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Valentine's Day is around the corner and if you’re not feeling particularly romantic, you’re probably not alone. The enforced togetherness of lockdown can put a strain on the strongest relationship.
Being stuck indoors with your significant other for weeks on end can be a recipe for tension and frustration. But what if instead of seeing this as time to just get through, you decided to put energy into reviving the most intimate aspect of your relationship?
Sexual health therapist Christine DeLozier believes the secret to turbo-charging a romantic relationship is a sex diet. “And I don’t just mean using chocolate and strawberries in interesting ways, but something much more scientific than that,” says DeLozier, who’s treated couples with problems ranging from mismatched libidos to performance anxiety and physical dysfunction. “The fact is, what we eat directly affects our ability to have good sex.”
READ MORE| 7 things all healthy relationships need to thrive
It’s possible to improve the quality of your sex life by eating foods that regulate and boost libido and increase the power of your orgasms. Some foods increase levels of a molecule called nitric oxide, for example, which causes what’s called vasodilation, or the widening of blood vessels. When we eat these foods, our arteries deliver more blood to our sex organs.
Of course, a handful of walnuts or a green salad at lunchtime won’t provide an instant Viagra-like boost. But the right food can undoubtedly improve performance over time, leading to better sex in the long run.
And it’s better than popping a pill as it’s natural; has no negative side-effects; and, in fact, has plenty of good ones in terms of overall health and weight loss.
This extract from DeLozier’s book Diet for Great Sex: Food for Male and Female Sexual Health tells you what to stock up on.
STRENGTHEN LIBIDO WITH SPINACH
As unsexy as it might sound, leaves are probably the single best thing you can put in your body for great sex.
Leafy greens restore balance to the hormones affecting sex, such as cortisol, which is induced by stress and is a major libido killer. Cortisol lowers testosterone levels, which is important for male and female sexual desire. Women with high cortisol levels have more difficulty achieving orgasm and have a lower libido.
Greens are also loaded with vital minerals and antioxidants, shown in research to improve the speed and strength of nerve signals, which directly equates to more sensitivity where it matters and thus more pleasure. They’re also a great source of calcium, which has been shown to increase desire, arousal and orgasm in menopausal women.
WHAT TO EAT Mixed green salad with handfuls of spinach; chopped kale; lettuce; and watercress, dressed with vinaigrette and lots of black pepper, which is also an aphrodisiac.
GET SENSUAL WITH A SEX SMOOTHIE
You might wonder why as a teenager or younger adult you were guaranteed a lusty sexual experience no matter what you ate.
The fact is, a young person’s body can take dietary abuse in the short term. But as we mature, the unhealthy fats and excess salt from fast food and ready meals has a cumulative effect on nerve and arterial function.
Antioxidants help combat damage to blood vessels and nerves and if nerves are healthy, they fire quickly and strongly.
Flavonoids are one form of antioxidant that are great for heart health and erectile function, and they’re easy foods to eat too. Apples, berries, leeks, parsley and celery are all good examples. Combine with nitrate-rich foods (leafy greens) and the benefit is even greater. And you don’t have to eat them for years to see the effects – measurable improvements are observed in blood vessels shortly after consumption.
WHAT TO EAT A “’sex smoothie” containing blueberries, spinach, banana, grated ginger and a pinch of saffron.
BOOST DESIRE WITH OMEGA-3
When we talk about incredible sex and a powerful orgasm, we have to talk about blood and the vascular system. Getting it on is essentially about blood flowing freely and abundantly to all the right places.
What we eat is essential to this process, even for those who are in great physical shape. When we’re aroused, that’s blood doing its thing.
So, what to eat? Omega-3 fatty acids – found in oily fish, nuts and seeds – offer tremendous benefits in the bedroom through their anti-inflammatory, blood pressure-lowering superpowers.
Healthy people who eat fish at least twice a week have less vascular inflammation and also age better because the fatty acids prevent damage to their DNA.
WHAT TO EAT Pan-seared salmon with steamed asparagus.
WALNUTS: A SEXUAL SUPERFOOD
With their perfect balance of minerals and high in omega-3, nuts lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. All sorts of nuts will do it for you. One study showed two handfuls of nuts a day can significantly increase the intensity of orgasms in men, while another suggested pistachios can improve male sexual function.
Walnuts in particular are a sexual superfood. They’re a great source of the amino acid L-arginine, which increases blood flow (essential to sexual pleasure). Plus, they’re loaded with phenolic antioxidants which protect the structure of arteries carrying blood to all the relevant bits.
You may even see results the same day – one study demonstrated that within four hours of eating walnuts, blood vessels are more elastic.
WHAT TO EAT A daily handful of mixed nuts.
HEIGHTEN PASSION WITH POTATOES
Studies show an immediate measurable improvement in vascular function after just one high-potassium meal. Athletes depend on it to balance fluids and aid in muscle contraction – and sex is, after all, an endurance sport.
Potatoes are a good source and to my mind they’ve been unjustly vilified by the low-carb movement. We need to understand how good they are for sex, but of course we’re not talking fries or baked potatoes here – rather skin-on potatoes as part of a low-fat diet.
Also, don’t put salt on them! Even a single salty meal can impair arterial function within 30 minutes, reducing the release of nitric oxide, which is critical for arousal.
WHAT TO EAT Potato and lentil curry with cauliflower and fenugreek leaves.
GET IT ON WITH VITAMIN D
Vitamin D is great for all body parts related to pleasure. That’s because it’s not really a vitamin, but rather a hormone our bodies make from sunlight. Deficiency of vitamin D has been linked to increased blood pressure, which is associated with less pleasure and sexual response.
Rather than a supplement (unless recommended by your doctor), spend 20 minutes outside at midday a few times a week, or eat oily fish, egg and mushrooms to beat deficiency.
WHAT TO EAT Mushrooms are a great source of vitamin D.
GINGER
This fragrant culinary root is known to boost testosterone. Make a ginger tonic with mineral water, fresh ginger, lemon, lime and honey.
FENNEL
High in vitamin C and phytoestrogens, it helps soothe menopause symptoms such as vaginal dryness and hot flushes. Roast it with potatoes or have it with pasta and a tomato sauce. Fennel seeds are high in naturally occurring nitrates, too, which is good for blood flow. Add to curries or chicken dishes.
FENUGREEK
This herb is thought to improve libido. Add chopped dried leaves to vegetable sauces or soups or use the seeds in a lentil stew.
DILL
Believed to increase sexual desire in men. Use to season a dish or as a flavourful addition to homemade salad dressings.
SAFFRON
Its active constituent, crocin, has been found to increase desire and performance in men and improve arousal in women. Try it in a pilaf made with brown rice and quinoa.
DATES
Thought to be the oldest cultivated fruit in the world, the mineral content in dates improves hormone balance in women and boosts fertility.
EXTRACT FROM DIET FOR GREAT SEX: FOOD FOR MALE AND FEMALE SEXUAL HEALTH BY CHRISTINE DELOZIER, R389 ON TAKEALOT.COM
