Thanks for stopping in. This information on sexuality for men is actually over 5 years old, so we wrote some fresh posts using the latest research. 

Check out Mind your mind: Applying the new science of male sexuality and Stuck in a sex rut? These are the best foods, herbs, and exercises for men.

DECLINE OF NORMAL MALE SEXUAL LIBIDO

We tend to think we’re the only culture beset with libido-lowering elements. The latest statistics for America show that 52% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 have impotence problems. Certainly there is no question that our nutrient-poor, high fat diets, over-use of drugs and stimulants, and high-pressured lifestyles do lead to low energy and lack of time for love. But the reality is that humanity in every era has felt the need for help in the sexual area. After all, this part of our lives is at the most basic, elemental center of our being.

LIGHT YOUR FIRE

A man’s libido absolutely depends on the state of his health. A healthy lifestyle has the greatest impact on his sexual ability and enjoyment. Every man can develop his sexual potential to its utmost no matter what his age!

Today’s fast-paced and highly volatile lifestyle seems to demand that men be Supermen. A man must be strong physically during workouts and sports, supportive emotionally in relationships, balanced under stress, mentally creative and quick, and sexually keen and virile. Whew! It’s no wonder that sexual dysfunction is happening to men at every age. It is a real problem. Sperm counts are down dramatically, even in younger men.

Yet, it is only a myth that people lose their sexuality in later years. Although we change, men need not experience declining performance, poor responsiveness, or lack of libido. A full 80% of men who experience erection difficulty have an underlying physiological problem or medical complication. Most often, erectile dysfunction is a result of poor health or the side effects of medication.

SELF TEST FOR MEN: IS YOUR LIBIDO LOW?

Do you want to boost your sexual response? If you’re having any sexually related problems, here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Do you have high blood pressure, atherosclerosis or diabetes?
• Have you recently taken a long course of prescription drugs, particularly antidepressants or blood pressure lowering medications?
• Do you regularly take over-the-counter decongestants containing pseudoephedrine?
• Do you have prostate problems?
• Are you low in zinc?
• Are you chronically under stress?
• Have you noticed that your erections don’t get as hard as they used to, don’t last as long and don’t return as rapidly after intercourse?
• Do you lose erections frequently during lovemaking or ejaculate prematurely?
• Do you have a sexually transmitted disease? Did you have one in the past?
• Do you rarely exercise?
• Do you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages on a daily basis?
• Do you smoke or chew tobacco?
• Have you lost the desire to have sex? When you do have the desire, are you afraid of poor performance?
• Is sex a chore rather than a pleasure?
• Have erections become slow and difficult (atherosclerosis) or painful (prostate swelling, poor circulation)?
• Have you become dissatisfied with the path your life is taking? Are you depressed? Have you been under a lot of emotional stress for a long period of time?
• Do you feel unattractive or that you’ve lost your looks as you’ve aged? Has your diet deteriorated to fast foods on the run? Are you getting exercise every week?
• Is there unusual tension in your job? Is your personal relationship unhappy? Have you resorted to prescription (or pleasure) drugs to get through your day?
• Was your childhood marked by physical abuse or great trauma? (sometimes the feelings don’t surface for years) Hypnotherapy may be effective for you.
• Do you have a serious illness that affects the nerves, like MS, Parkinson’s or diabetes?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you can benefit greatly from the many different healing approaches featured on this page.

LIFESTYLE THERAPY

A man’s sex drive is dependent on testosterone and a good blood supply to the erectile tissue, factors that rely on good nutrition and exercise.

• Eat zinc source foods: liver, oysters, nuts, seeds and legumes.
• Dopamine (L-Dopa) is intimately associated with sex drive in men. One 16 oz. can of fava beans has almost a prescription dose!
• Add mineral-rich foods like shellfish, greens and whole grains; EFA’s from flaxseed and sea greens.
• Eat fiber-rich foods like legumes, fruits and vegetables to avoid atherosclerosis of the penis.
• Drink in moderation. Heavy drinking can lead to reduced erections.
• Environmental estrogens in hormone-injected food animals, herbicides and pesticides affect male sperm counts and female hormone balance. Avoid hormone-injected meats and dairy foods, and herbicide-sprays
• Extra weight means a smaller penis. Sexologists say a man loses 1/2 inch from his penis for every 15 pounds he gains. Extra weight causes protective fat pad to creep over the shaft.
• Exercise can increase sex drive, especially exercise with your mate. Exercise like dancing, walking and swimming stimulates circulation and increases body oxygen. New research shows exercise is as effective as Viagra in men with heart problems who cannot use the drug.
• Try aromatherapy oils dotted on your sheets. Sexuality-enhancing aromatherapy oils for men include: cinnamon, sandalwood, lavender, patchouli, coriander, jasmine and cardamom. Sexuality-enhancing oils for women are: ylang ylang, rose, clary sage, neroli and rosewood.

Lifestyle habits affect male sexual health:

• Prolonged recreational drug use inhibits sperm production.
• Heavy metal or radiation damages sperm / chromosome structure.
• Sexually transmitted diseases scar the vas deferens and testes, obstructing sperm delivery to the penis; infertility results.
• Smoking, the cadmium contained in cigarette papers interferes with the utilization and absorption of zinc.

The Libido Diet For Men – Use this diet for optimum results:

START OFF WITH A 24-HOUR DETOX.

• Use a zinc-rich spirulina protein drink to boost your energy and cleanse your body of gland-clogging toxins.

• Drink a quart of V-8 juice or Knudsen’s VERY VEGGIE juice throughout the day. Drink at least 6 glasses during the 16 waking hours. (Alternate the juice with 8 oz. glasses of water.) Have 1 to 2 fresh apples if desired.

THEN, MAKE AND TAKE THE FOLLOWING “POTENT-C” ENERGY DRINK EVERY MORNING FOR 3 MONTHS:

For 4 drinks, blend in the blender:

• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 banana
• 1 cup papaya chunks
• 1 cup pineapple/coconut juice
• 1 cup amazake rice drink
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. toasted wheat germ
• 2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp. lecithin
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tsp. vanilla

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ONE MEAL A DAY WITH PLENTY OF VEGETABLE PROTEIN.

• Protein deficiency is often implicated in low male potency. You have a lot of good choices. My favorite protein sources for men are black beans and rice (highly absorbable, full of B-vitamins, alkalizing for a too-acid system) steamed vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale and chard (lower cholesterol deposits) sprouts (full of enzymes) nuts and seeds (rich in zinc) seafoods of all kinds (heart-protecting) and turkey (low-fat, stress-reducing).

HAVE ONE LARGE, FRESH GREEN SALAD EACH DAY, WITH PLENTY OF LETTUCE, CUCUMBER, CARROTS AND TOMATOES.

• Use 2 tbsp. of a fresh tomato dressing. Greens keep your insides swept clean; and tomatoes are known for their prostate-protecting lycopene.

ADD FAVA BEANS TO YOUR DIET.

• Fava beans have high concentrations of L-Dopa. Dopamine is intimately associated with sex drive in men. One 16 oz. can is almost a prescription dose.

HAVE A ZINC-RICH MEAL EVERY DAY.

• Promise yourself some food from the sea every day. Fish and seafoods also provide essential fatty acids to protect your heart and improve circulation. Or have 2 handfuls of pumpkin or sunflower seeds or nuts; or a cup of peas or beans. If you like liver, it’s rich in zinc. If you like toasted wheat germ, sprinkle a tablespoonful on your cereal, salad or a soup for more zinc.

THE FOODS A MAN AVOIDS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS THE FOODS HE EATS.

• Many men tend to overeat fried, fatty foods. Some experts think the tendency stems from a man’s large needs for energy and strength. Fat may be a source of energy, but fried fatty foods make sex less likely — and less enjoyable. Tests show that a man’s testosterone levels drop precipitously after a high fat meal. When testosterone is low, both a man’s interest in sex and his sensory nerve response are reduced.
• Fatty meals are difficult to digest and contribute to clogged arteries. This hampers blood flow to the brain… and a man’s sex organs. High fat foods usually have lots of salt and sugar, which clearly add a burden to your heart and weight — and, thus, your sex drive.

• Avoid red meats, too. Two main reasons: Red meat animals, like cattle and hogs, are often injected with estrogens. Prepared meats, like luncheon meats, contain nitrates that can affect health.

Supplements can enhance your sexual experience. Take a look at your multivitamin. Are you already taking these? If not, consider adding 1-2 of the following vitamin/mineral boosters for enhanced libido.

HERBS FOR SEX

We’ve looked at how the body creates the perfect setup for men to have the sexual experience and we’ve identified the problems that muck it up. Now, let’s turn our attention to herbs that can help solve those problems. Herbs can help put life back into your lovemaking!

No “sex drug” will fix deep set, lifestyle problems. And statistics show that sex drugs can have potentially dangerous side effects. For many men, a diet change — along with lifestyle enhancements like herbal combinations — work far better with much less risk!

My program includes powerful herbal formulas that are designed to enhance all phases of a man’s sex life including better lasting, stronger erections. Together with my sexuality boosting diet for men, it covers all the bases.

Herbs are powerful potentiators for sex… especially for men. Herbs are strong enough to benefit the male system without the unwanted side effects of drugs. They act quickly, but the effects are also cumulative in the body to build a strong nutritional foundation for sexual health. Herbs have been associated with love potions for thousands of years. Certain herbs can reawaken libido, boost sexual energy and stamina levels, and intensify sexual excitement and satisfaction. The right combinations of herbs can even help overcome difficulty achieving erection, restore hormonal balance for a more vigorous sex life, and combat problems with prostate health.

Herbs are concentrated foods — whole essences with the ability to address both the symptoms and the causes of a problem. As nourishment, herbs offer the body nutrients it doesn’t always receive, either from a poor diet or environmental deficiencies in the soil and air. As therapy, herbs act as body balancers that work with body functions so that the body can regulate and even heal itself! Indeed, herbs are at their best when they normalize body processes.

The most sexually stimulating herbs contain substances that support male glands and nerves. Normal sexual function requires healthy organs and glands to produce the necessary sex hormones. Herbs are ideal for supporting this requirement because they work through the glands.

Herbs can be a primary safe source of zinc for men. As plant foods, the zinc in herbs is accessed by a man’s body exactly as a food is — through his enzyme activity.

Zinc is the best measure of libido and potency. We know zinc helps testosterone production.