Many men today experience prostate health issues, especially middle-aged and older men who suffer from prostate problems such as prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The importance of the prostate is self-evident. To avoid prostate problems, it's important to take good care of your prostate while you're young.
Four Facts About Prostate
- The prostate is the largest accessory gland in the male body, weighing approximately 20 grams. Although small, it is closely related to urination and fertility.
- The prostate grows with age, accelerating after age 40. By age 60, 50% of men experience prostate hyperplasia.
- Advanced age, high-fat and high-protein diets, and those with a family history of BPH are more likely to develop BPH.
- Almost every man will experience prostate problems at some point in his life, with prostatitis, BPH, and prostate cancer being the three most common prostate diseases.
Follow these seven tips to protect your prostate:
- Eat a light diet and avoid tobacco, alcohol, spicy foods, and other irritating foods.
Toxic substances such as nicotine, tar, nicotine, and nitrosamines in cigarettes not only directly harm prostate tissue, disrupting its function, weakening resistance, and causing disease, but also interfere with the nerves that control blood vessels, affecting blood circulation in the prostate, leading to or worsening prostate congestion. Alcohol consumption dilates blood vessels, causing congestion in internal organs, including the prostate. Consuming spicy and other irritating foods can easily lead to prolonged prostate congestion in men. Combined with the stimulation of alcohol, the continued dilation of prostate blood vessels and prolonged congestion can trigger prostatitis.
- Eat more foods that are beneficial to the prostate, such as apples, pumpkin seeds, and tomatoes.
Tomatoes, apricots, guavas, watermelons, papayas, and red grapes all contain high levels of lycopene, with tomatoes having the highest content. American researchers believe that naturally grown tomatoes are rich in lycopene, phytochemicals, and other bionutrients that can help prevent prostatitis.
- Modify unhealthy lifestyle habits and avoid prolonged sitting.
Statistical studies have revealed an interesting phenomenon: among men with prostate problems, workers, farmers, and salespeople who frequently stand are less likely to suffer from prostate problems, while white-collar workers, clerical workers, drivers, postmen, and those who perform mental work are more likely to suffer from the disease. One reason for this is that these individuals spend too much time sitting. Prolonged sitting compresses the prostate, obstructing microcirculation and blocking the glandular ducts, leading to prostate congestion.
- Maintaining proper exercise.
Studies have found that patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis who exercise experience significantly better treatment outcomes than those who do not. This may be due to the fact that abdominal rotations, compressions, and levator ani exercises, such as those used in badminton and yoga, massage the prostate, unblocking the prostate ducts, promoting increased prostatic fluid secretion, relieving pain, and eliminating inflammation. Therefore, combined with exercise, it can aid in the recovery of prostatitis.
- Maintain a positive attitude.
Prostatitis is a chronic disease requiring a long treatment course and is prone to recurring episodes. Some patients expect to be cured in one to two weeks, or even a few days. These high expectations, coupled with a lack of understanding of the disease, can lead to restlessness, anxiety, and even depression, which can affect treatment effectiveness. Therefore, it's important to strive to overcome negative mental states and maintain a positive mental attitude.
- Maintain a regular and moderate sex life. Abstinence isn't recommended, but frequent intercourse is advised.
Prolonged sexual abstinence can lead to stagnation of secretions and dilation of the alveoli, causing edema in the tissues between the glands and resulting in aseptic inflammation of the prostate. Therefore, a regular sex life is essential for men to maintain prostate health. Regular and moderate sex primarily refers to control and avoiding excessive activity, not abstinence.
Although abstinence isn't as harmful as excessive sexual activity, it's equally harmful. Abstinence can cause a large amount of prostatic fluid to accumulate in the alveoli and ducts, leading to prostate swelling. In severe cases, this can cause discomfort and a sense of pressure in the perineum. Moderate and regular sexual activity can help excrete prostatic fluid and reduce prostate swelling. Therefore, from this perspective, regular sexual activity is beneficial for the recovery of chronic prostatitis.
- Drink plenty of water to promote urination.
Insufficient water intake can easily lead to metabolic dysfunction and increase the amount of toxic substances in urine. These toxic substances can easily flow back into the prostate duct, leading to prostatitis and other conditions. Therefore, it is recommended that everyone develop a regular water drinking habit to promote urination.