From the age of about fifty onwards it is quite common for men to experience some irregularities with the function of their urinary performance. Flow of urine may become slower and there may or may not be a burning sensation while urinating.

Some men feel a sensation of pressure between the legs and may find it more difficult to function sexually with a loss of sensation during orgasm.

Any man who experiences such sensations should make an appointment to see their doctor and should they see the GP initially, it would be wise to insist that he make an appointment for you to see a urologist. This will involve a rectal examination. Not to worry, it isn't all that traumatic. The most important thing is to illuminate the possibility of cancer. Should the doctor not be happy with the examination he will make an appointment to perform a biopsy where a minute piece of tissue will be extracted from the prostate gland and sent to a medical laboratory for testing under a microscope.

In the meantime, whatever the outcome the doctor may decide to put you onto a long course of anti-biotics.

I would like to tell you about some very effective ways of helping the prostate gland to reduce in size that does not involve the usage of medical drugs. However, I am not under any condition suggesting that you replace your medical council with these suggestions, lets get that straight from the start.

1) Cranberry Juice. Pure cranberry juice is know to have a very beneficial effect on anti oxidizing the urinary system. Often a course of cranberry juice alone can cure a urinary infection and it is known to have great effect on the prostate also.

2) Cooked Tomatoes. Cooked Tomatoes are rich in a substance called lycopene. Lycopene is another anti-oxidant that is beneficial throughout the body but again has special benefits on the prostate. Eat a hearty tomato soup every day during the course of your treatment. Alternatively, you can buy lycopene from health food stares and pharmacies anywhere.

3) Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a very important anti-oxidant. A lack of vitamin E can be the cause of many problems so get some vitamin E supplements. The best are Vitamin E Esther because this stays in the body longer and it has the ability to recycle itself within the bodies system.

4) Swiss Oats or Avena Sativa. This cereal has long been know for it's benefit on the prostate. You can buy it readily in supplement form.

5) Saw Palmetto. This plant has a substance in it that counters bad testosterone that is responsible for many forms of prostate trouble. I greatly advise using this supplement also.

6) Onions. Onions contain important anti-oxidants that are very useful for urinary health. Add raw onions to you diet and notice the improvement. One medium sized raw onion is enough per day.

7) Garlic. Garlic is another useful and natural antioxidant that should be included in every diet. Garlic is a useful cleanser and detoxifies throughout the body and is useful for improving prostate condition.

8) Omega 3 and Omega 6 fish oils are also useful for maintaining good prostate health and it is beneficial to include about one spoonful of fish oil into the diet on a daily basis.

9) Lecithin. Licithin is a very important substance for health in general and for the prostate gland in particular. The inclusion of lecithin into the diet is very important and should not be overlooked. As a supplement it is important to ask an expert for a dosage because it is important to ensure that you are getting enough.

10) Loose some weight. Overweight can often be the underlying cause of prostate problems. By loosing weight it is reasonable to assume that you will feel a lot less discomfort in the prostate area.

11) Exercise regularly. Again, lifestyle plays a big part in prostate health. By taking regular exercise you will be improving the function of your prostate gland by leaps and bounds.

12) Book a prostate massage course. At certain medical centers it is possible to have a prastatal massage performed on a regular basis. This will improve the condition of the prostate gland by increasing it's blood supply and expelling excess fluid build ups within the tissues of the gland.

13) Ride Horses. If you are still young enough and fit enough, by riding horses regularly you will be providing a soft massage technique to the prostate gland. If you enjoy riding horses and ride at least twice a week for one to two hours you will find that the condition of you prostate gland will improve considerably.

14) Prune or Fig juice. Prune or fig juice is very good for preventing constipation. If you suffer from frequent constipation this may cause problems with your prostate gland. By keeping your bowel movements soft and regular, you will be taking an important step to a less troublesome prostate.

15) Avoid fatty foods. The prostate gland likes to accumulate fat and fatty foods speed up this process greatly. By avoiding fatty foods you will help prevent prostate discomfort.

16) Drink good quality water in quantities. Besides drinking other beverages you should drink at least eight classes of good quality water. Add a carbon block filter to you kitchen water supply to extract unhealthy chemicals.

17) Ionize you water. By Ionizing your water you will feel substantial health benefits including your prostate health. To ionize your water you add a special magnet which fits around your drinking water pipe under your kitchen sink. You can also get ionizing mugs on the open market.

I will continue to update this article and to add other useful techniques of improving prostate health. I hope that the suggestions will help either you yourself of someone you know to lead a healthier, happier life.