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13.10.2014 Health & Fitness

Using The Okinawan, Japanese Way To Tackle Prostate Cancer In Ghana

By Raphael Obu
Using The Okinawan, Japanese Way To Tackle Prostate Cancer In Ghana
13.10.2014 LISTEN

Japanese men have lower prostate cancer statistics, low obesity levels, and the world's longest life expectancy. The miserable fact is that when Japanese men move to the United States and adopts a western lifestyle; their prostate cancer rates replicate those of American men. So if you want to learn the secrets of how Japanese men living in Japan prevent prostate cancer, you can start by following a Japanese, Okinawan lifestyle.

People who live on the islands of East Asia have the longest life expectancy and the highest proportions of centenarians that is people who live to 100. They also have lower obesity rates. The obesity rate reached an all-time high of 27.7% in 2014 in the U.S., while the obesity rate in Japan is just 3.5%! This is important to men for several reasons, but especially to men concerned about their prostate health because being obese is one of the warning signs you are at risk for prostate cancer.

In Japan, the prostate cancer rate is three times lower than in the U.S. This is most likely due to the differences between the lifestyle and diet of Japanese and American men.

Changes in the Trend in Asia
Although Asian people have the lowest incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer in the world, these rates have risen rapidly in the past two decades in most Asian countries. Prostate cancer has become one of the leading male cancers in some Asian countries. In 2000, the age-adjusted incidence was over 10 per 100000 men in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Israel. Although some of the increases may result from enhanced detection, much of the increased incidence may be associated with westernization of the lifestyle, with increasing obesity and increased consumption of fat. The differences in incidences between native Americans and Asian immigrants are getting smaller, reflecting a possible improvement of diagnostic efforts and changes of environmental risk factors in Asian immigrants. Nevertheless, the huge variations in incidences among ethnic groups imply that there are important genetic risk factors. The stage distributions of prostate cancer in Asian populations are still unfavorable compared to those of Western developed countries. However, a trend towards diagnosing cancer with more favorable prognosis is seen in most Asian countries. Both genetic and environmental risk factors responsible for elevated risks in Asian people are being identified, which may help to reduce prostate cancer incidence in a chemopreventivesetting(Pu YS et al 2004), .

Using the Japanese Lifestyle to tackle prostate cancer

So you want to know the Japanese secrets to good health? The Japanese live in a society that is not reliant on cars according to the staff writers, prostate.net, they eat a diet that is high in fish and low in sugar, and they have much healthier options for snacks and meals.

The staff writers also started that if you walk through a street fair, sporting event, or through shops in the U.S. you will see booths for cotton candy, ice cream, popcorn, pretzels, hot dogs, or churros. If you were to walk through a similar street in Japan, your food choices would be fish, squid, rice, maybe some mochi candy made from rice, and treats made from sesame. Vending machines in Japan sell soup and green tea instead of candy, chips, and soda. It can be downright challenging to find a soda in Japan. If it were that much effort to find junk food in the U.S. people would not consume as much they stated.

They further went on to say that In the U.S. we are barraged with sugar, processed/cured meats, and high-calorie, low nutrient junk food and drinks. The Japanese do not have these convenient junk foods on every corner. The challenge for Americans is to have the discipline not to eat it and to make better healthier choices, and unfortunately that takes some effort.

Ideally, you would have to move to Japan and be immersed in their culture to get all these benefits, but that is not realistic. Instead you can follow some guidelines in your own life that can make a difference in your prostate health, lowering your risk factors for prostate cancer as well as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also called enlarged prostate.

Take a Walk
In Japan, people walk everywhere and spend way less time in cars. People usually walk about two to three times per day. Find a way to get in at least 30 minutes of brisk walking in every day and increase you activity level. Try to plan out your day so that you can spend less time in the car and more time walking. Park farther away, rethink whether you even need a car to do the task, and try to run errands where you can park once and walk to multiple locations without getting back in your car until you are done.

Reduce Sugar
Sugar is a large part of the standard American diet and a large contributor to problems such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure. The Japanese eat only 1.72 ounces of sugar per day compared to 4 to 8 ounces per day in the U.S. The Japanese usually end a meal with green tea or fruit rather than cake or pie or cookies. When the Japanese do eat sweets they tend to be based in rice instead of wheat and sugar.

Eat Seaweed
Some experts say that the Japanese diet being high in sea vegetables such as seaweed helps improve longevity and in maintaining a healthy weight. Seaweed has many disease-fighting antioxidants and a recent study shows that it can stop the body from absorbing fat.

Drink Green Tea
Japanese men drink several cups of green tea per day (over 10 cups per day in some cases). Studies of large populations of men have found that the men who consume green tea regularly are less likely to develop prostate cancer. Research suggests that green tea slows human prostate cancer growth and prompts prostate cancer cells to “commit suicide.” Green tea also is very high in powerful antioxidants and can reduce levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is a hormone that increases a man's risk of developing both prostate cancer and BPH.

Matcha green tea is highly revered in Japan. You should aim for at least three to five cups per day or to take a green tea supplement.

Stop Eating Before You Are Full
If you want to know how to live to 100, take some eating advice from people who live in Okinawa.The highest percentage of centenarians in the world are found in Okinawa, where they have a practice of eating until they are only eight-tenths full. This makes sense as it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to receive the signal that the stomach is full. So don't be a member of the clean plate club; stop eating before you are full. Over time, not shoveling in those last few mouthfuls of food can add up to weight loss.

Practice Tai Chi
Tai chi is an ancient Chinese martial art that is also done in parks around Japan. Tai chi combines deep breathing and slow, graceful movements. It helps reduce stress, improves psychological health, and helps with balance. Stress can negatively affect your prostate health and is a major contributor to pelvic tension and pain.

Fermented Vegetables
Fermented and pickled vegetables have been part of the Japanese diet for centuries. These help promote healthy gut bacteria, which can affect prostate health. Fermented soy is a healthier choice of soy than unfermented soy.

Eat Fish
Sushi is great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for prostate, heart, and brain health. Research has found that Japan's low rate of heart disease was due to their enjoyment of fish and seafood. Japanese men had less cholesterol in their arteries than U.S. men, even though they had similar blood-pressure readings and higher rates of smoking. A diet high in fish may have a protective effect against clogged arteries.

Eating fish is good for aging men. Recent research from Japan has shown that men who consumed higher levels of meat and fish had a 39% lower risk of mental and physical decline compared to men who ate the least animal protein. The researchers suggested, that it could be that high-quality protein helps preserve lean muscle that is essential for daily functioning.

While moving to Japan to prevent prostate cancer is not realistic, learning how Japanese men prevent prostate cancer though lifestyle habits and diet is. Make an effort to avoid processed, high-sugar foods. Eat fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, drink green tea, and get moving. You will feel better, possibly lose weight, and reduce your risk of prostate cancer and other health problems common in American men.

The Okinawans proved that old age does not cause prostate cancer .It is what we do in the cause of our lifetime that is predisposing men to prostate cancer. They have also proved that where you live can affect your chance of getting prostate cancer. Men living in the U.S., Canada and areas of Western Europe (except for Greece and Italy) have the highest incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer in the world. Asian countries, Japan in particular, have the lowest rates. In fact, Japan has the lowest prostate cancer rates in the world.

The low rates of prostate cancer in Japan are not simply due to good genetics because Japanese men living in the U.S. have the same rates of prostate cancer as everybody else. That means the low prostate cancer rates may be due to lifestyle, diet and possibly environment.

If you want to avoid prostate cancer, perhaps you can start by following the habits of people living in Japan stated Dr. Geo Espinosa, where the prostate cancer rate is three times lower than in the U.S. Japanese men living in Japan don't just have lower prostate cancer statistics; they also have low obesity levels and the world's longest life expectancy for men. People who live on the islands of East Asia have the longest life expectancy and the highest ratios of people who live to 100.

Dr. Espinosa however caution that It is important to note that unlike the U.S., countries like Japan do not put a great emphasis on testing for prostate cancer. It is possible that many cases of prostate cancer go unrecorded. As most cases of prostate cancer grow slowly and many men who have prostate cancer actually die of causes other than their prostate cancer, there could be more Japanese men who have prostate cancer and not even know they have it. But that is one Japanese habit you should not follow. Get tested, know your risk factors and stay on top of your prostate health.

Following a Japanese style of living and healthy eating is going to make a positive difference in your prostate health. Making an effort to avoid processed, sugary foods, eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, drinking green tea, reducing stress and staying active are all good moves when it comes to your health. You can't go wrong by making those changes. Plus, you will probably notice that you will feel better and possibly lose weight when you make these changes. While you don't have to move to Japan, you'll find that breaking away from the SAD diet and following the guidelines of a Japanese diet and lifestyle will go far to help reduce your risk of prostate cancer and risk of other health problems common in American men he stated.

The writer is a registered Naturopathic Oncologist & the CEO of De Men's Clinic & Prostate Research Lab, Founder of Men's Health Foundation Ghana, Dodowa-Akoto House.MSc Prostate Cancer. Sheffield Hallam University, UK

Tel :0541090045.

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