About Men’s Health

Cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, strokes etc) is the number one cause of death worldwide, followed by cancer at number two. A large primary prevention trial, the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) looked at the use of finasteride vs placebo to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. However, it was noted that the overall number of deaths from prostate cancer was only <1%, with the majority dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD). We know that making heart-healthy changes can profoundly impact on cancer-related deaths and improve overall men’s health (BPH, erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer).

The following is a summary of the ten recommendations by Dr Mark Moyad on optimal Men’s Health Diet.

  • Men should know their fasting cholesterol profile, blood pressure, and other cardiovascular markers as well as know any other health numerical values, for example prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
  • The body mass index (BMI), but more importantly the waist / hip ratio (WHR) or waist circumference (WC) measurement and pant size should also become a standard part of a clinical record before initiating dietary changes.
  • Approximately 30 to 60 minutes or more of physical activity a day on average should be the goal, which should include lifting weights or performing resistance exercises several times a week. At least 3 hours of vigorous exercise weekly, was associated with an approximate 70% lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
  • Saturated, trans-fat and even dietary cholesterol should be reduced and replaced by more healthy types of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat (e.g., u-3 fatty acids). Healthy fat is found in healthy cooking oils (canola, olive, safflower), nuts, flaxseed, fish, and soybeans. Unhealthy fat is found in non-lean meat, high-fat dairy, fast food, snack food and deep-fried food.
  • Although some studies supported the consumption of tomato products (lycopene) at least once a day to reduce the risk of a variety of cancers, including prostate cancer, some other studies failed to find a correlation. Therefore, men should consume a diversity of low-cost fruits, and especially vegetables, and not focus on just tomatoes and high-caloric, high-cost and high-antioxidant exotic juices.
  • Consume more total (soluble and insoluble) dietary fibre (20–30 g/d). Fibre-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, cereal, whole-grain bread, oatmeal, brown rice, bran and beans.
  • Consume moderate amounts of omega-3 fatty acid-rich food (fish, fish oil, ground flaxseed, soy, nuts, healthy plant cooking oil). Two servings of non-fried fish per week are recommended.
  • Adhere to heart-healthy lifestyle recommendations stated above (especially losing weight, increasing physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption, and cessation of smoking) because they reflect the most effective male health prevention advice.
  • Multivitamins and vitamin D have the potential to be overrated and adult men who desire to consume these specific supplements should not take more than one children’s multivitamin a day or an 800 to 1000 IU vitamin D supplement if found deficient on a reliable blood test. An increased risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancer was found in one of the largest prospective epidemiologic studies of multivitamins.
  • Cholesterol-lowering through diet, lifestyle, or even medications (statins) and supplements should be potentially considered the real ‘male multivitamin’. There is emerging clinical data to support cholesterol lowering as one of the best potential methods of reducing the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

Download The Optimal Male Health Diet and Dietary Supplement Program - PDF (340 Kb)