Tag Archives: Prostate

Men Urinary Bladder Flow- Prostate Health

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Men’s Urinary Bladder Flow and Prostate Health

As we get get older our flow from the bladder seems to lessen quite a bit. Most men will say when younger, their stream could put out a fire a mile away. Often when a patient uses the rest room in my office, I noticed two things:

  • it takes a few minutes to “start the flow”
  • Once started, the flow does not sound strong

This immediately causes me to mention bladder, urinary tract and prostate health to these men and at times force a conversation about the bladder, bladder stones, Candida/Yeast and Prostate Health & Cancer

Many guys have already been prescribed Flomax, also known by its generic name Tamsulosin, (an alpha-adrenergic blocker). It’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help improve urine flow in men who have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

I have been in practice for 43 years and probably for about 40 of those years, I recommend Small Flowered Willow Herb Tea to help with the urinary flow in males and even at times females. I ask the patient to brew the tea and drink 1-2 cups daily on an on/off basis for the rest of their lives. Usually but not always, I start this request around the age of 45 and very rarely do I encounter resistance. One would think a man would be hesitant to brew a tea but surprisingly, they do it without issue. Why? Because they can tell the difference once they start using it!

Over the past few years the tea is available in concentrated drop form and here I recommend one dropperful morning and evening. Some men do both.

I have a fairly good record using Willow Flower. Does it work with every single male? Probably not as we all have our own unique extenuating circumstances. BUT it certainly cannot hurt to use it

Yeast/Candida

We will now broach the subject of Yeast/Candida that can be transmitted in various ways most commonly from sexual relations. Yeast likes to grow in dark damp places such as the area where the prostate gland and bladder are “hiding” I believe it to be a major player in causing but not the cause of Prostate Cancer. A male can smell candida the minute he makes his move to urinate “it stinks down there”. There are women whom have said they can smell their husbands genitals as soon as they walk in the door—this “fishy” odor in both sexes is attributed to Yeast/Candida

I

I treat this issue using Bicarbonate of Soda aka Baking Soda. Usually but not always 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon diluted in 8-10 ounces of water 1-3 x daily depending on the uniqueness of the situation.

The Tiny Prostate Gland:

The prostate’s most important function is the production of a fluid that, together with sperm cells from the testicles and fluids from other glands, makes up semen. The muscles of the prostate also ensure that the semen is forcefully pressed into the urethra and then expelled outwards during ejaculation.

As we get older, all this sperm cells, fluid, semen etc. does lose some of its importance but should still function somewhat.

What is Benign Prostactic Hyperplasia?

Benign Prostactic Hyperplasia (BPH) is the enlargement of the prostate gland and is common as men get older. An enlarged prostate gland can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms, such as blocking the flow of urine out of the bladder. It can also cause urinary tract infections and or kidney problems or both. In some instances men will sit on the toilet for a very long time trying to urinate but to no avail.

In very bad cases TURP Surgery which is a Trans Urethral Resection of the Prostate will be recommended. There is a 50/50 chance of working; it may not work forever; but in most cases worth the try. TURP surgery is considered major surgery.

Prostate Cancer:

When doing autopsies on young men killed during the Vietnam War, doctors noticed that many of them had prostate cancer cells in their prostate at a very young age. However, prostate cancer is very slow moving and had they not died during the war, they would not know they had prostate cancer until much later on in life.

This tiny gland the size of a walnut can reap havoc for men as they enter their golden years of life. Science does not yet know the cause.

Best Medical Treatment Today:

The best medical treatment so far and depending on the often inaccurate PSA and Gleason score is the PSMA-PET-CT Scan that can detect prostate cancer metastases with high sensitivity and specificity. For actual treatment, the External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) with high dose rate (HDR) Brachytherapy boost procedure seems to be the best science has to offer at this time. This is a different treatment than low-dose rate Brachytherapy (with radioactive seeds). The challenge is finding the right doctors who know how to apply these advanced therapies.

This leads us to the question and the purpose of this post which is “what can we do NOW to avoid this in the future?

Amygdalin:

Amygdalin is a compound found in the pits or seeds of apricots, apples, peaches, plums, red cherries, and other fruits. It’s also in bitter almonds. A partly man-made, purified form of amygdalin, known as Laetrile, was patented in the 1950s and became a popular alternative cancer treatment during the 1960s and ’70s. It’s now banned by the FDA and hasn’t been available in the U.S. since 1980.

I use 1-3 products formulated by Apricot Power to support prostate health without or with cancer. And this is another product whose usage varies dependent on the condition but as far a I am concerned there is enough data out there to warrant the use of them

This leads us to the question and the purpose of this post which is “what can we do NOW to avoid this in the future?

  • Willow Flower Tea especially beginning after age 45
  • Keep an eye on the Yeast/Candida Overgrowth by taking the Bicarbonate 2 months on 3 months off
  • Apricot seeds in the form of the seeds themselves or in Apricot Power Amygdalin B17 100/500mg; and Apricot Power TMG B15 (also known as non-toxic pangamic acid)
  • Plenty of Good Quality Alkaline Water or Slightly Alkaline Water
  • Avoid Coffee, Tea even decaffeinated
  • Be very careful with ALCOHOL
  • Limit Spicy Foods

Will these things work? Let’s hope so. If we do get or succumb to Prostate Cancer, at least we did our best to avoid it!!!

Please contact me for information on how to order these products and for the ton of other information I have on this subject.

TRUTH ABOUT WATERMELONS

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The Truth about Watermelons…and Benefits

By: Catherine Ebeling 

Nothing says “Summer” better than a cool, refreshing, sweet, juicy, delicious slice of ripe watermelon—no matter what time of year it is. But I often hear cautions on eating watermelon—that it is high glycemic, full of sugar, mostly water, not very nutritious, etc.

NOTE: While watermelon does contain fruit sugar —fructose — like all other fruits, it is nearly 92 percent water. Just because it tastes sweet does not make it high in sugar. … This term, called glycemic load, is very low for watermelon — meaning that blood sugar is not changing much after eating it-but for diabetics, don’t overdo it!

Right? Or wrong?

While watermelons are mostly water—90% or so, they are also full of vitamins A, B6, C, lycopene, antioxidants and minerals. Remember hearing about the lycopene in tomatoes? Watermelon, another red-colored fruit, is FULL of this powerful phytonutrient! In fact, watermelon has some of the highest levels of lycopene of all fruits and veggies. Just one cup of watermelon has 1 and a half times the lycopene of a large fresh tomato. And who eats just one cup of watermelon? I know I don’t!

Because watermelon is one of the best sources of lycopene with more than 6,500 micrograms in less than half a cup, you are getting an army’s worth of inflammation-fighting antioxidant activity! Lycopene from the red flesh of watermelon is very stable, even after the watermelon has been cut and stored in the refrigerator. Lycopene is thought to be even more powerful than its other orange/red colored ally, beta carotene—found in red and orange fruits and veggies.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Lycopene is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, valued for its role in protecting the cardiovascular system, bone health, and preventing cancer. Along with lycopene, watermelons contain another powerful phytochemical, citrulline, an amino acid. Citrulline gets converted into another important chemical in the body, arginine, or L-arginine. Arginine is used to create nitric oxide, which has powerful benefits on the heart and blood vessels. NO can actually cause blood vessels to relax and open up, lowering blood pressure and helping the body carry more oxygen to parts of the body where it is needed–like muscles, your heart and your brain. A study from Florida State University found that watermelon could make a significant difference in lowering blood pressure–especially in overweight people, by relaxing the blood vessel walls.

Citrulline, when it converts into arginine, can also help prevent excess accumulation of fat in fat cells, because it blocks an enzyme that stores this fat. And because citrulline is a precursor to nitric oxide, it can also help improve erectile dysfunction in men, in a similar way that Viagra works—although you would have to quite a bit of watermelon to get the same effect as Viagra.

As you can see in this article, watermelons are on the list of foods that beat statins for heart health!

It’s All About the Lycopene

Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants, capable of destroying free radicals which attack our bodies and can contribute to chronic disease and aging. In one study of 13,000 adult Americans, low levels of carotenoids were a key predictor of early death. Especially low blood levels of lycopene! Lycopene protects our cardiovascular system, the male reproductive system, and in the skin, it protects and prevents UV damage from the sun.

Several studies have been conducted showing the strong link between levels of lycopene and heart disease. Analyses from the Physicians Health Study showed a 39% decrease in stroke risk in men with the highest blood levels of lycopene. Another study in Finland following 1,000 men for 12 years has had similar results as well.

Lycopene is also responsible for limiting the enzyme responsible for making cholesterol, so eating foods with more lycopene also helps to reduce cholesterol—specifically, LDL cholesterol.

Anti-Cancer Power

Lycopene is a life-saver in more ways than one! Besides its cardiovascular benefits, lycopene’s antioxidant power extends to anti-cancer effects as well. A 2014 meta-analysis of 10 studies shows dietary lycopene to be protective against ovarian cancers, as well as brain tumors and breast tumors.

And of course, we know about lycopene’s value in fighting prostate cancer. In several studies, higher intakes of foods containing lycopene and a higher serum or plasma concentration of lycopene was associated with a very significant decreased risk of prostate cancer—especially the more lethal kind of prostate cancer. When researchers studied only the men who had had at least one high risk PSA test, the subjects had a 50% decreased risk of lethal prostate cancer.

“Based on these results, we hypothesize that the consumption of a diet rich in lycopene-containing foods reduces the aggressive potential of prostate cancer by inhibiting the neoangiogenesis that occurs in tumor development,” Dr. Giovannucci’s team reported online ahead of print in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.”

Other studies have shown lycopene’s powerful cancer fighting ability effective against lung cancer, esophageal, stomach, pancreatic, colorectal, and cervical cancers as well.

Extremely Good for Rehydration

Watermelons get their name because they are over 90% water, and that water is full of electrolytes and potassium which helps you stay hydrated or to rehydrate. The perfect fruit to eat on hot summer days, or after a hard, sweaty workout! And that delicious juice can also help prevent muscle soreness—especially if you have watermelon before your intense workout.

It’s Not Just the Red Part

While most of us only eat the juicy red flesh of the watermelon, the whole thing is actually edible and chock full of nutrients! From the red center to the stem end, and also the blossom end–including the white part near the rind–are a plethora of impressive antioxidants, flavonoids, lycopene, and vitamin C. Even the green rind is full of nutrients. The rind is full of chlorophyll, and contains even more citrulline than the red flesh. Try throwing your watermelon rinds into the blender with fresh squeezed lime juice for a healthy slushy treat.

It is still best, however, to pick ripest, reddest watermelon you can find. Lycopene content continues to increase all the way up until the time the watermelon is at its reddest and ripest.

And don’t spit out those seeds, unless you are in a watermelon seed-spitting contest! The black watermelon seeds are not only edible, but actually extremely good for you. They are full of iron, zinc, fiber and protein. Seedless watermelons are ok to eat too—they are not genetically modified, only hybrid forms of watermelon bred especially for their no-seed content.

Watermelons also are rich in anti-inflammatory substances including cucurbitacin E, triterpenoid which help to block the pain and inflammation of certain enzymes, in a similar fashion as NSAID’s like ibuprofen and aspirin.

While being very low in calories (only about 46 calories in a cup), watermelon also contains an impressive variety of other important essential nutrients including:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin B6
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium

The Age-Old Question—How Do You Pick the Perfect Watermelon?

It can be a huge gamble finding the perfect, red, sweet watermelon. But—if you know what to look for, there is a real method to finding the best one. Look on the underside of the watermelon for a pale, butter-colored yellow spot—not white or green. This is one of the best indicators of the ripeness of the watermelon. Also pick up a few and choose the one that is heaviest for its size. Many people ‘thump’ the watermelon to check its ripeness too—listen for the best hollow bass sound.

Be aware that watermelons do contain a reasonable quantity of fructose, so be mindful of your sugar intake, and eat watermelon in moderation.  With that said, because watermelons are so filling, and have both high water content AND high fiber content, the old myth that watermelons are high glycemic is not entirely true… This is because the “glycemic load” of a watermelon is actually fairly low since it’s nearly impossible to overeat large quantities of a food that is as filling as watermelon