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.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
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