TWO TYPES

OF

PROSTATE CANCER

African American rates Skyrocket

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 30,000 men will die from the disease this year and that 230,000 cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed. While the prostate cancer mortality rate for blacks has declined a little during the past decade, it is still more than double the rate for other races and ethnicities. Prostate cancer also tends to be detected in blacks at a younger age and at a more advanced stage than in whites.

In a study involving more than 67,000 men age 65 years and older, the researchers found that blacks were 35 percent less likely than whites to undergo prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. The findings will be published in the Sept. 27 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

“The level of racial disparity in the use of PSA screening is quite unsettling,” says Timothy Gilligan, MD, a genitourinary oncologist at Dana-Farber and the paper’s lead author. “While some physicians question the effectiveness of PSA as a screening test, there is no reason its availability should differ according to a man’s race. Indeed, because blacks are at higher risk of dying from prostate cancer, they stand to benefit the most from screening.” (www.4-men.org)

Prostate Cancer Rates in the Black Male Population

1) African American men are 60 percent more likely to get
prostate cancer than whites.


2) They're also twice as likely to die from it than any other group.

A Natural Guideline for Prostate Health

According to Dr Mercola "it's something far too important to a man's health to simply ignore. And the women who love and deeply care for their husbands, male friends and relatives, should be concerned about this as well. By age 60, as many as 90% of American men may have less-than-optimal health in this area. Prostate health is widely-realized to be important for men 50 and over, but in recent years, the importance of prostate health to men in their 30s and 40s has become more widely known.  Some factors known to affect prostate health include diet and environmental factors. Seem like something you should ignore? Obviously not... and chances are fairly high that as a man, you'll need extra support in this area of your body during your lifetime. "

• Healthy mouth = healthy body – There are toxins in your mouth, such as those released by amalgam fillings (mercury fillings) that can have a profound effect on your overall health. I would recommend you visit a holistic dentist to assess your situation. Plus, practicing good oral hygiene by keeping your teeth and gums clean can help support your immune  health.
• Reduce your stress – Most people know stress can have a profound effect on health. Scientists have shown links between stress and less-than-optimal prostate health. Look for ways to relieve stress in your life such as using the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).
• Relax your muscles – Muscle tension can impact your prostate health. A regular exercise program can do wonders to help you reduce muscle tension and trigger a more positive attitude and mood. There's an entire dedicated ‘Fitness' section on my site if you're interested.
• Boost your lymphatic system – Your lymphatic system is responsible for clearing your body of waste and plays an essential role in your prostate vitality. Regular exercise and drinking adequate amounts of pure, fresh water can help flush waste and toxins out of your body.
• Cleanse your body on the inside – Just like the build-up of toxins inside your body can have a profound effect on your overall health, such is the potential case for your prostate health as well. I recommend a pure green food formula, Chlorella, to help promote your body's natural detoxification functions.
• Revitalize love and sexual activity – It's no accident how some of the highest occurrences of less-than-optimal prostate health are found in celibate men. A healthy sex life is food for your prostate. Also, nurturing your personal relationships and love can help reduce stress as well. EFT can also be helpful here.

Research has shown sexual activity and a high ejaculation frequency are linked to better prostate health later in life. Helps support the body's natural detoxification functions. Frequent ejaculation may help act as one of your body's natural detoxification functions for your prostate glands.

Supplements that Can Help Improve Your Prostate Health

Taking a more proactive approach to your prostate health would be worthwhile. There are many natural supplements that have been clearly shown to help improve prostate health if you are proactive concerning your prostate.

Vitamin D: This is the main player in prostate health, without any question. Your best source is sunlight or if that is not available, a safe tanning bed. Just remember to avoid ever getting sunburned. If those options are not available, adult doses typically range from 5000 units up to 20,000 or more depending on your blood levels, which should be at least 50 ng/ml but ideally closer to 70 ng./ml.  Always consult with your healthcare professional to determine the optimal dose of Vitamin D to best support your health.*

Vitamin K2: This is only available from bacterial fermentation. Vitamin K2 is the only form of vitamin K that has been shown to help promote prostate health.*.

Vitamin E: A 2005 study showed that men with the highest levels of alpha-tocopherol in their blood at baseline had better prostate health than those with the lowest level of the vitamin.*

Calcium and Magnesium: A 1998 Harvard School of Public Health study of 50,000 men that found those consuming between 1,500 and 2000 mg of calcium per day had about double the chance of  having less-than-optimal prostate health as those getting 500 mg per day or less.

Selenium: In a study of 1,300 older people, those who took 200 micrograms of selenium daily for about seven years experienced greater overall health compared to those given a placebo.* Selenium is also necessary for your body to make glutathione, a very important antioxidant.*

Helps Support Hormonal Health

Testosterone is the male hormone. For many decades, traditional medicine erroneously conjectured that testosterone replacement therapy was one contributing factor to less-than-optimal prostate health.

However testosterone is metabolized in your body to DHT or dihydrotestosterone.  Most experts believe DHT to be a major factor in the cause of less-than-optimal prostate health.

Fortunately we know the enzyme that is responsible for converting testosterone to DHT; it is called 5 alpha reductase. So it would make sense that if we could inhibit or slow this enzyme down we could help support prostate health as DHT levels would be lower.*

Fortunately there are plant based compounds that have been shown to support the body's ability to inhibit this enzyme. One of the most popular ones is saw palmetto.*

It was an important food source for early settlers in Florida. Early settlers included Florida's native population of Miccosukee and Seminole Indian tribes. And there's evidence that subsequent settlers, including the Spanish during the 16th century, used saw palmetto as a food source as well.

In 1879, Dr. Read of Savannah, Georgia, published the first paper on saw palmetto's potential health-promoting uses through his clinical experience with the plant.*
 

Derived from the berries of the Serenoa repens palm, saw palmetto is a plant native to the southeast region of the United States... primarily Florida. It's found naturally in a few other places around the world.

For years, saw palmetto berries in various formulas have shown promise to help...

• Boost your prostate health*
• Promote healthy hair*
• Recover from physical exercise*
• Promote a healthy libido*

And most of these health-promoting benefits with saw palmetto have not just been idle chatter... particularly where prostate health is concerned.*

Be Careful -- Not All Formulas Are Created Equal

While saw palmetto shows great promise for enhancing prostate vitality,* there appears to be significant inconsistencies with the formulas available. In fact, one study performed in 2008, comparing different brands of saw palmetto extract found that... “The potency of the extracts (Serenoa repens) appears to be very different, as well as the potencies of 2 different batches of the same extract. This is probably due to qualitative and quantitative differences in active ingredients.” 
 

Well, this is a bit disturbing and points to the fact that consistency of saw palmetto extract, even within the same brand, is a major concern. Here are some of the issues that can lead to possible inconsistencies...

• Saw palmetto berries harvested out-of-season – Many mass-producers use ‘green' berries picked before maturity which can lead to inconsistent and low-potency powder-based formulas.
• Inadequate control of berry sourcing – If you don't know where the berries come from and when they were harvested, it's almost impossible to ensure potency and high-quality consistency.
• Inconsistent extraction methodologies – Low-pressure extraction used by many saw palmetto producers does not typically yield a rich extract needed for a consistent formula. Plus, the use of chemical solvents and synthetic lubricants in the extraction process further adds to inconsistent potency issues.
• Poor product stability can result in a formula with unpredictable shelf-life. Without utilizing some form of a very high-quality natural preservation system for the saw palmetto extract, the longevity of the final formula could be jeopardized.
• Poor quality control and standard practices – There simply is no substitution for high quality controls when formulating any supplement. What my team discovered is not all saw palmetto producers show evidence of independent testing or levels of certification such as Certified Organic.