The Mediterranean Diet and Erectile Function
With the New Year comes New Year’s resolutions, and a common resolution for both women and men revolve around losing weight or improving fitness and heath. In fact, the #1 resolution for 2014 was “Lose Weight,” and #5 was “Staying Fit and Healthy”1. But, while more than 40% of Americans make a resolution in the New Year, only about 8% actually keep them, according to Forbes2. If you were one of the many individuals who made a health-focused goal this year (with the aid of a diet), and you have fallen off the wagon, you might just want to get back on—and not just for the sake of swimsuit season. Studies have shown that going on a diet can improve erectile function.
The Mediterranean Diet
Numerous news articles have lauded the effects of the Mediterranean Diet on women’s health, but what about men’s health? It turns out that men who follow the Mediterranean diet experience significant improvement of erectile function3, meaning that this diet can be used to treat ED.
The sexual performance benefits of the Mediterranean Diet are demonstrated by a group of Greeks on the island of Icaria. One-third of the residents of that island live to be over 90, and according to AARP, most Ikarians over 90 are sexually active4.
How to Eat Like an Ikarian
If this diet sounds like your dream come true, it is relatively easy to adopt. The Mediterranean Diet focuses on nuts, fish, veggies, and beans. Here are a few examples of Mediterranean Diet foods to incorporate into your diet:
- Nuts
- Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)
- Whole grains
- Fruits and vegetables
- Olive oil (instead of butter)
- Herbs and spices (instead of salt)
- Fish and poultry (instead of red meat)
References
1. Statistic Brain (2041). New Year’s resolution statistics. Retrieved from http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/
2. Diamond, D. (2013). Just 8% of people achieve their new year’s resolutions. Here’s how they do it. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2013/01/01/just-8-of-people-achieve-their-new-years-resolutions-heres-how-they-did-it/?_ga=1.31932087.82904362.1398303739
3. Esposito, K., Ciotola, M., Giugliano, F., De Sio, M., Giugliano, G., D’armiento, M. & Giugliano, D. (2006). Mediterranean diet improves erectile function in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. International Journal of Impotence Research, 18, 405–410. doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3901447
4. Buettner, D. (2009). Live more good years. Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/health/longevity/info-09-2009/more_good_years.2.html