If your love life has become lackluster of late due to ED then you’re undoubtedly, or dare we say hopefully, looking for ways to remedy the issue.
There are many men who need help with erectile dysfunction (ED). Some only struggle to achieve or maintain an erection on the odd occasion while others have a more permanent problem. The good news is, there are a number of treatments available today to help you combat ED.
Can a proper diet affect ED?
As with most health issues, diet can have a significant impact on sexual performance. However, alcohol consumption may play a bigger role. It’s a well-known fact and something many men have experienced: a few (or a few too many) drinks can negatively impact sexual performance.
Long-term drinking habits are even more damaging. Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to ED and decreased libido.
Though drinking is a major culprit, proper nutritional choices are vital to preserving good health since ED is linked to all-too-common conditions, such as obesity, heart disease, hypertension, and high blood sugar.
Those suffering from ED should pursue a lower-fat diet, as overconsumption of fatty foods leads to blockages and hardening of blood vessels, including the arteries that supply blood to penile tissues. Additionally, studies have shown that men with obesity benefit from improved sexual performance after losing weight.
If you haven’t heard, flavonoids help men avoid the trials and tribulations of ED.
Researchers believe that flavonoids increase the flexibility of blood vessels, allowing
better blood flow. Flavonoids are found in plants, especially berries, citrus fruits, apples, pears, grapes, and cherries.
As you’ll see in the following list of 8 foods that can help with the unfortunate burden of ED, many of them contain powerful flavonoids, while others contain similar antioxidants. By incorporating the foods below into your diet, you’ll be doing everything you can to help your doctor treat you for ED.
Let’s Dig In!
Beets
Beets are full of nitrates, which are natural vasodilators — compounds that help increase blood flow (hopefully to the areas of the body where you need blood the most).
Dark Chocolate
Remember when we said that flavonoids help those suffering from ED? You may have heard that dark chocolate is an aphrodisiac — this is part of that rumor. Dark chocolate eases cholesterol levels and blood pressure, two factors that can detract from a man’s ability to become erect.
Leafy greens
Similar to beets, dark, leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale contain high levels of nitrates. These nitrates are converted to nitrites by mouth bacteria when eaten. The stomach turns nitrites into nitric oxide, which also helps get that blood flowing.
Oats
Oats of the Avena sativa variety have been shown to increase testosterone’s activity in your body. By freeing bound testosterone in your blood, Avena sativa does its best to make your love life functional again.
Oysters
If you want to get your daily dose of zinc, oysters are one of the best places to start. Zinc helps to ramp up your testosterone, and higher levels of testosterone decrease the chances that you’ll have an encounter with ED.
Pistachios
Could it really be as simple as eating pistachios every day? It could, and that’s because pistachios contain plenty of arginine, a blood vessel-relaxing amino acid.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes (and pink grapefruits, while we’re on the topic) are high in lycopene. Lycopene can not only help with blood circulation and sexual desires, but it may also help fight prostate cancer and male infertility as well.
Watermelon
Watermelon is super high in L-citrulline and when eaten, this amino acid converts to arginine. Not to mention that Watermelon also contains other blood vessel-relaxing antioxidants and is just delicious to eat!
The Takeaway
There are plenty of foods that can help to boost bodily functions that may be able to help improve the effects of erectile dysfunction. A diet high in nitrates, flavonoids, and certain amino acids can go a long way toward helping your body reduce or eliminate the symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
Although there are no foods that will cure erectile dysfunction, there are plenty that can have positive effects if you incorporate them into your diet. Eating plenty of nitrates, flavonoids, and protein can all be beneficial to the basic functions of the body, especially those involving blood flow and circulation. These are critical to being healthier in general, but also important to achieving and maintaining erections.
If you’re commonly having trouble achieving an erection, maintaining an erection, and suffer from reduced libido, we suggest a consultation with our board-certified physicians at Atlanta Medical Institute and see if you’re a good candidate for Gainswave treatment. To find out how our expert team can help improve your quality o f life, get in touch with us today by clicking here! Or call us directly at (404) 264-9553.
