- With Mayo Clinic nutritionists
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
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Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Katherine Zeratsky and Jennifer Nelson
Jennifer K. Nelson, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.N.S.D.
Jennifer Nelson is your link to a better diet. As specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, she plays a vital role in bringing you healthy recipes and meal planning."Nutrition is one way people have direct control over the quality of their lives," she says. "I hope to translate the science of nutrition into ways that people can select and prepare great-tasting foods that help maintain health and treat disease."
A St. Paul, Minn., native, she has been with Mayo Clinic since 1978, and is director of clinical dietetics and an associate professor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
She leads clinical nutrition efforts for a staff of more than 60 clinical dietitians and nine dietetic technicians and oversees nutrition services, staffing, strategic and financial planning, and quality improvement. Nelson was co-editor of the "Mayo Clinic Diet" and the James Beard Foundation Award-winning "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook." She has been a contributing author to and reviewer of many other Mayo Clinic books, including "Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for EveryBody," "The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and "The Mayo Clinic/Williams Sonoma Cookbook." She contributes to the strategic direction of the Food & Nutrition Center, which includes creating recipes and menus, reviewing nutrition content of various articles, and providing expert answers to nutrition questions.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She's active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.
Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Nutrition-wise blog
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Jan. 15, 2010
Enlarged prostate — Does diet play a role?
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
After watching one of those commercials about guys having the frequent need to urinate, my husband asked me if the problem was related to diet. Shortly after that, Chris posted a similar question to this blog: "Does anyone know if there are certain foods I can eat that have been proven helpful in men's prostate health?"
The risk of an enlarged prostate, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, increases about 4 percent a year after age 55. By age 60, half of men will have BPH. That number jumps to 95 percent by age 85. And, yes, diet does seem to be related.
A recent article in a medical journal looked at the effects of diet and supplements on prostate health. The article found that the following lifestyle factors were associated with a lower risk of BPH:
- High level of physical activity and no "belly fat"
- A low-fat diet
- Five or more servings of vegetables a day
- Two glasses of alcohol a day
In addition, the article mentioned some specific nutrients:
- Vitamin C from vegetables was associated with lower risk. Vegetables highest in vitamin C include bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, snow or snap peas, cauliflower, kale and tomato or vegetable juices.
- Foods higher in zinc also seemed to be beneficial. These include oysters, crab, baked beans, duck, lamb and beef (lean).
Interestingly, a high fruit intake didn't affect the risk of BPH. And the role of total protein was unclear. Some studies demonstrated an increased risk in men who ate red meat every day compared with men who only ate it once a week, but other studies found a decreased risk in men with a high total protein intake. Finally, the article found no evidence that dietary or herbal supplements were useful in preventing or treating BPH.
Take note, gentlemen: A healthy prostate is yet another reason to exercise, avoid obesity, eat your vegetables, keep fat intake low and enjoy an occasional drink.
- Jennifer
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- Poon KS, McVary KT. Dietary patterns, supplement use, and the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Current Urology Reports. 2009;10:279.
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