prospective observational study that put TULSA to the test, he has the results to back up his statement…

• Participants in that study showed improvement in the reduction of cancer, prostate size and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, a marker for cancer.
• At one year after TULSA, cancer was undetectable on follow-up biopsy by 76 percent, and there was a decrease in median prostate volume by 92 percent.
• At five years after TULSA, there was a decrease in PSA from 6.3ng/ml to 0.63 ng/ml.

And, compared to alternative surgical, radiation and thermal therapy (US-guided HIFU or cryotherapy), TULSA had a very favorable side effect profile…

By 5 years following the procedure, 92 percent of patients recovered continence and 87 percent preserved erectile function.

However, TULSA does not preclude future treatment with surgery or radiation. Of the 115 men participating in the study, 25 received follow-up conventional treatment with surgery or radiation because of residual or new tumors.

Dr. Ramen believes the success of TULSA represents a revolution in whole-gland treatment for prostate cancer and plans to study the procedure’s effectiveness in the CAPTAIN trial, a randomized control trial comparing TULSA with radical prostatectomy.

 “We have more research to do, but if validated, TULSA has the potential to change the standard of care for thousands of men.”

Monitoring prostate cancer risk

As PSA testing for prostate cancer has fallen out of favor over the past decade, the number of metastatic prostate cancer cases has risen. Between 2003 and 2017, patients diagnosed with prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body increased from 4 percent to 8 percent.

The 5-year survival rate for metastatic prostate cancer is a dismal 31 percent, compared with the nearly 100 percent 5-year survival rate for prostate cancer caught in the early stages. That’s why it’s so important to know the following risk factors so that you can discuss with your doctor whether and how often you should be tested for prostate cancer:

• Age. More than 6 in 10 cases of prostate cancer occur in men who are 65 and up.
• Family history. If your father, brother or other close blood relative had prostate cancer, it raises your risk of the disease, especially if they were diagnosed before age 60.
• Race. If you are African American, you’re more likely to develop prostate cancer, and it’s more likely to be advanced when it’s diagnosed. Don’t wait to see a doctor.
• Lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy weight and eating a diet high in specific micronutrients are two ways you can help lower your risk of the disease. Multiple studies also show exercise can shrink prostate tumors and extend survival and quality of life.

Sources:

New treatment option for prostate cancer shows successful outcomes — EurekAlert!

How Is Prostate Cancer Treated? — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The post New prostate cancer therapy offers fewer side effects, more hope appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

ED is often thought of as being a sexual problem. But the truth is those symptoms don’t just signal trouble in the bedroom…

Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection can be a marker of high blood pressure and poor blood flow both of which may be connected to heart problems. It can also be an indication of type 2 diabetes or vitamin D deficiency.

Several lifestyle factors can also impact a man’s ability to achieve an erection. They include:

• Smoking
• Alcohol
• Diet
• Obesity
• Stress

Unfortunately, now there’s a popular leisure-time activity to add to that roster….

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Leisure time on the computer and risk for ED

Research has linked genetic variants to sedentary behavior, including activities like watching television, using computers, and operating a vehicle.

Oddly enough, a new analysis has linked higher genetic susceptibility to one of these activities — leisure computer usage — to a greater risk of ED in men.

Researchers analyzed data on more than 200,000 men and found that each 1.2-hour increase in leisure computer time increased the odds of ED by 3.57-fold.

Interestingly, no evidence linked watching television or driving for leisure with an increased risk for ED.

In addition, computer use wasn’t linked with depression, anxiety or markers of blood vessel health. However, it was associated with lower levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which plays a role in sexual health and reproduction in both males and females.

The researchers say the study “offered substantial evidence for a positive causal association between computer use and the risk of erectile dysfunction.” However, further research is needed to substantiate that causal association.

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Avoiding ED symptoms

Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to avoid symptoms of ED. Here are just a few:

• Boost your nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide (or NO) is a molecule that supports the widening of the blood vessels for healthy blood flow, head to toe and everywhere in between. The easiest way to up your nitric oxide is to get naturally occurring dietary nitrates in your diet from beets or beetroot powder or spinach.
• Exercise regularly. The best way to counteract a sedentary lifestyle is to move your body. Some research shows exercise may help increase follicle-stimulating hormone.
• Clean up your diet. The Mediterranean diet is loaded with fresh fruits, veggies, fish and nuts, all of which help support heart and blood vessel health. They can also help raise testosterone levels to combat ED further. In fact, the Mediterranean diet has been shown to improve erectile dysfunction by up to 40 percent!
• Maintain healthy vitamin D levels. One study found that almost 46 percent of men with arteriogenic ED (a condition where the arteries don’t supply enough blood to the penis to support an erection) were deficient in vitamin D. So make sure you’re getting enough sunlight every day, or that you’re taking a high-quality vitamin D3 supplement.
• Take vitamin K2. This nutrient promotes good heart and blood vessel health and can be found in foods such as natto, butter, egg yolks, certain cheeses, fermented foods like sauerkraut, eel and beef liver.

Sources:

Does sedentary leisure time affect men’s risk of erectile dysfunction? — EurekAlert!

A Mendelian randomization study on causal effects of leisure sedentary behavior on the risk of erectile dysfunction — Andrology

Definition & Facts for Erectile Dysfunction — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Erectile Dysfunction — Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education

Top Foods High in Vitamin K2 — WebMD

The post The leisure-time activity that sabotages a man’s sex life appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For decades, this has meant making decisions with far too little information on what to expect from treatment — especially regarding effects on sexual function and urinary, bowel and hormonal health.

According to Dr. Bashir Al Hussein Al Awamlh, a fellow in Urologic Oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), “Many men with localized prostate cancer survive for 15 years or more, with minimal differences in survival among various treatment strategies.

“Given this long-time horizon and similar survival rates, the choice of treatment for patients may be influenced by the adverse effects of the treatments.”

He and others involved in the study hope the results of the decade-long study may help men feel more empowered when making treatment decisions along with their doctors.

Treatments for men with a favorable diagnosis

The CEASAR (Comparative Effectiveness Analysis of Surgery and Radiation for Localized Prostate Cancer) study, coordinated by VUMC, is a multisite research study conducting long-term follow-up on men who were diagnosed with localized prostate cancer between 2011 and 2012.

The study included 2500 men who were divided into two groups: favorable prognosis and unfavorable prognosis, which is relevant because patients with an unfavorable prognosis receive more intensive treatments.

Men with a “favorable” prognosis can choose from four treatment options:

• Active surveillance – When a man chooses active surveillance, he receives no treatment. Instead, his cancer specialist will closely monitor the tumor, moving to treatment later if necessary. This option is also known as watchful waiting.
• Nerve-sparing prostatectomy – In this case, a man with prostate cancer undergoes a surgical procedure in which the prostate is removed, but the nerves involved in erectile function are left intact. The goal is to maintain as much sexual function as possible.
• External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) – EBRT uses daily radiation to kill off cancer cells.
• Low-dose-rate brachytherapy – Like EBRT, this treatment option utilizes radiation. However, instead of daily treatment, radiation ‘seeds’ are implanted in the prostate.

The research revealed that men who chose prostatectomy (prostate removal) experienced worse sexual function three to five years after the procedure compared to men who opted for other treatments.

Additionally, men who were given a prostatectomy were also more likely to live with urinary issues, with a quarter of these patients reporting “leakage” up to 10 years after the procedure. This is a significant percentage considering that only 4-11% of men who underwent EBRT instead of a prostatectomy experienced the same issues.

Treatments for men with an unfavorable diagnosis

Men with an “unfavorable” prognosis generally only have two treatment options since they require more aggressive treatments.

Options for men in this category included:

• Prostatectomy – Like in the favorable group, this treatment involves full surgical removal of the prostate.
• EBRT plus androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) – Men in who receive an unfavorable diagnosis may choose to undergo EBRT, but with the addition of ADT, which lowers a man’s levels of circulating hormones. This is done to try to boost the effectiveness of the radiation.

As you can imagine, side effects are more likely in this group due to the aggressive treatment levels.

• The research showed that like with the favorable prognosis group, a quarter of the men who chose to undergo a prostatectomy had urinary leakage.
• EBRT/ADT led to worse outcomes for bowel and hormonal issues at 10 years post-treatment. Unfortunately, ADT also raises a man’s Alzheimer’s and dementia risk.
• For men in the unfavorable group, doctors saw no differences in sexual function whether they received a prostatectomy or treatment using EBRT/ADT.

Arming yourself in the battle against prostate cancer

The good news is that with the results of this study, men can now make a more informed decision on care following diagnosis.

The authors plan to develop a personalized, patient-facing prediction tool using their findings to offer functional estimates through 10 years, based on different treatment strategies, to aid patients in making decisions.

“The findings underscore the importance of counseling men with unfavorable prognosis prostate cancer differently than favorable prognosis cancer regarding expected long-term functional outcomes and suggest that adverse effects of treatments on sexual function may be deemphasized in decision making for some men,” said senior author Daniel Barocas, MD, MPH, professor and executive vice chair of Urology at VUMC.

Outside of the realm of conventional medical treatment are lifestyle factors that may have a positive impact on the prostate cancer battle at home. These include:

• Following the Prostate Diet – The Prostate Diet offers eight dietary principles that can help avoid a prostate cancer diagnosis.
• Staying active – Studies show that even a single exercise session can help slow prostate cancer progression so staying active is a must.
• Drinking green tea – According to the results of a study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, men with prostate cancer who consumed the active compounds in green tea demonstrated a significant reduction in serum markers predictive of prostate cancer progression.
• Eating cruciferous vegetables – Broccoli, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are among vegetables rich in a phytochemical known as DIM (3,3’-diindolylmethane). DIM has been shown effective in inhibiting an enzyme involved in prostate cancer cell growth and in inducing cell suicide (apoptosis) while not impacting healthy cells. Cruciferous vegetables also harbor indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phytochemical that protects DNA from damage, promotes apoptosis, and prevents growth of cancer cells.

Sources:

Long-term prostate cancer treatment study informs decisions for diverse groups — News Medical Life Sciences

Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer — American Cancer Society

The post Study reveals what men can expect after prostate cancer treatment appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Even worse, low testosterone is associated with everything from poor heart health and blood clots to memory problems and disease-causing inflammation.

This has many men in their 40s and 50s turning to testosterone therapy, despite its risks.

However, according to a study from the University of Western Australia which delved into the health data of over 25,000 men, true issues with testosterone numbers don’t begin until much later than mid-life.

And not only that…

The research found that plummeting testosterone is linked to just five health and lifestyle factors.

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What’s behind low T

#1 – BMI

The research showed that body mass index or BMI (a measurement that combines your weight and height to tell you if you’re overweight) was inversely associated with testosterone levels. In other words, as BMI goes up, testosterone levels go down.

The data also revealed a link between high BMI and elevated levels of a female reproductive hormone in men. The researchers found that only men with a BMI over 32 had higher estradiol (an estrogen hormone) concentrations.

For men, high estradiol can lead to:

• Infertility
• Erectile dysfunction
• Breast development
• Mood swings
• Fatigue
• Depression

#2 – Lack of exercise

In addition to BMI, the researchers found that exercise plays a role in whether or not men suffer from low testosterone. In fact, men who engaged in vigorous physical activity for 75 minutes or less per week saw significantly lower testosterone levels, with levels decreasing by 14.7 ng/dL on average.

#3 – Smoking

Men who are former smokers also have something to worry about when it comes to testosterone.

The study showed that smoker’s testosterone levels were approximately 9.8 ng/dL lower than that of men who had never smoked.

#4 – Relationship status

Interestingly, the study also found that married men (those who were otherwise in a relationship) also had significantly lower testosterone levels independent of age.

Those who were in a relationship showed an average or 16.4 ng/dL testosterone drop.

Although the study wasn’t designed to show why this drop happened, the researchers believe it could be due to a higher level of stress that can come with family responsibilities.

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#5 – Health conditions

Finally, the data showed that poor health plays a significant role in men’s testosterone levels.

Health problems linked to low testosterone included:

• Hypertension
• Cardiovascular disease
• Cancer
• Diabetes

When testosterone begins its plunge

However, the study also had some good news.

The researchers say that for most men, testosterone decline didn’t begin until far later than most of us believe.

“One of the findings which we were struck by, was that after allowing for other factors, testosterone levels are in fact stable until the age of about 70 years,” explained lead researcher, Bu B. Yeap, MBBS, PhD. “After that age, testosterone levels declined with age, despite increasing levels of the pituitary hormone that drives testosterone production by the testis.”

And there’s more good news…

Knowing the factors that lead to testosterone loss gives men something they can do to preserve their T-levels despite aging, like maintaining a healthy BMI, staying active and mitigating the risk of other diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Sources:

Testosterone Loss in Older Men: Factors Beyond Age in the Mix – MEDPAGETODAY

High estrogen – Cleveland Clinic

What Happens When Estrogen Levels Are Too High or Too Low? – MedicineNet

Different levels of estradiol are correlated with sexual dysfunction in adult men – Scientific Reports

The post 5 factors that team up to destroy men’s testosterone appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Many studies have shown that semen quality has decreased over the last fifty years.

If you’re a man in your 50s or beyond, you may be asking yourself, “So what? I’m not trying to have kids anymore. Who cares about my sperm count?”

You should. Because the reasons for low sperm count are intricately connected with factors behind other diseases that you do not want to get.

I’ll explain. But first, I’d like to tell you about the threat some experts believe men face from spending too much time with a device emitting electromagnetic radiation…

Your mobile phone is destroying your sperm

Researchers from the University of Geneva and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute have published a major study showing that frequent use of mobile phones is associated with a lower sperm concentration and total sperm count.

Data was gathered on 2,886 men — recruited between 2005 and 2018 — who filled out detailed questionnaires about the frequency with which they used their phones, as well as where they placed them when not in use.

The study revealed a 21 percent decrease in sperm count for frequent users as compared to rare users (from 56.5 million/mL down to only 44.5 million/mL).

The results seem to show that carrying a phone in a trouser pocket did not affect sperm count.

A future study is planned that will measure the effects of electromagnetic waves from phones even more accurately and help answer questions including whether the microwaves affect the hormonal regulation of sperm production.

But we need only look at past studies to find out what’s happening…

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An oxidative assault

A decade ago, an Israeli study found that the saliva of heavy mobile phone users showed evidence of higher oxidative stress — a process that damages all aspects of a human cell through the development of free radicals.

Studies have shown that between 30-80 percent of men with fertility problems have elevated levels of oxidative stress — and several studies have also shown that exposure to electromagnetic radiation results in oxidative stress in many tissues of the body.

Again, you may be saying, “big deal… I’m well beyond trying to have children.”

But oxidative stress and the free radicals that result are damaging in a multitude of ways…

For example, oxidative stress is believed to be a biomarker that signals the development of Alzheimer’s, showing up a few years before disease onset.

And maintaining a healthy sperm count is not only important for better health and fertility…

Low sperm count is associated with an increased risk of death from all causes as well as putting you at higher risk of testicular cancer.

Man-made chemicals called xenoestrogens or hormone disruptors, are also a major cause of oxidative stress. They’re found in food, water, furniture and automobiles and contribute to hormonal imbalances in men’s (and women’s) bodies.

If you’re suffering from symptoms like insomnia, diabetes, fibromyalgia, cancer, or frequent headaches, just to name a few, oxidative stress may be the cause.

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Countering an oxidative assault on your manhood

Fortunately, we have lots of ways to fight oxidative stress and, as usual, a lot of them lie in what we eat — or more importantly, don’t eat…

Antioxidants are the key and it’s also easy to find an abundance of them in fruits and vegetables, particularly those that are deeply colored.

However, studies show that infertile men are twice as likely to have a low intake of fruits and vegetables (less than five servings per day) compared with fertile men.

That’s also the worst situation for men experiencing a hormonal assault because di-indole methane (DIM) — a phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower — can help neutralize and remove fake estrogens from the body. 

Other nutrients men need include:

• Carotenoids are abundant in carrots, sweet potatoes, kale and tomatoes. These compounds include substances like beta-carotene and lycopene that work to neutralize free radicals and enhance prostate health.
• Flavonoids are found in strawberries, blueberries, onions, cabbage and green tea.
• Resveratrol is found in red wine, grapes and blueberries. Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant known for its anti-aging properties.

And don’t forget to slash your exposure to electromagnetic radiation as much as possible.

Sources:

Mobile phone use may affect semen quality, study shows — Science Daily

Association between self-reported mobile phone use and the semen quality of young men — Fertility & Sterility

The Impact of Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress on Sperm Quality — maleinfertilityguide.com

Heavy cell phone use linked to oxidative stress — Science Daily

The post How cell phones assault male health and manhood appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If you’re one of them, it is understandable that you would like to find a way to shrink your prostate or at least reduce its symptoms. You may wonder how to take the prostate back to a younger, more normal size that doesn’t keep you running to the bathroom all night long.

When enlarged, the prostate gland (which is located at the base of the bladder) can put pressure on the urethra and cause symptoms such as frequent urination and nighttime urination. The growing prostate can also keep the bladder from completely emptying and can affect the flow of urine, making for a weaker flow, starting and stopping the flow, and urinary tract infections. More severe cases of BPH can make it difficult to urinate.

Even though BPH is not cancerous, it does affect a man and his family’s quality of life. If you are waking up several times a night to urinate, chances are you are waking up your family members at least some of the time. Having to stop activities due to urinary urgency can have an effect and cause stress and annoyance for everyone involved.

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Growth of the prostate with age is normal. But even though the prostate does grow with age, there are things you might be doing that fuel this growth, just as there are lifestyle habits, dietary factors and supplements that can fight and help you manage this growth. Check out these five natural ways to shrink the prostate gland…

No. 1: Get moving

Several studies have concluded that moderate or vigorous exercise is very helpful in reducing the risks and symptoms of BPH. Not only does exercise reduce risk of BPH and urinary tract symptoms, but also it provides benefits for your heart health. This can help you prevent other health and sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction.

No. 2: Slim down

Obesity is one of the largest contributors to BPH. If you are overweight, one of the best ways to drop your prostate problems is to drop some pounds. Losing weight can help improve your urinary symptoms. A bonus is that weight loss also reduces your risk for prostate cancer.

The Journal of Urology published a study that found that overweight men have an increased risk of BPH. Abdominal fat in particular may play a role. The researchers examined 5,667 men ages 55 and older. They assessed the risk of BPH for each man each year for seven years. All of the men who had a body mass index above 25 had an increased risk for BPH that ranged from 13 percent to 29 percent. They evaluated abdominal obesity by dividing waist measurement by hip measurement. The men who had a ratio of 1.05 or higher had an increased risk of BPH of 45 percent.

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No. 3: Strive for balance (hormonal, that is)

Experts believe that the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) promotes the growth of prostate cells. When testosterone and estrogen are imbalanced, DHT activity can increase and encourage the growth of prostate cells. That is why it is important to keep an eye on and manage your hormones, which you might have noticed begin to change after the age of 40.

Both exercising and maintaining a healthy weight help to keep your testosterone and estrogen balanced, but there are natural supplements that are worth looking into as well. Both pygeum and plant sterols like beta-sitosterol contain active components that can inhibit DHT production. Another supplement, 3,3’-diindolylmethane (DIM), naturally supports the balance of testosterone and estrogen and promotes normal prostate size.

No. 4: Eat better

Your diet also greatly affects your prostate health. If you follow the best diet for prostate health (one that is low in red meat and higher in fish or vegetable sources of protein, fiber, fruits and vegetables), you can reduce your risk factors for BPH. Foods that promote good prostate health include those high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, tuna and sardines. Lycopene-rich tomatoes benefit the prostate, too.

What you should not eat is also important. Avoid foods that your prostate hates such as red meat, dairy, wheat, fried foods and sugar.

You also need to drink well. Stay hydrated, and limit your alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per day. Drinks like green tea and cranberry, which are both also available in supplement form, are beneficial as well.

There are also many green tea prostate benefits for men. In Japan, the country with the lowest prostate cancer in the world, men consume many cups of green tea per day. The catechins found in green tea can promote a normal prostate size and regulate the production of DHT. Studies show that green tea can help regulate the production of hormones that influence prostate volume. Both green tea and cranberry are also useful for men who suffer from urinary tract infections, as these drinks (and supplements) inhibit the growth and attachment of bacteria to the urinary tract lining.

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No. 5: Try supplements

Many prostate supplements can benefit an aging prostate and support normal urinary health. When shopping for supplements, look for formulations that include ingredients that can help with overall prostate health. As already mentioned, several supplements help support hormone regulation. One of them, pygeum, has also been found in studies to be useful in reducing BPH symptoms. While studies have not found that pygeum actually shrinks the prostate, it does help offer relief of urinary symptoms. Curcumin is another supplement that can help regulate the inflammatory processes that support the health of the prostate. Saw palmetto is a well-researched supplement that studies have found as effective as popular drugs for BPH without causing the scary side effects of prostate drugs.

The next step

Hopefully, these five natural steps to better prostate health offer relief from your prostate symptoms. Even though there is a lot you can do to help manage your prostate health by changing your diet and lifestyle, prostate symptoms sometimes linger. If you have tried everything from exercise to weight loss to diet and supplements and your symptoms do not improve, you should see your doctor for further testing.

Your doctor may suggest other treatments such as medication or surgery. There are risks associated with these treatments, so make sure you make an informed decision and ask a lot of questions before starting any treatment.

Chances are you will find that improving your diet and lifestyle will make a positive difference in your prostate health and in the way you feel in general. If you at least get a better night’s sleep, that alone has to improve your mood, energy and outlook on life.

The post 5 natural ways to shrink the prostate appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It’s unfortunately a phrase that I don’t only believe is true — it’s one I’ve seen in action.

When my uncle, who put in over 20 years for the same firm, and after spending many late nights at the office and giving up the occasional weekend, was passed over for a promotion he thought was a sure thing — his blood pressure skyrocketed.

It was long after that we lost him… and a massive heart attack was to blame.

I know our family isn’t alone in this experience. Even though stress has long been considered a catalyst for heart trouble, men seemed to succumb to this particular risk factor in higher numbers than women.

And now we know just how much of a burden work stress is on their hearts — and what needs to change…

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How the workplace can double men’s risk for heart disease

After analyzing data gathered from 6,500 white-collar workers, scientists discovered a two-ingredient recipe for disaster…

Those two ingredients? Job strain and feeling like the high level of effort put into a job is rewarded very little, if at all.

“Job strain refers to work environments where employees face a combination of high job demands and low control over their work. High demands can include a heavy workload, tight deadlines and numerous responsibilities, while low control means the employee has little say in decision-making and how they perform their tasks,” according to lead study author Mathilde Lavigne-Robichaud, R.D., M.S., doctoral candidate, Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit, CHU de Quebec-University Laval Research Center in Quebec, Canada..

“Effort-reward imbalance occurs when employees invest high effort into their work, but they perceive the rewards they receive in return — such as salary, recognition or job security — as insufficient or unequal to the effort. For instance, if you’re always going above and beyond, but you feel like you’re not getting the credit or rewards you deserve, that’s called effort-reward imbalance.”

The study found:

• Men who said they experienced either job strain or effort-reward imbalance had a 49% increase in risk of heart disease compared to men who didn’t report those stressors.
• Men reporting both job strain and effort-reward imbalance were at twice the risk of heart disease compared with men who did not say they were experiencing the combined stressors.
• The impact of psychosocial stress at work on women’s heart health was inconclusive.
• In men, the impact of job strain and effort-reward imbalance combined was similar to the magnitude of the impact of obesity on the risk of coronary heart disease.

Previous research has reported on the effect of stressors like these on the heart.

Researchers at University College London found that people who have strong stress response levels may also experience more inflammation (and have more LDL — bad cholesterol) that, in turn, harms heart health.

In another study, mental stress was found to reduce blood flow to the muscles of the heart, a condition called myocardial ischemia, which can trigger a heart attack.

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Balancing stress to protect your heart

 “Our study highlights the pressing need to proactively address stressful working conditions, to create healthier work environments that benefit employees and employers,” says Dr. Lavigne-Robichaud.

But what can we do right now to help ourselves?

Make a career change or seek a job where you can experience less job strain and stress and your hard work is seen and appreciated.

If that’s not something immediately possible, then rein in your fight-or-flight response.

This reaction is activated by the sympathetic nervous system, so without some practice, it’s not easy to control your body’s automatic reaction to stress.

The fight-or-flight response activates the release of hormones that, over time, can increase blood pressure and body fat and cause insulin resistance — all precursors to heart disease. A couple of ways to counter its effects include meditation and stress-relieving supplements or anthocyanin-rich foods.

Another way to tame the fight or flight response is to raise your heart rate variability. Low heart rate variability is associated with a 32-45 percent higher risk of a first heart attack. Find tips on raising your heart rate variability here.

Of course, if you have a family history of heart disease, be sure your doctor is aware.

Sources:

Job strain combined with high efforts and low reward doubled men’s heart disease risk – EurekAlert!

The post What happens at work that doubles men’s heart disease risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

This can leave these men with an unfulfilling sex life, a strained relationship, depression, anxiety and loss of self-esteem.

Because of this, many men have asked their doctor about that little blue pill only to worry that the prescription medication could cause side effects that are even worse than the condition they’re trying to treat.

The FDA approved an over-the-counter solution for men suffering from ED that requires no prescription and may come with fewer side effects. And they say it even works faster than regular ED medication…

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Gel activates nitric oxide release

In June of 2023, MED3000 (or Eroxon) was approved by the FDA for the treatment of ED. This topical gel is available in single-use tubes. And to use it, a man simply applies it to the head of the penis right before sexual intercourse.

So how does the gel work?

Made up of a combination of volatile solvents, which evaporate rapidly after application, the gel creates a cooling effect followed by a warming sensation. This stimulates nerve endings on the head of the penis, causing the release of nitric oxide or NO.

Once nitric oxide is released the smooth muscle inside the penis relaxes, allowing for an increase in the blood flow required to support a strong and healthy erection.

In clinical trials, 65 percent of men who used MED3000 achieved an erection within 10 minutes and maintained it long enough to have sex. This is much faster than the most commonly used ED drugs, like tadalafil (Cialis) and sildenafil (Viagra), which take approximately 30 minutes to work.

Of course, that does you no good if the faster working time and ease of purchase come with more side effects, right?

Luckily, the gel seems to be a winner there too.

Studies have shown that the most common side effects experienced by men using the gel were headaches and nausea, which occurred in just 1 to 3 percent of men.

And, no side effects were reported among sexual partners.

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What ED means beyond the bedroom

MED3000 is readily available. A male friend said he saw it on Amazon for $99 (a 1.75-ounce tube).

But you should know that ED can be indicative of a much more serious issue…

In a study that came out of Australia, researchers found that men with ED had a 35 percent greater risk of hospitalization due to heart disease and a 93 percent higher risk of death from any illness.

The connection is vascular. Just like NO improves blood flow to the penis, it’s the key to better blood vessels, blood pressure and blood flow — for a healthier vascular system overall.

Of course, the body produces NO naturally. But certain foods can ramp up waning production….

When you consume dietary nitrates, like those you can find in spinach or beets, the good bacteria in your mouth immediately begin to convert them to nitrites and then nitric oxide in the gut, bloodstream and various organs that can benefit, including the penis.

It’s the reason beets are so healthy — from your liver to your libido.

Sources:

FDA approves new over-the-counter gel for erectile dysfunction – Harvard Health Publishing

Definition & Facts for Erectile Dysfunction – NIH

The post Fast-working over-the-counter ED gel gets FDA approval appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If you’re an older man, this scenario may be all too familiar. You’re experiencing what’s known as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as weak stream and frequent nighttime urination, or nocturia.

LUTS is usually associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition in which the prostate becomes enlarged and makes it difficult to urinate or completely empty the bladder. However, age-related bladder changes, metabolic syndrome and vascular disease also can contribute to LUTS.

Moderate to severe LUTS has been linked to an increased risk of death in previous studies. But it was unclear whether improving these symptoms had any impact on that higher death risk — until now….

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The danger of lower urinary tract symptoms

Researchers analyzed data on 3,046 men aged 50 or older with moderate to severe LUTS from the Medical Treatment of Prostate Symptoms trial. The participants were randomly assigned to receive active treatment with LUTS medications or an inactive placebo. Medications used in the study were the alpha-1 blocker doxazosin, the 5-alpha reductase inhibitor finasteride or a combination of the two.

During the two-year follow-up period, the researchers used the AUA Symptom Score to rate the impact of LUTS symptoms on a scale of 0 to 35. Follow-up data were used to determine the connection between reduction in urinary symptoms and death risk after an average of six years.

Results showed that for each one-point reduction in symptom score, the risk for death decreased by 4 percent. The more symptoms were reduced, the greater the reduction in death risk, with a 10-point reduction in LUTS symptoms correlating with a 35 percent decrease in death risk.

While the men assigned to all three active treatment groups showed significant reductions in mortality risk, the placebo group did not.

The researchers note that urinary symptoms are typically regarded as a “benign condition” that’s only treated when it becomes a problem for the patient.

“The findings suggest that we may need to view urinary symptoms differently, possibly with an emphasis on earlier treatment,” says lead author Dr. Blayne Welk of Western University and Lawson Health Research Institute in Canada.

The researchers stress that the study cannot determine a causal relationship between improved LUTS symptoms and subsequent death risk and that further study is needed. They also observe that the study did not evaluate the impact of other treatment options, including newer types of selective alpha blockers.

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Natural ways to keep your prostate healthy

If you decide to ask your doctor about medication for LUTS or BPH, you should know that studies have linked 5-alpha reductase inhibitors like finasteride with an elevated risk of diabetes. Your doctor will want to consider your health history before choosing that path.

There are other medications but they too have side effects to be weighed. For those reasons, some men choose a natural approach.

For instance, diet can influence prostate health. Some foods should be avoided, while other foods may help shrink the prostate.  Research shows that a diet rich in whole fruits, vegetables and healthy fats (sounds like the Mediterranean diet!) can improve prostate health and BPH.

Several supplements have a reputation for relieving LUTS as well, most notably saw palmetto. Studies have confirmed the effectiveness of saw palmetto in promoting prostate health, relieving the excessive need to urinate (especially at night) and enhancing urinary flow. Others include pygeum, stinging nettle and beta-sitosterol.

Consider drinking green and black tea regularly (but avoid drinking anything close to bedtime). A study conducted by researchers at Winthrop University Hospital in Garden City, New York, evaluated the impact of green and black tea on a small group of men (46) with LUTS. The men who had taken the tea mixture showed an improvement in LUTS (including improved urinary flow and reduced inflammation) and quality of life in as little as six weeks when compared with placebo.

And last but not least, regular exercise is also important for keeping your prostate healthy. The more active you are, the lower your risk of BPH or prostate problems.

Sources:                                                                                                        For older men, treating urinary symptoms may lead to lower mortality risk — EurekAlert!

The Reduction of Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Is Associated With a Decreased Risk of Death — The Journal of Urology

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That’s because while localized tumors of the prostate gland are considered very treatable, once prostate cancer metastasizes, which occurs in approximately 20 percent of men, all bets are off.

Sadly, for too long, doctors have been working blind, not really understanding why and how these tumors spread or having a clear answer to stop it.

But that’s all changed thanks to ground-breaking research from the Medical University of Vienna, where researchers have discovered both the pathway behind prostate cancer progression and a means to put a halt to tumor growth in a diabetes drug that millions already take.

Decoding cancer’s cellular signal pathway

To do so, the team used a complex mouse model, which allowed them to examine prostate cancer cells and identify the key factors in the regulation of tumor cell growth, as well as the way they interact with each other.

What they found is that a protein signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (also known as STAT3) plays the leading role. And they discovered that the activation of STAT3 by another protein called interleukin 6 (IL6) can work as a cancer protectant.

“Interestingly, our study showed for the first time that permanent activation of STAT3 prevents the development of prostate cancer as well as the development and spread of metastases. Conversely, we discovered that the loss of the signal pathway between STAT3 and IL6 in the prostate can lead to massive tumor growth and metastasis, which significantly increases the aggressiveness of the cancer and the mortality rate,” explained lead investigator Lukas Kenner.

The research proved that when STAT3 is activated, proteins known as LKB1/pAMPK increase. These proteins are capable of blocking certain cancer molecules, which actually stop a tumor from growing.

And that’s where the research really pays off…

Glucose and cancer

That’s because not only do those proteins inhibit cancer growth, they also are responsible for the regulation of glucose metabolism — a fact which led the scientists to pit a common diabetes drug, metformin, against prostate cancer.

And sure enough, when it came to cancer, it was blood sugar control for the win!

The team discovered that taking metformin can significantly slow the progression of STAT3-positive prostate cancer.

“As metformin is already available, our research findings could be useful in developing new treatment options for patients with STAT3-positive prostate cancer in the foreseeable future,” said Kenner.

Of course, this comes as no surprise to those of us who have been following the cancer-sugar connection for any amount of time.

In fact, it’s been over 90 years since Otto Warburg first exposed sugar’s cancer-causing secret.

And numerous studies have linked reducing sugar, such as through the keto diet, to anti-cancer effects.

Sources:

Research into use of diabetes medication for treatment of metastatic prostate cancer — ScienceDaily

Prostate Cancer Statistics — CDC

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Offering a firm handshake when you meet someone is often taken as a sign of self-confidence. It shows that you’re interested and reflects your character. It’s also a sign of strength.

However, you may be as muscular as a young Arnold Schwarzenegger, but your handshake will reveal the true state of your health and strength — and whether you’re at risk for chronic disease and premature aging.

These are the findings of medical researchers in a study led by respiratory and sleep expert Professor Robert Adams of Flinders University in South Australia…

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Sleep apnea leads to inflammation, disease and early muscle loss

Prof. Adams and his team assessed 613 men ages 40 to 88 in the Men, Androgen, Inflammation, Lifestyle, Environment and Stress (MALES) Study.

Their goal was to measure the connection between muscle mass and grip strength in men who have obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a condition where the airway is closed off by soft tissue, causing a person to stop breathing for up to 30 seconds, sometimes hundreds of times per night.

The MALES study found that, no matter how muscular a man was or how much muscle mass he had, if his grip strength was weak, it indicated other underlying problems — including issues connected with aging, as well as systemic inflammation and hypoxemia (lack of oxygen in the blood).

“Without good levels of oxygen in the blood, we cannot use the muscles we have to their maximum,” says Professor Adams.

“Our findings suggest impairments in hand grip strength (HGS) may be related to fat infiltration of muscle, hypoxemia-induced reductions in peripheral neural innervation, or even endothelial dysfunction — a risk in chronic inflammation and even cancer.”

“Furthermore, considering that over a quarter of the MAILES participants have moderate to severe OSA, this suggests a large proportion of the population are at risk of early reductions in strength.”

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If you think you may have sleep apnea

According to Adelaide Sleep Institute for Sleep Health researcher Dr. David Steven, “This is important as up until now, age-related declines in strength and immobility (sarcopenia) were thought to be due to reductions in muscle which started when someone was over 60 years old. Instead, the declines in strength appear to begin at a younger age in people with obstructive sleep apnea.”

That means if you’re living with untreated sleep apnea, you could experience muscle loss at a much younger age. And that can lead to functional decline — in other words, male frailty.

Some definite signs of sleep apnea to watch for are:

●     Waking up with a very sore or dry throat

●     Occasionally waking up with a choking or gasping sensation

●     Sleepiness or lack of energy during the day

●     Waking up with a headache that goes away as you move around

●     Difficulty concentrating, or just not feeling as sharp as you used to

Your doctor can help you determine if sleep apnea is the cause and discuss treatments.

Another thing you can try is helping your body optimize oxygen levels. This is important also if you’re what’s known as a mouth breather.

Dimethylglycine or DMG for short, is a nutrient known to athletes to help give them a performance edge — thanks to its reputation as an all-natural oxygen and endurance enhancer.

DMG is created in the liver from the amino acid glycine and is involved in at least 41 different processes. Nothing, however, tops DMG’s abilities to support healthy oxygen levels in your body and optimize oxygen utilization in your cells, organs, and tissues.

You can read more about DMG here.

Sources:

Getting a grip on better health — Eureka Alert

How Hand Grip Strength, Body Composition May Influence Health of Patients With OSA — American Journal of Managed Care

The post The surprising condition causing premature muscle loss in men appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

They’re endocrine-disrupting chemicals, meaning they alter how our hormones are meant to function.

And since pretty much every function in our body is controlled by hormones — growth, sexual function, hunger, sleep, blood pressure, digestion, to name a few — these chemicals do damage to every aspect of our lives.                  

They’re called ‘forever chemicals’ because they never break down. They’re lurking in our drinking water; in our cookware, pizza boxes, and cosmetics; in our carpets and furniture; even in our children’s car seats!

Forever chemicals like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have also been established as carcinogens.

But some people still need a little more “proof.”

And they’ve found it, sadly, in a group of men who have been diagnosed with testicular cancer at much higher rates than others…

Making the connection: PFAS and testicular cancer

Gary Flook was a firefighter in the Air Force for 37 years, where he regularly trained with aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, a frothy white fire retardant that is highly effective but is now known to be toxic.

At age 45, Gary received the devastating news that he had testicular cancer and would require both an orchiectomy (surgical removal of the testes) and follow-up chemotherapy to save his life.

Testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among active male military personnel. Most of these men, like Gary Flook, are below the age of 40 and in peak physical condition.

This fact, along with the knowledge that AFFF was full of PFAS, prompted two government researchers to look for a more definite connection between PFAS and testicular cancer.

What the study showed

A prior report, federally funded and published in 2022 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, had shown with “moderate confidence” that there is an association between PFAS exposure and thyroid dysfunction, preeclampsia in pregnant women and breast and testicular cancers.

But the new study goes a step further.

It links PFAS exposure directly to testicular germ cell tumors, which make up roughly 95% of testicular cancer cases.

Using banked blood drawn from Air Force servicemen, Dr. Mark Purdue and Dr. Dr. Jennifer Rusiecki of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) found strong evidence that airmen who were firefighters had elevated levels of PFAS in their bloodstream.

They also found that airmen with testicular cancer had higher serum levels of PFOS than those not diagnosed with the cancer.

“To my knowledge,” says Dr. Purdue, “this is the first study to measure PFAS levels in the U.S. military population and to investigate associations with a cancer endpoint in this population, so that brings new evidence to the table.”

How to reduce your risk

Of course, it isn’t just military personnel who are being exposed to these cancer-causing chemicals.

We all are.

Whether we like it or not, “forever chemicals” are everywhere — and they are not easy to avoid. Nevertheless, for your health’s sake, it’s worth trying.

Here are some baby steps to get started…

1. Eat organic – Avoid conventional foods and the pesticides they’re coated in and choose only organic fruits and veggies. Follow the guidance of the Environmental Working Group.
2. Use less plastic – Whether it’s plastic bowls, plastic wrap or Ziploc baggies, anything that’s made of plastic is made of chemicals.
3. Throw out non-stick cookware – Instead of non-stick, choose stainless steel or ceramic cookware to avoid those PFAS.
4. Choose chemical-free furniture and mattresses – When shopping for new household items, look for ones without chemicals and flame retardants.
5. Pick natural personal care products – Whether it’s deodorant, makeup, or hair care products, look for natural, plant-based options without the chemicals and toxins.
6. Help your body take the trash out — support your body’s detox organ, your liver, and eat foods with natural detox or chelating properties.

Sources:

Study Links ‘Forever Chemicals’ to Testicular Cancer in Military Personnel — Medpage Today

A Nested Case–Control Study of Serum Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Testicular Germ Cell Tumors among U.S. Air Force Servicemen — Environmental Health Perspectives

The post Forever chemicals and testicular cancer: A direct link appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

“Of course!” I said, perhaps a little too enthusiastically, considering what came next…

See, my friends know I’m constantly researching new natural solutions to common health problems, so I’m used to them asking me about how to get more energy, relieve arthritis pain or even overcome a weak bladder.

But this question was a little, well, let’s say delicate…

“My husband has erectile dysfunction,” she said. “And, he doesn’t want to talk to anyone about it, and he’s already on so much medication.”

Now you may think this next part is a little strange, but this is what I said to my friend as I slid my eyeglasses to the tip of my nose, lowered my head and my voice and looked her straight in the eye…

“Remember the movie, 9½ Weeks? I want you to go home, open your refrigerator and see if you have the sexiest vegetable known to man in there.”

And here’s why…

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A sensitive subject

Most men get really stressed about ED because they look at it as a sign they’re getting old.

They’re often too embarrassed to talk about it and that only compounds the problem. Doctors don’t truly help with the issue since their usual advice is nothing more than, “You’re at that age, you know. Here’s a prescription.”

So, men are left with the idea that yes, their age is to blame and they’re no longer in control of their sexual function.

But the truth is that barring serious prostate issues, much of the cause of ED can be traced back to three things that are in men’s control: diet, blood pressure, and blood vessel dilation.

When men know this, it puts them back in the driver’s seat (and in the bedroom).

And, adding a certain vegetable to their diet is the fuel they need to get started …

Beets, nitric oxide and the blood pressure connection

Remember that super sexy foodie scene between Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke from the steamiest movie to come out of the late 80s?

In “that” scene out of 9½ Weeks, the two romantic leads share some sensuous snacks, including grapes and strawberries, while sitting on the floor in front of an opened refrigerator.

But do you know what was missing? The sexiest vegetable out there… beets.

Not because the ancient Romans considered them an aphrodisiac, but because modern scientists know beets can help men get the boost they need for an erection.

That’s because blood pressure problems can be the root cause of erectile dysfunction.

High blood pressure can thicken the blood vessels, restricting flow to the penis and preventing an erection. Ironically, taking blood pressure medications can contribute to erectile dysfunction as well.

But beets can help with these issues because studies have shown that drinking beet juice can help to improve blood pressure. All thanks to the nitrates found in the veggies…

See, the beet’s biggest claim to fame for improving sexual function is how it benefits blood vessel dilation — the problem that’s part and parcel to erectile dysfunction. Beets help the body produce nitric oxide, a natural potent vasodilator, which has been shown to be vital to penile erectile function.

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Basically, when the blood vessels in the penis can dilate sufficiently, it helps to maintain pressure in the corpus cavernosum (the penis’ sponge-like erectile tissue) and allows a man to sustain an erection.

There are lots of ways to eat beets, though most people aren’t fond of their earthy taste. Beets can be juiced or added to smoothies where other flavors can mask their taste.

The diet that brings sexy back

Finally, now that you know what to do for the blood pressure and blood vessel dilation parts of the equation, it’s time to address your diet’s effect on your bedroom activities.

Enter the Mediterranean Diet…

Not only is the Mediterranean Diet great for heart health and blood sugar, but olive oil, a staple of the diet, can help raise testosterone levels to further combat ED. In fact, it’s been shown to improve erectile dysfunction by up to 40 percent!

When eating the Mediterranean diet, you should focus on fresh fruits and veggies, along with oily fish and nuts. And, be sure to take in at least nine tablespoons of olive oil per week.

While you’re eating more whole foods in a Mediterranean-style diet, ditch as many of the ultra-processed foods as you can. They can expose men to additives and chemicals that promote estrogen dominance, which is the opposite of what any many working on raising testosterone needs.

A way to help counter estrogen dominance is by getting a nutrient called di-indole methane, found primarily in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage into your diet. It supports healthy hormone balance by carrying unwanted, artificial estrogens safely out of the body.

Sources:

1. Erectile dysfunction (impotence) and high blood pressure — Blood Pressure UK
2. Dietary Nitrate Provides Sustained Blood Pressure Lowering in Hypertensive Patients — Hypertension
3. Nitric oxide and penile erectile function — Pharmacology & Therapeutics
4. Mediterranean diet could be better than ‘Viagra’ for erectile dysfunction — News-Medical.net

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