Keeping the prostate healthy is of utmost importance for men. Most men will experience prostate problems at some point in their lives. By age 60, 50% of men will have some signs of prostate enlargement. By age 85 that figure jumps to 90%. And it is estimated that one third of men who experience prostate enlargement will require treatment.
So what can you do? Well, researchers have discovered that adequate selenium intake may be particularly important when it comes to prostate cancer prevention. In one clinical study, a group of researchers noted that selenium is a promising treatment for prostate cancer. After conducting a review of current research, they concluded that selenium inhibits prostate cancer through multiple mechanisms, and it is beneficial in controlling the development of prostate cancer.
Selenium works to protect your cell membranes against free radical damage. Selenium is a trace mineral. It helps your body to produce a certain enzyme called glutathione peroxidase. This enzyme is able to roam around your body killing free radicals before they oxidize.
Selenium was used in another clinical trial to determine if it had any effect on other cancers. Researchers at the University of Arizona recruited 1,300 older people to participate in the study. They found that the occurrence of cancer among those who took 200 micrograms of selenium daily for about seven years was reduced by 42% compared to those given a placebo. Cancer deaths for those taking the selenium were cut almost in half. In addition, the people who had taken selenium had 63% fewer prostate cancers, 58% fewer colorectal cancers, 46% fewer lung cancers and overall 37% fewer cancers. Selenium was found to reduce the risk of lung cancer to a greater degree than stopping smoking.
Here are some healing foods that contain significant amounts of selenium:
–shellfish
–liver
–mushrooms
–wheat germ
–brazil nuts
–mustard seeds
–oats
–brown rice
–garlic
–orange juice
–chicken breast, turkey