I have good news for men who are concerned about prostate cancer. And really, isn't that ALL men?

Protecting your prostate could be as easy as enjoying a delicious daily snack.

We already know that nuts have numerous benefits for the body -- they're a nutrient-packed powerhouse with plenty of protein and omega 3s.

And now new research shows that walnuts in particular may offer yet another benefit -- prostate protection. Researchers at UC Davis and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Western Regional Research Center in California found that a diet rich in walnuts could actually reduce the size and growth rate of prostate cancer.

There's a bonus, too -- such a diet could help ward off heart disease.

The lead researcher said, "Walnuts should be part of a prostate-healthy diet...that includes lots of fruits and vegetables."

People with prostate cancer have high levels of endothelin, a substance that increases inflammation of blood vessels and is a factor in heart disease. Walnuts reduce levels of endothelin as well as levels of LDL cholesterol.

In the study, researchers fed lab mice genetically programmed to develop prostate cancer the equivalent of 14 shelled walnuts per day for two months. The walnut-fed mice developed prostate cancers that were about 50% smaller than mice on a control diet. The cancers also grew 30% slower.

The walnut-fed mice also had lower levels of a particular protein the increases the risk of developing prostate cancer, and the walnuts had beneficial effects on multiple genes related to tumor growth.

The studies were in mice, but the researchers believe the same effects would be seen in humans. I know I'll be sending this good news along to every man I know.

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