Excerpted from The Hood Health Handbook: A Practical Guide to Health and Wellness in the Urban Community, Vol 2
As Dr. Joe Esposito has written on the connection between sex and diet:
The body responds to sensual stimulant, such as erotic touch, sight, scents, sounds and thoughts of becoming aroused. One of the physiological responses is increased blood flow to the erogenous zones of the body. The blood vessels to these areas must be able to carry blood freely in order for you to perceive the maximum pleasure. There are mounds of research showing that certain foods will directly or indirectly clog your blood vessels and prevent normal blood flow. The consequences can range from mildly decreased sensation to a complete shutdown of an erogenous area or organ of the body. A classic example of this is impotence. Many men are in search of some miracle pill, potion or lotion to solve their problem when in fact all they need to do is change their diets. The arteries, if given the proper nutrition, can clean themselves out and the men can act as the young strapping bucks they used to be.
Not only is blood flow involved in arousal but also a complex combination of brain function, hormonal releases and nerve impulses that must work together in order to achieve optimum performance. Certain medications, alcohol, poor diet, cigarettes, and pinched or damaged nerves can all play a part. When we start putting the good nutrients in our bodies and ensuring our nerves are functioning at 100%, in most cases; the body will give us the pleasure we are seeking.
3 Foods That Get You Down
Fried Foods: All that saturated fat is sure to give you the “itis” and make you feel too tired to move a muscle.
Sugary Sweets: The high amount of carbs and sugars in cookies and other sweets leads to a serious “crash and burn” effect.
Soda: Caffeine and sugar will have you crashing and “out of it” even worse than cookies.
Medication: Not really a “food,” but prescription medications, particularly anti-depressants, can lower sex drive and prevent orgasm.
6 Foods That Get You Up
Almonds: Almonds are a great natural source of energy, which are also said to arouse passion in women. Almonds are packed with Vitamin E, a natural sex hormone stimulant.
Avocado: With its 25 essential nutrients, including Vitamin E, folic acid and iron, avocadoes are said to be one of the healthiest fruits in the world.
Bananas: The large amount of potassium, which is an energy booster, helps muscles contract leading to stronger orgasms.
Chocolate: Cocoa contains a chemical stimulant called phenyl ethylamine, which affects your mood by changing the chemical makeup of the brain and inducing a sexual high.
Garlic: Eating garlic helps your body release a chemical called allicin, which increases blood flow in the body to all the right places. It also contains inulin, a fiber that gives you energy. Just make sure you brush your teeth, buddy.
Ginseng: There’s a reason they sell those little bottles of ginseng root at gas stations and corner stores. Ginseng has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine to increase male virility and stamina. It’s nature’s Viagra.
Now that you know what foods your body needs to perform at its sexual peak, head down to the grocery store and fill your shopping cart with all the ingredients you need to make a better sex life.