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Top Foods That Fight Prostate Cancer
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OK fellas, getting a prostate exam is not enjoyable so most of you put it off as long as possible. But rather than doing that, why not add some prostate friendly foods to your overall diet? With prostate cancer affecting one out of every six men in the US, it’s the number two killer of men worldwide. It’s thought that the Western diet with its high fat, high sugar content is the major contributor to the ever increasing rates of prostate cancer. Although you can’t avoid those exams forever, you can start eating some of the foods that are known to help fight prostate cancer today!
1. Tomatoes
Lycopene, the active ingredient in tomatoes, is a strong antioxidant that has been shown in several studies to offer protection from prostate cancer. In a review of 21 studies it was found that men who ate quite a bit of cooked and raw tomatoes were much less likely to develop cancer of the prostate when compared to men that are little or no tomato products.
Lycopene binds very tightly to our cell walls, so our bodies have a hard time removing it from raw tomatoes, so although it is often recommended that many vegetables are eaten raw, this is one instance where eating cooked tomatoes, such as tomato sauce, sun dried tomatoes, or ketchup, is a better choice.
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2. Cruciferous Vegetables
Eat your broccoli, friends!
And your kale, cauliflower, mustard greens, and Brussels sprout if you want to avoid prostate cancer.
Eating just three servings per week cuts the risk of developing prostate cancer in half.
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3. Green Tea
Green tea has been consumed in Asian countries for thousands of years and although it’s not exactly clear if it’s the tea that is the reason why the rates of prostate cancer is so low in Asian countries, several compounds in green tea, such as epicatechin, catechins, and EGCG, are currently being studied.
There is enough evidence to support the idea that green tea can prevent prostate cancer. One study involving more than 49,000 men found that there was a 48 percent decreased risk of developing advanced prostate cancer among the men who drank 5 cups or more of green tea each day. This study was performed at the Japan Public Health Center.
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4. Flaxseed
Flaxseed has prevented and slowed the spread of prostate cancer in studies done with mice.
Read more about flaxseed oil for cancer treatment.
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5. Brazil Nuts
Selenium, a mineral that has strong preventative effects against prostate cancer, is found in Brazil nuts.
Researchers say that just 200mcg of selenium each day can cut the risk of developing prostate cancer by as much as 50 percent!
You only need about 3 Brazil nuts per day to get that, so feel free to take that Brazil nut break every day!
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6. Scallions
If you thought Brazil nuts were good, check out scallions.
SEE ALSO: Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Just one tenth of an ounce can cut your risk of developing prostate cancer by a whopping 70 percent! Pile those green onions on everything friends!
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7. Legumes and Soybeans
Legumes cover peanuts, beans, and lentils. They all contain a plant compound called phytoestrogens.
One type of phytoestrogen, isoflavones, has cancer fighting compounds which stop the growth of tumors within prostate cancer cells.
Men who consumed large amounts of soy products had a 30 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer, according to two review papers.
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8. Turmeric
Some studies show that turmeric can prevent prostate cancer and/or slow its growth, especially when combined with cauliflower.
Sprinkle it liberally over your next cauliflower dish for tasty protection.
Check out medicinal turmeric tea recipe.
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9. Pomegranate Juice
Similar to green tea or red wine, pomegranate is a great source of powerful antioxidants. It’s sometimes called the “miracle fruit” because it can prevent many chronic diseases that are caused by oxidative stress.
One small study that involved 46 men showed that drinking just 8 ounces of pomegranate juice kept PSA levels from rising higher and lengthened the amount of doubling time from just 15 months to 54 months.
When the time it takes a tumor to double in size goes from 15 months to 54 months, that’s a good thing. Switch your morning orange juice to pomegranate juice for added time.
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10. Garlic
Good for everything, that’s what garlic should be called! Several studies show that garlic cuts your risk of developing prostate cancer by as much as 53 percent.
Garlic also contains some healthy amounts of selenium, much like Brazil nuts.
So ignore your girlfriend’s comments about your breath and add some extra garlic to that Chinese food.
