Men’s Health Issues
- The other day a gentleman in the shop was complaining that I do not feature enough articles specifically aimed at men. I am sorry for this. Many of my articles are appropriate for both men and women, but I do know that there are probably a large amount of articles that are aimed at women’s hormonal problems. So to try and redress the balance, this week I am taking a look at the Prostate gland. One of the main health issues that can affect men only, as they age.
The Prostate Gland
The prostate is a small gland found in men. It sits just under the bladder and with age, it has a tendency to enlarge. This condition is commonly referred to simply as ‘an enlarged prostate’. The medical term for an enlarged prostate is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The use of the word benign is significant – it indicates that the condition is not life-threatening. The enlarged prostate is an increasingly common problem as a man becomes older.
Problems with the Prostate
It is estimated that:
* 3.2 million men in the UK have symptoms arising from an enlarged prostate
*50% of men over the age of 50 show signs of prostate enlargement
*By the age of 70, about 80% of men have an enlarged prostate
Although an enlarged prostate is not in itself a life-threatening condition, it can give rise to a number of inconvenient symptoms which if severe enough, can affect your health and quality of life. As the prostate enlarges, it presses against the bladder and interferes with the way it works. This gives rise to a number of symptoms relating to bladder function and urination.
MOST COMMON PROSTATE SYMPTOMS:
*Having to get up at night for a pee
*The need to pass water frequently
*Poor urine flow – also known as poor stream
*Dribbling at the end of urination
If you suspect you have an enlarged prostate gland, the most important thing to do is to have the diagnosis confirmed by your doctor. Do not, as many men do, suffer in silence!
NATURAL WAYS TO SUPPORT THE PROSTATE:
Once you have confirmed that you have an enlarged prostate there are a number of things you can do to help yourself. Foods such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage and kale appear to be beneficial to eat, as are foods rich in zinc such as pumpkin seeds, pine nuts and shellfish.
SAW PALMETTO – PROSTATSAN
As well as dietary changes, it could be worth while seeking out a good Saw Palmetto extract, like Vogels Prostasan. Saw Palmetto berries have been used for many years as a herbal treatment for symptoms of an enlarged prostate and Vogels Prostasan now has a traditional herbal medicines licence for the treatment of the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. We have many customers who use this product and swear by it, including one man who was previously getting up 4-5 times every night to pass water, who now tells us he often goes through the night without getting up now! Another gentleman tells us that using Prostasan has enabled him to go on coaching holidays with his wife again, something he had stopped doing due to the frequency of his bladder.