ED means that a man cannot regularly get or keep an erection long enough to satisfy his own sexual needs or those of his partner. Most men whether they admit it or not-can have an occasional erection problem after the age of 50. Although sometimes the term impotence is used to convey the same, in reality impotence refers to other problems that interfere with sexual intercourse and reproduction such as lack of sexual desire, problems with ejaculation or orgasm.
While there are numerous causes, this condition is usually secondary to chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and vascular disease, and the medications (some) used to treat these conditions. Lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcohol abuse, weight gain and physical inactivity definitely add insult to injury.The first treatments for this condition ought to concentrate on healthy lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, increasing levels of physical activity and losing any of the excess body weight, especially that accumulated around the belly. While there are quite a few effective prescription medicines available today, most men appear interested in trying out food-based or herbal remedies initially.Certain foods and herbs have been called `aphrodisiacs' because they are believed to help in the management of ED. Consumers are exposed to a plethora of natural products claiming to restore erection and sexual vitality. A few of these, like Yohimbine, Panax Ginseng, Maca, and Ginkgo biloba have shown preliminary evidence that they may be helpful in treating erectile dysfunction. However, scientific studies to back up these claims have been short-coming.
But, Buyer Beware!! A review of the available empirical evidence still reveals most of these naturally occurring compounds lack adequate clinical trials to support efficacy. Also, caution is advised about concomitant use with some pharmaceuticals, such as warfarin (a blood thinner), oral medications for diabetes, and insulin. Side effects could be unpredictable and even dangerous at times.
Coming to more sensible foods that have been tagged as aphrodisiacs; it's clearly seen that foods like Banana, Asparagus, Chocolates, Avocados, Pine nuts Oysters & Strawberries are proven healthy and contain nutrients like Zinc [Oysters], Bromelain [Banana], Vitamin E [Pine nuts] and Folate [Asparagus] Perhaps the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and anti-oxidants contained in these foods are the real key to a healthy love life.
So, meanwhile, make efforts to improve your overall health that, in turn, will help reduce or even eliminate ED. A simplified approach to a better sexual experience would be:
• Eat Right. (Low-fat, low-sodium, low-cholesterol diet).
• Move More. (Exercise builds muscle, improves both blood flow and your mood, which will make you feel better about yourself).
• Do Not Gain Weight. (If you do, reduce).
• Quit Smoking. (Chemicals in cigarette smoke can narrow blood vessels, making it harder to maintain an erection).
• Do Not Abuse Alcohol. (Alcohol slows your body's reaction times).
At NutritionVista we believe that your sex life is a reflection of your overall health... The healthier you eat and become, the better it will be. By. P. Shanmugaraj, Dietitian, NutritionVista.com
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