Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk: How the vegan diet works
Prostate cancer – a common type of cancer that is feared by men worldwide.
It occurs in the prostate (a small gland that produces fluid that nourishes and transports sperm).
Some types of prostate cancer progress slowly and require minimal to zero treatment. Other types are more advanced and aggressive. This is when the cancer has spread beyond the gland and hence, more profound treatment is needed.
In its early stages, prostate cancer does not show any visible symptoms. However, when it progresses without early intervention, some symptoms such as the ones listed below happen:
- Difficulty urinating
- Painful urination
- Pain felt on the hips, pelvis and back
- Blood in urine
- Blood in semen
Just like all other cancers, prostate cancer can be reversed or cured. Men can reduce risk of getting this cancer by making some changes to their diet by eating more plant-based meals.
Studies found that the plant-based diet can help prevent or reverse almost all types of cancer – including prostate cancer.
The plant-based diet, unlike other diets, is rich in fiber. It is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot digest. Although it cannot be digested, it offers many health benefits to the body. It lowers your cholesterol, controls your blood sugar and helps you maintain healthy body weight, important in cancer prevention.
Fiber binds up carcinogens to the stool and expels out of the body.
Yes, another wonder of fiber is that it helps the body eliminate carcinogens, aka cancerous subtances.
What you can do: Increase your intake of fiber by eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes and reduce intake of refined grains/refined carbs.
Too much red meat and processed meat can increase your risk of developing prostate cancer.
Meat, especially red meat and processed meat, are high in saturated fat and carcinogens. They’re even higher when cooked at a high temperature.
Worry about lacking protein?
What you can do: Meat is not the only food that contains protein. Soy products such as tofu and tempeh, beans, seeds and vegetables also contain protein! The key to get enough protein when on the plant-based diet is to eat a variety of these alternatives!
Choose good fats. Animal fats are found to be linked with an increased risk of cancer.
Animal-based fats are commonly found in cheese, butter, milk, lard, ice cream, and pastries. Animal-derived foods, as you may have already guessed, are high in saturated fats. A high-fat diet promotes prostate cancer’s aggressiveness and increases the risk of developing other cancers such as colon cancer.
What you can do: You are highly encouraged to add more plant-based fats into your diet. As an example, you can substitute butter with olive oil. If you are craving cheese, a more healthy alternative is using nuts such as cashew nuts (oh, and nutritional yeast works too). Olive oil and avocado are good sources of health fats as well.
The vegan diet can be easy to practise. If you’re worried about it being expensive, don’t worry because it’s not. As long as you focus on whole-food, plant-based ingredients instead of processed vegan meat, your wallet is safe! Read here to learn how you can survive on the vegan diet with a budget.
Are you finding it hard to eat healthy? Are you doubtful of the vegan diet? Give Meals by Savor Of Life a try!
We deliver whole-food, plant-based meals to your doorstep (within Klang Valley only). From Malaysian dishes to our homemade Where’s The Beef burger, you’ll love what we offer. Click below for menu.
