Foods, meal replacements, and prostate health

Question
I am 30 and trying to lose about 20 pounds and lower BP and cholesterol through exercise and diet and also have a slightly enlarged prostate that is of concern to me since my grandpa died from prostate cancer.  I exercise almost every day and started a diet rich in raw fruit and veggies which I make a juice with them twice a day.  I have also been taking meal replacement shakes to work everyday instead of food and am wondering if they are safe for long term use?  I am currently taking Myoplex which is low calorie and does not have aspartame and I have also used Jarrow's Muscle Optimeal.  My main concern is there effects on organs such as liver, kidneys, prostate for long term use?  My liver and kidneys are healthy as far as I know but like I said I have some early symptoms of enlarged prostate and want to really make sure I am doing healthy things for my body and lose weight and be healthy.  I have given up caffeine and cut back on eating meat to a couple days a week and rely on nuts and whey mostly for protein.  I also do not smoke or drink.  Any suggestions?

Answer
Dear James,

With any supplement or meal replacements, the potential disadvantage is often not in direct health danger but because you rely on them and can easily miss something you are not aware of and what is present in natural foods (see the suggested reading below).

Make sure you have enough of good fats, specifically Omega 3, better with foods (salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout, etc.) If fish mercury contamination is your concern, choose smaller fish. Your Omega 3 should not come from flax seed oil though.

Green tea, red wine and dark grape, cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, green salads, cauliflower),tomatoes (fresh but also in ketchup and sauces), olive oil, avocados -- are all good prostate protectors, you should have them just about every day.

You might also want to increase your intake of Brazil nuts, mushrooms, wheat germ, bran, oats, and brown rice to have enough of Selenium. Myoplex provides only 1/3 of general population needs; with a higher prostate cancer risk, the need is increased.


Avoid trans fatty acids, fried and commercially baked foods, corn, canola, or soybean oils, which are high in polyunsaturated fats.

Watch your calcium intake. In Myoplex alone, one serving contains Calcium 70 percent of daily allowance so you have to reduce other calcium-containing foods that can be better for you than Myoplex -- dark green vegetables and probiotic-containing foods like yogurt.

Zinc also should be watched and in myoplex you have 60 percent of daily allowance. One serving of Myoplex takes all Vitamin E you can have per day and recent studies warn about serious risks with vitamin E intake.

Suggested reading

Vitamins: what's missing?
http://atkinszone.com/did-you-know/2008/09/antioxidants-vitamins-minerals-whats....

Megavitamins
http://atkinszone.com/did-you-know/2006/10/megavitamins-may-be-useful-treatment....

Opinion: 95% supplements is a waste of money
http://atkinszone.com/exercise/2008/08/opinion-95-supplements-is-waste-of.html

Omega 3, 6, and 9: essential fatty acids and supplements
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Nutrition-Dieting-939/2008/10/Omega-3-6-9.htm

Ketchup: healthy or not?
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Nutrition-Dieting-939/2008/9/Ketchup-healthy.htm


Tanya Zilberter

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