Cannabis & The Prostate | Health
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads reading this!
When I was a child, I made homemade Father’s Day cards for my Dad. Some years I drew a picture of him wearing a tie while at work, and then there were the ones with him lying and napping on his dark green hammock in our backyard with a glass of lemonade.
So, lay back and relax on your hammock and read on.
Many fathers today use Medical Marijuana (MMJ) to help them with relief from their chronic pain, symptoms of PTSD, glaucoma, and cancer, to name just a few of the medical conditions that qualify people to get their MMJ card. The benefits of less stress and good sleep can only help fathers be able to do what they do which is to protect their family, provide for them, teach life lessons and LOVE their children.
I see fathers every week in the clinic who want to get their MMJ card for the first time or who want to renew their card. Many say that it is their children or grandchildren who have urged them to try a natural route for treating their pain and other health issues. Most men are surprised to know that MMJ can also help with the health of the prostate gland.
The Prostate Gland, aka The Protector
The word prostate comes from the Greek Word: protector or guardian. The prostate protects a man’s most valuable bodily possession: his sperm. The fluid secreted by the prostate is what the sperm “swim” in and it helps keep the sperm healthy by providing nourishment. Just like the water in a fish tank, the water needs to be healthy for the fish, and the same is true for the fluid that the sperm swim in.
The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut and it is found between the urinary bladder and the penis. Any man who has ever had a prostate exam by his doctor, knows that it is also located near the rectum. A rectal exam is needed to palpate (feel with touch) the prostate and detect any enlargement or pain.
The physician will also order a blood draw to detect the level of PSA made by the prostate (prostate specific antigen) and if the levels of PSA are high, then an ultrasound and/or biopsy of the gland to diagnose non-cancerous enlargement of the gland as in benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) or prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in men in the United States (skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in men), but it can be treated in a variety of ways with success using chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy and surgery.
The prostate gland functions in sexual health and fertility and it is also involved in urination. The urethra is a “tube” that carries the urine from the bladder through the prostate and then out through the penis. If the prostate is enlarged as in BPH, then the urethra is squeezed making urination more frequent, painful and the flow of urine can slow down to a dribble and then… to nothing. A backup of urine is NOT a good thing.
When the prostate is inflamed, it is called prostatitis. This can be from a bacterial infection and antibiotics can be used to treat this. BPH is when the prostate enlarges, and this is common with men over the age of 50. It does not matter what it is called, because when a man has it- he knows it. He’s up 4 or 5 times during the night to urinate and his bladder may never feel totally empty.
Promote your Prostate
Eat foods high in zinc. Eating a handful of pumpkin seeds daily contain the essential fatty oils and high zinc amounts needed for sperm health, fertility and maintaining testosterone levels. Raw pumpkin seeds are the best as they have their oil retained compared to roasted seeds. Keep your seeds in the refrigerator to prevent them from becoming rancid. Oysters also contain high levels of zinc.
Saw Palmetto is an herb that has been used specifically for prostate health. It can be used in the form of a tincture which is the liquid preparation of the herb. I would recommend using: Wise Woman Herbals. www.wisewomanherbals.com
Eating a diet of lean meats and fish, vegetables, fruit, good oils as in avocados and olive oil with minimal alcohol consumption, helps the health of the whole body as well as the prostate.
Use it or lose it. A man needs to keep his prostate fluids working properly which happens during ejaculation.
Dr. Kimberly Landino has been practicing Naturopathic Medicine in Arizona since 2001. She certifies patients for their MMJ card at All Greens Clinic in Sun City, AZ. Click here for more from Kimberly Landino.
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