Walnuts for prostate cancer, osteoporosis and CHD

Americans are being kept in the dark about a natural cure for prostate cancer and osteoporosis by none other than the US Food and Drug Administration. [Image]

More scientific evidence confirms that walnuts have some amazing properties: not only did they reduce tumor size in mice, but they also lowered LDL, the “bad” kind of cholesterol that leads to heart disease, according to a new study published in theBritish Journal of Nutrition last week.

“If additional research determines that walnuts have the same effect in men as they do in mice, adhering to a diet that excludes walnuts to lower fat would mean that prostate cancer patients could miss out on the beneficial effects of walnuts,” said lead researcher Paul Davis.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men. One in six men will be diagnosed with it, but only one in 36 will die from the disease because most tumors do not spread beyond the local site, according to the National Cancer Institute.

“These characteristics of prostate cancer make adding walnuts to a diet attractive as part of prostate cancer prevention,” Davis added.

Walnuts have also been shown to reduce bone loss, a serious issue especially for post-menopausal women.  But food packages cannot contain such information per the FDA.

Heart disease is a growing problem for the elderly.  Because walnuts have a high level of linoleic and linolenic acid, they reduce the risk of heart disease by decreasing LDL-cholesterol and increasing HDL-cholesterol, research has shown several times, even as far back as 1993.

Adding further support to the benefits of a whole food diet, the 2012 study also led researchers to conclude, “The walnut diet’s beneficial effects probably represent the effects of whole walnuts’ multiple constituents and not via a specific fatty acid or tocopherols.”

The California Walnut Board funded the research, and is also funding a follow-up mouse study (co-funded by the American Institute for Cancer Research), to validate the findings and explore possible reasons for the beneficial effects of walnuts.

Not one to allow the American public alternatives to deadly cancer treatments (basically, cut, poison and burn), in 2010 the FDA required Diamond Food to remove all links to scientific studies that support claims that walnuts lower cholesterol and reduce tumor growth.

The FDA also bans cherry sellers from making the claim that they may act as an anti-inflammatory and reduce pain, along with reducing tumor size, even though several studies have shown this likelihood.

You have to wonder why a governmental agency whose primary mission is to protect the public would ban scientific evidence showing beneficial effects of natural, unprocessed foods.  The FDA bizarrely asserts that because natural foods have been scientifically shown to prevent or ameliorate disease, those foods are thus classified as drugs.

But, there’s a huge difference between what grows naturally on this planet and what chemists create in a lab.  Natural foods neither require nor deserve governmental oversight.  Truthful claims about curative or ameliorative effects should not be censored.

For some governmental agency to assert that natural foods are drugs because they are curative is absurd.  For that agency to suppress such information about cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease and pain is just plain evil.

Healers have understood the medicinal benefits of food and herbs for thousands of years.  Over 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

Lycopene Helps Prevent Prostate Cancer

Lycopene is an antioxidant carotene that is responsible for the red color of tomatoes, one of the primary food sources in people’s diets. Unlike beta carotene, lycopene does not potentially convert to vitamin A. Various studies have indicated that lycopene is associated with less occurrences of prostate cancer. Several new studies pinpoint precise mechanisms that explain why lycopene is a helpful nutrient for men who wish to reduce their risk for prostate cancer.

Almost two decades ago researchers showed that lycopene had potent anti-cancer properties, reducing insulin-like growth factors that are common driving forces in male and female hormone related cancers.

In 2002 researchers from Harvard Medical School evaluated the lycopene intake of 47,365 men over a 10-year period, looking at the relationship of lycopene intake and the risk for developing prostate cancer.  They found a 16 percent risk reduction for tomato consumption in general and a 24 percent risk reduction for tomato sauce consumption, as lycopene is liberated from vegetable fiber in cooked tomato products. Several years later researchers at Harvard School of Public Healthidentified that higher blood levels of lycopene were associated with a 53 percent risk reduction for prostate cancer in men aged 65 and older.

One small human study showed that 30 mg of lycopene supplementation per day for 30 days, prior to prostate cancer surgery, shrank the growth of prostate cancer and reduced their prostate specific antigen (PSA) by 18 percent.  Another study in men with prostate cancer showed that 30 mg of lycopene per day prevented their PSA from rising further, leading researchers to conclude that lycopene “may delay progression of both hormone-refractory and hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.”

Another study involved men with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), an inflammatory state of the prostate that is a risk factor for developing prostate cancer. PSA levels rise in response to BPH and lower as the inflammation declines. Study participants took 15 mg of lycopene per day for six months. Results showed that lycopene reduced PSA and prevented an increase in the size of the prostate, indicating the progression of BPH had been inhibited, therefore reducing the risk that BPH would progress to prostate cancer.  Another study showed that lycopene, in both BPH patients and prostate cancer patients, increased the death rate of abnormal prostate cells.

No human data suggests that lycopene is a one-shot remedy for the prevention or treatment of prostate cancer. However, it is pretty clear that higher lycopene intake is associated with better prostate health and less risk for prostate cancer. This means that lycopene, in conjunction with other protective nutrients, a healthy diet, and a health promoting lifestyle, is one thing a man can do to help reduce the risk for serious prostate problems.

What has been lacking in all of these studies is a clear molecular explanation on how lycopene helps the prostate. And that gets us to the two new studies by Taiwanese researchers. These studies explain the first precise biological mechanism by which lycopene inhibits prostate cancer, in both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer.

They have discovered that lycopene turns up the activity of two gene signals, PPARγ and LXRα, which directly inhibit the growth of prostate cancer.  I should point out that both of these gene signals are dysregulated by obesity, especially when blood sugar levels are rising (insulin resistance and/or type 2 diabetes).  This means that the benefits of lycopene for prostate health will be synergistic with healthy weight loss and/or regulation of blood sugar, if either issue is a problem.  This data also helps explain why aggressive prostate cancer is associated with obesity.

Furthermore, lycopene lowers the cholesterol level in prostate cancer cells, something it does not do in healthy cells.  While most people think of cholesterol in the LDL and HDL frame of reference, every cell in your body has cholesterol in its cell membrane that provides structural stability and survival, including cancer cells.  By reducing the cholesterol content of cancer cells they become weaker and unable to reproduce at a robust pace.

Prostate cancer is now a common problem in America, expected to deteriorate the health of 1/3 of all men during the course of their life. Natural strategies, such as regular consumption of lycopene, offer a beneficial route men can use to reduce their risk as well as support medical treatment should they have a problem.

I3C and DIM for Breast & Prostate Cancer Prevention

A renewed scientific interest in the cancer preventing properties of cruciferous vegetables has gripped the scientific community in the past few years.  Cruciferous vegetables, when digested, produce a variety of sulfur rich metabolites.  Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and diindolylmethane (DIM) are especially important.  I3C and DIM exhibit great potential for the prevention and part of the treatment for breast and prostate cancer.  They may provide specific benefit in risk reduction for these cancers when associated with being overweight, which typically involves the most aggressive forms of breast and prostate cancer.  This review brings you up to date on the current state of the science.

Epidemiologic studies, while sometimes inconclusive, support the intake of cruciferous vegetables for the prevention of breast and prostate cancer.  U.S. researchers at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute found that intake of cruciferous vegetables in premenopausal women was inversely associated with the risk of breast cancer.  The researchers concluded, “cruciferous vegetables may play an important role in decreasing the risk of premenopausal breast cancer.”

Researchers at Yale University found that men with the highest intake of cruciferous vegetables cut their risk for spreading and aggressive prostate cancer in half.  These men had two or more servings of cruciferous vegetables per week, mostly broccoli and cauliflower.

Cruciferous vegetables contain sulfur rich glucosinolates that need to go through an enzymatic reaction before producing the cancer fighting I3C and DIM.  The enzyme that does this is called myrosinase, which is actually part of cruciferous vegetables.  When you cut or chew a cruciferous vegetable the enzyme comes in contact with the glucosinolates, starting the formation process of I3C and DIM.  DIM is actually two I3C molecules connected together during the digestive process.

Unfortunately, various factors may reduce the cancer-fighting potency of cruciferous vegetables.  Boiling, steaming, and microwaving can reduce the activity of the myrosinase enzyme.  Because glucosinolates are water-soluble they are readily leeched into the water when cruciferous vegetables are boiled, reducing their content up to 58 percent.  Due to these factors, eating cruciferous vegetables raw or lightly sautéing them will help maximize the amount of I3C and DIM that may be formed.

Fortunately, dietary supplements of I3C and DIM can provide high levels of these potent nutrients in a single and convenient capsule, wherein one capsule contains far more I3C and DIM than a serving of cruciferous vegetables.

I3C, DIM & Breast Cancer

The buzz about I3C and DIM got started a number of years ago when it was found that they directly influenced estrogen metabolism so as to make estrogen less problematic in terms of breast cancer risk.  Estradiol can be metabolized to 16alpha—hydroxyestrone (16αOHE) or 2-hydroxyestrone (2OHE).  If too much estrogen goes down the 16aOHE pathway it is considered “bad” because it can stimulate the growth of breast cancer.  Balancing this potential issue is the 2OHE estrogen pathway, which is called “good” because it offers protection against breast cancer.  Women with breast cancer are known to have higher levels of the “bad” 16aOHE. The ratio of good to bad is a primary indicator of breast cancer risk, a relationship that has also been demonstrated in postmenopausal women.

Researchers demonstrated in women at risk for breast cancer that a dose of 300 mg – 400 mg per day of I3C can significantly change the ratio of estrogen metabolism, reducing the bad and boosting the good.  Doses of 200 mg or less were not effective.  Other researchers using similar doses confirmed that I3C boosted 2OHE production while lowering 16aOHE as well as lowering estradiol and estrone.  A recent human trial has again documented the ability of I3C to favorably impact estrogen metabolism in both pre and postmenopausal women.

Not all women have imbalanced “good” and “bad” estrogen metabolism.  Too much bad estrogen metabolism can be predicted by high estrogenic menstrual cycles (heavier blood flow, cramps, headaches) as well as cyst formation or endometriosis.  Postmenopausal women with a prior history like this are also likely to have imbalanced estrogen metabolism.  Any woman with an at-risk breast cancer profile, including family history, will want to minimize the likelihood that estrogen metabolism can go awry.  And remember that all of these risk factors are increased if a woman is overweight.

The cancer fighting potential of I3C and DIM is not limited to estrogen imbalance.  The scientific case that these compounds can inhibit breast cancer directly via multiple mechanisms has been building for more than a decade.

In 1998 University of California, Berkley researchers injected I3C directly into breast cancer cells.  I3C halted the cancer cell division by blocking cancer cell DNA duplication.  This lead to another study by the same researchers to see if the I3C was as effective as Tamoxifen, which carries numerous undesirable side effects.  They injected the first group of human breast cancer cells with I3C, a second with Tamoxifen, and a third with I3C and Tamoxifen.  The cells injected with Tamoxifen alone experienced a 60 percent inhibition in DNA synthesis, the cells injected with I3C had a 90 percent inhibition, and the combination had a 95 percent reduction.  These studies support the use of I3C for the prevention of a recurrence of breast cancer.

Numerous human, animal, and cell studies followed and continue to this day, showing that I3C and DIM are potent nutrients to protect female health.  This body of science was reviewed by the prestigious MD Anderson Cancer Center, a place where state-of-the-art gene related cancer research and nutrition takes place.  Their scientists concluded, “Numerous studies have indicated that I3C also has a strong hepatoprotective activity against various carcinogens. Initial clinical trials in women have shown that I3C is a promising agent against breast and cervical cancers.”

As explained in the above study by MD Anderson researchers, I3C and DIM have been proven to help protect against the human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer.  HPV is a common vaginal infection that is transferable to the mouth of men via oral sex and has been implicated in the dramatic rise in throat cancer in men.

I3C, DIM & Prostate Cancer

The same research group at Berkley also proved that I3C has powerful prostate cancer killing ability.  In 2003 they demonstrated that I3C could directly interact with prostate cancer cells and kill them.  They also showed that I3C lowered the production of prostate specific antigen (PSA).  In 2005 they proved that I3C directly interacts with the androgen receptor to reduce spreading of prostate cancer.  A finding of this nature is quite important, as I reviewed in an earlier feature length article, Prostate Cancer & the Androgen Receptor – A Clearer Picture of the Problem.  In 2009 this research group published a detailed review of the science supporting the use of I3C and DIM relating to breast and prostate cancer.

Researchers at Wayne State University School of Medicine have also done extensive research on I3C, DIM, and prostate cancer.  This is what they had to say, “The results from our laboratory and from others provide ample evidence for the benefit of I3C and DIM for the prevention and the treatment of prostate cancer.”

Overweight, I3C, DIM & Cancer

As a person gains weight hormonal signaling systems become confused.  Insulin does not work properly, which results in insulin resistance.  The structure of insulin is very close to the structure of growth hormone.  In fact, growth hormone signaling is referred to as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).  When insulin and insulin-like signaling get confused, bad things can happen.  Growth hormone, instead of repairing your body and keeping it young, can actually help cancer grow.  Both breast and prostate cancer seek to hijack IGF-1 signaling to fuel their growth.  While this is not necessarily the cause for the cancer, it is an important cofactor required for the growth and spread of the cancer.  Hijacking IGF-1 signaling is easier in the already confused metabolism of an overweight person, which is why the more overweight people are, the more at risk they are for aggressive breast or prostate cancer.

Research at the U.S. Department of Agriculture now shows that part of the anti-cancer activity of I3C and DIM is the reduction in inappropriate excess signaling of IGF-1.  This finding may have widespread application value for many types of cancer that hijack IGF-1 as part of their spreading process.

A fascinating new area of research is studying the impact of I3C on obesity.  Animal studies are showing that I3C has a direct impact on white adipose tissue, boosting adiponectin to reduce insulin resistance while lowering triglycerides and leptin, in turn preventing weight gain from a high fat diet.

A second study by this research group found that I3C could reduce the inflammation associated with a high fat diet while propping up the ability of fat burning genes to work better.  This study helped expand the understanding of the multiple beneficial mechanisms I3C contributes toward preventing weight gain or helping weight loss.

Collectively, these studies indicate that I3C and DIM play a protective role against the undesirable metabolic effects of obesity that contribute to breast and prostate cancer risk.  Furthermore, they may actually help weight loss.  Regardless, they offer protection to an overweight person.

Summary

I3C and DIM now have adequate science to support their use in the prevention of breast and prostate cancer, especially in those who are overweight and have issues with hormone imbalance.  In women this means issues of estrogen surplus.  In men this means prostate swelling or elevated PSA.  Plus, it is a top choice nutrient to help prevent a recurrence for any person who has had breast or prostate cancer.

The wide array of gene signaling influenced by these compounds to reduce inflammation and improve hormonal communication is fascinating.  Certainly, everyone should have several servings of cruciferous vegetables as part of their diet each week.

It is certainly nice to know that a simple capsule of I3C and DIM can provide the equivalent of 5-10 servings of cruciferous veggies.  If you don’t eat these veggies you could simply take one or two capsules per week.  If you want therapeutic support then women need 400 mg of I3C per day and men need 600 mg.

Ginger root is a miracle cure for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most over-treated cancers out there. By 50 years of age, about 40 percent of all men already have prostate cancer and likely will never know it. But it will not kill them either – unless they are screened for it and then treated with Big Pharma protocols. Then things take an ugly turn as the benign and slow-growing cancer turns into the killer kind. The numbers for prostate cancer doubles to 80 percent of all men by the age of 80 years old. If you are in the business of selling cancer treatments, this is a financial boon and a cash-cow.

The male prostate gland naturally enlarges with age. The bigger it gets, the greater the chance that some of the cells in the prostate will turn cancerous. This is mainly due to our highly inflammatory diets full of gluten, cancer causing GMOs, sugars and chemical additives combined with our sedentary lifestyles and poor stool habits.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force this year found that PSA blood tests are too unreliable and give false positives 80 percent of the time with 1,000 men needing to be screened just to prevent a single prostate cancer death – but that’s not the worst of it. Many will succumb to impotence, incontinence, heart attacks and even death from treatment of tiny tumors that never would have killed them in the first place.

Ginger is the miracle cure

The British Journal of Nutrition published the results of an American study recently in which ginger extract (zingiber officinale) actually killed human prostate cancer cells while healthy prostate cells did not die. The results occurred at a daily dose of 100 mg of ginger extract per kg of body weight (based on a man weighing 150 pounds this equals about 550 mg extract per day). In eight weeks, the ginger extract slashed prostate tumor growth in half. The researchers have estimated that 100 grams of fresh ginger eaten daily will offer the same results.

As a cancer champion, ginger has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiproliferative effects upon tumors making ginger a promising chemopreventive agent. Whole ginger extract holds significant growth-inhibitory and death-inductory effects in a spectrum of cancer cells by interrupting cancer cell-cycle progression, impairing cancer reproduction and modulating apoptosis. But most importantly, ginger does not have any toxicity in normal, rapidly dividing tissues such as gut and bone marrow.

Ginger taken orally can prevent or relieve nausea resulting from chemotherapy, motion sickness, pregnancy, and surgery.

Not only can ginger root cure cancer, but it is a natural remedy for travel sickness, nausea, indigestion, flatulence, colic, irritable bowel syndrome, loss of appetite, chills, poor circulation, menstrual cramps, dyspepsia, heartburn, indigestion and many other gastrointestinal problems. Ginger root is also a powerful anti-inflammatory for joint problems and is indicated for arthritis, fevers, headaches, toothaches, coughs, bronchitis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis, high cholesterol and blood-pressure and can also prevent internal blood clots. Ginger is even anti-viral and makes a warming cold and flu remedy.

Prostate do’s and don’ts

There are studies showing that men consuming large amounts of synthetic folic acid and zinc oxide are more likely to develop prostate cancer. Men also taking large amounts of high-dose multi-vitamins develop prostate cancer more frequently. On the other hand, other studies suggest that fish oil, magnesium, curcumin, broccoli and lycopene (found in tomato products) help protect men against cancer. Avoiding all GMO foods and processed foods along with their litany of chemical additives is a must for prostate health. Maintaining a low-carb diet is also known to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Oh, and don’t forget to take ginger root.

Sources for this article

Cancer Research 1999 Mar 15;59(6):1225-30.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2007;99:754-64.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21849094
http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/36/2/278.full
Prostate. 2008 Jan 1;68(1):11-9.

About the author:
Craig Stellpflug is a Cancer Nutrition Specialist, Lifestyle Coach and Neuro Development Consultant at Healing Pathways Medical Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ. http://www.healingpathwayscancerclinic.com/ With 17 years of clinical experience working with both brain disorders and cancer, Craig has seen first-hand the devastating effects of vaccines and pharmaceuticals on the human body and has come to the conclusion that a natural lifestyle and natural remedies are the true answers to health and vibrant living. You can find his daily health blog at www.blog.realhealthtalk.com and his articles and radio show archives atwww.realhealthtalk.com

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/038215_ginger_root_miracle_cure_prostate_cancer.html#ixzz2ZmT2IkO6

Prostate Cancer

by Alakananda Devi (Alakananda Ma ), M.B., B.S. (Lond.)

Prostate cancer, Ayurvedically, is a tumor of the prostate gland involving provocation of all three doshas. Because the prostate gland forms part of the male reproductive system, shukra dhatu, prostate cancer reflects the physical, emotional, and spiritual relationship which the affected man has had with his reproductive capacity. And because the shukra dhatu is the seventh and last dhatu, receiving the essence of food refined through the previous six dhatus, any disorder at this level also reflects the overall relationship with the entire body. Negative lifestyle habits and diet, which seem at the time to have caused no harm, may eventually manifest in the form of tridoshic disturbance of the prostate gland.

Causes of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer arises from a combination of doshic disturbances in the shukra dhatu and accumulation of ama, or toxins, in the vicinity of the prostate gland. Once one dosha is provoked in the shukra dhatu, and this provocation goes unchecked, the other two doshas will gradually accumulate there also, leading totridoshic provocation.

There are many factors which lead to vata provocation in the shukra dhatu. These include excess discharge of semen, emitting semen during the daytime, and habitually emitting semen outside the context of a safe, nurturing relationship. Hasty or surreptitious sexual activity, without time to relax afterwards, will also provoke vata. Holding back the natural urge to ejaculate, once at the point of ejaculation, is very vata provoking and also causes congestion of the prostate gland. Excess bicycle riding, or other forms of "bumpy" activity involving sitting astride a saddle, will also lead to vata provocation in the shukra dhatu. Exposure to electromagnetic fields, microwave or radiation is another significant cause of vata in shukra, particularly if one habitually sleeps near a live electrical outlet. Habits that are generally vata-provoking to the entire system, such as working night shifts, drinking coffee, and over-consumption of raw or dry foods, may eventually cause vata provocation in the shukra dhatu.

Pitta may be provoked in the shukra dhatu due to exposure to infective agents such as gonorrhea or syphillis. Consumption of spirits, spicy food, salt, or sour fruits, may also provoke pitta in shukra. If anger or frustration is associated with the reproductive act, pitta will quickly become provoked in the reproductive system. Stagnation of one's creative energies, excess sleep, lack of exercise, a sedentary lifestyle, and a high fat diet, may cause kapha to accumulate in theshukra dhatu, leading to benign prostatic hypertrophy or, if the other doshas become involved, to prostate cancer.

Because of its anatomical position, the prostate gland is vulnerable to the accumulation of ama in both the urinary bladder and the colon. Benign prostatic hypertrophy may cause partial or complete urinary retention, leading to ama and infection in the urinary bladder. This in turn causes ama to accumulate in the prostate gland, where a malignancy may eventually develop. Above all, toxins accumulated in the colon and rectum are readily transferred to the prostate gland, where these toxins may give rise to carcinoma. Thus constipation, indigestion, improper food combining (such as mixing milk with meat, fish, beans or grains), eating immediately before sleeping, snacking, and any factors that create toxins in the colon are directly implicated in the causation of prostate cancer.

Environmental toxins ingested in food and accumulated in the colon may expose the prostate gland to carcinogenic chemicals such as pesticides and solvents. The shukra dhatu is also particularly vulnerable to the effects of radiation exposure. Radiation is a tridoshically provoking factor which may, at this time in history, be playing a significant part in the etiology of prostate cancer. Unfortunately, the burden of proof rests on residents in the locality of a nuclear installation environment, whose cancers may be related to nuclear emissions.

Detection of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer can be detected both by pulse diagnosis (to check for tridoshic provocation), and by digital examination of the prostate gland, via the anus. Ideally, men over the age of forty-five should regularly examine their own prostate, to check for any enlargement or irregularity. In practice, however, many older men have been trained to regard inserting a finger in the anus as something dirty, disgusting or perverted. I have met a number of patients who had only the vaguest idea of where the prostate is situated. Health education is very much needed to encourage men to play an active part in the prevention and detection of prostatic disorders.

Prevention of Prostate Cancer
Prevention essentially lies in the removal of causative factors. This requires that sexual activity take place in a calm, safe, relaxed environment, and is not associated with guilt, fear, anger, or frustration. Ayurvedically, the general rule is that seminal emission can take place roughly once a month, although this amount may be considerably increased in the case of a young, healthy man, and reduced in one who is old, sick, or weak. Sexual activity should take place within a safe, loving relationship, and should not be divorced from the other aspects of relationship. Sexual addiction, using orgasm as a means of escape, rather than as a means of giving life or expressing love, provokes vata in the shukra dhatu, leading to prostate cancer or other reproductive disorders.

Proper diet, exercise, and lifestyle, and the maintenance of colon health (through meal timing and food combining), is essential for older men. Many of the same factors that may create prostate disorders, such as sedentary lifestyle and excess fat consumption, also contribute to other disorders such as heart disease and arterial disease. Thus it is not uncommon to find a man affected by a combination of these ailments, all having the same causative factors.

In addition to these lifestyle measures, the prostate gland requires daily care and attention. Just as the teeth need to be cleaned daily to prevent cavities, the prostate gland must also be properly maintained. Daily castor oil massage of the prostate, using cold-pressed castor oil, takes only a few minutes each day. The prostate may be massaged either anally or at the perineum, to maintain a healthy prostate and to prevent hypertrophy or cancer. In addition, daily perineal exercise should be performed, to squeeze and pump the prostate.The best way to do this is to practice ashvini mudra. This consists of rapid contractions of the anal sphincter while holding the breath on the inhale and applying jalandhara bandha, or chin lock. Ashvini mudra not only enhances circulation and lymphatic drainage of the prostate gland, but also raises the sexual and creative energies which, if blocked at the level of the prostate gland, may give rise to cancer. According to Gheranda Samhita, verses 82 and 83, ashvini mudra awakes the kundalini shakti, gives strength and vigor, and prevents premature death.

Prostate Cancer and the Chakra System
The prostate gland is associated with muladhara chakra (the root chakra), apana vayu, the downward moving air responsible for ejaculation, urination, and defecation, and prtvi mahabhuta, the Earth Element. The root chakra is the seat of the sperm survival urge, and governs procreation, among other functions. There is also a connection between the prostate gland and svadhisthan chakra, the second chakra, seat of the water element, ap mahabhuta. All non-procreative aspects of sexual intercourse, both erotic and affective aspects as well as addictive and destructive ones, are related to svadhisthan chakra. Imbalances or blockages or energy associated with either the first or second chakra can lead to disorders of the prostate gland, and, eventually to prostate cancer. Hence, in both the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer, it is extremely important to address the overall relationship with sexuality, procreation, and the entire spectrum of generative and creative energy. An infantile, juvenile, or unintegrated approach to sexuality is harmful to health and can lead to prostate cancer, both by setting up a negative energy pattern related to the reproductive system, and by causing unhealthy behaviors which directly damage the prostate gland.

Blocked creativity is similarly harmful to health and can give rise to cancer. A life devoid of meaningful creative expression is a physically, mentally, and spiritually destructive situation. Whenever the energy of creation is absent, the energy of destruction, tamas – darkness, dullness, and ignorance, will take over. This destructive energy will readily find expression within the shukra dhatu, the tissue associated with procreation, generation, and creation.

Treatment
A sixty-two year old single man diagnosed with prostate cancer adamantly refused surgery. Instead, he chose to heal his cancer with organic foods, Ayurvedic herbs, yoga, meditation, and ballroom dancing. Now, at sixty-seven, he is fit, healthy, and still dancing. His approach was a truly holistic one. First, he assumed complete autonomy, refusing surgery against the advice of both his allopathic and his Ayurvedic physicians. Then, he pursued physical healing through diet and herbs, emotional health through the new, nurturing relationships he formed with fellow dancers, and the spiritual health through yoga, meditation and clear spiritual commitment. Most importantly, he also dedicated himself to ballroom dancing as form of creative expression.

However, by no means is every man with prostate cancer able, ready, or willing to work on all these levels. All too often, cancer of the prostate may be the effect of a life dominated by sheer physical and economic survival. To such men, emotional or spiritual transformation may be perceived as something alien or threatening. It is important that the Ayurvedic physician not impose upon the man with prostate cancer the physician's model of the way healing ought to be approached. With genuine compassion and understanding, the physician must allow the patient to determine which areas of his life he is willing to change, and which he prefers to avoid. If he is willing to change his diet and take herbs, but unwilling to practice emotional awareness or meditation, this is his choice, and one that he has every right to make. Change on many levels includes embarking on the work of forgiving grudges, reviewing one's life, and opening spiritual consciousness.

Diet 
It is difficult to recommend a specific diet for prostate cancer. This is a tridoshic provocation, and therefore the diet should be a balanced one, avoiding extremes which might further provoke one of the doshas. Secondly, there frequently are concurrent systemic conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, or atheroma, in which case the diet may have to be tailored in accordance with these conditions. However, to prevent further accumulation of ama in the colon, a strict Ayurvedic regimen for the maintenance of agni, the digestive fire, must be followed. This involves leaving at least three hours between meals or snacks, not sleeping within two hours of eating, not drinking water within two hours of eating, not combining incompatible foods, and avoiding old, cold, and stale foods and drinks, including ice water and ice cream.

Botanicals
The following categories of herbs are combined in the treatment of prostate cancer:

1. Specific herbs for the urogenital system
2. Herbs having Lekhaniya and Bedhaniya tendencies, for breaking, down tumors
3. Alteratives
4. Tridoshically-balancing herbs

Herbs with an affinity for the urogenital system not only help to strengthen the shukra dhatu, they also act as an anupan for that dosha, carrying the other herbs in the formula to the site where they are needed. Most important amongst these is gokshura (Tribulus terrestris). In cancer treatment, the herb has the great merit of being tridoshically balancing. It has sweet and bitter taste, cooling energy, and sweet post-digestive effects. In action, gokshura is diuretic, rejuvenative, nervine, and soothing to the urinary tract. Famed for its effect in increasing semen, it is frequently mentioned in the erotic text, Ananga Ranga Sutra./

Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa) is another important herb which rejuvenates the urinary tract and is essentially tridoshic, although when used to excess, it may stimulate pitta. It is also useful in the treatment of cancer because it reduces swellings and its alkaloid, beta punarnavine, has a specific anti-cancer effect. However, punarnava should not be used in cases of dehydration or emaciation.

In the lekhaniya (scraping) category, the two most important herbs used in prostate cancer are kutki and shilajit. Kutki (Picrorrhiza kurroa) is bitter in taste, cooling in energy, and pungent in post-digestive effect. It is purgative and breaks down fecal matter, thus helping to remove ama from the colon, and tends to break down tumors due to its scraping effect. Shilajit (Bitumen) is pungent, astringent, and bitter, heating in energy, and pungent in post-digestive effect. It reduces vata and kapha but may increase pitta. Its main action is on the urogenital system, and it has a specific effect in reducing both benign and malignant swelling of the prostate. The compound Chandra Prabha, containing both kutki and shilajit, is extremely useful in the treatment of prostatic cancer.

Of the alterative herbs, jasmine (Jasminium grandiflorum) has affinity for lymph nodes and bone, and is particularly useful in the event of metastasis to the lymph nodes, and bone metastasis. Manjisthta (Rubia cordifolia) is an excellent blood purifier useful for all benign or malignant tumors.

Tridoshically balancing herbs include saffron (Crocus sativa), and Four Fragrances, a combination of cardamom, cinnamon, bay, and Nagkeshar (Mesua ferrea Linn.). These should be used in small quantities, and will catalyze the action of the other herbs in the formula. Because it is important to maintain a clean, healthy colon, to prevent further exposure of the prostate gland to colonic ama, Triphala tea should be taken before bed, one half teaspoon steeped for ten minutes in one cup boiling water. (Triphala is an Ayurvedic combination of Emblica officinalis or amla, Terminialia belerica, or bibhitaki, and Terminalia chehula, or haritaki.)

In addition to taking a balanced combination of the above herbs orally, twice-weekly basti, or enema, should be performed, using a decoction of Dashmoola ("ten roots"), a formula which includes Castor root, Gokshura, and Kantakari (Solanum xanthocarpum).

Yoga Therapy
Prostate massage using castor oil should be performed daily, as should ashvini mudra. Asanas that apply perineal pressure are very important, for example,kukutasan gomukhdsan, and padpedandsan. Salabhasan (locust pose) is also extremely useful, as are the inverted poses, sirsasan and sarvangasan. Themarma point for the prostate is Trik marma (subcutaneous pressure point) at the tip of the coccyx. This should be massaged daily.

Conclusion
There are a number of extremely valuable Ayurvedic herbs which may be used in the treatment of both benign and malignant swelling of the prostate. However, the importance of simple measures should not be overlooked. Prostatic massage, ashvini mudra, Yoga therapy, the maintenance of good agni and a clean, healthy colon, are essential in both the prevention and treatment of cancer of the prostate.

Top 5 Ayurvedic Tips To Treat Prostate Cancer

I was literally shocked when I came to know that Prostate cancer is the second-prominent reason for deaths due to cancer among men in the United States. It was much more deplorable when I heard that an autopsy analysis proved that approximately 1 in 3 men above 50 years old had histologic confirmation of Prostate cancer. The contemptible news was that there was about 33, 720 estimated deaths in the year 2011 due to prostate cancer in the United States. The number of the male populace diagnosed with prostate cancer remains high and is expected to increase in the forthcoming years also. Our ancestors have suggested numerous natural healing methodologies in the Ayurvedic texts to treat prostate cancer and reduce its complexities on par with nature.

Causes and symptoms of Prostate cancer: It has been found that 1 out of 3 men of age group 60 to 69 are affected by prostate problems like prostatitis and when left unnoticed it gradually develops prostate cancer. Prostate is a walnut-sized small yet a vital part of the male reproductive system found in front of the rectum and below the bladder. The vital function of the prostate gland is to secrete a fluid that is a part of the semen. Prostate cancer is the second most common category of cancer in American men and stays as the second predominant cause of cancer death in America.

The appropriate reason for prostate cancer still remains as a myth. The factors that enhance the risk of prostate cancer are hereditary, aging, prolonged smoking, continuous intake of alcohol, excess indulgence in sex, accumulation of phlegmatic constitution mainly for men in colder areas, ethnicity (African American doubles have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer), irregular eating habits and the lack of essential vitamins in the diet.

The most common symptoms of prostate cancer are frequent urination, dreary pain in the lower pelvic region, blood in the semen or urine, reduce in weight, lack of appetite, burning sensation while urinating, destabilized urine flow, swelling of the prostate gland, painful ejaculation, increased pain in upper thighs, hips, bones and lower back.

Ayurvedic treatment for prostate cancer: The best way to treat prostate cancer is to follow Ayurvedic treatment as it is claimed to be natural, safe and treats the system without any adverse side effects. Prostate, being a part of the male reproductive system known as Shukra dhatu shows signs of the emotional, spiritual and physical relationship that the affected individual has previously had with his reproductive potential. According to Ayurveda, prostate cancer is a slowly growing syndrome that gets adverse with age and it involves aggravation of all the three doshas. The most fruitful Ayurvedic remedies for prostate cancer are:

1. Healthy Ayurvedic diet: Hippocrates rightly said that ‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food’. Ayurveda states that a healthy eating habit can help you prevent enormous diseases and prostate cancer is one among them. When nature has gifted us with natural cures in the form of fruits and vegetables, why should we trust machines and chemicals in treating our illness? The best diet tips to combat prostate cancer are to take in cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower as they have anti-cancerous properties attributed to the presence of indole-3-carbinol, acting as a powerful anti-androgen and proven to fight the production of cancerous cells in the prostate.

Choose low glycemic foods like legumes, fresh juicy fruits that reduce the risk of cancer, remember to add turmeric in your daily diet as the presence of Curcumin has been proved to arrest the spread of cancerous cells and prevent the cancer causing elements in the prostate, make it a practice to add garlic in your diet everyday as the presence of selenium and allicin in garlic has been witnessed to prevent and control prostate cancer.

Reduce the intake of food items with animal fat and excess protein as they take much time to digest and have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. Make sure that you always choose fresh food items instead of processed or stored food varieties. Add enough of vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids (present in carrot, spinach, cantaloupe, kale, sweet potato etc,) and vitamin A as these nutrients have promising antioxidants that can help you in fighting numerous cancerous diseases and aid in strengthening the immune system.

2. Yogasana: Practicing certain Yogasanas regularly in the early morning can help you in fighting prostate cancer with power and confidence. The most promising asanas for treating prostate cancer are Sarvangasana, Garudasana, Shirshasana, Sinhasana, kapalbhati, bhastrika and Pranayama, the art of yogic breathing. Get proper guidance from a practiced Yoga expert, who can aid you better in performing these asanas in the right manner.

3. Ayurvedic essential oils: The concentrated and pure oils extracted from plants are known as Ayurvedic essential oils. It has been proved that certain essential oils like Sandalwood essential oil (has been proved to eradicate 90% of the cancerous cells in case of breast and prostate cancer) and Turmeric essential oil (Curcumin in this oil is proved effective in combating cancerous cells in numerous cancers including prostate cancer with its anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties) efficaciously kill cancerous cells and are relatively non-toxic to other normal cells of the body.

Clinical studies have revealed that essential oils that are rich in limonene like Orange essential oil, Lemon essential oil, Idaho Balsam Fir essential oil and Tangerine essential oil are useful in fighting cancer. Few other essential oils include Grapefruit essential oil, Frankincense essential oil, Lavender essential oil and Thyme essential oil.

4. Ayurvedic herbs: There are innumerable herbs for reducing the complicacies of prostate cancer. Ayurveda suggests the use of herbs in such a way that it treats the imbalances of the three predominant doshas namely vata, pitta and kapha. The most effective herbs for prostate cancer due to vata vitiation are guggulu, gokshura, roots of the salep orchid and punarvana for their invigorating power. Prostate problems due to pitta vitiation are treated with herbs like barley, hog weed and khus khus as these herbs stabilize increased pitta with their cooling properties. Warm herbs like ginger, cinnamon and guggulu assist in treating prostate cancer due to kapha vitiation.

The other defensive herbs for prostate cancer are milk thistle, with its powerful ingredients like silybin and silymarin that are attributed to the anti-tumor properties of milk thistle herb in the view of the Herbal Safety project from the El Paso University of Texas. Stanford University suggests the use of Green tea for cancer as it acts as a powerful cancer-preventing agent. This is mainly because of the presence of polyphenols compounds in Green tea like flavanols, epigallocatechin and catechins that alleviates the free radicals, which smash up DNA paving way for cancer.

5. Tips to prevent: Prevention is always better than cure and in extremely severe conditions there is no use in crying over the spilt milk. The first and foremost simplest measure in preventing prostate cancer is to strictly follow an Ayurvedic routine that iterates on healthy lifestyle habits like rising up early in the morning before sunrise, regular bowel movement, oral hygiene that helps remove toxins known as ama in the mouth, simple physical exercises, yoga, meditation, Abhyanga or massaging with Ayurvedic essential oils, sufficient intake of water, nutritious diet in the right time and early to bed.

Ayurvedic texts talk about the importance of sunlight for healthy living and numerous research studies have substantiated this fact by proving that good levels of vitamin D protects the body from the risk of cancer and as most of us know, sunlight is the rich natural source of vitamin D. A brisk walk in the morning can not only supply sufficient vitamin D but it also fortifies the immune system, making you strong from within.

Do not panic as nature is the best doctor that can guard your health and protect you from such life-demanding diseases. As determined men, let’s take up a strong revolution to create a world that is free of prostate cancer with the greater support of Ayurveda, the mother of all healing sciences.

Disclaimer: Please do not use any of the herbs or essential oils without the recommendation of your Ayurvedic Practitioner, who knows your health condition and the remedies that would suit you better.

Thought for the day:

“Prostate cancer is like golf. You need to play it as it lies. Because the disease is variable, each treatment solution requires a unique strategy.” - Dr Charles “Snuffy” Myers

Suggested Reading:

1. Dr. Katz’s Guide to Prostate Health: From Conventional to Holistic Therapies By Aaron E. Katz
2. The Herbal Remedy for Prostate Cancer By James Lewis Jr.
3. 21st Century Understanding Cancer Toolkit: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), Unconventional Treatments, Herbs, Vitamins, Diets, Naturopathic Medicine, Ayurvedic, Homeopathy By National Cancer Institute