110
|
WINTER
2015
ESCARPMENT
®
WELLNESS
|
MEN’S HEALTH
Youmayhaveheardrecently
thata federal task forcehasadvisedagainst
testingblood levelsof PSA (ProstateSpecificAntigen). Primarilybecause if elevated their next
often-advised step isbiopsyof thegland,whichcanhaveadverse sideeffects suchas infection
and lead to unnecessary treatments. 'Unnecessary' becausemany of these tumours are slow
growing, and therefore thebenefit of treatment does not outweigh the risks,whichcan include
impotenceand incontinence.
Lookingat the body froma functional perspective, naturopathic doctors (ND) still find PSAa
useful tool aswecangleanvaluable information from thenumber.
ElevatedPSAwithmildornourinarysymptomsmaybeasignofayeastovergrowth (Candida),
bacterial infection, hormonal imbalance (prostate cells have receptors for estrogens & testos-
terone)or increasedbodyburdenofheavymetals (cadmium&/orarsenic). Thesecanbeeasily
assessedand treatedbyyourND.
If cancer hasbeendiagnosedbyyouroncologist, and the 'WatchfulWaiting' approach is rec-
ommended (fora lowGleasonscorecancer),natural remediescanbeveryhelpful insupporting
healthyprostate function.Nutrientswithbeneficial effectson thisgland include:
✔
green teaextract (EGCG)
✔
curcumin
✔
inositol hexaphosphate (IP-6)
Prevention
of course, is thebestmedicine. Youcanhelp support yourprostateby:
✔
eating foods rich inzinc: pumpkin seeds, oysters!, tahini, beef, lamb, toastedwheatgerm
✔
dailyejaculation
✔
avoidingcigarette smoke: thecadmiumcompeteswithzincand increasesactivityof an
enzyme thatwillmakemore testosteronemoreaggressive
✔
consuming1-2Tbspground flax seeddaily
✔
avoiding foodswrapped/stored in soft plastics
✔
incorporating stressmanagement techniques in toyourdaily routine: toprevent testosterone
beingexcessivelyconverted toestradiol (estrogen), apotent growth stimulator
ANaturopathicDoctor canhelpby:
✔
testinghormoneandheavymetal levels
✔
supportingahealthy stress response
✔
providingspecificdietaryandnutrient recommendations tosupporthealthyprostate function
✔
orderingPSA test every3months, tomonitor your response to treatment.
|E|
Prostate
HEALTH
by ShelbyWorts ND
Detection of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA),
Tumor marker for prostate gland.
The result showed positive (double purple band )
Men, your prostate is awalnut-sized gland that
allows urine to flow freely through its core and
produces a fluid that constitutes 30% of semen.
Consequently, keeping it healthy is important
for both urinary function and fertility.
SHELBYWORTS, ND
