Prostate Enlargement in Movember: What is BPH?

BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia is the medical term for non-cancerous prostate enlargement. Men are more likely to develop BPH the older they get. What this means is that in some men, the urge to urinate and frequency of bathroom trips will increase, as well as discomfort in urination such as unable to urinate smoothly, unable to push out urine, still feeling like you have to go right after, not feeling like you emptied completely, etc. These uncomfortable symptoms happen when the growing prostate squeezes the urethra and pushes against the bladder.

As you prepare for your Thanksgiving meal next week, here are some tips to reduce the aggravation of symptoms of BPH and practice good prostate health:
- increase your trips to the doctor's office, not just the bathroom: the doctor can see what's going on to determine if you have BPH and the best treatment options for you
- reduce your alcohol intake: we know you like a few cold ones with the guys while watching the football games, but the less alcohol you reach for the better!
- reduce your intake of caffiene (tea, coffee, etc.) to avoid aggravating the bladder
- increase your intake of water- although this sounds counterintuitive for those wanting to reduce their bathroom trips, this will help make the urine less thick which will make your urination less uncomfortable and help flush away bladder infections
- increase your intake of cranberries! Pass the cranberry sauce and juice, because historically cranberry has been used for positive bladder health. It needs more studies to prove its scientific efficacy, but many agree that traditionally cranberry is a step in the right direction to support bladder health.
- increase your knowledge of prostate health by reading articles like these and researching plant based therapies that are safe, side effect free, and clinically proven to be effective for BPH.