After the age of 40, many men are diagnosed with benign enlarged prostate –benign prostatic hyperplasia-. Symptoms include an increased need to urinate and a decreased force in the urine stream.

Most prostate enlargement is caused by hormonal changes associated with aging. Dietary changes and herbal remedies are often effective treatments for enlarged prostate symptoms. As with all medical conditions, see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Blockage from prostate enlargement may cause repeated urinary tract infections and gradually result in bladder or kidney damage.

Being ignorant about prostate trouble will prevent you from understanding some of the signs and symptoms that would have warned you early on before the disease spreads to the rest of the body.  Please DO take the time to learn as much as you can about the condition.

Many men with an enlarged prostate have no symptoms. If symptoms are present, they can include:

• A weak stream of urine.
• Difficulty starting urination.
• Dribbling and/or leaking of urine after urinating.
• A sense of not fully emptying the bladder.
• Painful ejaculation.
• More frequent urination.
• Disrupted sleep - you wake up with the urge to urinate
• Sometimes blood in the urine.

Eat helpful fats. A diet rich in cholesterol and fat increases the production of a hormone which stimulates prostate growth. Eat a healthier diet; reduce all the saturated fats, hydrogenated fats and polyunsaturated oils in your daily diet. Add some healthy fats like virgin olive oil, raw nuts and seeds, avocados and oily fish such as salmon to your daily menu.

Start eating pumpkin seeds for a healthy prostate. Pumpkin seeds are an specially rich source of zinc, an essential nutrient for maintaining healthy prostate function. A cup of pumpkin seeds a day can make a difference and they are a healthy and tasty snack.

Take Saw Palmetto, a herb that alleviates prostate enlargement by blocking the formation of the hormone which stimulates prostate growth. It takes about six weeks of continual use to see any changes.

Drink plenty of water to flush the bladder of problem causing bacteria and help prevent urinary tract infections.

For African-American men and men with a family history of prostate cancer, it is recommended that tests be given starting at age 40.

• A physical exam is required to see if other medical problems may be causing your symptoms. The doctor will conduct a digital rectal exam to examine the prostate gland.
• Your doctor may check your urine for blood or signs of infection and for a prostate-specific antigen level - a screening test for prostate cancer.
• To rule out cancer, your doctor may recommend a PSA blood test. The amount of PSA, a protein produced by prostate cells, is often higher in the blood of men who have prostate cancer.