Poor erection?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to obtain an adequate erection for satisfactory sexual activity. It's more common in men over 65, but it can occur at any age.

Alternative treatment for ED depends of course on the underlying cause. It’s always a good idea to consult a doctor to try to determine the cause.

Nutritional and lifestyle choices that can contribute to difficulties achieving and maintaining an erection include long-term alcohol and/or tobacco use (smoking), chronic recreational drug use, and poor nutritional choices (i.e., diet of processed foods, fast foods, and refined foods).

Poor dietary choices may lead to vascular disease (hardening of the arteries as seen in high blood pressure), and is actually the most common cause of ED. In order to maintain an erection the arteries need to have an efficient blood flow. Erectile dysfunction often indicates a hardening of the arteries, which in turn restricts blood flow, hence interfering with the erection process. In fact, ED may be an early marker of cardiovascular disease.

If vascular disease is the cause of your ED, then the good news is that it may readily respond to dietary changes and some herbal support. With regards to food, try to eat as much whole, fresh, unrefined and unprocessed foods. Include fresh fruit, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and always lots of vegetables. Try not to overcook your vegetables as this damages a lot of their valuable nutrition.

Always choose wholegrains - that means roller meal, brown rice and wholegrain bread. A quick note about bread… in my work, I meet a lot of people who are very proud of the fact that they only eat brown bread (and stay away from white bread). However, a word of caution, some brown bread being sold is actually just white bread that has been coloured to look as though it is brown.

Therefore, I suggest always going for bread, where you can actually see the wheat kernels (i.e. the whole grains). These breads tend to be much darker and denser.

Another important point is to drink lots of water, while avoiding alcohol and caffeine (black tea, coffee, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, etc.). Also avoid sugar (and foods that contain sugar), dairy products, fried foods and all refined/processed foods. Don’t go overboard on the meat, concentrate rather on increasing your vegetable intake. I also highly recommend that you supplement with a good quality fish oil as this is very important for overall cardiovascular health.

I would also like to draw your attention to an amazing little herb called garlic which has been heralded as a wonder drug for thousands of years and has been used for medicinal purposes by the Babylonians, Greeks, Egyptians, Romans and Chinese. Numerous studies have demonstrated garlic’s anti-viral, anti-bacterial and immune boosting effects as well as its benefit in treating high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease in general
The active compound found in garlic is called Allicin, which actually does not naturally occur in garlic. It’s only once the garlic is finely chopped or crushed that Allicin is produced, and the finer the chopping, the more that is produced. Allicin starts to degrade quickly so make sure to eat your chopped or crushed garlic (raw) as soon as possible so as to ensure you are getting the full benefit. I recommend sprinkling it over your favourite foods.

Modern doctors will not usually prescribe garlic for a range of ailments due to their study backgrounds being predominantly in pharmaceuticals; however, herbal practitioners are consistently singing the praises of natures little wonder herb, garlic. And so should you.

Amazingly, garlic has been proven by medical researchers to stimulate the production of an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and particularly in individuals who have less than healthy levels of this enzyme. NOS is the enzyme which is primarily responsible for the mechanism of an erection. Aim to eat 4 raw cloves of garlic per day. Where possible try and have raw and fresh garlic over supplements, capsules or oils, as this ensures you are getting the full potency from garlic and can then enjoy the inherent benefits. It’s also cheaper!

I’d also like to draw your attention to the superfood Maca. I’ve written about Maca before, but want to re-emphasise its value with regards to the above topic.

For those of you who may not have heard about Maca before, it’s a root herb that has been grown in the Andes (South America) for centuries. It is the highest altitude food-herb grown in the world – typically at altitudes of over 12,000 feet. The soil in these high plateaus are extremely rich in minerals which is said to account for Maca’s extraordinary health benefits.

Maca increases sperm count, shrinks enlarged prostates, increases libido, aids in sexual functioning, and reduces anxiety according to recent research findings. But Maca is more than a new darling in the research lab. It is a herb that has stood the test of time, with anecdotal information passed from generation to generation since pre-recorded history. Besides improving sexual health, Maca is a true adaptogen and known to increase memory, stamina, endurance and strength. A true superfood!

Today, scientists in Italy have documented the ability of Maca to increase general and sexual well-being in patients with mild erectile dysfunction (ED).

In a double-blind clinical trial using 50 men affected by mild ED, half received Maca dry extract at 2,400 mg, and the other half received a placebo.

The study continued for 12 weeks and although all men experienced an increase in their erectile function, the erectile function scores of the Maca treated group were significantly higher and improvements on psychological performance were also shown. (Andrologia, April)

Indeed, modern science is now discovering what Inca worriers once knew. They used to eat the root before going into battle to increase their stamina. They also knew that Maca increased their sexual health and virility (legend has it that Maca was kept from the warriors when they returned from battle to protect the women!)

Maca is not only for men, but is also great for women. In addition to enhancing libido and fertility, it’s been shown to provide relief from menopausal symptoms – women who take Maca report less fatigue, greater energy and relief from hot flushes and night sweats. It has also been shown effective at preventing hormone related bone loss. (Menopause, November-December, 2008)
There are also some great traditional herbal formulas that have been shown to be useful in men suffering from ED. Although there are a lot of good herbal formulas out there, there are also some which aren’t so good. Only buy from reputable herbalists whose integrity you trust. At MyAfya we work with a renowned herbal researcher from Mount Makulu Research Station who has developed a Male Formula that addresses ED as well as other male sexual problems.




Source : www.zambiapost.com