07\ PROSTATE CANCER!

Prostate cancer is no joke. But neither is it as scary as headlines suggest. Our takeaway tips will reduce your risk with no uncomfortable effort

The most common male cancer affects one in eight men and kills over 11,000 Brits per year. And, by 2035, experts predict a 12% jump in diagnoses. Worse still, the UK five-year survival rate is well below the European average. We’re all sitting on a ticking bomb ready to decimate our health at a moment’s notice.

The Truth Prostate cancer is a disease of old age – most diagnoses occur after 70 and 84% of patients survive for more than a decade. And while mortality rates in males have generally increased since the ’ 70s, the last decade actually saw deaths decline by 13%, due to increased awareness and new testing procedures. For the most part, your risk is thought to be genetic, and not exacerbated by environmental factors – unless you’re mainlining anabolic steroids or gasping through a 20-a-day cigarette habit, which we’re assuming you’re not. But, if you are struggling to sleep through the night and fit into your jeans, get checked; every 4in on your waistline ups your risk by 18%. A change of routine now will help you avoid a fatalistic augury later.

The Plan Meta-reviews show that diet can play a part in curtailing your susceptibility. Carrots and soy are proven to cut your risk by 18% and 48%, respectively, while, according to a Precision Oncology study, curry reduces inflammation and slows tumour growth. Even better: pack a bag and get your balti in situ. Northwestern University discovered the higher your levels of sunshine-induced vitamin D – of which the Indian subcontinent has an abundance – the better your chances of sending your cancer risk up in smoke.