Whenever you hear the word “cancer” as part of your diagnosis, your hands start to shake and your palms start to sweat.  However, it’s important to stay calm, especially when the diagnosis is Prostate Cancer.

According to Cancer.org

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American men, other than skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 186,320 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2008. About 28,660 men will die of this disease this year.

That’s scary - but the news gets better - from the same page:

While 1 man in 6 will get prostate cancer during his lifetime, only 1 man in 35 will die of this disease. More than 2 million men in the United States who have had prostate cancer at some point are still alive today. The death rate for prostate cancer is going down, and the disease is being found earlier as well.

So prostate cancer is a good news/bad news kind of a diagnosis. If you’re a man, chances are relatively good that you’ll be hearing this diagnosis in your lifetime.   That’s the bad news.  The good news is, the odds of survival are definitely in your favor!

There are two reasons for the optimistic survival rates:

1. Greater awareness of the symptoms which has lead to earlier diagnosis.
2. Prostate Cancer is a slow growing cancer.

Nothing beats early detection in the fight against cancer.  One of the best early detection tools when it comes to prostate cancer is the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test.

There’s a great page at Cancer.org on Can Prostate Cancer Be Prevented? In the article are lots of tips on how a healthy diet may be the best way to prevent prostate cancer.

A healthy diet may be the best prevention, but what happens if you (or someone you love) has gotten this dreadful diagnosis?

The Prostate Cancer Foundation offers this advice on Prostate Cancer Treatments:

There is no “one size fits all” treatment for prostate cancer, so each man must learn as much as he can about various treatment options and, in conjunction with his physicians, make his own decision about what is best for him.

For most men, the decision will rest on a combination of clinical and psychological factors. Men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer today will likely live for many years, so any decision that is made now will likely reverberate for a long time. Careful consideration of the different options is an important first step in deciding on the best treatment course.

Consultation with all three types of prostate cancer specialists—a urologist, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist—will offer the most comprehensive assessment of the available treatments and expected outcomes

The Prostate Cancer Institute agrees:

The best prostate cancer treatment depends upon a man’s age and general health, the stage of his prostate cancer, its location, and his personal decision.

The more you know about prostate cancer treatment options, the better prepared you will be to work with your doctor to choose the best prostate cancer treatment for you.

So, you need to work out a prostate cancer treatment program with your physician(s).  However, in order to make the best decision, you need lots of information.  What do you need to know about prostate cancer treatments?

According to Family Doctor.org

The treatment options for prostate cancer depend in part on whether the tumor has spread. For tumors that are still inside the prostate, radiation therapy (using x-rays that kill the cancer cells) and a surgery called radical prostatectomy are common treatment options. “Watchful waiting” is also a treatment option. In this approach, no treatment is given until the tumor gets bigger. Watchful waiting may be the best choice for an older man who has a higher risk of dying from something other than his prostate cancer.

Generally, tumors that have grown beyond the edge of the prostate can’t be cured with either radiation or surgery. They can be treated with hormones that slow the cancer’s growth.

There has been a growing call in the medical community for an increased adoption of the “watchful waiting” treatment option because many prostate cancers are small and slow growing.  Be sure to discuss this treatment option with your doctor.

For more information about Prostate Cancer, in addition to the links above, here are some valuable resources from Family Doctor.org:

• American Cancer Society
  http://www.cancer.org
  800-ACS-2345 (800-227-2345)
• Prostate Health Council/American Foundation for Urologic Disease
  http://www.prostatehealth.com
  1128 N. Charles St.
  Baltimore, MD 21201
  800-242-2383
• Revolution Health Cancer Community
  http://www.revolutionhealth.com/forums/cancer

Prostate Cancer is scary, but your best weapon in the fight is information.  Take time to research your options thoroughly so you fully understand ALL of your options before you begin treatment.

I’ve talked a lot about healthy eating on this blog, but one problem when you start eating healthy is your body is still dealing with the effects of YEARS of unhealthy eating.   It’s possible that you need a to clean out the toxins so your body can better process the healthy food.

The Eating Healthy Nutritious Food blog has more information on colon cleansing in the post Clean Out Your Pipes (Colon)…Then Move On To Eating Healthy Nutritious Food.

Colon cleansing is a popular topic online.   Some advocate a natural colon cleansing recipe while others recommend prepackaged products.   Colon cleansing has been touted as a way to prevent cancer and even address Multiple Chemical Sensitivity/Environmental Illness it can cause side effects. However, many doctors claim it’s not necessary.

What’s your experience with colon cleansing?  What products have worked best for you?

Mangoes have been cultivated for centuries in Southern Asia and it was once the national symbol of the Philippines. Referred to as the "food of the gods" in the Hindu Vedas, the mango is actually in the same family as poison ivy and contains urushiol, though in much lower doses than it’s toxic cousin.

Mango fruit has been shown to be high in Gallic acid (GA) and ellagic acid (EA) which are natural antioxidants.  It is thought these two acides actually prevent cancer cells from forming.

When scientists studied members of the Maori tribe in New Zealand, they found they had a lower rate of cancer than surrounding tribes.  Further research showed the Maori tribe had a high consumption of Mangoes as part of their diet.

So add Mangoes to your diet to help prevent cancer.