Although it is relatively common as men age, one subject that continues to be a bit taboo among most men is prostate problems.

But not talking about the problems won’t make them go away and only increases a man’s risk of serious disease or even death.

Here’s a sobering statistic: According to the National Cancer Institute, prostate cancer is the #1 most common cancer in males living in the US, with about 300,000 cases expected in 2024.

In addition, once a man reaches age 40, he has an increased risk of facing prostate problems which worsens with time. Current estimates show that 50 to 60 percent of men in their 60s, and 80 to 90 percent of men over 70 may have some kind of prostate issue.

So, gentlemen…let’s put all that uneasiness aside and have a frank discussion about prostate health, and how you can stack the deck in your favor to help keep yours as healthy and viable as possible.

The top 3 prostate problems

The top 3 problems that can arise with the prostate are:

• Enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH)

• Infection (prostatitis)

• Prostate cancer

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) results when testosterone in a man’s body converts to a highly active form and stimulates the prostate to grow larger.

While the key word here is “benign” meaning that BPH is not cancerous and in most cases not dangerous, it can be a royal nuisance because as the prostate gets bigger, it pushes on the urethra and can result in an increased frequency of urination and/or waking up at night having to go.

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland that can cause a wide variety of symptoms including:

• Pain or burning sensation when urinating

• Difficulty urinating

• Frequent urination, especially at night 

• Sense of urgency to urinate

• Pain in the abdomen, groin or lower back

• Pain or discomfort in the penis or testicles

• Pain during orgasm 

• Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, nausea, vomiting) 

Although a small percentage of prostatitis cases (about 5 percent or less) are due to bacterial infection and can be treated with antibiotics, the cause of the vast majority of cases is unknown.

And last but not least, there’s prostate cancer. Although any form of cancer is concerning, prostate cancer typically grows very slowly, so most men that develop it typically won’t die from it.

You talkin’ to me?

Most men that have prostate issues are aware that something’s not right, but here is a self-assessment you can take to better see where you might stand.

Please check all symptoms that apply to you:

_____ Difficulty urinating

_____ A sense of bladder fullness

_____ Straining while urinating

_____ Decreased amounts of urine passed

_____ Waking up during the night to urinate

_____ Dripping/dribbling after urination

_____ Pain or fatigue in the legs

_____ Pain or fatigue in the back

_____ Lowered sex drive 

As you would expect, the more symptoms you checked off, the more likely it is that there may be an issue “down there.”

Do your part!

If you suspect that something may be going on with your prostate, by all means see a doctor.

Depending on your situation, your doctor may do a digital rectal exam, ultrasound, MRI, urine test, and/or a PSA test.

But you also play a significant role here, and it’s important for you to do your part too!

And that means doing what you can to help enhance the health of your prostate if you do have problems, or to help keep yours healthy for years to come!

Here are some effective measures to consider:

1- Have a healthy diet

The rate of prostate cancer is higher among men who eat a typical Western-type diet—meaning lots of unhealthy fats and refined carbs, and very little fiber—and that’s no coincidence. Our modern diets pave the way for a variety of diseases to come knocking, including cancer. 

Plus, our highly processed diets also lack antioxidants and nutrients that are essential for strong prostate health.

And an unhealthy diet also creates acid wastes which breed inflammation—and can contribute to or worsen prostatitis.

So, it’s essential for the health of your prostate (and the rest of you too!) to have a diet of wholesome real foods that are rich in fiber and nutrients and limit your intake of unhealthy fats and refined carbs.

2- Get enough Omega-3 essential fatty acids

Omega-3 fats are Nature’s anti-inflammatory, and a deficiency in them is a leading cause of all kinds of inflammatory issues (including prostate problems). Unfortunately, the average person is low in these crucial fatty acids.

A large reason for this is our typical modern diet which is heavy on refined grains, vegetable oils and meats from corn-fed animals—all of which are loaded with inflammatory omega-6 EFAs but are severely lacking in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats.

So, to help support prostate health (and keep inflammation low throughout your body) it's wise to replenish your omega-3 supply with a top-quality fish oil supplement.

VitalMega-3 is a pure fish oil formula that delivers 1,200 mg of the EPA and DHA essential fatty acids you so desperately need in every daily 2-capsule serving, plus vitamin E which has been shown to protect against prostate cancer.

3- Get enough Vitamin D

Research has shown that vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer at an earlier age, and with a more aggressive progression.

Unfortunately, vitamin D is a VERY common deficiency, especially in the winter months when many people are indoors due to cold, snowy weather.

To make sure you have health-supporting levels of this crucial nutrient 365 days a year, our Optimum DK Formula with Fruitex-B is your ticket! It provides a therapeutic 5,000 IUs of vitamin D3, plus its nutrient partners vitamins K1 and K2 and the mineral boron.

4- Engage in regular exercise

Although it should not be a surprise at this point, in addition to the plethora of its other health benefits, regular exercise also significantly decreases your risk of prostate cancer.

5- Check out saw palmetto

The herb saw palmetto has been shown to help improve symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis.

6- Do some Kegels

While Kegels are most often recommended for women to strengthen and support the uterus and vaginal area during pregnancy and after giving birth, men can do them too!

Kegels can help strengthen the muscles of the pelvic diaphragm, thereby improving involuntary or abnormal urine loss for men with an enlarged prostate.

For men they are easiest to do when urinating. Once urine flow starts, contract the pelvic muscle, letting urine slow until it stops, wait 5-10 seconds, then release and let the urine flow resume.

Do all you can to help keep your prostate healthy well into your golden years!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia 

PS: Our office will be closed until August 28th when we reopen and all customer support functions resume. This includes shipping, emails, phone calls, and chat. Upon her return to regular office hours on August 28th, Danielle will begin getting orders out first thing! All orders will go out in the order in which they are received.

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