I Quit Drinking Alcohol for My Prostate & This Happened
November 15th, 2022 was the day I decided to stop drinking. As with many men at 60, I was experiencing some sleep issues primarily due to getting up in the middle of the night often 2-3 times to urinate. At first it was just emptying my bladder and then it became difficult emptying completely. I have been in the Immune Support business for over 15 years and understand full well that the body will give you signals when something is not working properly.
Prescriptions treat the symptoms only and not the cause. I am only interested in addressing the cause. Over many months, I needed to push more to completely empty the bladder, which began to cause some discomfort. While my alcohol consumption was not considered high, I thought it may be a contributing factor to the Prostate, at least in a small way and so the decision was made to stop drinking.
Going Plant Based
Over the years, my body had presented some other symptoms that required the same action. When I was 49, I had some swollen glands in my neck and was getting sick frequently, so I stopped drinking and went totally plant based for a week and everything returned to normal. Then again when I was 52, the same thing happened, and I again went plant based and after 2 weeks returned to normal.
Rather than doing this for just a week, which is all it took for me in the past to see the symptoms return to normal, this time I decided to stay the course and see what my body tells me over time. This decision was made due to the increasing joint pain I have been experiencing since I was 45. Excessive athletic endeavors, more than 12 concussions and bodybuilding for 15 years did damage to the joints.
The Prostate
Difficulty urinating is typically caused by a swollen prostate. The prostate sits directly below the bladder so when it swells for “some” reason, usually from some inflammatory event, it is important to address it before it gets worse. Alcohol is inflammatory to the cells. Swollen prostates are common in most men over 50 and it is important not to ignore it. Still the medical “system” is overzealous with aggressive actions like biopsies and chemical-based medications that frequently cause side effects.
I have NEVER been on any prescription medication other than antibiotics in my life. The last time for me was in 2018 when I had bronchitis. One of the things few people know is that when you take antibiotics, they kill much of the healthy gut microbes that serve us so well in many ways.
Gut Health
The gut is directly linked to the brain and the destruction of healthy gut microbiome can cause other issues like constipation and headaches. FACT: When you go to the doctor and they need to put you under for a procedure, or you take antibiotics, your stomach can no longer digest dairy effectively. This is a well-known fact, so what does the hospital do when you come out of anesthesia? They feed you yogurt which cannot be digested and makes you constipated. NOW WHAT? Next, the doctor will put you on a prescription to treat the constipation. What happened to the natural approach? Figs, Fruits, Veggies, mushrooms with Beta Glucans all contain natural fiber to replenish the gut microbes needed to get back to a healthy digestive tract.
Downside To Drinking Alcohol
Drinking is an extremely social activity in America and much of the world, but it comes with risks. The fact is that Alcohol is not good for you in any way. To keep this notion short, the long-term health risks over time include but are not limited to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum have been linked to excessive drinking.
Quitting Alcohol and Its Effects
Okay here is the diary of the noticeable effects from not drinking.
Week One
I found myself craving a drink only when my wife and I were out. We go out to dinner at least 5 nights a week and frequent some good scratch kitchen restaurants. The social aspect of drinking is more powerful to me than the physical aspect. I did extensive research into the prostate and what natural plants and herbs help with the chemical balance within the urinary system and as a result began taking a few supplements to help. The research suggested the following steps
- Add Prosta-Strong supplement containing Beta-Sitosterol & Saw Palmetto, Lycopene, Pygeum & pumpkin Seed Extracts.
- Eat more fruits and veggies daily, and increase my Mushroom Supplements
- Drink more water as I was somewhat dehydrated
- Continue with the regular B, C, D, vitamins and Zinc supplements
- No Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate – the Chocolate was very tough!
The first 2 days I did CRAVE a drink ( the brain chemicals kicking in ) but I did not relent. Day 3 I felt clearer headed and my patience increased with things that typically bug me. The discomfort I was experiencing in the gut was gone within 3 days of supplements. The urgency issue did not change at all as of the first week, but the ability to empty the bladder had improved.
Week Two
After the second week, I didn’t notice much more than what is listed above.
Week Three
The third week I noticed that I was only getting up in the early am once rather than 2-3 times, so this was a nice signal that I was on the right course.
Week Four
After the third week, I didn’t notice much more than what is listed above in week three, other than my joint pain had diminished about 20%.
Week Five
This was the best week and I had finally slept through the night for 6 hours without getting up and I could empty my bladder completely for the first time in months. This was a great sign, and after another week, I decided to just drink alcohol on Saturday evening and only consume one drink. I stayed the course with the supplements and avoiding chocolate which again was the most difficult thing for me.
I hope this can help anyone who is having issues with the urinary tract understand the power of a little discipline, natural plants, quality supplements, mushrooms and how the body can heal when the actions that prevent healing are removed from the equation.
