According to Eat This, Not That!, diet can have a real impact on a couple's ability to have physical intimacy. Endocrinologist Florence Comite, CEO of the Comite Center for Precision Medicine and Health and author of the book Keep It Up, says that your diet can impact your sex life negatively if you eat the wrong foods. Cholesterol, plaque and inflammation can obstruct blood flow to arteries that supply the sex organs and diabetes can have a similar effect. Reducing elevated blood pressure, managing cholesterol, cutting back on sugar, and optimizing metabolism and hormones can all improve sexual health. Comite lists the following six foods that can interfere.
- Processed foods and sugars – high consumption of sugar increases diabetes chances, leading to suppressed testosterone and erectile dysfunction. Processed foods including baked goods are also made with flours that trigger inflammation and lower the sex drive in men and women.
- Buffalo wings and other deep-fried food – saturated fats and trans fatty acids are linked to diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease, all connected with sexual dysfunction.
- Beer and cocktails – studies have shown that over-indulging in alcohol decreases sexual arousal.
- Microwaveable popcorn – PFCs, or perfluorinated compounds are the oily coating in the microwaveable bags and these can disrupt hormones and lower testosterone levels.
- Fatty red meat – consuming too much red meat can cause the body to produce more LDL cholesterol and one of the most common causes of ED is arteriosclerosis of narrowing of the blood vessels which can also decrease blood supply to the genitals.
- Deli meat – processed deli meats are high in sodium and can contribute to high blood pressure which in turn contributes to lower libido and ED.
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