Kare about Health

Food for sex. Hmmm… One of my missions here and the reason I spend time putting out the message of health and fitness, is because I truly want to change the world. One healthier person at a time! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…

My mission today was to try to find a way to inspire you to put some healthy ingredients on your shopping list! Maybe take you one step closer to healthier eating. I have found these ten foods that are good for you in so many ways, but one of them being they can actually improve your sex life!

The first thing you need to realize is that good sex is all about good hormone levels and good circulation. Any foods that help keep the heart healthy are going to be good for circulation in the body and improve your sex life. Any foods that help balance our body’s sex hormones in a healthy and appropriate way will also improve your sex life. Read on for inspiration!

Oatmeal

Surprise, surprise! One of the most innocent/puritanical foods has multiple benefits for a healthy sex life! Oats are a good source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) which gets converted in the body to Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) which is an anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic lipid/hormone compound that serves many functions in the body and is even used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction! Grandma knew what she was doing!

Oranges

Any food that is high in Vitamin C will increase oxytocin in the blood which is that bonding hormone we all know and love so well. Has been called the “cuddle” hormone and we all know what cuddling leads to… Other great sources of Vitamin C include broccoli, peppers, papaya, strawberries, kiwifruit, cantaloupe, cauliflower and kale.

Fruits with Vitamin C and anti-oxidants! Yummm!

Strawberries

Along with being a sexy-looking fruit, strawberries contain antioxidants which help improve circulation! Foods high in anti-oxidants are beans, berries (especially blueberries), artichokes, apples, and prunes.

Honey

Honey contains a mineral called boron which not only helps the body utilize estrogen, but can increase testosterone levels. Testosterone is that hormone that gives us a strong libido, whether male or female.

Eggs

Eggs have a high level of Vitamin B6 which helps the body balance hormone levels and cope with stress. Stress is one of the top reasons for not feeling sexy! Other foods high in Vitamin B6 are spinach, carrots, peas, sunflower seeds, wheat germ and fish.

Walnuts

In Roman times they threw walnuts at weddings as a sign of fertility! Walnuts (as well as many other nuts and seeds) have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which are a major component of sex hormones. They also decrease cholesterol levels and are part of that “heart-healthy” (wink) diet we all should consider.

Ginger

Ginger is an ancient root that has had many medicinal uses in the past. We do know that it can rev up the metabolism and increase blood flow to the genital area. It gets your body humming with sexual energy!

Garlic

Garlic not only wards off vampires and other evil creatures that can get in the way of having good sex, but dilates blood vessels for that all important circulation!

Fish

Once again, those omega-3 fatty acids are at work helping the nervous system to function better and contribute to good circulation!

Chocolate

We hopefully all know this story: Chocolate (cocao) contains the compound methylxanthine which triggers the release of dopamine in our blood which can leave you woozy with pleasure! Also, a study of 163 women in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that those who consumed at least one cube of chocolate daily reported significantly greater desire and better overall sexual function than the individuals who abstained. The reasoning: high-flavonoid chocolate consumption has been linked to improved circulation. Bring it on!

Alcohol

Okay, so alcohol isn’t really a food nor is it something I want you to add to your list if you are not already imbibing, but while too much alcohol can be a depressant and diminish sexual performance for men, a little bit of alcohol can improve desire and decrease inhibitions about sex. Also, who doesn’t think romance when someone breaks out a bottle of champagne? But also, in moderation, red wine (and possibly other alcoholic drinks) can be a good “heart-healthy” pleasure for those who can and want to imbibe! The studies supporting red wine suggest antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart. And resveratrol might be a key ingredient in red wine that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces “bad” cholesterol and prevents blood clots.

The Truth

Don’t forget that a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables (avoiding fatty meats and too much dairy) can help you lose weight (the number one factor in erectile dysfunction is obesity), but also helps your body fluids to taste sweeter. Hmmm…

Unwittingly, I am pleased to realize I’ve been following the good sex diet for years. Perhaps that explains why my sex life is pretty exciting. I find it sad when I hear that the vast majority of Americans aren’t eating lean meat, fruit and vegetables tonight. It seems most will be having a fatty steak and baked potato with butter or a burger and fries and then falling asleep on the couch in front of the TV with their belt undone – not in a sexy kind of way! As for me… well, I will leave it to your imagination!

History Note:

In the early 20th century, there was a strong cultural urge to suppress sexual self-stimulation. The most creative (if not diabolical) minds developed many inventions to curb this practice of masturbation. They had a fairly righteous agenda in mind.

All it took was the widespread circulation of the equivalent of today’s “urban legend” that hot cereal, when consumed at breakfast, stimulated the urge to masturbate. Enter John Harvey Kellogg (of Battlecreek fame) with his line of cold cereals and a certain Sylvester Graham of Graham Crackers. These dry morsels of food (served with cold milk) certainly could not be accused of stimulating the libido – and, as it turned out, also claimed the supposed moral high ground of suppressing it. And so, a few fortunes began! I just love history, don’t you?!

Sex Tip of the Day:

Be spontaneous tonight!

When was the last time your husband/wife came on to you and you rebuffed him/her with a quick kiss because dinner was cooking or the phone was ringing or — whatever? I know about the mountain of chores and your endless to-do list. I also know that rare, wide-open moments for intimacy present themselves and we let them pass by — in the name of efficiency, responsibility, practicality.

Try being spontaneous tonight as a form of surrendering, of saying that nothing matters at this moment but the two of you. Spontaneity tells your mate you think he/she is worth putting everything aside for. Drop that spoon or dish towel and welcome the sexual connection!

Sex is about so many things — love, fun, eroticism, connection — it’s silly to let opportunities for intimacy pass by because they’re not quite right. The value of sex is sometimes simply in the connection. And what your partner will read into your willingness to be spontaneous is that you want him/her under any conditions — good, bad or indifferent. Have fun!