You visit the toilet more than you used to. You leave business meetings to take a quick bathroom break. You choose the aisle seat at the cinema or theatre or when flying. You seldom sleep a whole night through without being woken by the need to urinate, but when you get to the bathroom you just strain and wait. Having finally managed to pass something, you still feel like you haven’t. Sometimes you have involuntary leakage. Perhaps you also experience bouts of impotence or pain in your lower back, legs and lower abdomen. Sound familiar? These symptoms may suggest you have a prostate problem.

This chestnut-sized gland situated at the base of the bladder causes more grief for men than just about any other part of the male body. Although approximately 50 per cent of Australian men may experience some type of prostate problem at some stage of their life, until it plays up, men rarely give their prostate a second thought.

 

Treating prostate problems

According to Dr Nick Bassal of the Wholistic Medical Centre, Sydney, the most common prostate problems for men in Australia are:

• BPH (enlarged prostate), more common in older men (late 40s onwards) and accompanied by urinary obstruction.
• Prostatitis (prostate inflammation), more common in younger men (20-40 years old) and the cause of much more distress (pain and discomfort).

If you think you have a problem with your prostate, don’t assume anything and don’t ignore it. Have it checked by your GP. A digital rectal exam (DRE) and/or urine and blood tests will confirm whether or not you have BPH or other prostate problems. An ultrasound can check for prostate cancer.

Major issues for those with prostate problems are pain, sexual dysfunction and embarrassing episodes. Dr Bassal observes that prostate problems are compounded when the sufferer is stressed, anxious or depressed. Therefore, a calm, balanced state of mind is very important. Considering this, you can deter or at least manage prostate problems by doing the following:

• Learn skills to calm the mind and increase your awareness of the relationship between body and mind; for example, yoga, special breathing practices and meditation.
• Gain a deeper understanding of nutrition and develop the discipline to make appropriate dietary changes.
• Utilise the healing properties of natural herbs.

 

Yoga for the prostate

Poor blood circulation in the pelvic region may exacerbate prostate problems. In addition to the mental and emotional benefits of regular yoga practice, certain poses help to lessen congestion and improve blood circulation and energy flow in the pelvic region.

The following poses break down neuromuscular “knots”, tone and massage the organs and muscles and enhance healing in the area of the prostate. They are recommended for both their specific beneficial characteristics and the ease with which they can be performed by those unfamiliar or inexperienced with yoga.

1. Vayu nishkasana (wind releasing pose)

Keeping eyes open, sit in a squatting position, feet more than hip-width apart. Take hold of the insteps of your feet, sliding your fingers under your soles. Press your outer upper arms against the insides of your knees, elbows slightly bent. Inhaling, take your head gently backwards, looking upwards. Hold the breath for three seconds and then, exhaling, do your best to straighten your knees and raise your buttocks. Relax your head forward and hold the breath for three seconds. Do not strain. Breathe in, returning to the start position. This is one round. Complete five to eight rounds.

2. Chakki chalanasana (churning the mill)

Stage One: Sit with your legs about one foot apart, stretched out in front of you. Interlock your fingers and hold your arms out straight in front of your chest. Keeping your elbows straight, imitate a stone grinder churning a mill: exhale as you bend as far forward as you can and then move towards your right side, passing your fingers over your right toes. Draw backwards as far as you can, breathing in, and then reach forward, passing your fingers over your left toes. Continue this circular motion, moving from the waist. One rotation is one round. Complete five to 10 rounds clockwise, then anti-clockwise.

Stage Two: Repeat Stage One but keep your legs as far apart as you can. Complete five to 10 rounds clockwise, then anti-clockwise.

 

3. Nauka sanchalanasana (rowing the boat)

Stage One: Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you and keep them straight throughout the practice. Clench your hands as if grasping the oars of a boat, palms facing down. Take a deep breath in and then breathe out as you bend forward from your waist, as far as is comfortable, straightening your arms. Breathe in as you lean right back, drawing your hands towards your shoulders. This is one round. Let the movement of your hands be circular; ie as you lean back, your arms move past the sides of your legs and along the sides of your torso towards your shoulders. Complete five to 10 rounds clockwise, then anti-clockwise.

Stage Two: Sit in the same position as for Stage One but with your legs about one metre apart. Keeping your legs straight and your awareness on the pelvic area, repeat Stage One. Complete five to 10 rounds clockwise, then anti-clockwise.

4. Vajrasana (thunderbolt pose)

Kneel on the floor with your buttocks touching your heels. Keep your big toes together and move your heels as far apart as you can. Rest your hands on your knees, palms facing up. Keep your head level and your spine straight but relaxed, with minimum arching in your lower back. Close your eyes and relax your body. Breathing at a normal rate, keep your attention on the breath and observe the inhalations and exhalations as they come and go. Sit in this position for at least five minutes, or as long as you can, progressively increasing the time with each practice.

If your knees become sore, shake your legs out behind you by coming up onto your hands and knees. For extra comfort, place a small blanket or towel between your buttocks and heels and/or between your heels and the floor.

Vajrasana alters the flow of blood and nervous impulses in the pelvic region and strengthens the pelvic muscles.

5. Siddhasana, for men (accomplished pose)

Sit on the floor, legs stretched out in front of you. Bend your right leg, placing the sole of your right foot against your inner left thigh, firmly pressing your heel into your perineum (halfway between your genitals and anus) so you are partly sitting on your right heel. If you can, bend your left leg and place your left ankle directly on top of your right ankle, heels one above the other. Press your pubic bone with your left heel. By now your genitals should be between your heels.

For those who are more flexible, tuck the toes of your left foot between your right thigh and calf muscle and physically pull the toes of your right foot, wedging them between your left thigh and calf. Reverse the positioning of your legs if you find it more comfortable.

Let your knees relax, preferably touching the floor. If it hurts between your ankles, cushion them with a small cloth or sponge. Straighten your spine and place your hands on your knees, palms facing up.

If you are struggling with this pose, do the best you can and hold for as long as is comfortable, increasing the time only when your body is ready. Practice and patience are the keys. Remember, it’s not important how far you go but that you remain in touch with what your body is capable of doing without straining.

Note: Do not practise this pose if you have sciatica or sacral infections.

6. Vajroli mudra

Be in any comfortable sitting position, with your spine and neck straight. Place your hands on your knees, palms facing up, and lightly touch the tips of your forefingers with the tips of your thumbs (known as chin mudra). Close your eyes and relax your body, taking your awareness to your urethra. Take a deep breath in, hold and draw the muscles of your urethra upwards, contracting your pelvic floor muscles. This movement is similar to holding back an intense need to urinate. Your testes should move slightly when you do this. Bending forward just a little helps. Hold the contraction for as long as you can and then exhale as you release and relax. This is one round. Initially, practise three rounds, slowly increasing to 10 or 15.

Vajroli mudra regulates and tones the urogenital system and helps to correct BPH.

Note: It’s preferable to practise this mudra on an empty stomach. Do not practise it if you have an infection of the urethra as it may add to the irritation. You may start with holding the contraction for just a few seconds, gradually building up.

Meditation

Philosophers and teachers have long advocated the benefits of living in the present moment. However, the practical application of this wisdom has become increasingly challenging in a world where we are continually reminded of the past and endlessly warned about the future. Meditation and awareness of the breath (which, by its nature, is always happening in the present moment) can calm the mind and allow your consciousness to settle deeply into the endless now.

The best time to meditate is after practising yoga poses, always on an empty stomach and preferably at sunrise or sunset.

 

Final relaxation

On completing the yoga poses and meditation, lie in corpse pose, eyes closed, for five to 10 minutes to allow your body to absorb the benefits.

 

Breathing

Were you aware of your breathing until you read this heading? The reality is we go through life almost entirely unaware of this critical life-supporting process. The breath can do far more than simply provide oxygen to the body; it’s actually the most powerful natural tool we have for healing and maintaining health.

An integral part of yoga practice, the breath is the link between body and mind. When your state of mind is clear, positive, expanded and alert, you are much more likely to heal — and more quickly.

 

Diet

Prostate problems are far more prevalent in First World countries. Clearly, the Western diet and the stresses associated with the demanding pace of economically driven lifestyles have exacerbated the problem. By increasing your awareness of the sacredness of food and the part it plays in wellbeing, you become more conscious of what you put into your body. Everything that goes into your mouth has an effect on not only your body but also your mind.

Here are some dietary guidelines for prostate health:

• Maintain a low-fat diet
• Include omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in your diet as these help to regulate many of the body’s functions
• Give up fried foods; bake or boil your food instead
• Choose low-fat over full-cream milk
• Avoid fat-filled salad dressings and rich sauces
• Drink eight glasses of water daily
• Drink two cups of green tea daily
• Increase your intake of salads, fresh vegetables and fruits
• Ensure your intake of vitamin D is adequate
• Avoid spicy foods
• Don’t throw out the watermelon seeds. Their natural diuretic properties help prevent excess buildup of urine
• Avoid alcohol as it often makes symptoms worse by tightening the bladder neck, hampering urination and causing restlessness in the body and mind. Eliminate alcohol for a week to see if your symptoms improve
• Take vitamin C
• Keep your cholesterol level in check
• Avoid decongestants and antihistamines
• Avoid smoking and smoky environments. There is some evidence that cigarette smoking indirectly affects the size of the enlarging prostate
• Prostate problems may be made worse with caffeine, so avoiding coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate could make a difference
• Caffeine tightens the bladder neck and makes it harder to urinate. Eliminate caffeine for a week to see if your symptoms improve
• Consume more soy-based foods. Soy products are recommended for preventing prostate enlargement. (Japanese men, who eat more soy, have lower incidences of prostate problems)
• Eat red-orange fruits and vegetables
• Include polyunsaturated vegetable oils in your diet
• Ensure your diet contains adequate fibre
• Zinc has been shown to improve urinary symptoms and reduce the size of the prostate. Foods rich in zinc include dried beans, garbanzos, black-eyed peas, lentils, peas, beets, cabbage, whole grains, pumpkin seeds, oats, whole wheat and rye
• Vitamins that aid prostate function include B6, E and A
• Take flaxseed oil (2 tsp daily; keep refrigerated) or cod liver oil (3 capsules or 1 tsp daily)
• Also recommended are selenium, evening primrose oil and the amino acids glutamine, alanine and lysine

 

Herbs

The herbal approach has been beneficial for men with BPH, but it’s not a quick fix and often takes about three months for symptoms to start clearing. One of the best herbal remedies in the treatment of prostate-related issues, including urinary tract infections and impotence, is saw palmetto berry (Serenoa repens). Other natural BPH remedies include stinging nettle, rye pollen and sunflower seeds.

 

Investing in your health

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living Foundation, observes, “We spend most of our health to accumulate wealth and then have to spend most of our wealth to gain back our health.” Here are some additional suggestions for investing in the health of your prostate:

Have a prostate massage

Whether you have prostatitis or BPH, you can benefit from the prostate massage technique, which is safe, non-invasive and has no side-effects. (Note: It doesn’t work with prostate cancer.) Dr Bassal has noticed that prostate massage is most effective for prostatitis and the symptoms lift very quickly.

Get exercising

BPH occurs mostly around the age when men start to exercise less. Exercise helps to reduce testosterone levels, reducing the likelihood of developing BPH. Exercise also increases overall health, boosts the immune system and enhances circulation in the body. Why not take up walking? A brisk 20- to 40-minute walk four or more days a week is highly recommended.

Check your posture and chair

Good posture, one of the many benefits of regular yoga practice, contributes positively to health. Poor posture cramps the internal organs and inhibits the diaphragm from moving freely as you breathe. This constraining effect on the respiratory system has a debilitating influence on the whole mind/body system, not least the stomach and pelvic region. If you spend a lot of time sitting, it’s wise to invest in a good orthopaedic chair.

Be aware of your thoughts and emotions

Many health practitioners agree that the vast majority of illnesses arise in the psyche before manifesting in the body. Therefore, unhealthy thought and emotional patterns sow the seeds for future mental and physical health problems.

So how can you deal with negative thoughts and emotions when they arise, especially when you are unwell? According to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, attempting to erase them by superimposing positive thoughts and emotions is simply resisting and thus strengthening them (what you resist persists). He suggests the best way to deal with negative thoughts and emotions is to simply observe you are having them: “Just let them float by, like watching clouds on a summer’s day. Do not try to chase them away.”

For instance, next time you’re feeling angry, rather than just gratuitously being angry, try to observe yourself being angry. The change in your consciousness from being to observing will take the sting out of the anger you were experiencing. You may notice the anger subsides for as long as you are able to observe it. That’s because you cannot simultaneously observe it and be it, so it simply has to dissolve. The part of you that can observe yourself objectively is beyond thoughts and feelings.

This observation process helps you to know you are not your thoughts, you simply have them, or if you don’t observe them, they have you. Furthermore, thoughts are not synonymous with the truth about any particular thing — they are just thoughts! Separating yourself from your thoughts in this way enhances the healing process that happens naturally when you connect with your ultimate healer: your true, or higher, self.