Food Friday: Nutrition Tips for Men

TGIF! July is Parks and Recreation Month, and Friday is designated as Food Friday! It is a time to recognize park staff who help provide food for those in need during the pandemic, but that got us thinking about our readers who may have BPH or know someone who does. A proper balance of food may help with weight and BPH symptom management. BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) is the medical term for an enlarged prostate. Prostate enlargement affects millions of men who age into their senior years. It is associated with urinary issues such as frequent urination day and night, slow or poor urinary flow, straining to push out urine, trouble starting or stopping, and sensation of urine remaining in the bladder. 

A healthy nutrition plan of eating and drinking well can help benefit men who are experiencing BPH symptoms. For example, fluid intake habits can support bladder discomfort. If you drink more fluids in the day and less at night, you may help reduce those frequent trips to the bathroom. Although drinking more often may sound counterintuitive, drinking healthy drinks like water can help make urine less thick. When we stop drinking fluids, we make the urine in our body thicker, which irritates the bladder, and not to mention dehydration. We don't want to be dehydrated, especially in the summer! If you're out in the park during a hot day, it's important to prevent heat stroke by staying hydrated. 

Eating well will depend on any allergies and dietary restrictions you may have due to other conditions such as diabetes. You may also have religious or ideological restrictions where you can't consume certain foods or ingredients. In general, it is important to eat in moderation (controlling portions and being sure to get nutrition from the food groups). Men in Asia have lower prostate problem incidence rates, and it has been proposed that this may be due to having soy in the diet. Soy is high in protein and low in fat. For example, replacing some meat options (high in protein and higher in fat compared to soy) with soy may be beneficial, or adding soy and reducing meat portions. 

Some people have also looked to pumpkin seeds and food containing lycopene (like tomatoes) as well for prostate support, while cranberry has been consumed for bladder support. Although more studies may be necessary to prove a link between these foods and prostate/urinary health, many can agree that a balanced diet (not too much of one specific food, not just one food group, etc.) is important. 

Reducing food high in sugar and fat, reducing alcohol and consumption of diuretics and caffeine may also help reduce frequent bathroom trips and reduce the aggravation of BPH. 

Enjoy your weekend, enjoy your local parks safely and enjoy healthy food and drink! Read and share our BPH blog to spread awareness of this common men's health issue (content can be viewed on various platforms of your choice via https://linktr.ee/sunjourhc). 

BPH Patients on Thriving Thursday

July is Parks and Recreation Month, a time to enjoy the parks around us (in a safe fashion) for the betterment of our health and to appreciate nature around us and the people who help maintain the parks. On Thriving Thursday, we ask our readers to thrive in good health, strive for better health, and offer support to men with BPH. BPH is a common condition of prostate enlargement in older men, usually accompanied by frequent urination day and night, slow urinary flow, and more uncomfortable urinary symptoms. By spreading awareness, we can help men care for their health and prevent BPH from decreasing their quality of life. 

The consequences of BPH include less sleep, less energy during the day from lack of sleep, fixation on the nearest bathroom instead of living in the moment, and a health concern in the bladder and kidney areas (untreated BPH could mean a more narrow or completely blocked urethra, as well as kidney and bladder damage such as stones). 

This Thriving Thursday, men with BPH can take walks in the park (while practicing social distancing) to get fresh air and increase physical activity. Parks and greenery also offer a space for mindfulness meditation and stress reduction. Physical activity is one recommendation for BPH management, especially in mild cases where urologists have told their BPH patients to practice watchful waiting. 

BPH is not just a prostate issue- having a natural, holistic approach to BPH symptom management (the mind, the body, the bladder, pelvic floor, etc.) may be your solution to finding relief! 

Tell us how you thrive regardless of BPH! Read and share this BPH blog so others can learn more and get encouragement for their BPH!

Parks and Recreation Month: Wellness Wednesday for Men with BPH!

July is Parks and Recreation Month, where the public is encouraged to appreciate nature, the staff involved who maintain the parks, and strive for their own betterment of health. Each day of the week is designated for a special part of Parks and Recreation Month. Wednesday is Wellness Wednesday, where we encourage the community to improve their health and wellbeing by going outside and safely practicing activities like walking, jogging, and light exercise in the park. Because of the pandemic, you should check whether your local park is open, and if you go, make sure to take safety precautions like social distancing, face coverings and hygienic practices. 

We want to address men who have BPH (prostate enlargement), which is a condition common in older men associated with lower urinary tract symptoms like frequent urination during the day and/or night, slow or weak urinary flow, struggle to stop or start urination, sensation of urine remaining in the bladder after voiding, and dribble at the end of urination. If you have BPH, especially in the mild stage, your doctor may have recommended watchful waiting and healthy lifestyle modifications to manage your symptoms. Taking walks in the park could promote physical activity in combination with a healthy nutritious diet to manage weight. Doing these things could help BPH from feeling worse. If you need to find a bathroom, bear in mind that some parks and recreational areas may have closed off public bathrooms to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. In that case, you may consider these tips:

- Go to the bathroom just before leaving your home so you can leave with an empty bladder.

- Go to the park that is closest to your home so you can return home easily if you need to go to the bathroom and public restroom facilities are unavailable. 

- If you are going to the park during a hot summer day, don't refrain from fluid intake just for the sake of avoiding urinary urges. This could put you at risk of heat stroke and also irritate your bladder because less fluids means the urine in your bladder will be thicker. 

- Bear in mind that public urination is against the law and you may be fined

Managing your symptoms at home by practicing double voiding techniques, pelvic floor exercises for controlling urges and reducing incontinence, safe application of heat therapy for relief of discomfort and promotion of blood flow, consumption of safe, clinically tested plant based therapy such as UMOOZE, and having support from family, friends and fellow BPH patients may be of help to men at this time. This July, enjoy the beauty of parks and the great outdoors in a safe, healthy way for better prostate health!  

 

Star Festival and our Wishes for BPH Patients

July 7th is Tanabata (Star Festival)! People write wishes on pieces of paper. If we could make a wish, we would like for men with BPH patients to find relief from their uncomfortable symptoms. What is BPH you ask? Well, BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) is the medical term for prostate enlargement. It is a condition common in older men where they may experience frequent urination, slow or poor urinary flow, straining to push out urine, stopping and starting of flow, urine retention in the bladder, incontinence, urges, etc. 

We wish for men to have a longer night's rest, so they don't have to get up many times a night to go to the bathroom because of BPH!

We wish for men to have more energy in the morning because they didn't lose sleep!

We wish for men to have less stress from dealing with the uncomfortable symptoms of BPH!

We wish for men to have a better quality of life by successfully managing their BPH!

We wish for men and the public to have awareness of BPH- it's a matter of when, not if, it will develop!

We wish for men to consider natural and holistic approaches to mild BPH management- physical activity, healthy nutrition, complementary medicine based in traditional Chinese medicine and studied clinically (such as UMOOZE)!

What are your wishes for your BPH?     

Natural BPH (Prostate Enlargement) Tips

How was your Fourth of July weekend? Were there any fireworks going off in your neighborhood? 

As summer continues to turn up the heat, we want to see men turn up their passion for prostate care, specifically BPH (prostate enlargement commonly accompanied by uncomfortable urinary symptoms like frequent urination and slow or weak urinary stream). 

If you still pick up newspapers, you may see articles discussing health, natural remedies and tips. You may not be surprised to see some men’s health or prostate care tips, too. For those of you who like taking a natural path to better health, these may be worth a read and a talk with your doctor. If you see naturopathic physicians or nutritionists, they may help you think of meal or ingredients to incorporate for better prostate health. Ask your doctor about the consumption of soy (in foods like tofu and tempeh), tomatoes (which contain lycopene) and cranberries for bladder health. Although their efficacy in managing prostate health directly may be debated, if you are eating healthy food in moderation while also keeping your personal situation in mind (allergies, comorbidities, current medications, etc.) you may be supporting your body holistically. Eating well means your body can get the nutrition it needs to support your multitude of bodily functions including the immune system. Reducing stress of the mind will also prevent the stress from further weakening your immune system. Some people find mindfulness meditation or other forms of therapy and activities like safe exercise to be helpful. 

If the natural path to managing prostate enlargement is attractive to you, you may also consider UMOOZE, which was clinically shown to support men with BPH symptoms by improving their IPSS scores in various criteria (see the study on the Clinical Trials website). 

What other food do you eat and associate with health, nutrition, and BPH management? What foods do you avoid? Avoiding food and drinks containing an excess of salt, sugar, trans fats and high calorie count may be a start. 

Your fluid intake habits may also play a role in managing your BPH. Can’t go wrong with a glass of water if you don’t know where to start! Drinking more during the day and less at night may help reduce the thickness of urine, thereby reducing irritation to the bladder. Drinking soy milk or astragalus tea may also help, but bear in mind that even when consumed to reduce stress and produce calm or other health benefits, some teas, especially caffeinated teas, may be diuretic and produce more urinary urges.

Let’s support men on their journey to naturally managing their BPH! 

Declare Your Independence from BPH!

Independence Day weekend is coming! While the USA managed to become free from empirical rule, have you managed to find freedom from BPH (prostate enlargement)? BPH is a common condition in older men where the prostate grows larger in size with age. Symptoms include frequent urination (getting up many times day or night to go to the bathroom), slow urinary stream, struggle to start to stop urinary flow, incontinence and urges, dribbling at the end of urination, sensation of urine remaining in the bladder, and if left untreated potential damage to the bladder and kidneys, as well as blockage of the urethra (in other words, your prostate can grow so large so as to block off the path of urine out of the body completely).

You can declare independence from prostate enlargement, and one way is by managing your symptoms. If you have mild BPH, lifestyle modifications such as drinking fluids during the day and less at night, getting physical activities in, a nutritious diet, implementing a complementary treatment for support (such as the one studied in the UMOOZE clinical trial), and getting support from your doctor, family, friends and the men's health community may help. 

For the Fourth of July weekend, reduce or avoid caffeinated drinks, spicy food, unhealthy food, and alcohol so as not to aggravate the bladder. Remember, everything in moderation! 

Find relief from BPH! No more sleepless nights from getting up to go to the bathroom! Have more energy throughout the day! Don't feel bound to the bathroom! Enjoy the fireworks on TV, in your backyard, or in the distance (while practicing social distancing), and have a relaxing Fourth of July weekend! 

July is Parks and Recreation Month (and Canada Day) for Men with BPH!

(For recent news on COVID-19, visit this article: https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/anti-viral-and-anti-inflammatory-response-goldenbiotech-s-antroquinonol-receives-fda-approval-on-covid-19-phase-2-trial-in-usa/)

To the Canadians out there, Happy Canada Day! It's a new month, and July is Parks and Recreation Month. Because of the global pandemic, it may be scary for some to go outside to visit parks, but if you practice social distancing and guidelines you can safely enjoy parks and have more walking activity to help manage your BPH. BPH is a men's health issue of the prostate where the prostate gland grows larger due to age and is common in older men. It is associated with frequent urination, especially at night, and poor urinary flow. 

This month, our blog's theme is Parks and Recreation (not the comedy show, haha)! Let's explore ideas to safely reduce our stress and increase physical activity in our beautiful parks to help reduce the impact of BPH and improve our overall health. 

Are you an outdoorsy type? Do you like going outdoors and taking walks around the park? We look forward to celebrating the green, promoting parks and nature, and finding activities for senior men to enjoy to help their BPH and other men's health issues alongside their family, friends and strangers (within a safe distance of course). 

Want to follow our journey through Parks and Recreation Month? Visit our linktree to find your preferred medium to read and share our content: https://linktr.ee/sunjourhc