Five simple steps to help maintain a healthy prostate.

An enlarged prostate is a common complaint in men over the age of 50, with 40 percent of men over the age of 50 and 75 percent of men in their 70s reporting symptoms, according to Prostate Cancer UK. Your risk of developing an enlarged prostate (also known as BPH) increases the older you get.

Symptoms often include a weak urine flow, needing to urinate more often (especially at night), a feeling that your bladder has not emptied, difficulty starting to urinate, dribbling urine, needing to rush to the toilet and blood in your urine.

You may only experience a few of these symptoms or you may not have any symptoms at all. If the condition is left untreated, it can lead to acute or chronic urine retention – leading to further complications.

Not only are men at risk of developing an enlarged prostate but they are also at risk of developing prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer UK reports that one in eight men in the UK will get prostate cancer at some point during their lives.

So it’s really important to take care of your prostate, particularly as you age. Here are our top five steps:

1. Focus on oily fish
Omega-3 fatty acids have fantastic health benefits and are particularly helpful for prostate health. Studies suggest that omega-3 helps reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer and supplementing with fish oil has been found to slow the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Adults should aim to have two servings of omega-3 rich fish every week, such as salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, trout and tuna. If you’re not keen on fish, try a fish oil supplement instead.

2. Drink green tea
Experts suggest that green tea can help protect against prostate cancer as it contains the ingredients catechin, xanthine derivatives, epigallocatechin-3-gallate and epicatechin, and evidence suggests that these compounds prevent the development of prostate cancer.

In a review published by Chinese Medicine, researches found a decreased risk of prostate cancer among men who consumed more than five cups of green tea per day.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients that are thought to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Evidence suggests that berries are particularly useful, due to being rich in antioxidants and vitamin C.

Antioxidants protect against oxidative stress and vitamin C helps to ease BPH symptoms by reducing swelling and promoting urination.

Also opt for tomatoes, watermelon and other red-coloured fruits and vegetables as they are rich sources of the antioxidant lycopene, which gives them their bright red colour. Research suggests that lycopene may help to lower the risk of prostate cancer.

4. Choose plant-based fats oppose to animal-derived fats
Studies indicate a link between animal fats and an increased risk of prostate cancer. Experts believe that this is because a man’s intake of dietary fat, which is abundant in meat and other animal products, increases testosterone production, which in turn increases prostate cancer risk.

In addition to meat, animal fats are found in lard, butter, cheese and hard sweets, but can also be found in ice cream, chocolate, crisps and chewing gum. When possible opt for plant-based fats oppose to animal-based, for example use coconut oil instead of butter and swap cheese for nuts or seeds.

5. Opt for soybeans
Soy is rich in isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen plant compound, which protects prostate health and lowers the risk of prostate cancer. Studies have also indicated that soybean isoflavones reduce BPH growth.

Research carried out by the National Cancer Institute shows a link between the consumption of soy and reduced levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). PSA is a protein produced by your prostate, the PSA test measures the level of PSA in your blood and is used as a screening test for prostate cancer.

Soybeans are also a rich source of beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol thought to reduce the symptoms associated with BPH.

If you don’t like soybeans, you can try other soy products such as soy nuts, soy cheese, tofu or edamame. You could also swap cow’s milk for soy milk in your cereal or coffee/tea to get more soy into your diet.