Your Prostate Could Be Fried Right Now.

The way the brain works, you saw this caption and you were ready to scroll away at first glance. It sounds like trigger warning and you're not going to walk into this dungeon willingly. Between you and I, (shh....) someone just did, actually. And that's okay. Or, is it? 

The fear of the unknown is the bane of the human existence. After all, don't we all agree that 'ignorance is bliss'? backed up by the saying, what you don't know can't kill you. That is wrong on all levels. What you don't know may be killing you right now. And if it's not, it may be killing your brother, your father, your husband, your friend, your colleague, and any male figure you hold dear to your heart. 

In the words of my favorite lyrics, prostate cancer may be "killing you softly". And this is not an attempt at making light of such a heavy  issue.  Prostate cancer is as deadly as they come but in the most unnoticeable forms.  

To the uninitiated, prostate cancer affects the - you guessed it - prostate. The prostate is a gland in males that produces the seminal fluid which nourishes and transports sperm. 

Did you know? Prostate cancer is said to be the number one cancer in Nigerian men. And contrary to popular opinion flying as truth, PCa, can be found in young men, although not as common as it is with men over 50. On this note, you can't rule it out as an old People's disease. It's not a retirement illness. 

It is also worthy of note that there won't be a physical sign that screams, "hey, look over here, you have PCa!" It's not like your prostate is hanging out there in your body for eyes to see. What does this mean for you and I? Constant medical checkup at a hospital. A hospital, not a roadside health service cosplaying as a medical center. 

For the record, I do not intend to plunge you into a health hysteria that might end up getting the nurses frown in exhaustion anytime you appear. it is not to promote fear but help you make conscious efforts at ensuring that you, if push comes to shove, find the cancer and treat it early enough. You would agree that being forewarned makes you forearmed. BUT if you are one of those stubborn Nigerians who would not waltz into a hospital at a whim, I have a little list of what could motivate you- It shouldn't motivate you but I know it does and that's life right there. 

These are some of the symptoms to look out for in the battle against PCa: 

Trouble urinating

Decreased force in the stream of urine 

Blood in the urine 

Blood in the semen 

Bone pain 

Losing weight without trying 

Erectile dysfunction 

Now, in case you were wondering, somewhere in your beautiful, curious mind, what causes PCa, like a lot of cancers, the causes are well unknown. But of course, there are risk factors to look out for: 

Remember when I said it's not a retirement illness? well, it can be. As you age, your chances get higher. You should also know that it is hereditary on two fronts. 

First, if a family member had/has PCa, you're more likely to have it too. 

Second, if they have/had breast cancer, you're also more likely to be diagnosed with PCa. 

Lastly but not limited to, obesity also lives you at a higher risk of contracting PCa. 

At the risk of sounding over flogged with the tired advice on how to avoid any disease ever found online, eating healthy foods and enough vegetables, maintaining an exercise regime and healthy weight can go a long way to prevent contracting PCa. Always remember, talk to your doctor as often as you can. 

Kingsley Alfred From Utogenx