The prostate gland grows larger with age just like your body. However, even when the growth spurts stop for your body, your prostate keeps growing. After a certain point, the large size of the prostate gland actually pinches the urethra, which makes it difficult to urinate properly. It also comes with other health problems, which can be difficult to manage if you don’t get your prostate fixed. While surgery is possible, doctors in most cases recommend patients to go through natural remedies first. This way it becomes possible for patients to treat their symptoms naturally while also adopting a healthier lifestyle and dietary habits. So, what are these natural remedies for an enlarged prostate? Let’s find out.

8 Dietary & Lifestyle Changes To Naturally Shrink Your Prostate

• Add Zinc To Your Diet

Zinc is an important mineral for your body. Everyday food items like cereals and grains contain zinc, which helps regulate several important bodily functions. Without adequate zinc levels in your body, your risk for conditions like Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer increases significantly. Zinc levels are expected to degrade in a person’s body as they age, so it is very important that you take zinc supplements and add nuts and seeds to your diet.

• Check Your Medicines

Sometimes medicines contain hormone replacement drugs and other substances like dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione, testosterone, and human growth hormone. These hormones and medications increase your risk for BPH and prostate cancer. If you are older and have shown symptoms of having an enlarged prostate, doctors will in most cases ask you to stop taking these medications, if they are prescribed to you. Please talk to your doctors regarding potential side effects of stopping your medications before you do.

• Substitute Caffeine With Green Tea

Caffeine is a known diuretic, which doctors will discourage you to continue having if you have prostate problems. Instead, you can replace your regular caffeine intake with green tea. It has high levels of antioxidants and can even prove to be good for your prostate. Green tea also helps with weight loss and is a great beverage to accompany diets. Specifically for BPH, green tea can be an excellent option to help your symptoms.

• Avoid Dairy & Red Meat

Dairy and red meat are known to be a risk factor for BPH and prostate cancer. Removing them from your diet as much as possible will help you improve your symptoms. Many adults also have lactose intolerance and cutting out dairy products from their diet can only improve their overall life quality. Similarly, red meat is commonly known as a risk for people with high blood pressure and cardiac problems. Cutting it out can help you be healthier as you age.

• Have Cranberries

Cranberries in any form have the potential to improve your urological health as they are rich in antioxidants. Generally, doctors will recommend cranberry powder for an easy way to incorporate it into your diet. Cranberries are also rich in phytonutrients and anti-inflammatory properties which can even help alleviate some of the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Having fresh cranberries in your diet is also a great way to get the benefits of this fruit, as long as you do it in moderation or as per the doctor’s advice.

• Monitor Your Use of Cold Medication

Cold medication can worsen the symptoms of conditions like BPH. This is because cold medication often causes the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck to tighten. This would exaggerate the symptoms of BPH and cause discomfort and problems while urinating. If you have symptoms of an enlarged prostate, be sure to talk to your doctors about it before they prescribe cold medication to you. However, it should be noted that not all cold medication needs to be barred from consumption. You just need to control the consumption of medicines that have either pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine in them.

• Add Omega 3 To Your Diet

Omega 3 fatty acids are good for your health in general. For your prostate specifically, omega 3 helps prevent prostate cancer. However, further research has shown that moderation in your consumption of omega 3 fatty acids is essential for your body to get its benefits. So, in most cases, doctors will recommend you to add omega-3-rich foods like fish, walnuts, and eggs to your diet. Getting the necessary nutrients from food sources will help you keep your omega-3 consumption in moderation.

• Practice Double Voiding

Double voiding is a practice that’s recommended to men with an enlarged prostate. It involves urinating twice in very short intervals of a few minutes to void your bladder as much as possible. This practice helps reduce the risk of urinary incontinence and also reduces your risk of extreme urgency for urination the next time. While medication and lifestyle changes are there to help you improve your symptoms, practicing double voiding can also help you reduce your physical symptoms significantly.

Now that you know about the dietary and lifestyle changes that will help naturally improve your prostate. Let’s review some of the most effective exercises to shrink prostate and prostate exercises yoga. Exercising is a generally good habit, so you can start any time you want, especially if your symptoms have just started showing up. Just make sure you are not pushing yourself too hard in the process.

Exercises To Shrink Prostate

Virasana (Hero Pose)

Virasana or the Hero Pose is a sitting yoga pose that helps reduce the pelvic tension around the prostate. Here are the steps on how to perform this yoga pose.

• Kneel down on the ground
• Sit on your feet with your knees together
• Balance your weight between your feet and knees without putting too much pressure on your knees
• Put your palms on your thighs facing down
• Sit upright, as straight as possible, and hold this pose for five minutes or as long as you can
• Once you are done, roll to any side to release the legs
• You can use additional support like pillows or cushions in the beginning if you find doing this post very difficult.

Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose)

The Supta Padangusthasana pose is a yoga exercise that will help you relieve tension in your pelvic floor and even strengthen pelvic floor muscles. This is a lying-down pose that involves performing leg extensions. Here are the steps on how you can recreate this pose.

• Lie down on your back with your legs stretched out
• Bend your left knee, put your left leg up to your chest, and hold it there by your thigh
• While you are picking up your left leg, make sure the right leg is firmly placed on the ground with the toes pointing upwards.
• Hold the toes of your left leg with both hands and start raising and straightening your foot toward the ceiling
• If you are having trouble holding your left toes with your hands, you can also use a strap or belt to hold your leg while you raise it
• Once you are in the position, breathe deeply and try to hold the position for a while
• After you feel comfortable bring the leg down at a right angle to your body
• Once your foot is down restart all the steps for your right leg
• Be sure to take rest during the process and not over-stretch yourself

Baddha Konasana (Cobbler Pose)

This is a seating yoga pose that helps relieve pelvic tension. Here are the steps on how you can perform this step at home.

• Sit down on the ground with your legs extended forward
• You can balance yourself with your hands on each side at this point, if you are having trouble
• Bend your knees, put the soles of your feet together, and try to bring your legs as close to your pelvis as possible
• Put both your hands around your foot and grasp them firmly
• Now try to lower your knees as close to the ground as possible, without leaving your foot
• Do not over stretch in the process and try to hold the pose as long as you can
• Sit upright and breathe deeply while you are in the pose and release any tension that is build around your hips
• For the next part, lift up your legs and tuck your chin inwards and breathe deeply while staying in the position
• Once you are done, release your legs from your hands and place them extended in front of you like in the beginning of the pose

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

Dhanurasana is a popular yoga pose and it has multiple physical health benefits. When it comes to your pelvic health, holding this pose can help strengthen the lower back, pelvic floor, and even your abdomen muscles. This pose can seem advanced but is quite easy to perform, here are the steps to perform Dhanurasana.

• Lay on your stomach with both arms to your side
• Lift up your heels while remaining in the position by bending your knees
• Once your legs are up, reach back with your hands and hold your ankles from the inside
• After getting a hold of your ankles push your leg back and upwards to raise your chest off the floor with the force
• Hold the position and breathe deeply try to arch your back as much as possible
• The goal is to try and touch your head and your feet by arching your back
• When you are in the position, make sure you look forward and focus on your breathing
• After you complete the pose, leave your ankles and lay down flat on your stomach again

Conclusion

Improving your prostate naturally is a great treatment option for an enlarged prostate. The ideas and exercises to shrink the prostate discussed in this article are helpful and tested to be successful for patients. To learn more about enlarged prostate treatment in Delhi, feel free to check out MASSH. We specialize in minimally invasive procedures that are highly effective in treating conditions like BPH. Our treatments are low risk and offer quick recovery for patients. Visit us today to get a consultation with our specialists and get started with your enlarged prostate treatment today.