Foods that help prevent prostate cancer

Dr. Gerald Chodak, urologist and clinical professor at the University of Chicago, joined Balance Television host Dr. Marla Shapiro to talk about some alternatives to conventional treatment.

"The standard approaches are surgery, radiation, seed implants, those are the traditional ones," Chodak said. "There are experiments going on with freezing the prostate and there are a lot of men that may choose a conservative approach with no immediate therapy."

As far as alternatives are concerned, Chodak said that if you survey patients, "about 30 per cent of men with prostate cancer are taking some of the supplements and alternative things out there."

Chodak tells those patients that there are no scientific studies that prove for certain that any of those alternatives will affect their survival. On the other hand, he noted, "in the laboratory, there is clearly scientific evidence of a biological affect against prostate cancer cells."

So if you're motivated to try and combat the cancer on your own, here are some things Chodak suggested might be helpful:

• Soy and soy products
• Green tea (contains chemicals that stop the growth of prostate cancer cells)
• Vitamin E and selenium (have been used in a preventive study; potentially they may be good to fight prostate cancer as well)
• Garlic (an antioxidant with medicinal properties)
• Almonds and pumpkin seeds (contain vitamin E -- an alternative to taking supplements)

"If you look though the literature, it looks like lower-fat diets might be better for you," Chodak said. "We know that things such as tomatoes and broccoli contain things that are good for you, so there are natural products you can take. Avoiding fatty foods and fried foods might be another way to help protect yourself. We know that people who consume a lot of red meat are more likely to get prostate cancer than men who consume lower amounts. So there are a lot of natural things you can do."

Here is Chodak's general dietary advice for his patients:

• Try to eat a balanced diet.
• Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Avoid too much red meat.
• Avoid too many fatty foods.

Read about more foods that fight cancer.