Immunity's Role in Prostate Enlargement (BPH)

A 2007 study suggests that BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate enlargement) is a condition related to immunity deregulation and inflammation. Other prostate conditions including prostatitis may cause inflammation to the prostate. When the immune system is compromised due to stress or attacking itself, this could have negative consequences to many parts of the body, including the prostate. This is why it is important for men to care for their immune systems as a holistic approach to the management of prostate enlargement.

Symptoms of prostate enlargement include but are not limited to:
- frequent urination, especially at night
- sexual dysfunction
- struggle to start and stop urination
- slow urinary stream
- dribble at the end of urination

During this pandemic, talks about keeping your immune system strong have been discussed worldwide. Getting a good night's rest is important for your body to recover from a long day's work and have the strength to function at capacity the next day. When BPH patients have to get up several times a night to go to the bathroom, this could impede a good night's rest and compromise the immune system's recovery period during rest. So you see, immunity and prostate enlargement are somewhat interrelated, kind of like how dental and oral health are interrelated to heart health.

For BPH patients, it may be necessary to manage not only urinary symptoms but also their immune health as they find ways to get a longer night's rest and less frequent bathroom trips. Traditional Chinese and herbal plant therapies to boost immunity, as well as a good balanced nutrition plan and safely practiced physical activity may be of support.

Pelvic floor exercises may also support the urinary urges that are associated with BPH to support retention and ease of urinary flow. However, any decisions you make regarding herbal plant therapy, your nutrition, and exercises activities should be consulted with a medical professional to ensure you are not affecting any other existing conditions or putting yourself at unnecessary risk.

For example. astragalus or huang qi has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for benefits such as immune boosting, anti inflammation and for its anti oxidant properties. Inflammation that appears in the body could be a sign that your immune system is fighting an infection or even itself. That's why it's important for a doctor to consult with you what's happening in your specific case.

More research on how soy could benefit the immune system should also be encouraged in the prostate health sphere, because men in Asia who have soy as a staple in their nutrition could be one of the reasons why BPH has a lower incidence rate in Asian men compared to men around the world.

What do you do to boost your immunity?

Social Distancing in Golden Week for Men with Enlarged Prostates (BPH)

Golden Week is an approximately week long holiday in Japan taken by workers and families, one of the longest and highly anticipated vacation times of the year. Normally there is influx of travel in and out of the country as the weather is good for sightseeing. However, this year with the global pandemic, Golden Week may be going virtual as many families are asked to stay at home and travelling is simply not a viable option.

This last week of April, as Golden Week approaches and April showers start to give way to May flowers, how are men, particularly men with BPH (prostate enlargement), doing?

There are many impacts to staying at home and worrying about the pandemic that could potentially increase stress. An increase of stress could lead to a weaker immune system; it could also lead to a worsening of BPH symptoms according to Harvard Health. BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, is a prostate condition in men around 40 or older where the prostate gland increases in size, possibly interfering with urinary function. Increased urinary frequency, reduced urinary flow, struggle to start and stop urinating, and sexual dysfunction may occur.

The current priority is social distancing for the global pandemic to avoid an increase in cases. This means BPH patients may be staying home during the Golden Week holiday and for a while thereafter. Taking care of the mental health of BPH patients as well as their physical health is important in a holistic approach to managing BPH.

Managing BPH for men worldwide also starts with awareness. Do you know about BPH? Even if you're not a man in his 40's or older, you can be part of BPH patients' support networks to get them back to a better quality of life! 

Less Stressful WFH and Less Stressful Nights for Men with Prostate Enlargement (BPH)

Due to the global pandemic, some of the workforce has transitioned to WFH, also known as working from home or teleworking. For a male employee who is 40 or older and has BPH (prostate enlargement), frequent bathroom trips may be a little more comfortable in the home. But at the same time, he realizes how much his urinary urges disrupt his work and wants to alleviate the stress that may accompany BPH.

Stress management is important for many reasons: proper management of stress can reduce negative impact on the immune system, bladder, and overall mental health. The stress of having BPH may include the following thoughts and beliefs:

"I have to get this work done, but my urinary urges interrupt my work flow."

"I'm thinking more about the bathroom than I am about work."

"I still feel like I have to go to the bathroom after having just gone."

"I feel a bit better about not taking frequent bathroom trips in the office, but I'm still making frequent trips at home."

Practicing mindfulness and relaxed breathing exercises is good for work and health related stress, that way you can have a clearer mind when it comes to acknowledging the global pandemic situation, your work deadlines, and your BPH. One technique to work on frequent urination is drinking fluids like water during the day and drink less to no fluids at night. This is because although men may feel inclined to not drink to avoid bathroom trips, not drinking can lead to dehydration as well as thickened urine in the bladder, causing irritation.

Making timed, regular trips now that you're home may also feel a bit more comfortable. Pelvic floor exercises, double voiding techniques, and other suitable exercises may help you feel more in control over your urinary retention and urges. Avoiding or reducing your intake of diuretics (drinks that provoke increased passing of urine) like coffee, tea and alcohol may also support your BPH management. You don't have to cut these drinks out completely, especially since in moderation they may be beneficial, but knowing their potential effects on your body can help you make a more conscious decision as to how much and how often to drink.

For traditional Chinese medicine or herbal therapies of BPH, it is important to decide if this option is right for you based on a number of factors:
- Is your BPH mild?
- Are you currently taking any medications that could conflict with certain herbal remedies?
- Is the herbal remedy you are considering clinically proven to be effective for BPH symptoms?
- Are you allergic to any of the ingredients or aware of side effects with any other of your pre-existing conditions?
- Are you able to try herbal therapy alongside your current treatment (for mild BPH this could be watchful waiting or your doctor may have prescribed some medication).
- Have you carefully considered your options?

The advantage of traditional Chinese medicine is that if taken with the above considered, they could be safer alternatives or complements to your current treatment. Potentially less side effects and natural relief might be compatible for your BPH situation. By having a better control of your BPH, you may reduce your stress, regain your quality of life, and have a less stressful time during your WFH.

At the very least, even if you don't think this path is right for you or you don't even have BPH, awareness of this common condition in older men is important!

Earth Day Turned 50 Yesterday. Men Who Turn 50 Have A Problem.

April 22nd, 2020 was the 50th annual Earth Day. Some men out there in the world may have also turned 50 yesterday or earlier this year. Some men aren't excited about turning 50. One reason is that they're spending their 50th birthday in social isolation to protect themselves form the pandemic. Another reason for men turning 50 means they may start to experience the growth of their prostate. This condition is known medically as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

BPH is a condition where the prostate is large (not due to cancer), and lower urinary tract symptoms like frequent urination, slow urinary flow, trouble starting and stopping urination, sensation of urine remaining in the bladder after emptying, and dribbling; sexual dysfunction may also occur.

The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, and if our math is right, today's 50 year olds were born in the 60s and 70s. The older a man gets, the more likely it will be that he gets diagnosed with BPH by a doctor in his lifetime. About 50% of men aged 40-50 have BPH, while about 90% of men aged 80-90 have this condition.

The problem with the prostate growing large due to age is its location in the body, situated under the bladder and surrounding the urethra. Throughout a man's life, the prostate gland helps produce seminal fluid which supports sexual function. However, as it grows larger, it can push against the bladder and squeeze the urethra narrow, impacting urinary function. Left untreated, it can lead to bladder and kidney problems, as well as the complete blocking of the urethra and inability to urinate (a medical emergency).

Just as we shouldn't ignore the problems of Earth's climate, we shouldn't ignore the problem of men's prostates. Raising awareness of both issues is important. What commitment can you make to helping the Earth and helping men with BPH?

To read more about prostate enlargement, visit sunjourhc.blogspot.com!

Can Artificial Intelligence One Day Better Support Men With Prostate Enlargement?

Artificial intelligence is being used everywhere in our daily lives. Whether it's to track and predict the impact of the global pandemic, to recommend you a cool series to watch on your streaming service, or to drive your car, it seems artificial intelligence is all the rage these days.

That got us thinking: could artificial intelligence make its way into BPH patients? BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, is a condition in men around 40 and older where the prostate grows in size and may interfere with urinary and sexual function. This could mean constantly looking for a bathroom when you're out and about, sleep deprived nights, trouble in bed with your partner, and overall lower quality of life. 

The way BPH is diagnosed is through going to the doctor. The doctor may perform a digital rectal exam to feel the size and texture of the prostate- this is important to differentiate between prostate cancer and other conditions like BPH and prostatitis. A prostate specific antigen  (PSA) blood test may also take place to check PSA levels in the blood. And, men may fill out a questionnaire called the international prostate symptom score (IPSS) to rank their symptoms and determine how mild or not the BPH is.

There may some aspects of the diagnosis which over time may be handled by artificial intelligence for the purposes of worldwide statistics, incidence rates, and recommended treatment options. Although artificial intelligence is not at the stage of completely taking over the healthcare system, it could provide more efficiency in certain areas that are currently lacking.

Artificial intelligence could also provide databases of previous anonymous patients and treatment options, quantifying the treatments' efficacy, length of time to improve the IPSS, severity of side effects, and other factors such as prostate size before and after treatment, urinary flow rate, etc.

Although we don't imagine artificial intelligence being integrated into robotics for robots to perform digital rectal exams, there may be robots who can ask and record IPSS for patients and recommend a best course of action alongside the doctor and grab from worldwide treatments, including plant based treatments as add on therapy.

Just as social media makes personalized ads for certain demographics, more men who reach older ages may start to get pushes here and there about BPH so they can have awareness.

How do you foresee artificial intelligence impacting the men's health space, including for BPH patients?

For more BPH articles, visit sunjourhc.blogspot.com!

When Nature Calls At Night: Prostate Enlargement and You

Just when you thought you could get a good night's rest, all of a sudden you get urges, so you get up and go to the bathroom. A few hours later in the middle of the night, you get urges again. Just before sunrise, you go again! Could it be a small bladder? You go to the doctor and after a few tests, he tells you it's benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is the medical term for non-cancerous prostate enlargement due to age.

One of the symptoms commonly associated with this common condition in older men is frequent urination, especially at night. This is also referred to as nocturia. When your body forces you to get up and go to the bathroom, you could be losing on a good night's rest. Less sleep means less productivity and exhaustion throughout the day, leaving you vulnerable to irritability, stress and weakened immunity.

During this time of the global pandemic, your immunity is very important to keeping you safe, so one of the basic recommendations has been to get a good night's rest. This is not a prevention or cure for covid-19, but rather one way to maintain your immune system by letting your body rest as much as it needs to so that your body is better able to fight off symptoms, infections and so on (this goes for the cold, flu, and any other infections or a bacterial or viral nature that may enter your body).

This is where BPH could get in the way. If you are experiencing nightly trips to the restroom which don't let you sleep well throughout the night, your body may be the very thing that's partly keeping you from maintaining your immune system defenses at optimum levels. Other factors that may contribute to immunity are nutrition, mental health, and the management of other pre-existing conditions.

One solution may be to have a bed pan or medical grade urine bottle near your bed so that if you're feeling urges, you can relieve yourself in the same room without having to get up and move. This means you could fall back to sleep faster. Another solution is to speak with a naturopathic physician about a compatible and clinically proven herbal therapy to support your urinary symptoms of BPH, especially when it's in the mild stages.

All parts of the body can affect each other in a complex, interconnected relationship. To strike a balance, it is necessary to be mindful of your health and be proactive to maintain it. Although we may hear the old stereotype that men care more about their cars than their own health, we hope that shedding light on BPH can get the community to support men and for men to support themselves a little more, too!

Natural Plants (Like Pot) and Prostate Enlargement

April 20th is a day celebrated by the marijuana community. Whether you're a big proponent of it or not, this plant has been used for medicinal and recreational purposes around the world. Like marijuana, many other herbs have also been used for medicinal purposes to support immunity, headaches, and other ailments and disease states in the time of our human ancestors and before the dawn of medicine and scientific research.

If you're a man with prostate enlargement (medically known as BPH), an herbal approach to treating mild symptoms could be a step in improving your quality of life. Herbs may be used in their plant state or as extracts in supplements and nutraceuticals to consume them for the purposes of complementary medicine, holistic medicine, alternative medicine and plant based therapy.

It is important to speak with a doctor about your BPH because every man's stage of BPH is different and the way it affect each man (frequent urination, struggle to start and stop urination, residual urine after voiding, poor urinary flow, sexual dysfunction, etc.). If you are considering a plant based approach, it is also important to know which ingredients are safe for you (in terms of allergies, use alongside other medications you are currently taking, pre-existing conditions, etc.). This can be discussed with a doctor and naturopathic physician.

The responsible search and sharing of information is also important. Finding clinical studies and ensuring the safety and efficacy of products is important to establishing trust, especially in the field of dietary supplements where there may be stigma due to skepticism behind ingredient purity, manufacturing and business practices, and baseless claims.

Men who are desperate to restore their life to a better sense of normalcy may be willing to try almost anything to treat their BPH, so we must support men to make sure they make a reasonable choice that is safe and low in risk. Herbs, if researched and offered properly, could be a solution to consider in alleviating symptoms, reducing inflammation, boosting immunity, and promoting better urinary flow for men with BPH.

Breaking the Stereotypes of Men With Enlarged Prostates (BPH)

When it comes to men and their enlarged prostates (BPH), these are the stereotypes they face:

Men don't care about their health.

Men don't like going to the doctor.

Men ignore their health issues and keep mum about it. 

Men would do anything to avoid a digital rectal exam. 

Men don't talk about their prostates.

Only men's wives care enough to buy their husband a prostate supplement. 

Men care more about their cars than their own health.

Although some of these may in fact be true for some individual men, we can't lose hope that there are men out there who do care about their health and want to improve their BPH condition. Maybe that's why you're reading BPH blogs and joining men's communities to discuss common issues. Although we do need men to do their part and care for their health, men's health is a community effort, too. If those who live and interact with men don't know about men's health problems, it could be difficult to sympathize or offer support.

Enlarged prostate (BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia) is a health condition that occurs with age and the natural growth of the prostate. As it gets bigger it can make the urethra (tube leading urine out of the body) narrow so it makes urination more difficult. It could also push against the bladder, creating urinary urges at the same time.

What men need to know is that they're not alone in what they're feeling. It is highly likely all generations of men have felt and will feel the effects of prostate growth at one point in their lives. As more research goes into the prostate, we may find ways to make the prostate exam less uncomfortable. We may be able to provide more support for men's mental health and distress during the frustrations of BPH. We may raise awareness so that men can start to prepare earlier in their life to support their prostates. We may create an environment to talk about the prostate in a less stigmatized environment. Many conversations online about the prostate involve adult jokes that may make men shy away from the topic. However, it is important to make the context of health heard and normalized.

If you have seen your doctor and been diagnosed with BPH in the mild stages, you may be able to reduce the negative impact of BPH with healthy nutrition, more physical activity, voiding techniques, water intake during the day, warm baths, and community support from family, friends, and fellow BPH patients. Despite the pandemic, the online community is still offering support for men around the world.

Are you guilty of these stereotypes? Perhaps it's time to reconsider some of these habits so you can better manage your BPH and live a better quality of life! 

Enlarged Prostate But Low on Toilet Paper

Due to the global pandemic, there was a time where people were panic buying, and one of the items that was largely purchased was toilet paper. For people who may need to stay at home for long periods of time, a large supply of toilet paper was deemed to be a necessity. For those who have found themselves scarce on toilet paper or who found difficulty buying toilet paper during the panic buying period, we got to thinking.

For older men who have frequent bathroom trips, how has the scarcity of toilet paper affected them? Particularly, the men who have been diagnosed with prostate enlargement (BPH). When the prostate enlarges, symptoms such as frequent urination, urges, struggle to stop and start urinary flow, poor urinary flow, and even sexual dysfunction.

Although not all men wipe with toilet paper after urination, it is worth noting that more bathroom trips potentially increase the need for toilet paper. This pandemic may have underscored the need for men with BPH to reduce their bathroom trips. Reasons to reduce bathroom trips include:

1) reducing stress and worrying about where the closest bathroom is, so that men can have a better quality of life
2) getting more sleep at night, so that men don't have to get up and lose sleep over bathroom trips
3) a sense of control over a man's life, not feeling bound to the bathroom or ashamed of being unable to manage their BPH.
and 4) save the toilet paper supply for the home due to the pandemic induced scarcity!

Fortunately, some places are offering priority purchases for seniors. Because most BPH cases are of senior men, they may be able to get dibs on toilet paper before the panic buyers take hold. Also, some places are limiting the purchase amounts so that customers don't walk away with 20 packs of toilet paper. For men with BPH, the good news is that there are ways to manage and cope with symptoms. These include lifestyle modifications, voiding techniques, pelvic floor exercises, timing fluid intake, a healthy diet, and for men who are open to the idea, taking safe, clinically proven therapies as alternative or complementary medicine.

BPH management varies per individual so discussions with the doctor, family and support network can help men become more informed and make decisions to be proactive about their enlarged prostate.

If UMOOZE Worked in BPH Clinical Trials, Could it Work for Other Men?

During the global pandemic, we wish everyone continue to stay safe and hope that we can regain a sense of new normalcy. As we continue to write about prostate enlargement (BPH), we want the community to hold on to strength and hope for a world of better health.

Prostate enlargement may be accompanied by frequent urination, slow and poor urinary flow, and perhaps even some degree of sexual dysfunction. For men who have mild BPH, UMOOZE is probably an unfamiliar name. It was originally made in Taiwan but is offered around the world. In a 2014 clinical trial, it was shown to improve IPSS (international prostate symptom score), urinary flow rate, post voiding residual volume, prostate volume, PSA (prostate specific antigen) level, and quality of life compared to a corn starch placebo. Do you know of other supplements that have undergone clinical trials for BPH support? Although there may be a sense of hesitancy for some when considering a supplement to support one's health, in the mild stage of BPH, a safe, plant based add-on to positive lifestyle modifications could be worth a try.

The main ingredients are astragalus, an herb known for immune boosting and antioxidant effects, and soy, a healthy low fat protein staple in Asian diets (possibly a reason why Asian men have a lower BPH incidence rate). What are your thoughts on UMOOZE and what questions do you have about it? Whether you are interested in giving it a try or not, getting the conversation rolling about BPH is important! Do you want to see more studies about BPH and supplements that could potentially improve the prostate in a natural way with less side effects? The important thing of course is to ensure the ingredients are safe for you in terms of allergies, reactions to other medications you are currently taking, etc.

What other BPH topics do you want to see covered in our BPH blog?   

The Pain Points of Prostate Enlargement (BPH)

The global pandemic has added something to be concerned about on top of other things going on in people's lives. One group of people we want to focus on is men in their 40s and older. These men may very well be going through a physiological change into their older age and not realize it until later. This change is known as prostate enlargement or BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia). Here are some pain ports men with an enlarged prostate may be feeling:

1) I need to go to the bathroom frequently
2) I'm not getting much sleep
3) Things aren't going well in bed with my partner

Frequent urination can happen day and night. Men may be paying attention to the nearest bathroom while being out and about. They might feel urges, and their urinary flow may be slow. They may also feel a sensation of urine still remaining in the bladder after having just gone. This can make going out uncomfortable and your mind may be focused on the bathroom instead of having a good time.

Not getting much sleep could be from getting up many times a night to go to the bathroom. If a man is sleep deprived, he can't be as productive during the day or enjoy the things he usually does due to the tiredness.

BPH may also interfere with sexual function, be it in the form of erectile dysfunction or ejaculatory issues. These may also be risks that men with severe BPH could face after taking medications or surgical intervention for their BPH. 

One other pain point that men may not talk about is the depression or frustration that may come with their compromised quality of life due to BPH. The sense of shame, embarrassment, denial, refusal to seek help, or bearing this new reality in silence. Please know it doesn't have to be this way, and with support we can hopefully find solutions for men with BPH.

For mild BPH and for men who are open to it, alternative treatments like traditional Chinese medicine and supplements with clinically proven ingredients could offer some initial relief and ease for coping with symptoms. Less bathroom trips, better sleep, and better time under the sheets could be the silver lining to men with BPH if they try a reliable solution. Not staying silent, reducing the hesitancy to speak with other men, doctors, and family could be a way to relieve stress, too.

As a community, let's help men with BPH defeat their pain points! 

Like the Easter Bunny, Spring into Action for Prostate Enlargement (BPH)

How was your Easter weekend? For some it is a religious celebration and for others it's a time to celebrate spring imagery with bunnies and decorated eggs. With the global pandemic, we may not have been able to spend Easter the same way as in previous years, but we hope everyone stays safe and healthy in hopes for a more eventful Easter next year!

Today's blog is (unsurprisingly) about BPH. BPH stands for benign prostatic hyerplasia, and it's a common prostate enlargement condition that may come with frequent urination, poor urinary flow, and other bladder related symptoms due to the anatomic proximity of prostate and bladder. This condition is more likely to affect men in older age, but you may not have heard of it unless you or someone you know was diagnosed by a doctor.

Now, what does Easter have to do with BPH? Easter is a spring holiday that brings about the feelings of reawakening and new beginnings. For men avoiding their yearly health checkups, for men with frequent urination who haven't gone to their doctor to get that checked out, and for men who were diagnosed with BPH but haven't made many positive lifestyle modifications to properly manage symptoms, this could be your chance to make a positive impact for your health. For those whose loved ones may have BPH, this is your chance to learn more about this condition and offer support. Although we may feel limited by the global pandemic, we can still make adjustments in the home to help BPH patients starting in the mind and home.

Playing an active role in BPH could mean more  chances to live a better quality of life by considering your options carefully and responsibly with doctors, support groups, and loved ones. Although there's not a one size fits all solution for BPH, if you can weigh the risks and benefits, there could be a way to manage mild BPH in a safe way. For those in need of surgical and medical intervention, and for those who are struggling with the side effects of stronger forms of treatment, we hope you can find ways to recover from the side effects as well with therapeutic and medical support.

BPH patients and loved ones, this year's Easter season may have passed, but your spring awakening could be around the corner! 

Rainy April, Leak Inducing Large Prostate?

Frequent urination is known as dysuria. Frequent urination at night is called nocturia. These are two symptoms older men may experience with prostate enlargement or BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia). This month of April showers that bring May flowers, we want men to enjoy the flowers of May instead of suffering from frequent urination! One of the most common complaints about BPH is getting up many times a night to go to the bathroom (nocturia). That's why our BPH awareness theme for April is April Showers, No Nocturia. Why do men get nocturia with BPH? That's because of where the prostate is located in a man's body. The prostate rests below the bladder and surrounds the urethra, a tube that leads urine out of the bladder and through a man's penis. In older men with BPH, the prostate has grown in size, pushing against the bladder and squeezing the urethra narrow. This means men want to go to the bathroom, and at the same time, they might feel urinary discomfort or difficulty pushing out urine smoothly. What a situation!

Although most of us have our attention on the global pandemic, we want men with BPH to know we're still thinking of them and wish them all the best in their BPH management journey. Let's continue to show them support this Easter weekend!

This Jersey City Office's Quest to Spread BPH Awareness

SunJour, whose U.S. office is located in Jersey City, is spreading awareness of BPH far and wide on the internet. BPH stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is the medical term for non-cancerous prostate enlargement. This condition is common in older men due to the second phase of growth of the prostate after puberty. However, chances are if you haven't been to the doctor, you don't recognize your frequent trips to the bathroom and poor urinary flow could possibly be BPH. Whether you call BPH by its name or not, the fact of the matter is men around the world are dealing with prostate enlargement and they need support.

The global pandemic has united us in the fight against the virus, just as we have united against many other disease states. This is how we know that the global community is capable of putting the spotlight on BPH and get more men and women talking about it.

If over half of men in their 50s and 60s, and almost 90 percent of men in their 80s and 90s are getting BPH, then this is something we should be paying attention to. More studies should be conducted because as men live longer, more of our senior men population will be facing this issue. Let's promote a good quality of life for older men. Some men prefer natural solutions, and some will talk to their doctor to determine which treatment option is best for them. With positive lifestyle modifications, BPH can become less of a disturbance in daily life. You can get more sleep so you don't have to get up many times a night to go to the bathroom. You can focus less on the bathroom and your bladder so you can focus more on the things in life you enjoy.

This is why awareness is important so that we don't brush aside the prostate as just another finger in butt joke! This is a condition that impacts men around the world, so let's work together to responsibly share information. Stay safe during the pandemic and seek support to manage your BPH! 

Basic Tips for BPH Patients During the Pandemic

Older men who are managing their prostate enlargement (BPH) while staying at home to support flattening the curve of the global pandemic could use these tips to help them continue to manage their BPH while also practicing good hygiene. Even if they are staying at home, there may be occasions where people are going in and out of the house to get essentials, not to mention that keeping general good hygiene indoors will help keep BPH patients and their cohabitants safer and healthier.

For those who don't know, BPH stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia and it's a condition common in older men where the prostate has become large enough to interfere with urinary health. Symptoms include frequent urination, urinary urges, struggle to push out urine, stopping and stopping of urinary flow, slow urinary flow, sensation of residual urine in the bladder, urge after finishing urination, dribbling, and nocturia (frequent urination at night).

If you are exercising indoors, especially sharing exercise equipment, wiping down machines and accessories is a generally good practice. Men with mild BPH who are practicing watchful waiting at the advice of their doctors are encouraged to increase physical activity such as walking, jogging, and swimming. Indoor equipment that is conducive to these activities may include treadmills, indoor pools, elliptical machines, step climbers, etc. If you have an indoor pool, ensure that the water is being cleaned and chlorine levels are regularly managed. 

If you are deciding what to include in your diet, hopefully you have worked with a nutritionist and your doctor to find the right diet for you. Avoid foods you are allergic, intolerant or sensitive to. Try to increase water intake during the day and less at night to reduce the thickness of urine and reduce the probability of getting up at night to go to the bathroom. Reduce the intake of soda, sugary drinks, and diuretics like tea and caffeine. Eat a balance of proteins, fruits, vegetables and grains whenever possible and reduce spicy foods to avoid aggravating the bladder. When you go out to buy groceries, be sure to clean surfaces and wash your produce for proper hygiene practices. Produce containing lycopene may be beneficial for prostate health. The reason for low incidence rate of BPH in Asian men may be connected to soy in their diet as well. 

Take warm baths to increase blood circulation to your prostate. Practice mindfulness to maintain your mental health. Relaxation and stress reduction may be beneficial to BPH patients as well. Practice double voiding techniques and pelvic floor exercises to support your urinary health while managing BPH.

With community support and online resources we can continue to support men with BPH even during the global pandemic! 

For Men Entering Their Golden Years: Reducing the Impact of BPH

If you're a man who has read about prostate enlargement (BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia), but brushed it off because you're not a senior nor have you felt symptoms yet, then this post is for you.

Now we don't want to scare you since you've got enough to be alert about with the global pandemic, but just because you don't have BPH, doesn't mean you won't get it someday.

BPH is a condition that commonly develops as men age due to the natural continuous growth of the prostate. BPH doesn't become a problem until it interferes with urinary function (poor flow, frequent urges, stopping and starting, dribbling, sensation of residual urine, etc.).

The older a man gets, the more likely he will develop BPH. While about 50% of men in their 50s-60s have BPH, that number goes up to 90% of men in their 80s-90s who develop prostate enlargement. As men live longer, it is more likely BPH is in their future.

There is currently no method to prevent BPH. The only circumstances where BPH would not develop are if a prostate is removed surgically or if testicles are removed before puberty. However, it is not medically sound to remove organs to prevent BPH. If managed properly, a man can still have a good quality of life even with BPH.

Some of the risk reducing or impact reducing actions you can take while you are still younger are as follows:

If you have high blood pressure, work on reducing your blood pressure to stay heart and prostate healthy.

If you have excess body fat and are overweight, work on making nutritional and physical activity adjustments to reduce the risk of BPH developing sooner or of BPH having a more negative impact on your body.

If you are consuming mostly food high in fats and red meat, try to balance out by adding more forms of protein, vegetables, fruits, grains, and reducing sugars and fats whenever possible.

If you don't even know what BPH is, learn more and share information about BPH responsibly by using trustworthy and reliable sources. Everyone in the community (men, women, young and old) can do their part to spread awareness and encourage more research into BPH development and treatment.

Basically the above actions are about the same that most people would take to reduce the risk and impact of other disease states that come with age. If we can encourage more studies to be done on the nature of BPH, we may even be able to validate natural, alternative and complementary health options from traditional Chinese medicine, aryuvedic medicine and other holistic approaches on the physical and mental levels.