Prostate Cancer Treatment
Prostate cancer is a common cancer type to impact men in their 60s and 70s. For most men, it is not a life threatening illness when treated correctly. A naturopathic oncologist can play many roles in prostate cancer treatment, including:
- Prevention
- Active Surveillance or Watchful Waiting
- Treatment Support
- Survivor/Post-Treatment Care
Prevention: Risk Factors
There are several risk factors for prostate cancer that can be reduced by using naturopathic medicine. These risk factors for prostate cancer include:
- A diet that is high in animal fat and low in dietary antioxidants
- Physical inactivity
- Obesity
- Chemical exposure, such as Agent Orange
A Naturopathic Approach During “Active Surveillance” Can Include:
- Reinforce Prostate Cancer Prevention Diet
- Hormone regulation
- Reduce inflammation
- Encourage healthy cell differentiation
- Increase cell repair and protection
- Stimulate immune function
- Identify and treat chemical exposures
- Stress reduction
Diet and Prostate Cancer
Anyone that eats a diet with >30% fat (the average for American males) is at higher risk for developing prostate cancer than men whose diet contains <30%. There is a difference in the risk based on your intake of animal fats versus plant-based fats. Animal fats include butter and any fats in meat. Plant-based fats can include olive oil, coconut oil, nut butters, and avocados, amongst others.
Studies are now pointing towards Omega 3 fats protecting against prostate cancer. This is why eating a pescatarian diet is commonly recommended to our patients on a watchful waiting