Diet For Better Sex
         Spicing Things Up With Food

Finding ways to improve your health through nutrition can also improve your sex life. Below you will find some basic guidelines as well as some meal ideas to increase libido and sexual performance. When looking at your sexual health, taking care of your overall health in general always helps, however, focus on circulation, hormone levels and maintaining a healthy weight are a good place to start.

Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D., C.E.O. Holistic Wisdom Founder

Circulation Enhancing Food

Foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids help your nervous system, neurological functioning and provide enhanced circulation which in turn aids in sexual function.

Examples of foods high in Omega-3 are-

Foods rich in L-Arginine are also effective at increasing circulation. Examples of such foods are nuts, granola, oatmeal, dairy, green vegetables, root vegetables, garlic, ginseng, chickpeas, onions, whole grains, eggs, chocolate, beans, and seeds.

Staying In A Healthy Weight Range

If you are overweight, studies have shown that weight loss increases your sex drive. Research shows that obesity lowers libido and sexual performance so maintaining a healthy weight is a good way to not only feel attractive but maintain healthy sexual functioning.

Increasing Vitamin C Increases Fertility

Increasing vitamin C intake may be helpful in boosting fertility, particularly for men; tests have shown that taking 500-1000 milligrams a day can increase the number and quality of sperm produced and reduce abnormalities.

Increasing Zinc Improves Libido & Sperm Production

It is why oysters are thought to improve your virility because they are one of the richest sources of zinc, which is known to be one of the key nutrients involved in enhancing libido & the production of sperm. Low levels of zinc have been linked both with poor libido in women and with a low sperm count in men. You can obtain zinc from shellfish (particularly oysters), whole grain bread, brown rice, dark green leafy vegetables, lean red meat and turkey.

Manganese Helps Balance Hormones

The metabolism of the female hormone oestrogen depends on manganese. It follows that a deficiency of manganese will significantly reduce fertility in women. Spinach, chestnuts, tea, oats, whole grain cereals, wheatgerm, raisins, pineapple, beans, peas and nuts are all good sources of manganese.

Keeping Your Heart Healthy with Low Saturated Fat Foods

Too much saturated fat can, over time, clog arteries and prevent an adequate flow of blood from reaching the genital region. This not only interferes with the ability to perform, but also with sexual pleasure. Saturated and trans fats (trans-fatty acids) are less healthy kinds of fats. They can increase your risk of heart disease by increasing your total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

Keep Your Hormones Balanced With Healthy Fats

Too little of the good fat, on the other hand, is also bad as you need fat to produce your hormones. Cholesterol is metabolized in the liver, and you get your testosterone and estrogen, which you need for your sex drive. Making sure to have unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in your blood.

Tomatoes Helps with Prostate Health

Studies show that lycopene found in tomatoes helps maintain prostate health. Lycopene is best absorbed when tomatoes are cooked with a little oil, as in pasta sauce which is a perfect way to introduce healthy oils. Remember not to cook oils high in Omega-3s in high heat as it converts them to the bad kind of fat... if in doubt use them as a dipping sauce with garlic and herbs for whole grain bread.

Increasing Sexual Pleasure

Prunes, ginseng, aniseed, onion and garlic, carrots, ginger, artichokes, Aubergine are some of the foods that have been claimed to enhance sexual pleasure.

 

A Sexual Health Diet Example-

Chocolate Nut Oatmeal With Yogurt & Berry Breakfast

Provides Lower blood cholesterol with L-Arginine to improve circulation- Has Amino acid arginine to pump up the production of nitric oxide.

Berries & Juice Lowers blood pressure to help blood vessels relax and improves circulation.

• Soy Chicken Patty on Whole grain Bun
  With Humus Spread

• Fruit Salad
  

• Salmon prepared with-
  Garlic & Fresh Herbs and a side of Brown Rice

• Romaine Lettuce Salad
  With Flax Seed Oil Italian Dressing
  Egg White Slices
  Uncooked Sunflower Seeds