Protecting Your Guy
The quick answer: Remember how good the big hunk looked on your wedding day? To keep your guy around as long as possible, replace the sugar and most of the meat in his diet with cruciferous vegetables and a few Brazil nuts. Wives who cook control three of the five factors linked to prostate cancer in men.
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Could I tell a story? Early in the last century an engineer turned doctor developed a safe process for making intravenous solutions (IVs) and founded a company called Don Baxter Laboratories. Don Baxter is forgotten now but his IVs became central to medical treatment—it’s rare to see a hospitalized person today who is not hooked up to a number of IVs. I worked for Don Baxter’s company (later known as McGaw Laboratories) for many years and our products included solutions used in a surgical procedure called TURP. TURP stands for transurethral resection of the prostate, the standard treatment for men with urination and other problems due to an enlarged prostate.
The urologists we met were interesting: they were regular guys and if their standing in the pecking order of doctors was humble, they were good at home repairs and tended to have a workshop in the garage. In 1988 the status of urologists began to rise—a test for detection of prostate cancer (the PSA test) was introduced and a great hope arose that earlier treatment would reduce mortality of the #2 men’s cancer (after lung cancer). So urologists rose from mere plumbers for men to healers of cancer, or so we thought.
There was a basis for our faith in the early detection of prostate cancer. In 1943 Dr. George Papanicolaou published a paper of historical importance, “Diagnosis of Uterine Cancer by the Vaginal Smear”. Basically, he invented the Pap smear screening test, which detected pre-cancerous cells of the cervix and allowed early preventative treatment. If you look at the graph in our recent post on cancer, you can see the dramatic decline in uterine cancer since WWII, thanks to this good doctor.
So when the PSA test was introduced in 1988, it was presumed a similar triumph over prostate cancer would be achieved. Men who tested positive were given the standard cancer treatments—slash, poison, burn (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation). The side effects were dreadful but the benefit women received from the Pap test was not matched for men with the PSA test. (Two recent studies, ERSPC done in Europe and PLCO done in the US, showed no detectable benefit, or a benefit small enough to not offset the risk, for treatment indicated by PSA testing. The use of this test remains a topic of debate.) So prostate cancer seems much like breast cancer (discussed here): the best protection is prevention through lifestyle reform.
The chart above shows 75 years of cancer incidence for men. Prostate cancer (PC) is second only to lung cancer, and it’s interesting they have declined in tandem (a delayed benefit of the decline in smoking). The exact cause of any cancer is unproven but studies have linked these risk factors to prostate cancer:
1. Tobacco: The more you smoke the greater the risk; overall smokers have 40% greater risk and the risk is doubled for those with >40 pack-years. (A pack-year is one pack a day, done for one year, etc.)
2. Sugar: Sugar drives insulin and higher insulin levels are linked to PC risk as well as overweight. Overweight is a separate risk factor for PC. A 2008 study showed a 300% greater PC death risk for men with both high insulin (measured by C-peptide) and overweight. Avoid sugary drinks, refined carbs, and eat a low G.I. diet.
3. Meat: Eat meat sparingly; men who eat 5 or more servings weekly have 150% greater risk than those consuming 1 serving. Conversely, dairy products, especially from pastured cows, contain vitamin K2, which is protective of PC.
4. Vegetables: Veggies—particularly cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage—are protective against the most deadly PCs. Include them in your diet most days. Vegetables, whole grains, and especially Brazil nuts also provide selenium, which is protective of PC. Eat a few Brazil nuts weekly.
5. Exercise, in the sun: Men who got three or more hours of vigorous exercise weekly had a 61% lower risk of dying from prostate cancer. Vitamin D also reduces risk, so consider running on the sunny side of the street.
Budget Wisdom: Compare the cost of cruciferous vegetables to meat and you’ll find a real savings. These veggies are also protective of women’s cancers. An interesting fact: A generation ago Americans spent about 15% of their income on food and 10% on medical care. Today the numbers are reversed but you can save by spending wisely on food now and less on medical care, down the road.
Please Comment: Share your best ideas and recipes for including cruciferous vegetables in the family diet. In the next post we’ll feature a recipe for coleslaw.
Need a reminder? Download our Healthy Change reminder card. Print and fold, then place in your kitchen or on your bathroom mirror to help you remember the Healthy Change of the week.
Chart found here
Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 11:06AM | by Skip Hellewell | 21 Comments | 3 References | Share Article | in cancer, healthy change, journal studies | Email Article
Reader Comments (21)
I don't know what your coleslaw recipe will be, but for people who hate coleslaw, but like raw cabbage, I just discovered this recipe that was a hit at our house. The first cole slaw I've ever been able to get my family to eat.
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2011/05/recipe-for-red-rock-brewery-style-no.html
Here's one of my favorite broccoli soups.
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/broccoli-cheddar-soup-recipe.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+101Cookbooks+(101+Cookbooks)
Love this post Skip! I need my man to read it too...off to send him the link! Thank you for going to such trouble to provide us with accurate, informative and helpful advice.
I read most of this post to my husband and he found it interesting. I am trying to increase all of our vegetable intake. I hope people will have lots of recipes to share!
This might seem like a silly question, but when you write 'tobacco' or 'smoking' as a risk for prostate cancer, does that include chewing tobacco? i assume it would, but I always just see smoking.
Ashley, the "smokeless" tobaccos like the chewing tobaccos have their own cancers—typically cancer of the lip, gum, whatever they contact. Cigarette smoking is the deadliest use of tobacco. Best.
Our family's favorite way to eat broccoli is cooked with a little chicken broth. I usually stir fry a bit first to carmelize the broccoli a bit then add the broth (maybe 1/3 cup?) and continue cooking and stirring over med-high heat until the broth is gone. ( I recently made it for a large group as a side dish to lasagna and all the children asked for seconds and thirds of the broccoli - not more lasagna.)
Having served my mission in Germany, rotkohl (sweet and sour braised red cabbage) is my favorite way to eat cabbage. There are lots of recipes for it but this one looks closest to the one I use http://www.frontiernet.net/~rang/rotkohl.html
Thank you for all these wonderful articles. We are working hard to improve our diet and everything you post gives me more to consider and implement.
Honestly, this recipe for Pasta with Hashed Brussels Sprouts and Pine Nuts may change your life. It’s that good.
Shredding, or hashing, the brussels sprouts is such a fun and different way to eat them.
http://orangette.blogspot.com/2007/11/refilled-and-refueled.html
Enjoy!
i love both broccoli and cauliflower, but can definitely increase them in my family's diet to include them both each week. typically i just steam cook them and add them to whatever we are having for dinner that night. i've also done a broccoli and cauliflower bake that was pretty good with bread crumbs on the top. my husband is a vegetarian, which means i eat like a vegetarian 97% of the time. so we probably eat more veggies than the average family to help fill up our plates : )
Yesterday, I kept thinking how I totally know that couple but couldn't think from where. Duh, it's totally Dave and April. How do you know them?
Hi Dave and April....it's Ange and Jon :) (Britt and Corey's friends)
Thank you Skip. I <3 my man! I know you judge your blog by your responses, but don't until after summer ok?
Hello from the Hill Cumorah Pageant ( DH and I are on staff and our family is in the cast as well)where we are eating meat sparingly, exercising in the sun, and hoping kale chips are considered cruciferous vegetables.
My brother and I like to do what we call "Ultimate Salad". We make up our own little salad bar at home. We get as many possible healthy items and load them on to a salad. Lately I have been leaving out the meat option item. My brother hasn't even noticed since there is so many other items to fill up on. It's also a great way for everyone to pick their favorites for their own salad.
Whenever there's lettuce involved I almost always add spinach and lately I've been adding cabbage too. So if I put lettuce on a sandwich, in goes spinach and cabbage. If I'm making a salad, I toss it with spinach and cabbage. I also made this super good coleslaw (I've tried making coleslaw and I always hated it but finally worked out a recipe I like). It's very light and crisp, not too tangy.
2 cups Cabbage, shredded very thin
2 carrots, shaved
1 green onion, chopped
1 pkt Stevia In the Raw Extract
2 Tbl Olive Oil
3 Tbl Rice Vinegar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
Toss together cabbage, carrots and green onion. In a separate bowl whisk together stevia, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over the cabbage and toss until well coated.
I love cabbage in stir frys, egg rolls, or on Thai pizza. Here's the recipe for Thai pizza. I like it better than regular pizza!
http://sachasrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/10/thai-pizza.html
I love Melissa Clark's recipe for Roasted Broccoli and Shrimp. I've also made it with half broccoli and half cauliflower. It's even great without the shrimp. Frankly, this recipe introduced me to roasting broccoli and now I do it all the time because it is delicious. Here's a link to the blog posting where I first saw the recipe.
http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2009/01/melissa-clarks-roasted-broccoli-with-shrimp.html
http://delightfuldelicacies.blogspot.com/2011/05/slowing-down.html
This is a cauliflower and kale stem soup we tried this week. It was delicious.
My husband adds cabbage to the base of his spaghetti sauce and stew. He cooks it down with onions and things and it adds a great depth of flavor.
This following link is for a store that will go without packaging soon...looks interesting
http://in.gredients.com/
The easiest way for me to cook brussel sprouts is to clean them up (removed any damaged outer leaves and excess stem to your preference) put them in a casserole dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and oven roast them until soft (I use whatever temperature I need for any other dish (300-425 deg F), it just takes longer at lower temps).
The roasting caramelizes the outer leaves then crisps them slightly for a new dimension of taste.
To get your kids to eat kale, wash, dry and roast the same way as above until crispy. The kids will gobble them up like potato chips. Seriously, I make kale crisps for me and my kids (3,6,8 years-old) eat them all!
I'm loving this blog, and I"m loving all the recipes and links!
I really love your blog! Thanks you! I really feel like we're making some great healthy changes thanks to what I'm learning here.
When my oldest was a baby we would steam the cauliflower/broccoli etc. and just eat it like that - no salt, no sauces, no butter - because that's supposed to be best for babies. He got older, but we had another baby so we kept doing it that way. Now, nine years later, we prefer them that way. I love that we're eating broccoli [etc] + my kids know it's broccoli + they love it because it's broccoli.