The Science Supports a Mostly Plant-Based Diet for Prostate Cancer
A systemic-review study shows a plant-based diet’s protective benefits for prostate cancer.
What’s the difference between a Systemic Review and a Meta-Analysis
You have heard me highlight meta-analysis and systemic review studies in the past. The difference between the two is the following:
- A systemic review is an overview of most, if not all of the studies in a given topic using research methods to limit biases and find clinical significance.
- A meta-analysis uses a statistical strategy for finding the results of several studies into one single conclusion.
In some cases, a study can be both a systemic review and meta-analysis. I love to collect information from these two methods of studies as it guides clinical therapies that may be most effective.
Medicine is an art as much as a science.
Here’s a summary of this newly published systemic review study:
- Two highlighted lifestyle studies showed protective benefits from a lifestyle approach, including Exercise, stress management, some dietary supplements, and a plant-based diet.
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- Dietary supplements included fish oil, vitamin E, selenium, and vitamin C
- I think the magic is in all components of lifestyle, not only diet.
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- Another study showed increased PSA doubling time in subjects with increased consumption of plant-based foods and oily fish, reducing or eliminating land-animal-based protein (including dairy), and mindfulness training.
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- Here, fish seems to be beneficial, which is a food I recommend.
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- Yet another study in men with biochemical recurrence after treatment for prostate cancer showed a slower rise or overall reductions in PSA levels in men who underwent a plant-based diet and stress-reduction intervention over six months.
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- Men with more waist size reduction corresponded temporally with the PSA decreasing.
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- In Germany, vegetarians had a nearly 60% lower mortality due to prostate cancer, although it was not statistically significant.
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- In nine patients with metastatic prostate cancer who adopted a modified plant-based diet to varying degrees in addition to conventional, three patients in the plant-based diet group experienced long-term improvement or regression of bone lesions compared to no patients in the control group.
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Here’s a simple way to look at diet for prostate cancer:
- Eat real food. Mostly plants. Not too much – Michael Pollan
- Practice Intermittent fasting.
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- The bigger problem is that people overeat too often, which might be a significant cancer promoter.
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- Eat organic when possible.
- Stay away from non-organic fruits and vegetables most contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals, dirty dozen.
- Never eat with guilt.
- Download the XY Wellness Diet Guide for specific dietary recommendations for prostate cancer.
My mission is to keep you updated with the latest and greatest applicable information to keep you strong and healthy. You can also listen to a few podcast episodes on prostate cancer.
Why I love a Gleason 6 diagnosis