As discussed in "My History" blog entry I was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer six years ago. The cancer had metastasized to my vertebrae and my Gleason score, which reflects how aggressive the cancer cells are, was a very poor 9 out of 10. The prognosis at the time was not very optimistic. So I did exactly what you’re doing now, I read everything I could about my disease. The problem of course is that the internet presents as much bad info as it does good information. So what do you believe? The doctors had placed me on Hormone therapy which suppresses your testosterone in an effort to starve the prostate cancer. My response to this treatment was good but I knew I had to do more. There are vitamins, supplements and various foods that can help slow down the progress of advanced prostate cancer. I will deal with vitamins and supplements individually but this entry is intended to focus on diet.

While my research was thorough, implementation of what I learned was a different story. While the following information may stop you from reading the rest of this entry I suggest you hang on a little bit longer. I was always overweight and a poor eater. I currently weigh 260 lbs. of which at least some can be attributed to the hormone therapy. Weight gain is an unfortunate side effect. The irony of me lecturing about nutrition is most apparent during meetings of my support group when the leader asks me to present the latest information. My presentation is invariably preceded by an elbow from my wife who is always encouraging me to eat healthier. The irony of the situation is never lost on her.

A prostate healthy diet is not too dissimilar from the basic heart healthy diet. They both recommend you have no red meat and increase your fruits and vegetables. But here is the dilemma. What do you do when you’re told at age 59 that you only have a few more years to live? 1) Do you embrace a strict diet of limited calories and few of your favorite foods? or 2) Do you conclude that it makes no sense to deprive yourself of some simple pleasures during the last few years of your life?

Irrespective of how you answer those questions there are some simple changes in your diet that can help fight the cancer. For me it’s more about what I’ve added to my diet rather than what I’ve eliminated.

The two diets associated with longevity and reduced risks for prostate cancer are a typical Japanese diet and a Southern Mediterranean diet. The Japanese diet is high in green tea, soy, vegetables, and fish, as well as low in calories and fat. The Mediterranean diet is high is fresh fruits and vegetables, garlic, tomatoes, red wine, olive oil, and fish. Both are low in red meat.

Specifically, you should incorporate the following principles when reevaluating your daily diet:

1)Research has indicated that excess animal fat, primarily red meat and high-fat dairy, stimulates prostate cancer to grow. This is the one aspect of the diet that I have the most difficulty following. I do enjoy a good steak once in awhile. But now I limit my intake to the leanest cuts of beef.

2)Avoid trans-fats, which are known to advance cancer growth. Labeling has helped to identify foodsin this category. These include margarine as well as fried and baked foods.

3)Not all fats however, are created equal. You should increase your consumption of fish providing significant amounts of the cancer-fighting fatty acids EPA and DHA. The best choice is cold-water fish such as sardines, mackerel, salmon and trout, at least two to three times a week. Do not fry or char (as in barbecue) the fish. I also suggest that you avoid farm raised fish such as Atlantic Salmon. Instead seek out the wild Alaskan Salmon which has a higher content of EPA and DHA and less pollutants.

4)Avoid eating high-calcium foods. Reports suggest that these foods may stimulate prostate cancer growth.

5)Virtually all health conscious diets agree that you should increase your fresh fruit, herb, and vegetable consumption daily. These foods contain powerful anticancer nutrients. Eat foods in varying colors as they tend to contain different groups of important nutrients. A large portion of your diet should consist of fruits, vegetables, fresh herbs, leafy green vegetables, seeds, berries and nuts.

6)Increase your consumption of foods containing Vitamin C. Foods high in this vitamin include citrus, berries, spinach, cantaloupe, sweet peppers, and mango. Be careful with grapefruit however, as evidence indicates that it neutralizes the effectiveness of prescription drugs.

7)Drink green tea which, unlike black tea, is not subjected to high temperatures in the drying process. This results in greater levels of a beneficial polyphenol called EGCG. Studies indicate that this substance has beneficial health implications related to Prostate Cancer.

8)Resveratrol is another beneficial polyphenol that research suggests can slow the growth of Prostate Cancer. This substance is found in red grapes, red grape juice and red wine.

9)Avoid preserved, pickled, or salted foods. This is another one that causes me trouble as some of my favorite foods fall into this category.

10)Tomatoes and especially tomato products are very high in lycopene, a powerful anticancer substance. This substance is found primarily in tomato based foods that have been exposed to heat. As a result, pizza sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup contain more lycopene than fresh tomatoes.

11)Olive oil is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants. It is also a staple of the preferred Mediterranean diet. This should be your primary source of oil. I make my own salad dressing using olive oil, either balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and spices from a store bought packet.