Kozhikode: Since time immemorial, a healthy lifestyle has always been part of Indian tradition and practice. The irony, though, is that lifestyle diseases have sadly emerged as the biggest killer in India. Benign prostatic hyperplasia, like blood pressure, is becoming increasingly prevalent among the geriatric community in the country. Timely diagnosis of BPH is crucial for its treatment. Since the symptoms related to prostate enlargement are often attributed to advancing age, many men choose to ignore the symptoms or postpone treatment at the preliminary stage, under the impression that it is not the right age to get themselves checked.
Despite being diverse disease entities, hypertension and BPH have close associations on certain fronts, and hence they have emerged as significant public health issues worldwide. Twenty-five per cent of men aged above 60 years has hypertension and BPH. The strong link between the two is the main reason why urologists prescribe blood pressure test in BPH patients and also recommend urinary tests on elderly patients with hypertension.
Quite often, the symptoms aggravate in BPH patients who consume excess water under the presumption that it would ‘wash away’ toxic pathogens from the body. Overconsumption of tea and coffee also complicates the matter. It is a fact that two-thirds of males above 40 years of age in the country exhibit symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. A disciplined lifestyle coupled with the right medication can effectively rein in BPH.
» Regulate the daily intake of water or any fluid to 1.5 to 2 litres. One can make minor changes in the said practice based on climatic changes. Avoid drinking water two hours before going to bed at night or setting out on a journey.
» Avoid or limit the intake of caffeine drinks such as coffee, tea or energy drinks
» Make it a point to include five types of fruits or vegetables in your daily diet regime apart from other wholesome food options.
