If you ask a man what is his biggest fear about aging, you will probably hear him talk about the fear of the dreaded receding hair line. Perhaps he will even point to his belt and complain about the ever expanding waist line. But will he really express to you his most hidden fear? The fear that all men have as they reach a certain age. The fear of prostate cancer.

A friend once told me about the conversation that he and about 25 of his workmates were having while they were waiting for a meeting to start. There was the usual small talk about work and sports until one person mentioned that a noted celebrity had a bout with prostate cancer. With that one statement, about 8 of the 25 men began speaking up about prostate problems of their own. One 45-year-old already had his prostate removed, others were being tested for high PSA numbers, a few were being examined for nodules on their prostate. Roughly, one third of the men in the room were dealing with prostrate problems.

Nationwide, the American Cancer Society estimates that 192,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2010. Over 27,000 men will lose their battle with the disease this year alone. It is the most common type of cancer for men over 50 and it is starting to show up in younger men.

The prostate gland is a small walnut shaped gland that produces seminal fluid. The cancer that attacks the prostrate is usually slow moving and if discovered early, it has a good chance of being successfully treated. Discovering prostate cancer early is one of the difficulties. Men are sometimes scared of being tested and frightened of finding out that they may have the dreaded disease. The immediate reaction to learning of even the slightest prostate problem is the thought of losing their sexual functionality. The thought of having cancer becomes secondary to the thought of losing the ability to perform sexually.

Here are some early signs of prostrate problems:

* Trouble urinating
* Decreased force in the stream of urine
* Blood in your urine
* Blood in your semen
* Swelling in your legs
* Discomfort in the pelvic area
* Bone pain

No one knows the exact cause of prostate cancer, some want to blame it on diet, and others will say life style. The one thing that we are sure of is that some cells start to mutate and divide abnormally and in time the accumulation of abnormal cells begin to form a tumor.

Treatments for prostate cancer:

There are at least 10 ways to medically treat prostate cancer, from surgery to radiation. For the natural medicine practitioner, diet is usually the first thing to change. Most nutritionists agree that a diet consisting of vegetables and fruits, especially organically grown, is the first step. The diet should include greens like cabbage, spinach, broccoli, and turnip greens – fruits like berries, apples, grapes and oranges. Lycopene found in tomatoes and beta carotene found in carrots are also helpful in the fight against cancer.

Foods to Avoid

Stay away from dairy products, and processed foods containing processed sugar and refined flour. Processed foods deplete the body of calcium and nutrients and feeds cancer cells. Avoid, cakes, pastries, butter and processed fatty foods.

There are many websites that will give you a complete list of healthy foods and nutrients to combat prostate cancer .The most important point ,however, is for men (regardless of age) to schedule an appointment with a urologist for a complete and thorough prostrate examination.

Detected early enough, prostate cancer does not have to be a death sentence for men or their manhood.

Deepti Sadhwani, MD, is Board Certified in Internal and Bariatric Medicine. Dr. Deepti Sadhwani’s medical practice, Quality Health Care, is located in Sebastian. For more information call 772-581-2373 or visit www.QHCCenter.com.