By LILIAN U. OKORO

Some medical practitioners in the health sector have advised men to eat a balanced diet and be engaged in regular sex to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.

The experts gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

The Coordinator, One-Stop-Breast Cancer Clinic, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Caleb Yakubu said that men who engaged in sex regularly stand a lower chance of developing prostate cancer.

Yabuku, also a Consultant Radiologist, said it had been scientifically proven that men who ejaculate more frequently were less likely to develop prostate cancer.

He explained that the prostate gland contains prostrate fluid that mixes with the sperm to form the semen.

He said that with frequent ejaculation, there would not be any stagnancy or reduction in the flow of the fluid which might predispose and increase the risk of getting cancer.

“The prostate gland plays an important role in ejaculation. The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped gland that produces the fluid in semen and helps push this fluid out during ejaculation.

‘It is believed that if a man ejaculates/releases fluid from the prostate gland, there will not be any spaces or stagnancy in the flow that may now predispose and increase the risk of getting cancer.

“In fact, there is one study in the U.S. recently which says that if a man ejaculates up to 20 times per month, his risk of having prostate cancer reduces drastically. So, there is a scientific base to this.

“However, what we normally preach is early detection and that men above 40 years should always go for Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test to know their status,” Yakubu said.

Speaking, a Consultant Family and Lifestyle Medicine Physician, Dr Muyosore Makinde, said that diet and lifestyle measures were critical in the prevention and management of any kind of cancer.

Makinde, who works with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), urged Nigerians, particularly men to cultivate healthy eating habits.

She expressed dissatisfaction that many Nigerian citizens were reckless in their eating habits in the bid to demonstrate affluence and class.

According to her, their nutritional habits are based on personal want instead of personal need.

She said, “Many Nigerians eat wrongly. They eat whatever they like in quantity and quality without recourse to the long-term health implications.”

The Physician advised that men should reduce the intake of refined diet, carbohydrates, sugar and increase the intake of diets high in fibre, protein and vegetables.

According to her, there is also a need to increase water intake and reduce high caloric diet which can lead to obesity/diabetes causing insulin resistance.

“High sugar level, excessive consumption of carbohydrates and low intake of fibre foods with less vegetables and proteins are the major contributing factors to prostate cancer.

“Exercise regularly and avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Avoid smoking and reduce or avoid alcohol use including energy drinks,” Makinde said. (NAN)

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