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In about 1999 or 2000 I started seeing a doctor who had switched from "conventional" medicine to both homeopathy and natural/herbal medicines. My aim was to maintain heart health primarily, but I also had voiding issues caused by an enlarged prostate.
He put me on a regime of no dairy, no red meat, lots of soya. I also took supplements like Beta-Sitosterol, saw palmetto, pygeum Africanum and a bunch of other highly expensive things imported from California, along with buckets of green tea.
This diet was so boring, that I felt that even if I did not live longer on it, it would sure as heck feel like I was living longer! However I stuck to it through thick and thin.
After 5 years, in November 2006, as a result of biopsies taken whilst I had a TURP, I discovered I had prostate cancer.
Now, I know the Chinese, it seems, don't get prostate cancer like we do, but they get other stuff like stomach cancer. As for the Japanese, I don't know what they get instead, but it surely will be something. The French of course eat, drink and smoke more than anyone but don't get heart attacks like those of us in Northern Europe.
So what I say is this. Whatever food and drink you live on, go by the old English maxim which is that a little of what you fancy does you good. "All things in moderation". Don't get obese and don't get skinny.
It's 5.30 pm here in Blighty and I am opening a nice bottle of Burgundy. Two glasses with my steak and stir fry tonight will suit me fine. Then I'm going to try and find something on telly that will make me laugh. Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares is usually a good bet.
Best be careful about that fruit juice now. According to the Daily Telegraph in the UK today: "Fruit Juices Cut the Potency of Heart and Cancer Medicines" Here is the link http://tinyurl.com/6jm8vx
Like I said yesterday, it's probably best to eat well but moderately, rather than try to second guess scientists and nutritionists about what, specifically,you should eat. They simply do not, and probably CANNOT, know. It is virtually impossible to study a large enough population over a long enough time to know specifically which food to eat.
My own research tells me that French red wine has all the anti-oxidants and reservatrol that a chap needs. Guess what, the University of Bordeaux, backs up my position. (They could be biased I suppose).
Before PC, I was very restricted on what I could eat. To have energy to exercise & get the best sleep, I can not eat: any form of sugar, any form of sugar substitutes, & MSG. We have been label readers for over 35 years. When you are dealing with sugar or sugar subs you take a very large amount of food(?) off your plate, including prepared drinks, most all fruits, wines, beer, licquors, etc. I do eat a lot of red meats, most dairy (no milk), all fats, & lots of veggies. Mostly drink only water. Will eat one or two fruits per month, but that night sleep is difficult .... so for me there are more important things to worry about than PC. I'm 6'1", weight 160 lbs. Have been 160 to 170 lbs since 1960 after Navy Boot Camp. My exercise program is a 2 to 3 day cycle, day 1 floor routine (weights, stretch, crunches), day 2 walk (2 to 4 miles), bike (4 to 7 miles)(off road if I can). Sometimes need day 3 to rest & stretch.
Nettie,
I changed my diet when I was 40 becaues my brother had prostate cancer at 42. I ate right and took 30 supplements a day for 6 years but developed prostate cancer at 46. It is all in the genes in my case. My Dad had prostate cancer at 56 and is 72 today he still smokes,drinks and eats what he wants and has a PSA of 0.01. God only knows if a diet is the answer but it can not hurt.
After all the usual conventional treatment following diagnosis in April 2005 I am coming up to one year of fighting cancer with diet and supplements alone.
But I have a confession to make which would have Jane Plant yelling furiously at me....I have been unable to quit the cigarettes.
I know it's crazy, I ensure that only the healthiest of food passes my lips, yet I pollute my body with all the harmful chemicals apparently contained in the cigs.
However, my PSA remains stable and all my health tests are good. Maybe I'm just lucky and will one day pay the price - so giving up smoking is certainly top of my 'to-do' list. One day I hope I'll succeed.
