Prostate Health Source

One of the biggest issues in Mens Health is his Prostate. The prostate is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the tube called the urethra, located just below the bladder. The urethra has two jobs: to carry urine from the bladder when you urinate and to carry semen during a sexual climax, or ejaculation. Semen is a combination of sperm plus fluid that the prostate adds. For men under 50, the most common prostate problem is prostatitis. For men over 50, the most common prostate problem is prostate enlargement. Older men are at risk for prostate cancer too but, prostate enlargement is more common.

Men over 50 having problems urinating could suspect an enlarged prostate. As men get older, their prostate keeps growing. As it grows, it squeezes the urethra. Since urine travels from the bladder through the urethra, the pressure from the enlarged prostate may affect bladder control.

Some of the symptoms to look for if you suspect your prostate:

• A frequent and urgent need to urinate. You may get u several times a night to go to the bathroom
• Trouble starting a urine stream. Even though you feel you have to rush to get to the bathroom, you find it hard to start urinating.
• A weak stream of urine
• A small amount of urine each time you go
• The feeling that you still have to go, even when you have just finished urinating
• Leaking or dribbling urine
• Small amounts of blood in your urine

Now the question is, is this a sign of Prostate Cancer? The answer is no, not in it self is a enlarged prostrate cancerous. However, because the early symptoms are the same for both conditions, you should see a doctor to evaluate these symptoms.

There are some preventative measures you can take to maintain prostate health:

Lose that gut - men with 43-inch waists or greater are 50 percent more likely than normal-weight men to report symptoms of prostate enlargement or to have surgery for this condition. (Harvard University researchers report).

Diet - eliminate alcohol and cut way back on sugar and dietary fat. At the same time, burn calories by walking, biking, swimming or running. Trim the fat. a lean diet can lower your risk of prostate cancer. Avoid saturated and hydrogenated fats (hard at room temperature) and stick to monounsaturated fats (olive oil or canola oil) for cooking.

Flush it - drinking fluids. Two to three quarts of water every day helps prevent the bladder infections, cystitis and kidney problems sometimes associated with an enlarged prostate.

Fiber - high-fiber diet helps reduce your risk of prostate cancer by slightly lowering your body's levels of reproductive hormones. Beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables have fiber and help reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

More information about the prostate

Prostate supplements
How to treat prostate problems
Prostate cancer prevention



For further information contact the following agencies:

The Prostatitis Foundation
1063 30th Street, Box 8
Smithshire, IL 61478
Phone: 1–888–891–4200
Fax: 309–325–7184
Internet: www.prostatitis.org

For information about prostate cancer, contact the

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Cancer Information Service
Phone: 1–800–4CANCER (422–6237)
TTY: 1–800–332–8615
Email: cancermail@icicc.nci.nih.gov
Internet: www.cancer.gov

Nine out of ten men will develop prostate problems, so you'll likely have: a) urination troubles...b) weak stream...or c) interrupted sleep because you always have to "go." While you may take prostate supplements trying to get relief, many of these formulas are so weak it's like using a knife in a gunfight!