Throwback Thursday to Days with a Smaller Prostate

Remember when as a little boy, you would break your bone or scrape your knee and recover soon after? Things get harder to manage as you get older, and that includes your prostate size. You see, the prostate goes through two stages of growth. The first is during puberty, and the second happens after around the age of 25 and the prostate grows larger throughout a man's lifetime.

The older the man gets, the more highly probable it is that he will get a diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is a non-cancerous condition of prostate enlargement, or if he never formally gets diagnosed, hey may or may not have the symptoms associated with BPH such as frequent urination and weak urinary flow. 

On Throwback Thursdays you'll share a picture of your younger self and reflect on the good old days. Being able to sleep for hours as a kid over the weekend versus not getting enough sleep when you're older due to those nightly bathroom trips; being able to get in and get out of the bathroom quickly versus taking longer to push or dribble out the urine, and then feeling like you need to go even though you just went not too long ago. These things can lower quality of life and make you long for those days of the past. 

Just know that getting older doesn't mean it's all downhill from here. Although there's currently no way to tell your prostate to stop growing and interfering with your life, a healthy diet, physical activity, pelvic floor exercises, and consulting with your doctor and support groups is a great way to enjoy your Throwback Thursdays and your present day ones, too!

September: Autumn and Prostate Talk

Mid to late September is the official start of fall on your calendar. Depending on where you are in the world, you are either still feeling the heat, feeling chilly, or somewhere in between. Autumn equinox brings about Halloween decorations, pumpkins, and crunchy leaves. Although it's still nice enough to go out for a walk, jog or a run, as it starts to get colder and as family dinners approach, how can we keep our health from taking a dip? In particular, how can we help men?

During the fall football season, many men may sit around the couch and open a cold one. Uh oh, says the prostate! You see, men with BPH should watch their alcohol intake.

Here are some tips to keep in mind during the fall season:
- Reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake to prevent bladder irritation. This will make those frequent trips from BPH less unpleasant, maybe even reduce them altogether.

- Think about indoor exercises at the gym or at home. Staying active and reducing excess weight could slow the growth of the prostate and keep you feeling good holistically.

- Talk to your family, your friends, and your urologist. Get the emotional support that you need. Men with BPH may report frustration and bouts of depression due to the reduction in quality of life. Take care of your mind, get support from your doctor, and have the strength to overcome BPH!

Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Prostates

The fall season is upon us, and many people have pumpkin spice latte on their mind! Whether you go to a franchise coffee shop or support your local business, this is the time to order the seasonal drink. But what if you're an older man with BPH? Can you enjoy this drink, too?
Well there's good news and bad news. Caffeine is a diuretic, so if you have an overactive bladder like with BPH, it's not a good idea to drink caffeine as often. Now that the bad news is out of the way, there are ways to enjoy the seasonal flavored drink. There are caffeine free pumpkin spice lattes, so ask your coffee shop if it's possible to get yours caffeine free. You can also buy pumpkin spice flavored creamer to go with your decaffeinated coffee. And finally, there is also apple cider which accompanies the fall season while lighting your pumpkin spice scented candle.

With effort, men can keep their prostate healthy even in the fall!

The end of Saw Palmetto as a Viable Solution for BPH?

In older times, indigenous groups of the Americas would use Saw palmetto as a traditional herbal medicine. The indications included treatment for urinary symptoms and as a tonic, expectorant and antiseptic according to medical study sites. In the beginning, research seemed to indicate Saw palmetto could support urinary health and help men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, as more studies were conducted, this seemed to be less and less accepted. When compared to placebos, there were little to no significant results produced.

One could argue that is is because the Saw palmetto supplements on the market are all differently produced and mixed with other ingredients, which makes the treatment less reliable and effective. The American Urological Association has called for the U.S. FDA to ensure that proper studies are conducted moving forward to produce reliable results, and until then it seems to hesitate on advocating for Saw palmetto as a viable option for men with BPH.

What are men to do in this case? When men are seeking natural treatment, the best of both worlds would be to find ingredients that have had proper research conducted with positive clinical results and minimal side effect profiles. After all, the marriage of science and traditional medicine doesn't have to be a pipe dream. However, it seems like commercialized Saw palmetto supplements, for all the buzz they have generated on the shelves of our supplement aisles and positive sentiment customers have given it over the years, might consider taking a bow from the world of men's health until proper studies can confirm and re-confirm its efficacy.

Will you keep your prostate healthy this weekend?

After the weekday comes the weekend, and what are men up to? Going out for some after work drinks, going to the movies, or maybe relaxing on the couch to an evening TV movie. Here are some of our tips for good prostate health this weekend:

- Have a healthy breakfast. It starts with good nutrition, preventing excess weight gain, and feeling energized throughout the day.
- Go for a walk, job or swim. Physical activity can support your prostate even if you don't think much of that walk.
- Take a warm bath. Reduce the stress with some bath time relaxation and promote blood circulation.
- Join your fellow brothers in a health fair or group session for men's health support. Sometimes men who proactively study up on prostate health and the latest research can have more knowledge on how to keep their bodies healthy, but don't forget to schedule an appointment with your urologist for a regular checkup nonetheless!

A happy prostate means a happy weekend!

How to increase interest in the prostate

Whether you're checking the popularity of cars and golf versus the prostate on Reddit or on Google's Keyword trend search, we can clearly see that prostate health is low on everyone's radar. How do we get more people to include the prostate when addressing better health? Here are some fun ideas as a way to start:

Charity
We've heard of Charity Basketball games. Well that's not a bad place to start! If the event gets sponsorship from men's health support organizations or if the theme of the event is men's health, then we're heading one step in the right direction. Not a big fan of basketball? There are a multitude of ideas for charity or fundraising events: Poker Night, Run/Walk, Golf, Talent Show, Dance, Party, etc. They don't have to be fancy affairs, either. Something small in your local community center, church, or park is another idea. Meeting in a public space or cafe to reduce venue costs and ensure that more of the money raised goes to the men's health cause you are advocating for is also not a bad idea. With the power of word of mouth and social media at your disposal, you can spread the word and maybe even end up going viral for your efforts! You just never know.

Social Media
If more people speak up about a topic, it starts to trend. Notice how every year Movember is a thing? Well it doesn't just have to be Movember, though that's not a bad place to start. If more people put their mind to it, like the micro-influencers or thought leaders in the health space, we can get the ball rolling on raising awareness for prostate health. It's not just an old man thing. We are all ultimately affected by the health of men around us.

What say you?
What kinds of ideas do you have for spreading interest in prostate health?

Move More, Eat Healthy, Keep Prostate Problems at Bay

After a certain age, most people are admittedly telling you about your prostate, "Go get checked and screened!" or "Talk to your urologist!" But with stigma and skepticism behind treatments with risky side effect profiles, not many men may be talking about the prostate as much as they could.

Many times men are compared to women in how illness gets talked about. Women are more likely to talk about their health issues with family and friends, more likely to seek knowledge about health issues, more likely to see the doctor, and so on, with men falling behind in those departments. Is it because talking about uncomfortable symptoms (peeing a lot) and even mentioning the word "prostate" sound embarrassing and awkward? Could be. The stereotype is that men talk more about cars than their health.

The older a man gets, the more likely the prostate will develop some kind of issue (BPH, prostatitis, prostate cancer, etc.).

So how do we get men to care for their prostate aside from promoting free health screenings? Tell them to live a healthy lifestyle. Eating well, being more active, reducing stress and excess weight, reducing and/or eliminating tobacco and alcohol consumption, reducing or eliminating unprotected sex with multiple partners, and caring for their mental health are ways men can improve lifestyle. It might sound obvious, but living a healthy lifestyle may help reduce the risk or aggravation of problems with the prostate. Genetics of course are out of our control, but the way we live our lives is not. Even if you don't want to say to your bro, "take care of your prostate!" You could at the very least say, "take care of yourself!"

Educate Yourself on BPH Symptoms

When it comes to non-cancerous growth of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as BPH) if prostate cells grow enough, they could potentially block the urethra, making the passing of urine difficult. The prostate could squeeze the urethra or push against the bladder. Although both conditions can occur at the same time, BPH does not cause prostate cancer.

Symptoms include increased frequency of urination, trouble with urination, pain while urinating, burning sensation while urinating, or a weak urinary flow.

When these symptoms manifest, it's important to talk to your doctor rather than self diagnose. In addition, frequent urination doesn't always mean it's automatically a prostate problem. Age, diet, and other factors play a role in how men's bodies manifest different conditions.

Of course, there are also men who may live a long life with minimal symptoms or be asymptomatic. Since we cannot scan our own bodies, the catalyst for many men to get checked is the interference with quality of life. Are you having to get up to go to the bathroom more often, especially at night? Are you not able to relieve yourself comfortably? There are concerns on whether getting checked regularly or over screening is causing more harm than good, so it's good to educate yourself, and look at guidelines set by the councils that govern health.
 

Prostate Health: Active Surveillance vs Watchful Waiting

When it comes to prostate health checkups, some men are wary of getting an exam or screening due to the possibility of false positives/negatives. However, it's also important for men to know their options if they get a possible diagnosis. There are also cases in which some men cannot receive aggressive forms of treatment. This is when men may agree with their urologist to try Active Surveillance or Watchful Waiting.

What are these two modes of action and what is the difference?
Active surveillance is a way for the doctor and patient to observe the progress of the prostate problem using routine checkups and testing, imaging and/or biopsies. The doctor can see the patient and recommend the next steps.

Watchful waiting, unlike active surveillance, does not have as many routine tests, but the surveillance part is certainly similar. The urologist may perform a digital rectal exam and blood tests for PSA levels.

To minimize side effect risks, these two modes of action may be right for you, but before jumping to a decision, it is best to get your doctor's opinion, and maybe even a second opinion. When a man gets a medical diagnosis, it could be a shock emotionally, and although some men may avoid outwardly expressing their concerns, it could be good to see a counselor or speak to other trusted people (family, friends, support group, other prostate health patients).

This month it is important to get educated and if you are financially struggling, seek resources in hospitals and support centers. Even if you're financially well to do, it could be good to take this opportunity to raise awareness.

No Fear of Prostate Health This Friday the 13th!

Friday the 13th has a scary reputation, and the superstitious crowd might be especially wary. But when it comes to prostate health, we can work together so that men can live their lives without fear.

Knowledge is power so read up on the latest studies concerning prostate health and treatments to prostate related conditions. What are the side effect profiles? How effective is the treatment? Who sponsored the study? How many times has it been replicated, if it all? Is the risk worth the potential benefit?

Discussion and social gathering is another key. Men have feelings and shouldn't be afraid to talk about them. Confiding and talking to others rather than bottling it all up can be beneficial to both physical and mental health. Listening to the men in our lives and giving them a platform for their voice is important. Give men a comfortable space to be part of so they have the courage to open up about their symptoms, pain points, accomplishments, and help them relieve their fears.

With knowledge and power, Friday the 13th doesn't have to be filled with fear of prostate problems anymore!

Prostate Health in September

We're approaching the middle of September. Do you know someone with prostate health issues? You may have been diagnosed or you may know someone without realizing. How do we make the visit to the urologist less unpleasant? Having a welcoming environment for men (where they feel like they're at the doctor and more like they're in a safe haven) can help ease the mental uncertainty. Whether they're surrounded by sports memorabilia, cars and watch magazines, or any other popular imagery for men, giving them a space to feel relaxed, surrounded by brothers who can offer support is one way to tackle the stigma.

Hosting events and having the proceeds go to men's health orgs and research, health fairs that offer free screenings for men, and other reputable organizations in service of men's health is another idea to include men in a relaxing space while also supporting their health. Imagine playing a fun basketball charity game or a poker night for a cause.

The world has 7.5 billion people, so certainly even if only a portion of us came together for this cause, we can make a bigger impact than we think. Support the education and awareness of prostate health in your local circles!

Watch Out! Prostate Problems Will Occur Someday! Part 3 of 3

Welcome Back to Watch Out! Prostate Problems Will Occur Someday!

This week we are going to discuss surgery to resolve BPH and how adjust lifestyle to prevent BPH.

For patients with severe symptoms and less improvement by drugs, surgery is a must. The common practice is called transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). In short, it is to put a tube into the urethra via an endoscope, slowly push it until it is near the prostate, and then scrape off the hyper-proliferative prostate to improve the compression of the urethra and bladder.

There are three common surgical methods at present:

Monopolar TURP

Bipolar TURP

Laser prostatectomy

The main advantage of lasers is less bleeding of the wounds. In order to reduce bleeding and increase the safety of the surgery, people who have heart disease, abnormal blood coagulation or abnormal renal function are recommended to choose this method. However, according to research, using Bipolar TURP is not worse than laser surgery. It is important to find a doctor who is serious, skillful and considerate for the patient.

If you have mild benign prostatic hyperplasia there is no need for treatment, but the following adjustments to your lifestyle can slightly improve the symptoms:

Drink water but not excessively (you can drink 1500-1800 c.c. a day); try to drink during the day and drink less at night.

Train your bladder not to go to the toilet immediately when you want to urinate (distract yourself and try to accumulate up to 200 c.c. or more to improve urine storage function as best as you can).

Do Kegel exercises in your free time (try to purposely interrupt the urine when you are urinating as part of the exercises).

Avoid drinking or eating spicy things; avoid stimulating the sympathetic nerves or cause the symptoms to worsen.

Eat more fruits and vegetables; avoid constipation (the rectum is behind the prostate, so constipation will suppress the prostate).

Pay attention to drug use: some drugs may cause symptoms to worsen (such as antispasmodic drugs).

Many people wonder if there is anything they can eat to improve prostate hypertrophy. Currently there is only evidence that lycopene can improve symptoms slightly. The human body cannot synthesize lycopene by itself, so we can only intake lycopene from food. The content of lycopene in red and yellow vegetables and fruits is relatively high (for example, tomato, papaya, watermelon, etc.). These fruits and vegetables can be taken in moderation. Lycopene is also a good antioxidant, which is somewhat helpful to the human body.

In sum, we hope everybody can understand this common situation well. Prostate hypertrophy is not a taboo disease, and it is a disease that most people may face. Thanks to the advancement of modern medicine, there are already many cheap and effective treatments. Don’t be shy; take good care of your health so that you can have health and happiness in your life.

References:

Berry, SJ, Coffey, DS, Walsh, PC, et al. The development of human benign prostatic hyperplasia with age. J Urol 1984;132:474.

台灣良性攝護腺前列腺肥大症臨床診療指引

Medical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, UptoDate

Clinical manifestations and diagnostic evaluation of benign prostatic hyperplasia, UptoDate

Transurethral procedures for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, UptoDate

Medpartner.club-benign prostate hyperplasia cause treatment

Watch Out! Prostate Problems Will Occur Someday! Part 2 of 3

Good to see you again.
Last week we talked about whether you have benign prostatic hyperplasia or not.
Let's look at the picture:

The prevalence of benign prostatic hyperplasia is high, so there is an international questionnaire to find out if you have benign prostatic hyperplasia or not.
If the answers don’t get a score of 0 then by default the score is 5. The maximum possible score is 35 points.
If the result is moderate or even worse, we suggest you see a doctor.

Generally, the doctor may arrange a physical inspection:
Urine routine examination (to exclude the possibility of infection)
Digital rectal exam (because the prostate is in front of the rectum, it can be touched when diagnosing.)
Ultrasound inspection (to observe hypertrophy of the prostate more clearly)
Urodynamic examination (to evaluate the condition of urination)
These examinations are not only to determine whether there is a problem with hypertrophy of the prostate but also to rule out other possible diseases by arranging other blood tests.


Benign Prostate Hypertrophy treatments include oral medication, extracorporeal shockwave therapy and surgery.
If the prostate gland is so big that it affects quality of life, it is necessary to treat it for BPH.

There are two types of commonly used drugs. The first is to inhibit male hormones which can reduce the size of the prostate gland but the side effect is that it may affect sexual function. The second is to inhibit alpha-adrenergic receptors which can improve symptoms but the side effect is hypotension. Which drug should be used depends on the physician’s evaluation and discussion with the patient. If you are really worried about the impact of sex, you should avoid the first drug. If you have high blood pressure, you can use the second drug to reduce blood pressure due to its side effects.

Please look forward to the next article.

We'll talk about surgery for BPH.

See you next time~

Watch Out! Prostate Problems Will Occur Someday! Part 1 of 3

Do you know your risk for developing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)? You should read carefully and share this article.

Let’s look at following graphic first. 

More than half of men over the age of 50 have benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, it turns out that around 8% of men between the of age 30 and also have this condition, and if they live over the age of 80, up to 80% of them may have trouble with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Don't think that this issue is irrelevant to you. According to this graphic, it is statistically and highly likely that you may have this problem someday if you are male.

In 2011, a European study surveyed 1,161 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. They found that these patients put off seeing a doctor for 23 months on average after experiencing BPH symptoms. Research in Asia also indicated that 76% of men believe that benign prostatic hyperplasia (patients with a velocity of urine stream less than 15 ml/s) will not affect their lives. Many elderly men don’t understand it or perhaps are too shy to see a doctor. Please continue to read more and you will understand why the idea that ‘’Benign prostatic hyperplasia won’t affect my life’’ is not totally true.

Causes, Symptoms and Screening of Prostate Hypertrophy

The prostate is a gland that surrounds the upper part of the urethra and secretes prostatic fluid. It injects fluids into the urethra during ejaculation and mixes with sperm and secretions from the seminal vesicle to become semen.

With age, the prostate may enlarge, which means the number of cells in the prostate increase gradually. It sounds horrible because cancer also happens this way. However, don’t forget the “B” in BPH stands for benign. As long as you follow your doctor's instructions, you do not have to worry too much. Up to present, the mechanism of action for prostate hypertrophy is not clear, but there are some relevant factors, such as genes, age, androgens, inflammation, obesity, and increase of waistline. As you can see, not all of these factors can be controlled or prevented. In fact, managing weight is probably the only one we can have some control of. The normal prostate is about 20 grams, but the prostate of a patient with BPH can grow twice as big in size, sometimes even bigger.

Let's look at the prostate from a different angle. Because of its position, once the prostate grows it does not affect sexual activity for men, but it will cause many urethra-related symptoms. That is because of the compression of the bladder and urethra. These symptoms can be divided into two conditions: storage and expulsion of urine.

The reason is simple: a hypertrophic prostate narrows the urethra and produces urinary expulsion symptoms. For example, standing up for longer periods to urinate, interrupted urination, urinating for a long time, slow urination, frequent urination and other conditions. If the prostate presses upward on the bladder, symptoms of urinary storage will occur, like frequent urination, acute urination, nocturnal urination, or even worse, acute urinary incontinence. Urinary symptoms may also lead to urethra infections. Urinary storage symptoms often lead to a decline in quality of life. If you have to pee five times a night or even accidentally experience incontinence outside of the restroom, that can be a nightmare.

You can see the effects of BPH when you go to a public restroom (but keep a low profile or you’ll look like a pervert). Young men go to the urinal, splash, zip, and leave,  but elder men often stand for a long time without urinating. In addition, when they finally do it, urine drips down to their shoes.

The prevalence of benign prostatic hyperplasia is high, so there is an international questionnaire to find out if you have benign prostatic hyperplasia or not.

Come back next week, we will tell you the way to inspect if you have benign prostatic hyperplasia or not. See you then.

SunJour Healthcare News: Golden Biotechnology Corporation Will Change Cancer Treatment in the Near Future

It is currently impossible to immediately cure any type of cancer. Chemotherapy drugs such as Taxol and Gemcitabine are highly effective in killing cancer cells, but because of their drug resistance and strong side effects, they can only be used for short-term treatment. This is the basis for the first line of medication. Drugs for targeted therapy can be used to treat specific tumors, but they still produce drug resistance. There is no anti-cancer drug on the market that can treat respiratory diseases and metabolic syndromes at the same time, so the current treatments against lung cancer have all failed in the end. It is also important to maintain the efficacy of the respiratory system and treat metabolic syndromes. This issue is also of concern for the US FDA. 

Cancer patients who have many diseases are common worldwide. Therefore, it is extremely important that the drug used to fight cancer has a broad spectrum so that the patient has a chance to recover. Finding a basic drug that not only has the effect of inhibiting cancer but also has no side effects is the most urgent goal at present.

Golden Biotechnology Antroquinonol®

A. [Concurrent therapy]:

Maximize the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy drugs. After 4 to 8 cycles, drug resistance disappeared. Supporting the immune system and uninterrupted treatment allowed chemotherapy to achieve the desired results of continuous treatment.

B. [Intermittent treatment]:

Only use Antroquinonol® for therapy when the patient cannot tolerate chemo and when time permits, the patient can re-attempt chemo. Antroquinonol® can be used as an add-on adjuvant therapy.

Purpose:

1. Maintaining the patient's quality of life (QoL) without the need to interrupt chemotherapy or develop resistance and deterioration.

2. Chemotherapy intervention is conducive to short-term results of the poisoning of solid tumors.

3. Maintaining results and repairing damage to organ function, such as liver, kidney and cardiovascular inflammation so that damage and inflammation can be alleviated.

Antroquinonol® will surely become “the standard of the SOC (standard of care).”

SunJour Healthcare Supports Prostate Health Awareness, September 2019

September is a big month for men and men’s health, and 2019 is no different. 

Are you or someone you know reluctant to get prostate health support? We at SunJour Healthcare want to tell you that it’s time to remove the stigma of going to the urologist or talking to someone you trust. In order to encourage men to get their prostate checked, some clinics and health fairs have resources to provide prostate care (some for free) this month. You may have concerns about screening so it is best to speak with your urologist or get a second opinion if you are still uncertain. Educating oneself on the topic is important, and be sure to ascertain that the sources you are looking at are providing accurate information and avoid harmful misinformation. Men have different treatments that worked or didn’t work for them, so it’s important to see the side effect profiles of any treatment options if you are diagnosed with a prostatic condition or disease.
Support groups are a great contributor to holistic treatment of men's health and even for preventative care. Although there’s the old stereotype that men don’t talk about their feelings, it can be very beneficial to talk about your fears, hopes, accomplishments, unpleasant episodes or pain points. You may be able to dismantle some preconceived notions when surrounded by positive people. You can find communities online and offline for men’s health support. Like a pair of shoes, it’s not guaranteed that one group will fit, but rather than go barefoot and be alone, try another group where you may feel more comfortable. 

Know that it’s not always going to be as serious as going on medication or undergoing surgery, because it depends on how mild or severe the symptoms are. What you should note, though, is that a positive change in lifestyle and natural options can be viable forms of complimentary treatment when there is enough scientific evidence. Your friends might even give you recommendations from word of mouth, but as with everything, instead of impulsively jumping to your shopping cart, give yourself the knowledge about the steps you take and weigh the pros and cons.
We hope you can join in on the conversation about raising awareness about the prostate in 2019. What steps will you take to spread awareness for yourself and others?