Setting aside time for workouts isn’t the only way to protect your prostate. More physical movement in general in your everyday life is also a boon to your health.
A recent study found that men with physically demanding jobs were less likely to develop benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, or enlargement of the prostate) than men with desk jobs. Men who found time for 5 or more hours of exercise a week (just under an hour a day), whether job-related or for fun, were 30% to 50% less likely to develop BPH than those who exercised fewer than 2 hours a week.
Another study from Harvard shows that physically active men are less likely than inactive men to have BPH. Even low- to moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking regularly at a moderate pace, delivers big benefits.
“There is ample evidence that general physical activity helps overall body health. Combine this with a well-balanced diet without an excess of animal fats, and the health impact will be positive,” says Mayo Clinic urologist Lance Mynderse, MD.