Dietary management for prostatitis: Avoid spicy foods, reduce oily foods, increase plant-based foods, supplement with nutrients, and use apple therapy.

Scientific dietary regulation

Prostatitis remains a major challenge for both patients and doctors due to its poor clinical treatment outcomes. Experts point out that lifestyle habits, diet, and daily routines all affect the prostate, and all possible factors should be actively utilized to complement and assist in the treatment of prostatitis.

The following are dietary considerations for patients with prostatitis:

1. Avoid spicy and irritating foods.

For patients with prostatitis, a light, nutritious, and low-irritant diet is recommended. Irritating foods such as scallions, raw garlic, chili peppers, and black pepper can cause vasodilation and organ congestion. Some patients with chronic prostatitis have a habit of eating spicy foods, often able to abstain when symptoms are severe, but relapsing when symptoms subside. This is a significant reason why prostatitis is difficult to cure. Therefore, patients should try to avoid spicy and acidic foods, such as tobacco, alcohol, scallions, garlic, ginger, chili peppers, leeks, and black pepper.

2. Reduce fat intake

Research reports from around the world consistently indicate that a diet high in animal fats is a significant risk factor for prostate cancer, and recommend reducing fat intake. Eating less oil can also reduce eicosane-like compounds, which can cause prostate inflammation and increase the likelihood of cancer development.

3. Increase plant-based foods

Some compounds in plant-based foods can fight prostate cancer, such as those found in selenophora and nettle. However, lycopene deserves special mention. Lycopene isn't only found in tomatoes; it's also an antioxidant in apricots, grapefruits, and other red fruits and vegetables, protecting cellular DNA from oxidation. Additionally, zeaxanthin and lutein, found in corn, spinach, and other dark green vegetables, also offer this protective effect. Quercetin, a flavonoid compound, can inhibit the division of prostate cancer cells and can be found in apples, onions, tea, and red wine. Therefore, while it's impossible to pinpoint a single compound that definitively prevents prostate cancer, consuming all these fruits and vegetables is certainly beneficial.

4. Increase your intake of nutrients.

Nutrients particularly beneficial for prostate protection include vitamins D and E, as well as the trace element selenium. Cholesterol in the skin can be converted into vitamin D through direct sunlight exposure. Vitamin D can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer; egg yolks, butter, liver, and fish oil are good sources of vitamin D. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, rapeseed oil, safflower oil, and corn oil are good sources of vitamin E. The presence of vitamin E and lycopene together can reduce the incidence of prostate cancer. Most natural foods contain selenium, with meat being a good source. Vitamin E and selenium are antioxidants that can protect cells near the prostate from damage.

5. Apple Therapy

Besides seeking treatment at a reputable hospital, eating more apples, which are high in zinc, is also a good way to treat prostatitis, known as "apple therapy." Zinc is a crucial trace element in prostatic fluid. Reports show that the amount of zinc in the blood and prostatic fluid is directly related to the prostate's antibacterial and bactericidal abilities. In other words, when the zinc content in the prostate is high, its self-antibacterial and anti-inflammatory abilities are strong; while in chronic prostatitis, zinc levels are significantly reduced. International clinical researchers have found that compared to previously used zinc-containing drug therapies, apple juice is more effective, safer, easier to digest, and very popular and readily accepted by patients. Therefore, for patients with chronic prostatitis, regularly eating apples, such as 3-5 per day, or frequently drinking highly concentrated apple juice, will be very beneficial for treatment.