How to Be Proactive About Prostate Health

In 2014, the National Cancer Institute estimates that 230,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed. Of the 230,000 cases, the Institute estimates that 29,480 of them will prove fatal. These numbers seem high and intimidating because they are – prostate health is often neglected and unacknowledged by men outside of those doctor's appointments in which their prostate is actually checked by a physician. The fact is prostate health is very much a part of an individual's overall health. Luckily, attending to the health of your prostate can be interconnected with other steps men can take to better look after themselves.

Talk To Your Doctor 
Make that appointment you've been putting off and start talking to your doctor about prostate health. It's a fact that some men are simply more at risk than other for prostate issues, including prostate cancer. Your doctor can help determine your level of risk and what steps need to be taken in order to help decrease this number.

Age is a significant factor in this regard, so if you are over 50, now is the time to reach out to a healthcare professional.
 
Practice Moderation 
Thinking in terms of moderation and actually practicing this notion is an excellent move both for prostate and overall health. Alcohol and fat-heavy meats can contribute to an increased risk for prostate cancer, especially over the average male lifespan. Keep an eye on how much of these you consume over the course of a week and make note of where it's possible to easily replace these items with a fruit, vegetable, fish, or soy product. Soy has been previously linked to reducing a man's risk of prostate cancer.

Introduce Green Tea into Your Diet
Countries in which green tea is heavily featured into the average diet have lower rates of prostate cancer than countries in which green tea is less prevalent. Studies have shown that green tea can help reduce prostate tissue inflammation. Try to slowly incorporating green tea into your diet by replacing it with your usual morning juice or coffee, or get into the routine of drinking a cup of green tea before going to sleep.

Pay Attention to Your Body
Symptoms of prostate issues are fairly obvious. They mostly include changes in urination: difficulty in stopping/starting urinating, pain, frequent urge to urinate, leakage/incontinence, and/or blood in the urine. Sometimes these issues are prostate-related, sometimes they are related to another issue – regardless of the source, which your doctor can help rule out, it's essential that if you begin to experience these symptoms that you contact your doctor as soon as possible in order to begin testing and treatment if it's needed.