Health & Fitness
Edward Medical Group doctor offers prostate cancer prevention tips
Dr. Riddhi Pakrasi is an internal medicine physician at EMG's office at 130 N. Weber Rd. in Bolingbrook.
As any man who’s had early stage prostate cancer knows, the diagnosis often requires decisions that can be difficult. Should you get treatment now or wait and see if and how the cancer progresses? If you choose immediate treatment, which option is best?
“Prostate cancer affects one in six men at some time in their lives,” says Riddhi Pakrasi, MD, a board certified internal medicine physician with Edward Medical Group. “It’s usually not a deadly disease, but many men are anxious to rid their bodies of anything identified as cancer.”
Dr. Pakrasi also points out that many are put off by potential side effects of treatment that may include varying degrees of incontinence and impotence.
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While the research offers no surefire way to protect yourself against this cancer, Dr. Pakrasi recommends the following measures to improve your odds:
--Cut back on high fat foods, especially red meats and full-fat dairy products, and replace with plant-based fats, such as olive oil.
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--Eat more vegetables, whole grains and fruits. Consider having cooked tomato products once or twice a week.
--Add fish to your menu, such as salmon, sardines, tuna and trout.
--Choose green tea or take green tea extract in supplements. Coffee may also be a good choice.
--Limit alcohol to one or two drinks daily, if you drink at all.
--Be active. Exercise cuts the risk of fatal forms of prostate cancer.
--Discuss prostate cancer screenings with your doctor to determine what approach would be appropriate for you.
--See your doctor yearly and ask about an annual prostate exam and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.
An annual checkup won’t reduce your risk of prostate cancer, but it is important to staying healthy. Prostate tests can help find cancer early when treatment can be most effective.
Dr. Pakrasi’s Edward Medical Group office is located in the Edward-Elmhurst Health Center – Bolingbrook, 130 N. Weber Rd. For more information or to make an appointment, call (630) 646-5777 or visit www.EEHealth.org/EMG.
