Good Wood: 8 Foods You Should Be Eating To Keep It Up and Running
Think of the penis as a heart in the pants, it’s just an extension of the vascular system. Anything that affects the cardiovascular system also affects the function of the penis, this means cardiovascular concerns like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol also affect the ability to get an erection and maintain a full stream of urine. Eating foods that lower cholesterol and blood pressure will do wonders for your genital health for years to come! But that’s not all that affects the function of the penis; you also need a healthy amount of testosterone for optimal penile health. Testosterone is not only important for your manly functions, but also for preventing cardiovascular disease.
Let’s share a little background information on the hormone testosterone:
· Testosterone is secreted by the leydig cells in the testes
· There’s also a small amount of testosterone that comes from the adrenal glands
· Its main purpose is to support spermatogenesis (the making of sperm!)
· There are TWO forms of testosterone in your body: there’s testosterone and there’s dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is much more potent than regular testosterone and binds to receptors like super glue. DHT is mostly bad news. It’s the main culprit in baldness and an enlarged prostate. It’s all well and good to have DHT in puberty, but after that it’s not so helpful. But don’t worry, there’s food for reducing DHT too!
Eating foods that support testosterone production are just as important as foods that support vascular health. Luckily, there are plenty of foods to incorporate in your diet that will do both!
1. Pumpkin Seeds
As a fantastic source of zinc; they can increase your testosterone, reduce DHT, and promote sperm count and motility for natural fertility support. You can grind them in a smoothie or eat them as a snack.
2. Eggs
Everyone raves about eggs having a complete amino acid profile (which is true), but it’s also true that an egg or three a day can keep “bad” cholesterol away. No need to skip the yolk, the yolk has all the best nutrients and pro-penis-properties.
3. Soy Beans/ Milk
The component we’re looking at in soy is beta-sitosterol, which has been shown to lower prostate cancer risk, decrease DHT, increase urinary flow, and inhibit estrogen production. If you’re afraid of soy (there’s no need to be worried when it’s organic and non-GMO) you can opt for rice bran or wheat germ as they have beta-sitosterols too.
4. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
It’s part of a wonderful Mediterranean diet and two tablespoons a day can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol and make a sweet salad dressing! Drizzle it on everything you eat for more flavour and health.
5. Garlic
Two to five cloves a day can lower your blood pressure while preventing erectile dysfunction.
6. Pomegranate Juice
Not the sugary stuff, the real POM juice. It’s a powerful anti-hypertensive and powerful anti-oxidant, which means a more powerful cardiovascular system!
7. Oats
Apple crisp, oatmeal cookies, overnight oats- they all have beta-glucan which can lower cholesterol and keep your pelvic blood flowing.
8. Barley
Also a source of beta-glucan to prevent arteriosclerosis and cook a fantastic stir-fry.
Making the right dietary choices will keep your whole body healthy, including your heart and penis. If you stay clear of processed foods and added sugar and always keep moving, then you won’t have to worry about your vascular health!
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References:
Naumann, E., VaN Rees, A. B., Önning, G., Öste, R., Wydra, M., & Mensink, R. P. (2006). β-Glucan incorporated into a fruit drink effectively lowers serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 83(3), 601-605.
Mutungi, G., Ratliff, J., Puglisi, M., Torres-Gonzalez, M., Vaishnav, U., Leite, J. O., … & Fernandez, M. L. (2008). Dietary cholesterol from eggs increases plasma HDL cholesterol in overweight men consuming a carbohydrate-restricted diet. The Journal of nutrition, 138(2), 272-276.
Stowe, C. B. (2011). The effects of pomegranate juice consumption on blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 17(2), 113-115.
Xiong, X. J., Wang, P. Q., Li, S. J., Li, X. K., Zhang, Y. Q., & Wang, J. (2015). Garlic for hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytomedicine, 22(3), 352-361.
Moreno-Luna, R., Muñoz-Hernandez, R., Miranda, M. L., Costa, A. F., Jimenez-Jimenez, L., Vallejo-Vaz, A. J., … & Stiefel, P. (2012). Olive oil polyphenols decrease blood pressure and improve endothelial function in young women with mild hypertension. American journal of hypertension, 25(12), 1299-1304.
