Approximately 55 % of men between the ages of 40-59 or older have an enlarged prostate gland. This gland is usually walnut-sized and secretes fluid that aids in a man’s sexual function. Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate, due to bacterial infection and must be treated with antibiotics. However, an enlarged prostate that is not due to an infection or a cancerous tumor is known medically as BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia), a condition far more common than cancer or infection. This enlargement puts pressure on nearby internal structures such as the urethra and bladder and can cause a variety of symptoms. Difficult or frequent urination (usually at night), difficulty starting or stopping urination, a feeling of fullness of the bladder, painful sex, and/or impotence are some of these. The causes are diverse. Among them are conditions and lifestyles that include, but are not limited to, lower levels of testosterone, an excess of di-hydrotestosterone (a form of testosterone), poor diet, essential fatty acid and zinc deficiencies, constipation, lack of exercise and partial or complete abstinence from sexual activity.

Let’s look at some solutions for preventing as well as reducing prostate enlargement.

1. Young men have a higher level of testosterone and smaller prostates. As men age, testosterone levels become lower just as estrogen levels become lower in women. This is due mainly to two events. Testosterone is converted to di-hydrotestosterone, a more potent form that lowers the total testosterone level and deposits in the prostate, causing the cells of the prostate gland to reproduce rapidly, enlarging the gland. Aging also increases the rate at which a sex-hormone-binding-globulin (SHBG) binds "free" testosterone, rendering it unavailable, thus lowering the level. Two herbs, stinging nettle and saw palmetto extracts, bind to this SHBG, leaving the testosterone "free" to benefit the body.

2. Diet: Add plenty of fresh, high fiber green leafy vegetables, raw nuts and seeds (walnuts, pecans, flax, pumpkin) seafood, eggs, peas, carrots, corn, beans, brown rice, garlic, onions, and cooked tomatoes. Unrefined, cold-pressed oils such as flax or olive are high in essential fatty acids that prevent another cause of prostate problems – prostaglandin deficiency. Soy foods are also very beneficial, especially in prevention.

3. Diet: Avoid, especially during a flare-up, spicy foods, sugar, white flour (bread, biscuits, rolls, baked goods) white rice, dairy products, fried foods, saturated fats, caffeine, alcohol and meats.

4. Hot sitz baths, sometimes alternating with cold, can help relieve pressure and the feeling of congestion in chronic conditions.

5. Supplements to consider: Saw palmetto and stinging nettle as mentioned above are of primary importance in reducing the size of an already enlarged gland. Lycopene, found in tomatoes, can be obtained by consuming 4-5 cooked tomato servings per week or by supplementation and is considered a good preventative. (Cooking the tomatoes releases the lycopene.) Purchase only high quality standardized extracts. B- vitamins, zinc, and selenium are also essential to prostate health.

6. Exercise, get off the couch, out of the office, out of the house! Walk around the neighborhood, keep moving.

Doctors and medicines are, at times, a necessity. If we want to be healthy and remain healthy, we must simply make healthy choices that help prevent bad health. No matter our age, child or adult, making these choices is good. Of course, the earlier the better! There won’t be so much to overcome later on!

Health is not everything, but without spiritual and physical health, everything is nothing.

Remember, your health is your responsibility.

Until next time we meet – may God Bless you with good health, with a little help from you!

Len Rossi, ND has been a proponent of Natural Healing for 30 years. After a 25-year career as a pro wrestler, Len earned his Doctor Of Naturopathy degree in 1982 and is a Licensed Massage Therapist.