What Every Man Needs to Know About Prostate Health

While it may be a sensitive subject for many men, prostate health is one of the keys to their overall well-being, not to mention their families' future.

According to the American Cancer Society, about one in six American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer (other than skin cancer) among this group. Among African-Americans, the risk is approximately 66 percent higher.

Fortunately, there are several ways men can keep their prostates healthier, minimize the risk of prostate cancer, detect it earlier and treat it more effectively.

"At no point in the past decade have there been more options for the diagnosis, treatment or management of prostate cancer," says Virgil Simons, founder and president of The Prostate Net, an organization educating men about prostate health. "Most prostate cancer-related deaths are due to advanced disease, which can be minimized through early detection and targeted educational efforts."

Just a few simple tips can help men stay healthier:

Get Tested

Every man over the age of 50 should have his prostate examined regularly and receive an annual PSA Test, an exam that detects antigen in the blood. High levels of this antigen could indicate a prostate problem that isn't necessarily cancer, necessitating further study. Those with a family history of prostate cancer or who are at higher risk – such as African-American men – should begin testing earlier.

"Despite the recent controversy regarding the PSA test, no other protocol is available to help measure the potential diagnosis or disease progression of prostate cancer," stresses Simons.

Keep a Family Medical History

Collecting information about the health of family members can show your doctors which ailments to look out for. You should record things like gender, date of birth, diseases or medical conditions and the age when conditions were diagnosed. This information also can be collected through family trees, old letters and obituaries.

Watch That Diet

The American Association for Cancer Research has established that weight gain and obesity, especially among inactive men, can increase risk of prostate cancer recurrence. So, proper diet and exercise are critical.

Experts recommend five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day, particularly greens high in Vitamin C content like bell peppers, broccoli, snow peas or cauliflower. Foods high in zinc, like oysters, crab, duck, lamb and lean beef, also can help. Lycopene-containing foods such as tomatoes and watermelon have many cancer fighting properties, as do fish, like salmon, that are rich in Omega-3 oils.

Get Educated

Despite having so much information about health, there is still misunderstanding about disease, particularly cancer. To help, The Prostate Net has organized a series of free educational symposiums to bring together patients, their families and health professionals to share information about the care and treatment of prostate cancer. To learn locations and dates, visit the prostatenet.org/Symposium.html or call 888-477-6763.

Nothing is ever guaranteed in life, but with some education and a few adjustments in lifestyle, men can make their health slightly less of a roll of the dice.