If you'd like to enjoy a richer, more satisfying sex life (and who wouldn't?), put down the Viagra and pick up your fork! Incorporating elements of the Mediterranean diet (think olive oil, not butter; whole grains, poultry, fish and a lot less red meat) into your mealtime regime is also a delicious way to improve your overall health. Forgoing empty calories (processed snack foods and baked goods, aka junk) in favor of healthful fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts may be all you need to get your sex life back on track. Research confirms that switching to a Mediterranean diet enables men and women to boost their sexual function.

Having a problematic sex life is a common lament. Some 30-million American men have erectile dysfunction (ED), according to the National Institutes of Health and research estimates that one in three women are concerned about changes in their sexual function due to problems such as lack of desire and vaginal dryness. In many cases, individuals diagnosed with sexual dysfunction also have metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms that includes obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Could something as simple as switching to a delicious Mediterranean diet really improve your sex life? Expert Sara Nasserzadeh, PhD, author of The Orgasm Answer Guide, says yes. "In order to have good sex, you need to have good blood circulation. Otherwise, there's no arousal," Nasserzadeh says. "Following a healthier diet and having a more active lifestyle helps the sex life. And that's what the Mediterranean diet is all."

Good blood flow is crucial for good sex, agrees Ian Kerner, PhD, author of Sex Detox. "Although you might typically associate blood flow with the heart, brain or muscles, it's also crucial to genital function," he says. In a man, blood flow is necessary for an erection; in women, "blood flow increases the size and sensitivity of clitoris and enhances vaginal lubrication."

What You Can Do

  • Eat a balanced diet that is low in sugar. Just say no to high-fructose corn syrup and trans fats. Reduce your intake of salt and simple carbs like pastries, too.

  • Go green. Kerner recommends consuming more fruits and vegetables. Greens—high on the list of must-haves on the Mediterranean diet—are a rich source of L-arginine, an amino acid that helps improve blood flow. (Chickpeas and soybeans are other good sources of L-arginine.)

  • Get nutty for nuts. Keep in mind that some of the foods on the Mediterranean diet may actually be aphrodisiacs, Kerner says. "Some nuts are thought to promote libido," he says. "Walnuts, peanuts, and cashews are packed with L-arginine, which appears to promote healthy erectile function in men and clitoral tissue in women."

  • Eat more fish-way more. Salmon and other fatty fish such as sardines and mackerel "are great sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and good for the blood flow, too," Kerner says.

 

Sources:

Pizzorno, Joseph. "Integrative Medicine and Wellness." WebMD.
http://blogs.webmd.com/integrative-medicine-wellness/2007/09/better-sex-mediterranean-style.html

"Erectile Dysfunction." National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/KUDiseases/pubs/ED/index.aspx

"Female Sexual Problems." Medicinenet.com.
http://www.medicinenet.com/sexual_sex_problems_in_women/article.htm