Prevent prostate disease, this needs attention

All men are at risk for prostate disease. Just like other organs, the prostate can also experience problems that can harm the body and of course interfere with activities, especially in your sexual life. Fortunately, you can prevent prostate disease by living a healthy lifestyle, one of which is exercise.

Lifestyle changes to prevent prostate disease

Indeed, the older you are the more at risk of prostate disease. In fact, age is the biggest factor that can make you more likely to have BPH (benign prostate enlargement). However, you can still reduce other risk factors by adopting various healthy habits such as the following.

1. Maintain body weight with a healthy diet

Obesity is one of the factors that can cause various prostate diseases such as BPH and prostate cancer. Especially when the size of the waist circumference is increasing, this is believed to be followed by the increase in the size of your prostate.

In addition, obesity can also increase the pressure which inhibits circulation of blood flow. When blood circulation to and from the prostate is not carried out efficiently, there is an increased risk of genetic mutations that lead to prostate cancer.

So that this does not happen, of course you must immediately change your lifestyle, including regulating the food consumed daily. Try to start eating regularly three times a day at the right time and with sufficient portions.

Also apply a balanced diet, meet nutritional needs by consuming foods from different groups such as carbohydrates, fiber, and protein. Here are some food ingredients that are known to be good for consumption if you want to prevent prostate disease.

• Fish. Several types of fish, especially salmon, sardines, and trout contain good fats that can help prevent inflammation of the body. Because the body cannot produce omega 3 fatty acids, fish can be the right source to meet their needs.
• Berries. Berries are known for their excellent source of antioxidants to fight disease-causing free radicals. Antioxidants help neutralize and eliminate free radicals from the body. Some of the fruits to choose from are strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
• Broccoli. Broccoli contains the phytochemical sulforaphane which can target cancer cells and maintain prostate health.
• Tomato. Tomatoes, especially those that have been cooked, contain an antioxidant called lycopene which is good for prostate gland cells.

2. Sports

Apart from maintaining a diet, another way to maintain body weight and of course also prevent prostate disease is exercise. Not only prevents, it turns out that exercise can also help the healing process for those who have undergone treatment or surgery for prostate disease.

Maybe some of you think that people who have an enlarged prostate are not allowed to do strenuous exercise because it can make the condition worse. In fact, there are certain sports movements that can actually be used to reduce the symptoms experienced by people with prostate disease.

a. Kegel exercises

As reported by the UCLA Health page, Kegel exercises are a type of exercise that is suitable for people with prostate disease.

Kegel exercises are exercises that aim to tighten your pelvic floor muscles. These muscles help manage the flow of your urine. Kegel exercises are also useful for helping men regulate their urine after prostate surgery and train the muscles around them.

b. Aerobics

Aerobic exercise, such as swimming, walking, and jogging is quite helpful for burning calories, reducing prostatitis pain, and the risk of anxiety and depression.

This is evidenced by a study from the BMJ Open which revealed that aerobic exercise such as walking can be a therapy for people with prostate disorders.

In fact, regular aerobic exercise can also increase antioxidant compounds in the body and reduce inflammation that occurs in the body.

c. Muscle strength training

This muscle strength exercise helps you increase muscle mass, tone bones, and reduce body fat. Because the prostate is a muscle, one way to maintain its health that can prevent prostate disease is muscle strength training.

To keep your stamina stable, you can do some sports that involve strength, such as lifting weights, push-ups, and pull-ups.

Keep in mind, in patients who have experienced prostate abnormalities, it is not recommended to do so sit-ups or movements involving the abdominal muscles because it is feared that they could worsen urinary incontinence.

3. Stop smoking

Smoking is still one of the biggest causes of death in the world. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that there are six million cases of death worldwide each year due to tobacco consumption.

Indonesia ranks third in the list of countries with the largest cigarette consumption in the world after China and India. According to data obtained from Basic Health Research in 2018, there are 28.8% of the population over the age of 10 who smoke in Indonesia.

In fact, avoiding smoking is very important to do in order to maintain a healthy body, including as a way to prevent prostate disease.

Carbon monoxide found in cigarettes will stick to red blood cells until the cells die. This reduces the body's capacity to carry oxygen in the red blood cells and makes it more difficult for them to flow, especially to the prostate.

Smoking also adds free radicals to the body. Free radicals can cause chain reactions, including gene mutations and the development of cancer cells in organs. Therefore, you should avoid consuming it if you do not want to increase your risk of prostate disease.