Dietary understanding is constantly shifting as we learn more of the needs of the human body. Some say that red meat is great for our health, while others abhor the notion that anyone should ever consume steak. Recently, a Harvard study shows the exact effects of the so called “western diet” on men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Importance of Nutrition after being diagnosed with prostate cancer
As with any type of cancer there can be complications. Even when the patient finds themselves in remission, if they stop considering their health as they go about their day-to-day lives, they could do great harm to their health.
Taking care of yourself after cancer begins with a daily diet altered to provide your body with everything it needs, and very little of what it does not need. According to the study published by Harvard University in the Cancer Prevention Research journal, “a post-diagnostic Western dietary pattern was associated with higher prostate cancer–specific and all-cause mortality, whereas a prudent dietary pattern was related to lower all-cause mortality after prostate cancer diagnosis.” The consumption of a diet not adequate to a healthy lifestyle increased the risk compared to the diet of those who ate well during the period of the study. A direct correlation is formed to the longevity of an individual who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, to their selected diet.
The risk of cancer and why healthy eating is critical
According to the American Cancer Society approximately 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and as of 2015 prostate cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer related fatalities in men killing 1 of every 38 men diagnosed. With treatment and early detection prostate cancer can be eradicated in the body. However, treatment depends not only on the doctors and hospitals, but on the individual ability to curb one’s own lifestyle. After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, studies have shown that what the patient chooses to consume on a daily basis could literally be the difference between life and death.
