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Better Sex Diet
Better Sex Diet For those of us who could use a little libido
pick-me-up, the grocery store might be a good place to start.
Like many aspects of our health, our sex drive is affected by
what we put into our bodies. A few drinks and a thick steak,
followed by a rich chocolate dessert, may sound romantic, but it
is actually a prologue to sleep--not sex.
Humans have sought ways to enhance or improve their sex lives
for millennia--and have never been reluctant to spend money to
make themselves better lovers. The ancient Romans were said to
prefer such exotic aphrodisiacs as hippo snouts and hyena
eyeballs. Traditional Chinese medicine espoused the use of such
rare delicacies as rhino horn. Modern lovers are no less
extravagant. In 2004, for example, according to Atlanta-based
health care information company NDCHealth , Americans spent
about $1.4 billion to treat male sexual function disorders alone.
Of that amount, Viagra rang up $997 million in sales for Pfizer
or 71.2% of the total market. Among the other drugs trying to
find their way into American's bedside tables and back pockets
are Levitra, which is made by Bayer but marketed in the U.S. by
GlaxoSmithKline and Schering-Plough and Cialis, which was
jointly developed by Eli Lilly and ICOS There is a difference,
of course, between helping sexual dysfunction and arousing our
passions. The problem is that, these days, there are more
solutions for the former than the latter.
Aphrodisiacs, for the most part, have been proved to be
ineffective. Named for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sex and
beauty, these include an array of herbs, foods and other
"agents" that are said to awaken and heighten sexual desire. But
the 5,000-year tradition of using them is based more on folklore
than real science. "There is no data and no scientific
evidence," says Leonore Tiefer, clinical associate professor of
psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine.
"Product pushers are very eager to capitalize on myths," she
says.
Most libido-enhancing products offer short term benefit at
best, according to Dr. John Mulhall, Director of the Sexual
Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian and associate
professor of urology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell
University. Mulhall, who also sits on the Nutraceuticals
Committee of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America, says:
"Every year we review the literature on these compounds--these
nutraceuticals like nitric oxide and ginseng--and there are none
that have really been shown to be more than a placebo."
When it comes to sexual function, the placebo effect is
probably
30% in men and around 50% in women, he says. That means there
are a lot of people out there who believe a pill they are taking
or a food they are eating is doing a lot of good for them
sexually. In reality, their mind is doing all the work.
So, besides renting The Story of O and opening a bottle of red
wine, what can people do to kick start their sex life?
One thing they can do is change their diet. Soy, for example,
binds estrogen receptors, which helps the vaginal area remain
lubricated, and combats symptoms of menopause--particularly hot
flashes. Studies have shown that soy is also beneficial to the
prostate, a crucial male sex organ. Chili peppers and ginger are
believed to improve circulation and stimulate nerve endings,
which could, in turn, improve sexual pleasure.
Foods that promote weight loss also hold libido-boosting
potential. "There has been very solid research showing that
obesity is a risk factor for erectile dysfunction and low
testosterone," says Dr. Ridwan Shabsigh, director of the New
York Center for Human Sexuality and associate professor of
urology at Columbia University's medical school. "Reducing
weight," he says, "results in an increase of testosterone, and
thus an increase in sexual function."
"From an erection stand point, anything that's good for your
heart is good for your penis," says Dr. Mulhall. Too much
saturated fat can, over time, clog arteries and, in doing so,
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. Too little fat, on the other
hand, is also bad.
"You need fat to produce your hormones," says Beverly Whipple,
professor emeritus at Rutgers University and president of the
World Association for Sexology. "Cholesterol is metabolized in
the liver, and you get your testosterone and estrogen, which you
need for your sex drive," she says. Olive oil, salmon and nuts
are optimal sources of the "good" kinds of fats--monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated.
According to Dr. Judith Reichman, author of I'm Not in the Mood:
What Every Woman Should Known about Improving Her Libido,
medical and hormonal problems are major contributors to sexual
dysfunction and a low libido--but so are too much stress,
relationship difficulties and psychological issues.
Antidepressants, such as Prozac by GlaxoSmithKline and Paxil by
Eli Lilly, can negatively impact sex drive as well.
For more articles on this subject visit:
http://www.careerpath.cc/new_page_51.htm
About the author:
Manik Thapar (MBA) http://www.careerpath.cc
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