Ways To Help Prevent Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the single most common cancer in men. It’s also the second deadliest cancer, behind only lung cancer. So, if you’re a man -- and presumably most AskMen readers are -- you should be aware of how to prevent this malignant menace.

Unfortunately, however, proper prevention might mean denying yourself of things that you as a man enjoy (take, for example, your red meats, your beers and your fried foods). Thankfully, AskMen has decided to keep prevention pleasant as we present four fun ways to help prevent prostate cancer.

Note: Don’t get us wrong, we’re not pretending that there’s anything fun about prostate cancer. We are, however, attempting to encourage men to take measures to prevent the disease.

1- Eat marinara sauce

How it works: The main ingredient in marinara sauce is tomato, and tomatoes are chock-full of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer in men. In fact, the tomato is just one of several anti-prostate cancer foods that we introduced to you not too long ago. Using these foods in creative combinations like marinara sauce is just one of our four fun ways to help prevent prostate cancer.

How to prepare: Recipes for marinara sauce are not hard to come by, so spend some time surfing the internet until you find one that tantalizes your taste buds. And if you’re not the kitchen type, don’t worry; marinara recipes are a cinch to carry out, plus you can freeze or refrigerate the results for future meals. Serve with pasta or as a healthy dipping sauce for homemade pizzas.

Pro tip: Add garlic to increase protection.

2- Masturbate

How it works: Now before you shake your fist in anger, allow us to explain. By no means is AskMen promoting that men everywhere start masturbating to prevent prostate cancer. But several studies conducted in the last few years have indeed suggested that masturbation protects against prostate cancer. Actually, it was ejaculation, achieved by either sex or masturbation, that showed benefit.

Just how does ejaculation protect against prostate cancer? One theory is that it allows the prostate to clear itself of carcinogens. In other words, masturbation may literally clean your pipes.

How to perform: Yeah, nice try -- that’s for you to figure out. But as far as frequency is concerned, we can give you an estimate for that. According to the largest study of its kind, a 2004 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, to gain any protective benefit against prostate cancer, more than 12 ejaculations per month (i.e. masturbating or having sex every other day) was necessary. What’s more, each increase of three ejaculations per week was associated with a 15% decrease in prostate cancer risk.

3- Go dragon boat racing

How it works: It’s no secret that aerobic exercise is one of the most powerful preventers of disease. As human beings, we are meant to be active. After all, exercise improves circulation, boosts the immune system and increases energy levels. But nowadays, finding the time and motivation to exercise can be tricky. The solution, then, is to combine exercise with fun. So why not get involved in an activity where you and 20 other paddlers race giant boats named after dragons? Sounds pretty awesome.

How to get involved: First things first, you’ll need to find whether there’s dragon boat racing available in your area. Start by asking around at your work. Unbeknown to most, many major organizations like hospitals put together teams on a yearly basis. If occupational opportunities are lacking, then research some external dragon boat racing organizations at the municipal or state/provincial level.

Pro tip: If you can’t get on the water, try any group aerobic activity, such as mountain biking, jogging, spinning, or even dancing.

4- Eat a big bowl of cereal in front of Saturday morning cartoons

How it works: There’s no arguing that Frosted Flakes taste great, but it’s not exactly the healthiest breakfast cereal. So, if you’re looking to find a fun way to prevent prostate cancer, opt for a cereal that’s high in flax and try substituting cow’s milk with soy. Both flax and soy contain active ingredients that fight prostate cancer.

How to prepare: Find a cereal that contains flax, or simply add some flax seeds or ground flax to your favorite cereal. Fill a bowl and add some soy milk. Simple.

Pro tip: Eat while watching your favorite Saturday morning cartoon.

keeping life fun

Prevention of disease doesn’t need to be a bore. In fact, keeping things fun and exciting is a great way to ensure that you’ll actually follow through. So try these fun ways to prevent prostate cancer or do a little research and come up with some fun prevention techniques of your own. You’ll surely enjoy the results.