New Health Challenge: Prostate health

So, I was diagnosed with BPH- benign prostatic hyperplasia. Just for a convenient guideline, 50% of 50-year-old men have it, and 80% of 80-year-old-men have it. It doesn't necessarily lead to cancer; in fact, there are some lifestyle changes that can slow down or even prevent its development. Apparently there isn't hard evidence that the symptoms of BPH can be reversed, so basically once you develop it, it's more or less a matter of managing the symptoms.

What causes it? Once again, Science is inconclusive, but evidence suggests the Standard American Diet, lack of exercise and being overweight- the western office worker trifecta- is the main culprit. In a nutshell, the SAD diet produces inflammation, and acidifies the urine. Both situations irritate the prostate and cause the cells to grow. Eventually the urethra, which is right next to it, is  crowded to the point that it becomes harder to completely evacuate when you pee. This can result in nasty, painful infections. It can also eventually lead to impotence. Yay.

There are official treatments for the symptoms. The pills involve relaxing muscles and spawning a dieuretic effect. Both can have adverse reactions which can lead, paradoxically, to the same symptoms caused by BPH. So I am going to try to manage this with diet and exercise. Foodwise, the basic strategy is eating in the Mediterranean and Asian foodways. Stay tuned!