The road to recovery
We talked to Louisa Fleure, one of our specialist support and information nurses about the road to recovery after prostate cancer treatment
Once your treatment or operation is over, the right post-treatment care can make a world of difference. It’s important to maintain a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle to aid your recovery. Here are just a few of the steps you can take to help.
Diet
A balanced, healthy diet will benefit your overall health and reduce your risk of all cancers as well as conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Research is emerging which suggests that some foods may not only help to prevent prostate cancer, but may also slow down the growth of prostate cancer in men who have already been diagnosed.
The do’s
For a healthy diet you should base your meals on starchy foods such as potatoes, rice and pasta and eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. You should also include some protein in your diet, like fish, skinless chicken and pulses and try to drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day.
Some studies have also suggested that lycopene, found in tomatoes, watermelons, pink grapefruits, guava and papaya, may slow down the spread of prostate cancer. Foods rich in selenium, such as Brazil nuts, and pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds may also be of some benefit.
Drinking green tea may protect against the development and growth of prostate cancer. However, you may need to drink around six cups a day for the beneficial ingredients to have a significant protective effect. This may sound like a lot but, if you want to include green tea in your diet, you may find it easier to drink it in place of your usual hot drinks throughout the day.
The don’ts
Avoid fatty snacks like crisps and biscuits
and use less fat when cooking. Also cut
down on your salt and sugar intake, look
out for excessive amounts hidden away
in processed foods and soft drinks.
Remember that eating with family and
friends is also a pleasurable social event
so don’t sacrifice your enjoyment of food,
introduce small changes gradually to help
you stick to your new diet.
Staying active
Regular exercise also plays an important part in recovery, helping to reduce stress, improve circulation and boost your energy levels. If you’ve had surgery you should increase your level of activity gradually, avoiding moderate to heavy lifting for at least six weeks.
Your continence
If you’ve had surgery for prostate cancer you may have difficulty with the control of your bladder. This may be especially problematic in the early weeks. Many men find that their symptoms will improve with time. You can help this by doing regular pelvic floor exercises. Details of the exercises along with information about products to deal with incontinence can be found on our website.
A healthy sex life
Prostate cancer and its treatment can affect your sex life and your fertility. Many men will find that their sex drive and their ability to have sex have been affected by surgery. Some doctors recommend early treatment to encourage blood flow in the area. However some men prefer to explore treatment options later. There is a wide range of treatments available and sources of help and support. Just visit our website for more details.
drink up!
One small study
has shown that
pomegranate juice
may slow down
the rate of PSA
increase in men
whose prostate
cancer has
reoccurred and
whose PSA level
is rising. A larger
trial, currently
underway, may
confirm the benefit
and may also
uncover whether
pomegranate juice
has a preventive
role as well.
New Research
Can soy help?
According to new research, the low rates of prostate cancer in Asian men may be partly due to their soy-rich diet. Although we need more evidence, one study carried out in Japan suggests that the intake of isoflavones may decrease the risk of localised prostate cancer.
Soybeans are the most common source of isoflavones. You can find soy in most supermarkets and health food shops but if you decide to add it to your diet, try to choose traditional forms such as tofu, miso and tempeh rather than processed products such as burgers.
Prostate cancer and obesity
According to a new US study, men who are overweight
or obese when diagnosed with locally advanced prostate
cancer are at a greater risk of dying after treatment. Results
show that men with a body mass index over 25 are more likely
to die of prostate cancer in five years than those of normal
size. We now need to understand how factors such as diet
and exercise affect survival rates and whether different types
of prostate cancer treatments produce different results.
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