Appetite for Amour

by Elliott Brown

Do you want to know the single perfect food for endless, partner-pleasing passion?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s not that simple. If it were, Americans wouldn’t be having a third less sex than they were ten years ago. Sex drives and performance are dependant upon factors ranging from what we eat to whether the kids are asleep. Nutrition can play a big role, but no discussion of sexual health is complete without looking at the whole picture.

Sexual Smorgasbord

When examining what helps us both get excited about sex and perform well when we’re in the bedroom, psychology, overall health and nutrition are the three parts of our lives to examine. Psychology is important because being in the right state of mind is critical to good sex. Things like stress levels, distractions, depression, and feelings of low self-esteem can reduce libido and make sex less pleasurable. When you’re in a good mood and you can set life’s major distractions to the side, you’ll be more open to positive sexual experiences.

Fight the Flab

Self-esteem can often go hand in hand with physical fitness, so a major step to overcoming psychological barriers to sex lies in keeping your weight down. You’ll feel more attractive, more energetic and better in general when your overall health is better.

Obesity also has a physical impact on sex drive and performance. It inhibits circulation and disrupts hormone production, leading to sexual dysfunction and fertility problems. Battling the bulge will also make you more attractive to your partner. Since it takes two to tango, attraction is another important piece of the puzzle.

Finding the Right Chemistry

While you should try to keep your head in the right place and your body in the right shape, nutrition is also key. In particular, a sex-focused diet should seek to promote heathly levels of hormones to create sexual desire, good circulation to aid in performance and sensitivity, and high energy to keep you from running out of gas before your make out session.

Here are a few key nutrients and how to get them:

• Antioxidants: Vitamins C and E as well as resveratrol and flavonoids are all antioxidants that improve circulation. Improved circulation means better blood flow to the extremities, which allows genitalia to get, well, more extreme. Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, while vitamin E is plentiful in nuts and green leafy vegetables. Red wine is a great way to get resveratrol and flavonoids.
• B vitamins: The Bs will get you buzzing in the bedroom by keeping your energy levels high. B-1 can be found in nuts, beans and whole grains. B-3, or niacin, which is also responsible for the orgasmic hormone histamine, can be found in chicken, fish and yogurt.
• Fiber: Soluble fiber is another great circulation enhancer. Look for it in whole grains, dried fruit and beans.
• Unsaturated Fats: Fatty acids are the building blocks for hormones, and unsaturated fats also help improve circulation by reducing bad cholesterol in the blood stream. You can find them in vegetable, nut and seed oils, fish, peanut butter and avocados.
• Zinc: Quite literally, zinc helps get the juices flowing by aiding female lubrication and male semen production. By encouraging production of the libido-enhancing hormone progesterone, zinc also helps put you in the mood. Shellfish, high-protein meats, beans and nuts are good sources.

Magnesium, calcium and vitamin A are also thought to have important roles in sexual function.

Dos and Don’ts When You’re About to Seal the Deal

While a diet full of sex-friendly foods may have you raring to go, a few more snacks and sips can help ensure you hit home runs.

Coffee increases energy, circulation and the potential for stimulation. A glass or two of red wine will limit inhibitions and increase sensitivity (but drinking too much can limit function and cause sleepiness). Though this article has suggested many foods, don’t eat them all, because being full can also make you feel tired and bloated.

But do save room for a piece of chocolate and a celery stalk. Nibbling on chocolate is a sensual act in its own right, but it also causes an endorphin release that can get you ready for even more pleasure. Chocolate sweetens the deal even further by brightening moods and increasing physical sensitivity. Although it’s not quite as sexy, eating celery releases pheromones that can help make that certain someone irresistible.

Now Go Forth

When you bring health, psychology and nutrition together, a stronger sex life is at your fingertips. Keep in mind that all three factors are related. For example, eating a diet full of sex-oriented nutrients is essentially eating a healthy diet anyway; a healthy diet will keep you in better shape; being in better shape can lead to better sex; and good sex can strengthen your relationship and keep you from getting into funks that cause you to eat poorly.

It’s a big circle that begins and ends in the bedroom, so get to it (whatever “it” happens to be).