Diet and Prostate Cancer

Excellent post from Dr. Gabe Mirkin on prostate cancer and diet. Dr. Mirkin is by no means a vegan, but he will report whatever the science says. And regarding prostate cancer, he says things like . . .

"Multiple studies by Dr. Ed Giovannucci of Harvard show that a plant-based diet is the best way to help prevent prostate cancer."

"A study from the University of Hawaii showed that prostate cancer occurs much less frequently in men who eat yellow and orange vegetables such as corn and carrots, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. A report from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle showed that men who eat three or more servings of vegetables a day have a 48 percent reduction in prostate cancer compared to those who don't eat vegetables. Other studies show that men who eat soy foods, which are full of flavones, have a lower incidence of prostate cancer."

"Eating meat raises your chances of developing prostate cancer. So does drinking large amounts of milk and taking calcium supplements that deplete your body of vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D are a major risk factor for prostate cancer."

He also cites the Omega-3 fatty acids in fish as being a healthy defense against prostate cancer. But the Omega-3 fatty acids in fish come from the algae they eat—a plant food. Admittedly, eating fish is more tasty (because of the flavor of cooked fat) than eating algae, but you can get some of the same Omega-3 EFAs (long-chain DHA and EPA) from taking algae-derived Omega 3 supplements, as well as by taking in large amounts of other plant-form Omega-3 (like flax, chia, and hemp seed, walnuts, purslane, and other dark leafy greens), from which the body gets the EFA alpha-lenolenic acid (ALA) which the body partially converts to DHA and EPA. So eating fish is not mandatory—but getting adequate DHA/EPA essential fatty acids is.

Dr. Mirkin concludes by saying . . .

"At this time, the best diet to prevent prostate cancer is loaded with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and other seeds, and deep-water fish; limits meat and whole milk dairy products; and has ample amounts of vitamin D (preferably from sunlight)."

In other words, eat a plant-BASED died (the above diet is BASED on plants), or better yet, eat a vegan (all plants) diet.

You can read Dr. Mirkin's short post here.