Original subtitles

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in men that is part of the reproductive system.

During sexual activity, the prostate gland helps produce semen, the nutrient-rich fluid

carrying sperm during ejaculation.

It is located just below the bladder in men and surrounds the top portion of the tube

that drains urine from the bladder.

An enlarged prostate (also known as BPH) puts pressure on the urethra, and this is where

the problem starts because you can't pass your urine through the tube properly due to

swelling, and the liquid starts getting backed up and trapped inside your bladder.

This can cause poor bladder control, especially during the night when you are trying to sleep.

You may also experience a frequent and urgent need to urinate, difficulty starting urination,

a weak urine stream or a stream that stops and starts, dribbling at the end of urination,

and an inability to completely empty the urine.

BPH is so common that it can affect 50 % of men between ages of 51- 60 and up to 90% of

men older than 80.

So, what causes Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) in the first place: The prostate gland

is controlled by powerful hormones known as sex hormones, including testosterone.

The prostate gland converts testosterone into another hormone called dihydrotestosterone

(DHT).

High levels of DHT cause the cells in the prostate to enlarge.

Studies show us that certain foods and beverages are known to have an impact on prostate health

because of their effects on testosterone and other hormones.

So, in today's video, we will focus on the top 7 foods you should avoid to control prostate

inflammation and progression.

You will also learn some simple lifestyle changes and remedies to help shrink your prostate

and improve your urine flow.

So, let's get started…

The first food to avoid if you have prostate problems is red meat: Eating red meat like

beef, mutton, or lamb on a regular basis amplifies the risk of prostate enlargement.

Even small amounts of meat can significantly increase the level of arachidonic acid, a

chemical that causes inflammation that worsens the BPH symptoms.

Therefore, avoiding or limiting your intake of foods that trigger an inflammatory response

is a good place to start when dealing with the problem.

The good news is that there are plenty of alternatives to red meat that won’t cause

such issues, including fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna, whose omega-3 content

makes it beneficial for prostate health.

The second food to avoid is Sugar: Another worst food for an enlarged prostate is refined

sugar, as it can trigger the inflammatory response in your prostate.

Besides an inflammatory effect, sustained hyperglycemia leads to insulin release and

an increase in insulin-like peptide concentration in the blood.

These substances promote cellular proliferation and contribute to prostate tumor growth.

Sugar is abundant in some obvious sources, such as cake and fizzy juice, but don’t

forget it is also added to processed foods to give them extra flavor.

This includes cereals, white bread, ready meals, and ready-made sauces.

It would be best if you tried to cut down your intake of these things in order to reduce

the pressure on your prostate.

You can swap these processed foods with fresh fruits, vegetables, wholegrain, nuts, and

seeds.

Not only are these better for the prostate, but they are also highly nutritious and healthy

too!

The third food to avoid is caffeine: Coffee and all other caffeinated beverages should

be avoided entirely by sufferers of BPH.

Caffeine has a diuretic effect, which can increase the urge to go to the toilet.

Drinking caffeine late at night amplifies the effects.

Furthermore, caffeine contains a compound called xanthine, which also increases urinary

urgency by irritating the bladder.

Green or chamomile tea are much better alternatives, with additional detoxification benefits.

If you are finding this information useful, please like this video, subscribe to our channel,

and hit the bell notification button to stay updated on our latest health and nutritional

tips.

The fourth thing that you should avoid is alcohol: If you have an enlarged prostate,

it is also recommended that you avoid drinking alcohol, especially beer.

There are several ways alcohol can cause BPH problems.

Firstly, it relaxes the muscles of your urinary tract, which could result in the need to urinate

more frequently.

Next, it is inflammatory, so it can exacerbate the inflammation already present in the prostate

gland.

On top of this, alcohol also acts as a diuretic; it dehydrates the body and can reduce the

stores of magnesium.

All of these things can make urinary symptoms more severe.

Moving on to the fifth food which is Dairy: Calcium in dairy products combined with their

high saturated fat content aggravates BPH by acting as an inflammatory agent.

Dairy foods are usually produced from the milk of cows or goats.

And they contain natural growth hormones (prolactin and IGF-1), which can irritate an already

enlarged prostate, causing the gland to start swelling up and putting pressure on your bladder.

However, since calcium is a bone-health essential, consider substituting regular milk with almond,

soy, or coconut.

Next, Sodium: A diet rich in high-salt foods has adverse effects on the urinary tract,

resulting in frequent urination and unbearable urges that may lead to a lack of control over

urination.

Similarly processed, monosodium glutamate and sugary foods put pressure on the prostate

by increasing inflammation.

Try to reduce your sodium intake and avoid processed items altogether.

Finally, let’s talk about spicy foods: Spicy foods such as chili and curry are yet another

thing you must be aware of if you suffer from an enlarged prostate.

Spicy foods can act as bladder irritants like caffeine and worsen urinary symptoms, particularly

urinary urgency.

Now let's explore some of the best lifestyle tips to help shrink your prostate back down:

Pumpkin Seeds: One of the most potent BPH-fighting foods that you can eat is pumpkin seed.

It contains zinc, vitamin E, and phytosterol, and all these work synergistically to reduce

prostate size by balancing your hormones.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C found in vegetables can play an important role in fighting BPH.

Bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C. One cup of raw bell peppers contains nearly 200

percent of your required daily vitamin C intake.

Other vegetables rich in vitamin C include broccoli, kale, and brussels sprouts.

Omega-3 fatty acid: One of the risk factors for an enlarged prostate is obesity, and an

increasing diet rich in omega-3s, along with exercise, helps decrease obesity and weight

gain.

These healthy fats can also protect you from cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, weight gain,

cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Fishes like salmon, trout, and tuna are rich in omega-3s.

If you are not a fan of fish, you can get omega-3s from flaxseed, chia seed, canola

oil, and walnuts.

Cut back on the foods listed in the video, especially sugar, processed meat, dairy, and

alcohol which are causing hormonal changes and inflammation in the prostate.

If you are a smoker, start cutting back and quitting because smoking can injure your blood

vessels and encourage prostate enlargement.

Start consuming salad containing cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, kale, collard

greens, or arugula daily to balance your hormonal level.

If you want to know more about what are the best vitamins for your prostate health.

Then check out our video on the top 6 vitamins that can shrink your enlarged prostate.