There is usually little cause to think about the prostate until a man reaches his forties or fifties, when for unknown reasons some men’s prostate begins to benignly grow to the size of a lemon or orange and sometimes even to the size of a grapefruit.

This increase in prostate size becomes problematic because it may compress or distort the top of the urethra.

Symptoms of enlarged prostate include difficulty in initiating urination, reduced force of urine flow, frequent urination, and difficulty in stopping the flow of urine at the end of a visit to the bathroom.  Many men with enlarged prostates also find it annoying that they need to urinate many times during the night.

Oestrogen hormones (yes men have Oestrogen too!) have also recently been found to contribute to the development of enlarged prostate.  Prostrate activity can be detected early by way of your annual blood test, please ask you Doctor to arrange this.

One product which can prevent the effects of Oestrogen is Saw Palmetto. The compounds in Saw Palmetto block Oestrogen receptors in the Prostate, limiting their ability to enlarge it.  Another bodily chemical named epidermal growth factor (or EGF) has been discovered to stimulate the proliferation of prostate cells which can also be prevented by Saw Palmetto which blocks this prostate stimulatory activity as well.

Name:  Tim Spence-Thomas

Age: 33

Occupation:  Marketing

Lifestyle philosophy:  Apply balance and consistency to lifestyle.  Listen to your body, avoid health fads and have fun.

What products do you use and why?

Saw Palmetto (Blooms):  Used as a preventative due to family history of enlarged prostates and increase awareness of disease.

Vitamin C (Blackmores):  To help fend off cold’s and flu’s coming into winter.

Co Q10 (John O’Neil’s):  Used to help increase energy and stamina during sport.

Flaxseed Oil (Melrose):  To relace omega oils which are lacking through diet.  It also helps improve skin tone.

Fitness regime:  Yoga every morning for ½ an hour and surfing for 2 hours four to six times a week.

Diet structure: No meat or dairy products.  I eat lots of green vegetables, soya products and some carbohydrates to support exercise.

What product could you not do without?

None of them. Because I exercise and eat lots of fruit and vegetables.  Most of the supplements I take are complimentary/precautionary not vital.

This tasty recipe contains plenty of tomatoes which researchers have found to contain a rich source of antioxidants like Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Lycopene, which helps prevent cancer and other diseases.

• 1½ kilograms ripe Roma tomatoes
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 red capsicum, chopped
• 300grams button mushrooms, sliced in half
• 2 gloves garlic, roasted
• 1 ½ tablespoons cashew nuts
• 1 Tablespoon paprika powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ¼ cup fresh basil, packed then chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ cup t.v.p (textured vegetable protein)
• ¼ cup sundried tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon trocomare

(a combination of herbs and spices available at

your shopping centre)

• 1 ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper

Method:

1.      Place garlic on to a piece of foil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then wrap in foil.  Bake in a 200^oC preheated oven for 20-30minutes, depending on size of garlic.

2.      Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise and place flesh side down on a backing tray.  Place in a 200^oC preheated oven and roast until the skin blisters.  Allow to cool and remove skin.

3.      Sauté in a saucepan with a little water, onions, ¼ teaspoon salt, bay leaves, paprika, cumin and trocomare until onions are soft and translucent, approximately five minutes.

4.      Add capsicums, mushrooms and continue cooking on a reduced heat for five minutes.

5.      Add half of the roasted tomatoes to the onion and mushroom mix, then place remaining tomatoes into a blender with sundried tomatoes, cashew nuts and garlic and blend until smooth.  Add this to saucepan mix and continue cooking for 20 minutes over a low heat.

6.      Add t.v.p and herbs and cook for a further 10 minutes.  Add rest of seasoning e.g. Salt and pepper.

7.      Serve with your favourite pasta.

Our delicious & healthy recipes are presented by the Golden Door Health Retreat, Queensland, Australia.

Blooms Saw Palmetto Proactive has been carefully balanced to include saw palmetto (1000mg), nettle (250mg), zinc (250mg) and lecithin (15mg) all encapsulated in a base of pumpkin seed oil. This provides a natural source of zinc to enhance the product’s effectiveness and absorption. Blooms Saw Palmetto is for the symptomatic relief of medically diagnosed benign prostate hypertrophy. It also helps maintain normal healthy prostate and male sexual and reproductive function. Blooms formula may help relieve the symptoms of reduced urine flow, difficulty with passing urine including hesitancy, dribbling and nocturnal urination and the frequent urge to urinate.

Click here to find out more or to buy this product.

Thexton Price: $21.36

A high potency herbal tonic for active sports men and women involved in an active lifestyle, to help enhance stamina and endurance needed during periods of intense physical exercise. This formula may also assist in maintaining normal sexual function and libido.

Click here to find out more or to buy this product.

Thexton price: $38.95

Male support, may be beneficial to men in satisfying specific physiological requirements of the male body. Helps provide Stamina and endurance to perform in peak conditions.  For as many as 20 million men, impotence will interfere with their abilities to experience satisfying sexual relationships. Most cases of impotence are accounted for by diseases, such as diabetes and atherosclerosis, or the side effect of certain medications or prostate surgery.

Nevertheless, there are natural remedies that are successful for a significant number of impotent men.  Yohimbe is probably the best known herb for impotence. The bark of the yohimbe tree contains a compound called yohimbine that increases blood-vessel dilation and allows for erection.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study last year put yohimbe to the test by comparing the effects of Yohimbine in men who had problems with sexual function and in normally functioning men. The yohimbe supplements resulted in "strong positive effects" for the men with sexual problems.

Click here to find out more or to buy this product.

Thexton Price: $16.72