There are a variety of things that can negatively impact a man’s sexual health. Stress, performance anxiety, relationship problems, health conditions, food consumption, and lifestyle choices are just a few. Erectile dysfunction and low libido are the most common sexual concerns. Fortunately, they also happen to be among the easiest conditions to address naturally with quick, simple, and effective methods.
1. Change of Diet
Food has a very powerful influence on our bodies. It can either help or hinder the body’s functionality.
When it comes to sex, there are a couple of significant ways diet impacts performance:
- Blood flow – Erections depend on relaxed muscles that allow for greater blood flow to the penis. Therefore, it is important to look for foods that increase, not decrease, blood flow.
- Testosterone – Testosterone is one of the primary ingredients in a man’s libido. Any foods that impact hormone levels will also impact sex drive.
- Emotions: Stress and anxiety often inhibit libido. Foods that have a calming effect on the brain will improve the quality of sex.
Foods That Increase Libido
Food |
How it Helps |
| Spinach | Spinach has an abundance of magnesium. Magnesium helps increase blood flow by decreasing blood vessel inflammation. |
| Peppers | Spicy peppers increase metabolism, which makes the heart beat faster and pump more blood. |
| Ginger | Ginger greatly improves artery health, improving blood flow. |
| Bananas | Bananas are high in potassium. Potassium is needed to balance out an abundance of sodium, which decreases blood flow. |
| Potatoes | Potatoes are another food with significant amounts of potassium, aiding blood circulation. |
| Fatty fish | Omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in wild salmon, sardines, and tuna, increase dopamine production. Not only does dopamine improve circulation, it also increases relaxation, making sex more enjoyable. |
| Dark chocolate | Dark chocolate increases levels of serotonin and dopamine, elevating mood and decreasing anxiety. |
| Pumpkin seeds | The tryptophan in pumpkin seeds also increases serotonin production, making performance even better. |
| Oysters | The zinc in oysters increases testosterone levels and enhances physical performance. The copper allows the body to absorb the zinc. On top of that, oysters have B12! |
| Pine Nuts | Pine nuts are rich in testosterone-producing zinc. |
Foods That Decrease Libido
Food |
Why it’s Bad |
| Diet soda | The aspartame in diet soda decreases serotonin production—and libido. |
| Microwave popcorn | The acid found in the lining of the popcorn bag can kill sex drive and cause long-term damage to the prostate. |
| Alcohol | Alcohol is a well-known depressant that inhibits the ability to establish and maintain an erection. |
| Soy | Soy can decrease sperm count and negatively impact libido. |
| Sugar | Sugar can deplete testosterone levels, causing less interest in sex. |
| Licorice | The glycyrrhizic acid in licorice decreases testosterone production. |
| Mint | Menthol is another inhibitor of testosterone production. |
A nutritious diet is essential for maintaining overall health, and sexual health is no exception.
2. Lifestyle
There are various life choices that can impact sexual health.
Exercise
Exercise improves overall health—including sexual performance. Not only will an increase in activity help prevent erectile dysfunction, exercise can also help reverse the condition. Exercise helps increase blood flow and improves blood pressure. Weightlifting increases the body’s natural production of testosterone, erectile strength, and libido.
Sleep
If the body doesn’t produce enough sex hormones, mainly testosterone, erectile dysfunction and low libido are likely. The body’s internal clock controls hormone secretions, and regulating that clock is dependent on healthy sleep patterns. The more regular the sleep cycle, the better equipped the body is to release hormones at the given time.
Smoking
Tobacco negatively impacts the entire body. When it comes to sexual health, its biggest influence is on circulation. Tobacco restricts blood vessels, including the extremely delicate vessels in the penis. Tobacco also decreases blood supply.
To quit smoking, consider one of these natural remedies.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is known to increase blood flow, which can help reduce erectile dysfunction. While the available evidence hasn’t proved acupuncture as an absolute cure for erectile dysfunction, it has proven effective to reduce stress.
While some erectile dysfunction instigators are physical, others are mental and emotional. Acupuncture may or may not address physical issues, but it can help reduce anxiety and stress—which negatively impact both libido and performance.
Medications
Erectile dysfunction and low libido can be side effects of various medicines like high blood pressure medicines, antidepressants, beta-blockers, heart medications, cholesterol drugs, anti-psychotics, and treatments to address male pattern baldness. Switching to a different drug or, better yet, a natural solution may have a positive effect.
3. Try Herbal Remedies
There are a number of herbal remedies for erectile dysfunction that have been popular in Eastern medicine for decades. While some herbal remedies haven’t been proven effective yet, others have shown significant improvements.
Ginseng
Korean red ginseng is a popular treatment for erectile dysfunction, though it may cause insomnia.
Horny Goat Weed
Chinese medicine has relied on the extract from this plant for years to enhance energy levels and balance the entire body, which can improve libido. It may also treat erectile dysfunction.
Rhodiola Rosea
Referred to as the ‘golden root’, this natural medicine is a relatively new cure for erectile dysfunction. Russians have used this herb to increase endurance and sexual performance. New studies have found it also reduces feelings of exhaustion and symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
Improving Sexual Health Naturally
In many cases, low libido and erectile dysfunction can be reversed with simple, natural cures. Give these suggestions a try and come back to tell us what you found most successful.
Recommended Products:
- Green Lifestyle Market – Libido
- Shillington’s Male Energy Formula
- Male Libido – Gaia Herbs
- Shillington’s Prostate Formula
- Shillington’s Female Energy Formula
- Shillington’s Blood Detox
- Maca Root Capsules Gaia Herbs -or-
- Maca Root Powder- Wise Woman Herbals
- Magnesium Complex Liquid
Recommended Reading:
- Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones
- Hypothyroidism – Natural Remedies, Causes, and How To Heal the Thyroid
- The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them
- Reversing Erectile Dysfunction Naturally
Sources:
- 20 Foods to Supercharge Your Sex Drive – Eat This, Not That!
- Common Causes of Low Libido and Erectile Dysfunction – Nashville Low T Medical Clinic
- The Cancer Risk of Microwave Popcorn – Livestrong
- Soy foods ‘reduce sperm numbers’ – BBC News
- Licorice reduces serum testosterone in healthy women – PubMed NCBI
- Foods that are killing your sex drive – Fox News
- Natural Remedies for Erectile Dysfunction – WebMD
- Efficacy of acupuncture treatment of sexual dysfunction secondary to antidepressants – PubMed NCBI
- The association of testosterone, sleep, and sexual function in men and women – Brain Research
Latest posts by Jessica Velasco (see all)
- Foods That Increase and Decrease Sex Drive – Manage Your Libido Naturally - November 13, 2017
- Increase Libido and Treat Erectile Dysfunction with Natural Methods - January 6, 2017
- Most Influential Women in the Organic Food Movement - October 31, 2015