Steps You can Take to Reduce Your Risk of Prostate Cancer

By: Cindy G. Castillo

Did you know that prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men?

According to KwikMed, around 233,000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, and 1 in 7 men can expect to have the disease during their lifetime.

This is why the medical site has taken a lead to provide you with steps to take that will possibly help protect you or a family member from the development of this cancer.

1. Achieve a Healthy Body Weight

There is a link between body weight and the risk for prostate cancer. A body mass index over 30 increases your risk of more advanced prostate cancer, and achieving a healthier body weight may also reduce your risk of lymphoma and cancers affecting the colon, kidney, thyroid and pancreas.

2. Physical Activity is Important

A review of 43 studies has found that men between the ages of 20 and 65 who were more active were significantly less likely to have a prostate tumor. Of course, the younger you begin enforcing physical exercise, the more benefits this will bring on your overall health. Regular exercise can also protect against colon cancer as well and you’ll also benefit your heart, lungs, bones and mood.

3. Increase Intake of Lycopene

Lycopene is the red pigment that gives tomatoes their color and is a potent antioxidant.  It is useful as it helps neutralize free radicals, which have the potential to cause cancerous changes within body cells. Dietary intakes of lycopene are linked to a lower risk of cancer of the prostate, reducing the risk of all prostate cancers by 9% and fatal cancers by 28%.

4. Avoid High Dose Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

A detailed review of the influence of dietary supplements on prostate cancer risk found that vitamin and mineral supplements cannot be recommended, especially vitamin E and selenium, of course, if taken in large quantities.

5. Consider Medication Options

Although most drugs can be safely taken without increasing your risk of prostate cancer, if you take anabolic steroids to increase your muscle mass, you should reconsider using these. This is because anabolic steroids increase levels of testosterone in the body, which is a risk factor for prostate tumors, and indeed prostate cancer is more common among people who use this type of steroid.

Find our more information at:

–http://www.kwikmed.org/5-steps-reduce-risk-prostate-cancer/