Advanced Prostate Cancer Diet

Is nutrition and diet a natural and effective way to slow the progression of Prostate Cancer? As discussed in "My History" blog entry I was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer in 2003. The cancer had spread to my spine and my Gleason score, which reflects the aggressiveness of the cancer, was a very poor 9 out of 10. The medical prognosis at the time was not very optimistic. So I did exactly what you're doing now, I read everything I could about my disease. The problem of course is that the internet presents as much bad information as it does good information. So what do you believe? The doctors had placed me on Hormone therapy which suppresses your testosterone in an effort to starve the prostate cancer. My response to this treatment was good but I knew I had to do more. There are vitamins, supplements and various foods that can help slow down the progress of advanced prostate cancer. I will deal with vitamins and supplements individually but this entry is a discussion of diet.

While my research was thorough, implementation of what I learned was a different story. While the following information may stop you from reading the rest of this entry I suggest you hang on a little bit longer. I was always overweight and a poor eater. I currently weigh 260 lbs. some of which can be attributed to the hormone therapy. Weight gain is an unfortunate side effect. The irony of me lecturing about nutrition is abundantly clear during support group meetings when the group leader asks me to present my latest findings. My presentation is invariably preceded by an elbow from my wife who is always encouraging me to eat better. The irony is never lost on her.

The prescription for a prostate healthy diet is not too dissimilar from the basic heart healthy diet. All health conscious diets recommend that you reduce red meat consumption and increase your fruits and vegetables. But here is the dilemma. What do you do at age 59 when you're told that you only have a few more years to live? 1) Do you go on a strict diet of limited calories and few of your favorite foods? or 2) Do you conclude that it makes no sense to deprive yourself of some simple pleasures during the last few years of your life?

No matter how you answer those questions there are some basic changes in your diet that can help slow the progress of your cancer. For me it's more about what I've added to my diet rather than what I've eliminated.

The two diets associated with longevity and reduced risks for prostate cancer are a typical Japanese diet and a Southern Mediterranean diet. The Japanese diet is high in green tea, soy, vegetables, and fish, as well as low in calories and fat. The Mediterranean diet is high is fresh fruits and vegetables, garlic, tomatoes, red wine, olive oil, and fish. Both are low in red meat.

Specifically, you should incorporate the following principles when reevaluating your daily diet:

1)Research has indicated that excess animal fat, primarily red meat and high-fat dairy, stimulates prostate cancer to grow. This is the one aspect of the diet that I have the most difficulty following. I do enjoy a good steak once in awhile. But now I limit my intake to the leanest cuts of beef.

2)Avoid trans-fats, which are known to advance cancer growth. Labeling has helped to identify foods with trans-fats. These include margarine as well as fried and baked foods.

3)Not all fats however, are unhealthy. You should increase your consumption of fish which contains significant concentrations of the cancer-fighting fatty acids EPA and DHA. The best choice is cold-water fish such as sardines, mackerel, salmon and trout. Fish should be eaten at least twice a week. Do not fry or char (as in barbecue) the fish. I also suggest that you avoid farm raised fish such as Atlantic Salmon. Instead seek out the wild Alaskan Salmon which has a higher content of EPA and DHA and less pollutants.

4)Avoid eating too many high-calcium foods. Studies have suggested that these foods may stimulate prostate cancer growth.

5)Virtually all health conscious diets agree that you should consume more fruits and vegetables. These foods contain powerful anticancer nutrients. Eat foods in varying colors as they tend to contain different groups of important nutrients. A large portion of your diet should consist of fruits, vegetables, fresh herbs, leafy green vegetables, seeds, berries and nuts.

6)Increase your consumption of foods containing Vitamin C. Foods high in this vitamin include citrus, berries, spinach, cantaloupe, sweet peppers, and mango. Be careful with grapefruit however, as evidence indicates that it neutralizes the effectiveness of prescription drugs.

7)Drink green tea which, unlike black tea, is not subjected to high temperatures in the drying process. This results in higher levels of a beneficial polyphenol called EGCG. This substance is reported to have beneficial health implications as it relates to Prostate Cancer.

8)Resveratrol is another beneficial polyphenol that research suggests can slow the growth of Prostate Cancer. This substance is found in red grapes, red grape juice and red wine.

9)Avoid preserved, pickled, or salted foods. This is another class of foods that causes me trouble as some of my favorite foods fall into this category.

10)Tomatoes and especially tomato products are very high in lycopene, a powerful anticancer substance. This substance is found primarily in tomato based foods that have been exposed to heat. Therefore, pizza sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup provide more lycopene than fresh tomatoes.

11)Olive oil is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants. It is also a staple of the preferred Mediterranean diet. This should be your number one source of oil. I prepare my own salad dressing using olive oil, either balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and spices from a store bought packet.