Prostate cancer is a cancer that occurs when the cells in the prostate gland begin to grow out of control. The prostate gland is found in the male reproductive system, it’s located between the bladder and the penis, it produces an important fluid that helps transport sperm and keeps them safe.
Causes of prostate cancer
There are no known causes of prostate cancer but there are factors that can put you at risk of developing it, these factors are as follows:
Age: men from the age of 50 years are prone to develop prostate cancer because the prostate gland begins to enlarge as the man gets to 50 years
Family history: Familial prostate cancer is cancer that runs in a family, this occurs as a result of genes and environmental factors, a man whose father is diagnosed with prostate is at more risk of being diagnosed with cancer too.
Race: the black race has a higher record of this cancer than the white race.
Poor eating habits: consumption of red meat and food rich in saturated fat puts a man at more risk of developing this cancer.
Symptoms of prostate cancer
The following are the symptoms you should look out for:
- Blood in urine
- Erectile dysfunction
- Inability to control your bladder.
- difficulty in urinating
- Blood in semen
- Excessive urinating
- Trouble emptying the bladder completely.
- Break in the flow of urine
- Bone pain
- Unexpected weight loss
- High fever
When you experience these symptoms, endeavor to see the doctor.
Prevention of prostate cancer
It’s important to note that while you try to avoid developing this cancer, factors like age, family, and ethnicity can’t be taken away as these are key risk factors for this cancer.
The following are ways to prevent the development of this cancer:
Develop a healthy eating habit: to reduce the chances of developing this cancer, you should pick eating health habits such as:
Eating more fruits and vegetables: increase your intake of fruits and vegetable as study has shown that they contain substances that can slow the growth of prostate cancer or prevent it entirely.
Increase intake of bit D: take more food and supplements rich in vit D such as fortified bread, lamb liver, salmon, mackerel, egg, and fortified yogurts or you can get vit D by sitting under the sun for 10 mins without a sunscreen.
Reduce intake of fatty food: avoid saturated fats and eat healthy fat such as omega 3.
Be sexually active: men who ejaculate more often are at a lower risk of developing prostate cancer, this is because ejaculation helps get rid of cancer-causing materials in the prostate gland.
Exercise more often: men who exercise more often are at a lower risk of developing this cancer, as a man, you should develop the habit of exercising your body, and try out activities such as running, walking, and even swimming.
Maintain a healthy weight: obesity is one of the risk factors for this cancer, a man with a (BMI) body mass index of 30 or higher has a higher chance of developing this cancer, to avoid this, cut down on the amount of unhealthy fatty foods you consume.
Stop smoking: smoking increases your chances of getting this cancer, quitting might not be easy if you smoke but your health is more important.
Talk to a doctor: the older you get, seek medical attention with or without experiencing any of the symptoms.
Conclusion
Prostate cancer is the second most cancerous cancer and it’s peculiar to men only, this cancer has different stages, symptoms, and prevention, and it occurs in men from age 50.