Natural BPH Treatment through Diet - Food List for Enlarged Prostate
When dealing with enlarged prostate symptoms, you need help alleviated the pain and discomfort of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Although this BPH diet is not a cure for an enlarged prostate, following these food guidelines can help you create a healthy, natural BPH treatment.
For a printer-friendly copy of this enlarged prostate healthy diet, click on the link below.
Vaso-active Amines: Foods Containing Tyramines and Other Vaso-active Ingredients
As I struggled with my own enlarged prostate symptoms, I started tracking foods in my diet and if they affected how I felt. By doing this, I was able to find patterns and create my own natural BPH treatment through diet. My BPH diet does not include foods to eat - it highlights foods that can trigger symptoms of an enlarged prostate. I have developed the following list of foods to avoid and those to consume with caution by trial and error experimentation and personal research. Everyone may not have the same degree of reaction to those listed, but I firmly believe that everyone will be somewhat affected.
There are other sources for finding foods that contain tyramines. In the 1950’s, a class of drugs was invented to treat depression and Parkinson’s disease. These monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) interact with tyramine and can cause a rapid and potentially life-threatening rise in blood pressure. Given the gravity of this interaction, it is crucial that patients taking MAOI avoid foods and drinks that contain tyramines. Therefore, many lists of foods containing tyramines have been published and are easily found on the internet.
Avoid the following dairy products that can act as BPH symptom triggers:
Ripened & aged cheeses - Blue-veined such as Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, Oregon blue, Maytag blue and French Bleus - Aged Cheddar, Swiss, Edam and Gouda
Probable BPH symptom catalysts to avoid in your diet include:
Yellow cherries (Rainier & Queen Anne)
Citrus (particularly orange juice)
Bananas (especially the white inside of the peel)
The following vegetables should be avoided to reduce the occurrence of enlarged prostate symptoms:
Squash family (Zucchini)
White Corn (Silver Queen)
The following fermented foods are probable BPH symptom stimulants:
Although you can have meats when following my natural BPH treatment diet, the following proteins should be avoided:
Dried salted fish
Sausage, pepperoni, salami, bologna & similar meats
Beverages, especially caffeinated beverages and wines, can also cause flare-ups of enlarged prostate symptoms. Be sure to avoid these beverages when trying to naturally reduce of benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms:
Red wine (especially Chianti)
Aged wines (especially Port)
Soft Drinks (especially caffeinated varieties, such as Red Bull and colas)
Tea (green and black)
BPH symptoms may also be aggravated by soups.
All soups should be avoided as they may contain protein extracts.
Miso soup is made from fermented soy bean curd and should be avoided.
Miscellaneous Food and Sauces
Soy-based products, various sauces, and other miscellaneous foods may also produce BPH symptoms and should be avoided in your diet, including:
Soy sauce & teriyaki sauce
Soy-based foods (especially tofu & other fermented soy products)
Foods and beverages are not the only possible triggers in your diet. The following dietary supplements should also be avoided:
St. John’s Wort
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Protein extracts & protein dietary supplements
Medications that you would typically use to relieve other health issues could actually aggravate enlarged prostate symptoms and should be avoided, including:
Cold or sinus medications that contain decongestants or anti-histamines
Asthma drugs (esp. inhalers)
Allergy and hay fever drugs
Foods to Consume with Caution: Could Cause a Moderate Reaction
During my research and personal tracking, I discovered additional foods that may aggravate BPH symptoms, but to a lesser degree than the above foods. The foods below should be avoided - or at least eaten with caution - when supplementing your BPH therapy with natural treatment methods.
Although these foods may not affect you as adversely as the cheeses listed in the section above, you may wish to remove - or at least limit - the following dairy products from your diet to avoid prostate enlargement symptoms:
The following fruits may cause a moderate adverse reaction (increase in BPH symptoms) if consumed regularly in your diet:
Red cherries (Bing)
Red & purple grapes
Vegetables that may trigger symptoms of an enlarged prostate include:
Yellow corn (Golden Bantam)
To avoid possible prostate aggravation, your diet should not include:
Fresh meats are typically a part of a prostate-friendly healthy diet, however, you may want to avoid:
Fish & meats that are not fresh
Some beverages to avoid, helping prevent BPH symptoms, include:
Miscellaneous Food and Sauces
The following miscellaneous foods can also cause enlarged prostate symptoms to flare and should be minimized in your diet:
Chocolate (especially dark)
Canned broth & stock (may contain protein extracts & MSG)
Salad dressings that contain MSG or protein isolates or whey (most white colored manufactured dressings such as “ranch” contain MSG)
The Boston Area Community Health Survey included 1,500 men aged 30 to 79. Those who took supplements with high doses of vitamin C (at least 250 milligrams a day) were 83 percent more likely to experience urgency, frequency or an intermittent, weak urine stream than those who took no vitamin C supplements. (J. Nutrition 141: 267, 2011)
Avoid Enlarged Prostate Symptoms with Healthy Diet
As mentioned previously, a healthy diet cannot cure an enlarged prostate; however, avoiding certain foods in your diet can act as a natural BPH treatment - reducing the outbreaks of painful symptoms of prostate enlargement. This healthy diet for enlarged prostates should complement the medical treatments you receive. Always consult your doctor if you are suffering from symptoms of an enlarged prostate.