Let's talk men in Movember
Hello one and all. I thought this week, given that it’s Movember, we’d cast our gaze on the lovely ‘mens’ in our life.
Do they go through “Manopause?” In a sense, ‘yes’ (‘moobs’, sports cars, erectile dysfunction?). Whilst it may not be as obvious as we Dames, I think hitting the middle ages, we all come up against what I like to call, ‘THE GREAT RECKONING’. The what’s next, the internal knock, what do I want from this next part of my life calling as it were.
Now, I’m going to get too esoteric on you… Let’s just have a look at one little gland that may cause issues for men as they age.
Getting prostrate with your prostate
Did you know?
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, and rates are on the rise.
By 2030 there will be 1.7 million men living with prostate cancer (that’s a cheery thought isn’t it – almost as cheery as thinking of Donald Trump running for another term in office, but I digress…).
Some interesting bits about your bits.
Only males have a prostate (in case you were in doubt…)
- The prostate is a doughnut shaped gland about the size of a walnut (it could be the size of an apricot by age 40 and the size of a lemon by age 60 – something to look forward to…).
- 2/3 of the prostate is glandular tissue which produces fluid for semen, which carries sperm during a man’s orgasm.
- 1/3 of the prostate is muscle, which contracts during an orgasm to expel the semen into the urethra.
- The prostate surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder through the penis.
- 50% of men will develop an enlarged prostate by the time they are 50 years old.
- Up to 90% of men aged 70 to 90 years old develop an enlarged prostate.
- One of the most common health problems experienced by men is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) – which is just a fancy way of saying a man’s prostate gland has become bigger than it should be.
How do you know if it's too big...?
Symptoms of an enlarged prostate include:
- Difficulty starting to urinate
- Difficultly maintaining urinary flow, or starting and stopping when trying to pass urine
- Needing to urinate urgently
- Needing to urinate more frequently
- Increase in the occurrence of urinary tract infections, which may cause irritation or burning when passing urine.
These problems occur because the urethra is squashed as the prostate increases in size (BPH is a serious and troubling medical problem that requires proper management).
It is important to note that BPH is not prostate cancer, nor does it make you more likely to develop prostate cancer, however it is possible to have both.
If you’re sick and tired of needing to wee all the time, getting up in the night or dribbling, then nature has some gifts for you.
Recent research has found that a combination of herbs called:
- Saw Palmetto
- Nettle root
- Small-leafed Willow
are very effective at managing BPH and reducing the troublesome symptoms. A combination of these beneficial herbs can be taken in a convenient capsule to manage BPH and may also be worth considering where there is a strong family history of BPH (hit me up if you or your significant other would like to know more).
Your prostate's best mate
Zinc is like the prostate’s best friend! It is an essential nutrient for men’s health and having low zinc levels can create health problems (it also helps make robust sperm and gets them to swim straight).
Zinc rich foods:
- Oysters
- Baked Beans
- Egg Yolks
- Herring
- Beef and Lamb
- Cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds (you can snack on these or throw them in a salad)
There is one other food that your prostate will love.
Salute to Solanum lycopersicum
I love tomatoes. They are, hands-down, one of my favourite foods (along with beetroot). I still remember the best one I ever ate at a crummy guesthouse at the base of Mt Sinai some 20 years ago. The bench-mark of all tomatoes eaten since.
What then about the health benefits of tomatoes?
According to a UK study, men who consume more than 10 portions of tomatoes each week, reduce their risk of prostate cancer by about 20%.
The Bristol team analysed the diets and lifestyles of around 20,000 British men aged between 50 and 69.
They found men who consumed more than 10 portions of tomatoes each week – such as fresh tomatoes, tomato juice and baked beans – saw an 18% reduction in prostate cancer risk.
Eating the recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables (or more) a day was also found to decrease risk by 24%, compared with men who ate two-and-a-half servings or less.
All hail lycopene
The cancer-fighting properties of this humble fruit are thought to be due to lycopene, an antioxidant which can protect against DNA and cell damage.
Lycopene is a bright red pigment that is naturally found in the human liver, serum (blood), adrenal glands, lungs, prostate, colon and skin, at higher levels than other similar pigments.
It’s not just for men!
Researchers have recently found an important connection between lycopene, its antioxidant properties and bone health.
Intake of tomatoes has also long been linked to heart health. Fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have also been shown to help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
The extra good news is that it doesn’t seem to make much difference to the health benefits whether they are cooked or raw.
To that end, here is a recipe I highly recommend you try. I made this at our recent in-clinic talk and even those who don’t generally like a cold soup, thought it was ‘winning’.
Gazpacho
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch fresh basil
5 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic
Squeeze of raw honey
¼ cup lemon juice
Salt to taste
Blend with ½ cup of water until smooth.
Enjoy.
Last time I told you I’m going to give you the secret to long term health and happiness… (my version at least). Maybe next time…
Until then, you know what to do. Keep being Great.
Marnie
P.S If you haven’t already done so, make sure you download your FREE Survivor’s Guide to Menopause (did I say it’s free?).
P.P.S If you know someone who is struggling with all the changes, please share this with them.