JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men. 27,000 deaths a year are caused by the disease. But men can slash their chances of getting it with a couple of simple changes in their diet.
A lot of men cannot get passed the way doctors check for prostate cancer.
Each year, Dr. Eric Klein from Cleveland Clinic says 700,000 men with a high PSA get a prostate biopsy, which can lead to a risky and dangerous infection.
"So there are a lot of unnecessary biopsies that are done. Actually you don't want to subject someone to a biopsy unless you're likely to find something meaningful," Dr. Klein said.
So why not skip the biopsy but still slash your risk of getting the disease altogether with a few simple changes in your diet? Sounds like a no-brainer.
"Eat plants, that's the healthiest thing to do. You don't have to go paleo, but eat plants," Dr. Klein said.
Green veggies are great at slowing down the spread of cancer-causing substances. So, men who eat three or more half-cup servings of green veggies a week drop their odds of getting prostate cancer by 41-percent.
The lycopenes found in red fruits such as tomatoes can, according to one study, lower the risk of prostate cancer by 35-percent and advanced prostate cancer by half.
And feast on fish. Omega-3's found in tuna, trout and salmon also slow the growth of prostate cancer cells.
But avoid fat.
A few more dietary tips in the fight against prostate cancer: try using olive oil instead of butter, snack on nuts instead of cheese and don't overcook your meat.