Holding back ejaculation and constipation: the silent killers of the prostate.

Modern medical research has proven that the prostate gland and its secreted prostatic fluid contain more than 40 times the amount of zinc and enzymes found in the bloodstream. These are crucial for sterilization and boosting immunity. Frequent ejaculation leads to a significant depletion of zinc and enzymes, reducing the gland's resistance to disease and increasing susceptibility to inflammation. This can also cause neurasthenia and other illnesses. Therefore, from this perspective, the practice of suppressing ejaculation has some merit. However, contemporary physicians also believe that suppressing ejaculation causes persistent congestion of the sexual organs, easily inducing inflammation of the reproductive system, particularly the prostate. Suppressing ejaculation prevents the congested sexual organs from achieving the natural contraction after orgasm, exacerbating prostate congestion and hindering the rapid resolution of congestion in the entire reproductive system and pelvic cavity. This can lead to perineal discomfort, testicular or epididymal swelling and drooping, and over time, can easily result in chronic nonbacterial prostatitis and exacerbate benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Furthermore, the prostatic fluid remaining in the gland and urethra after sexual arousal irritates local tissues, easily inducing inflammation. Therefore, from the perspective of protecting the prostate, suppressing ejaculation is not recommended.

In addition, constipation can also lead to prostate problems. Anatomically and physiologically, both the prostate and rectum are located in the pelvic cavity, with the prostate located in front of the rectum, separated only by a thin rectal wall. The rectum's function is to store feces; when a certain amount of feces is accumulated, the pressure within the rectum increases, causing the urge to defecate. Feces contain a large number of bacteria and harmful metabolic toxins, so regular bowel movements are crucial for maintaining normal physiological metabolism. Long-term constipation allows bacteria and metabolic toxins to accumulate in the body, eventually leading to various diseases. Although the prostate capsule is relatively tough and can prevent the invasion of bacteria and toxins from surrounding tissues, modern anatomical studies have found that 2 to 6 hemorrhoidal veins connect the rectum and prostate. Therefore, bacteria and toxins from the rectum can easily enter the prostate through these veins, leading to prostatitis. This is especially true when constipation causes excessive pressure in the rectum, hindering the excretion of bacteria and toxins, which can more easily cause or worsen prostatitis. Meanwhile, the accumulation of large amounts of feces in the rectum can increase pressure in the pelvic cavity, thereby affecting blood circulation in the prostate and pelvic area. The accumulation of local metabolic products leads to various symptoms, especially pain. Due to impaired local blood circulation, prostatitis also becomes more difficult to cure.

Furthermore, holding urine is closely related to chronic prostatitis. Holding urine refers to intentionally suppressing the urge to urinate. Frequently holding urine increases the amount of urine in the bladder and raises bladder pressure, causing urine to reflux into the kidneys, which can easily lead to pyelonephritis and ureteritis. Additionally, prolonged urine retention can cause the bladder to become overfilled, thinning the bladder wall and making it prone to chronic swelling and congestion, as well as weakening the bladder's elastic contractility. Because the bladder is adjacent to the prostate, inflammation of the bladder can easily spread to the prostate, impairing blood circulation and causing chronic congestion and inflammation. Holding urine also easily leads to urine reflux into the prostatic ducts, where uric acid in the urine produces chemical irritation, causing pain and inflammation.

So, how should patients with prostatitis take care of themselves?

Eating more apples can protect the prostate. Chronic prostatitis is a common and frequently occurring disease in adult men. In outpatient clinics, we often encounter patients with persistent symptoms. The unsatisfactory clinical treatment outcomes and high recurrence rate have long troubled both patients and medical personnel. In recent years, clinical research has revealed that the zinc content in the prostatic fluid of patients with chronic prostatitis is significantly lower than in normal individuals, and it is difficult to increase during treatment. The zinc content only gradually recovers when the prostatitis is cured. Another experimental study found that adult male prostatic fluid contains a powerful antibacterial factor. This factor has a strong killing effect on most pathogens causing urogenital infections. Research has shown that this powerful antibacterial factor is a zinc-containing compound, with zinc as its main component. It can affect the phagocytic function of inflammatory cells in the body. The zinc content in the blood and prostatic fluid is related to the prostate's antibacterial and bactericidal capabilities. Other studies have shown that zinc supplementation can increase lecithin bodies in prostatic fluid, thus effectively treating chronic prostatitis. Researchers have found that apple juice has a remarkable effect on zinc deficiency; this research is known as "apple therapy." Compared to commonly used zinc-containing medications, apple juice is more effective and safer, easier to digest and absorb, and more readily accepted by patients. The efficacy is directly proportional to the concentration of the apple juice; the more concentrated, the better. For patients with chronic prostatitis, eating 2-3 apples daily provides sufficient zinc, which can synergistically treat prostatitis and prevent recurrence. Drinking apple juice or consuming applesauce is acceptable. Therefore, regularly consuming apples is a very beneficial dietary therapy for patients with chronic prostatitis.

In addition, plain water can also be a medicine for prostate health. Men with long intervals between urinations may experience a buildup of prostatic fluid in the posterior urethra, which can irritate the urethra and easily lead to infection. Sometimes, this fluid may even overflow into the urethral opening without urination, causing swelling and pain. Insufficient water intake can concentrate urine, reduce urination frequency, and allow pathogenic microorganisms in the urine to reflux into the prostate, causing damage. Healthy men should develop a habit of regularly replenishing their fluids, generally 1500-2000 ml of plain water per day. Urine flushes the urethra, facilitating the discharge of prostatic secretions and washing away pathogenic microorganisms attached to the urethral mucosa, thus promoting urethral mucosal repair. To avoid affecting sleep, water intake can be reduced appropriately at night.

Beware of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia if You Expect to Expend Too Much Water

"The Road to Shu is Hard" is an old Yuefu (folk song) title. Many poets have used this title, the most famous being the three poems titled "The Road to Shu is Hard" by the great Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai. These three poems express the poet's feelings after encountering difficulties on his political path. The poems' fluctuating emotions, leaps in thought, and soaring spirit give the works a unique artistic charm, making them timeless masterpieces widely praised by later generations.

One of the lines reads: "Wanting to cross the Yellow River, the ice blocks the way; wanting to climb Mount Taihang, the snow covers the mountain."

The above sentences express the idea of ​​wanting to cross the Yellow River, but the river is frozen by ice and snow; preparing to climb the Taihang Mountains, but the mountains are covered by heavy snow. These objects are used as metaphors to describe the situation where one's political path is blocked by others.

In life, many men encounter a disease that hinders their normal lives-benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).