These help with strengthening the pelvic floor. Most commonly done by women to help regain muscle tone after child delivery, they also help with sexual wellness. Kegels, a type of pelvic floor exercise, can particularly help improve the strength of the pubococcygeus (PC) muscles. These types of exercises help improve incontinence, manage conditions such as prostatitis and BPH, and of course, increase male sexual pleasure by helping men have greater control over ejaculation and orgasm.
Exercises such as brisk walking or jogging are examples of aerobic or cardio exercises — this means that they help in cardiovascular conditioning. They help in keeping the blood vessels clear, and so, can improve one’s sex life. MSDs such as ED, are commonly caused by problems with the blood flow to the penis. Factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol, or concerns in weight management leading to obesity, can affect blood flow and lead to ED symptoms. Aerobic exercises help in all these conditions and improve sexual functioning.
Vitamin A is one of the essentials when it comes to controlling the hormone testosterone. Vitamin C helps increase sperm count and can help raise your blood pressure. For example, Asparagus is great to include in your diet - it’s rich in both vitamins.
Watermelons, for example, are abundant with the phytonutrient called Citrulline. It is said to help improve libido. Additionally, Citrulline converts to Arginine, an essential amino acid that helps in the relaxation and dilation of the penis blood vessels. This will help in increasing penis blood flow.
Foods such as bananas are rich in Potassium, which helps aid in blood flow - an essential part of controlling muscles during intercourse and an erection. Bananas additionally have bromelain, an enzyme extract derived from the stems of pineapples, which is also said to help improve PE and increase libido.
A deficiency in vitamins A, K, and Zinc is one of the causes behind PE. Okra is one of the vegetables that have these vitamins in abundance, which can help improve sexual health.
This fruit has Vitamins C and K which can help regulate blood flow.
These veggies help in increasing blood flow to the genital area during sex. Rich in beta-carotene and antioxidants, it helps with PE and in increasing libido.
This very popular seasoning is considered to have high levels of allicin, thereby it is an aphrodisiac - a substance that increases sexual pleasure, or behaviour. Besides increasing libido or sexual drive, garlic cloves are also anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. They help in enhancing blood circulation as well.
Erectile Dysfunction is defined as the inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. The condition can affect anyone at any age.
Remember - the blood flow (BF), the nerve supply, and the balance of sex hormones - a concern in any of these can lead to Erectile Dysfunction. Erectile Dysfunction can be caused by a physical (a ‘hardware’ problem) or psychological (mental health effects) - mental health can play a huge part.
Did you know that Erectile Dysfunction can be an indication of cardiovascular concerns? Chronic health conditions affecting blood flow can lead to Erectile Dysfunction.
If a man lasts less than 2 minutes after penetration (all or most of the time), and/or if it leads to frequent dissatisfaction for him or his partner, he may have Premature Ejaculation.
The causes of Premature Ejaculation include:
(1) Physical Factors: Medical conditions, chronic health conditions, or sexual disorders are some physical causes of Premature Ejaculation.
(2) Psychological Factors: Depression, Anxiety
Did you know that Erectile Dysfunction can be a cause of Premature Ejaculation?
Premature Ejaculation can lead to other sexual dysfunctions, but that is not a wide-known fact.
Vaginismus is a condition in which the muscles in the vagina tighten up during penetration.
Vaginismus is commonly caused by psychological factors. Women don't have control over the tightening, and it can be uncomfortable. Due to the physical discomfort, the anxiety or fear response gets worse, and this can lead to a cycle of avoidance.
Did you know that there are four types of Vaginismus?
(1) Primary Vaginismus
(2) Secondary Vaginismus
(3) Situational Vaginismus
(4) Global Vaginismus
Low sexual desire, commonly referred to as low libido, is a decrease in sex drive.
Individuals that experience low sexual desire due to various causes are impacted physically, mentally, and emotionally by the symptoms the condition can cause.
Like other most common sexual disorders, low sexual desire can be influenced by many aspects, such as hormonal imbalance, increased age, side effects of medications, chronic illnesses, and addictive or compulsive behavior.
This would include concerns with infertility and/or conception. Sexual disorders such as Erectile Dysfunction, Premature Ejaculation, and Vaginismus can lead to challenges with pregnancy attempts.
There could be various causes of infertility, such as sexual dysfunctions, chronic illnesses, and mental health conditions leading to low sexual desire and a low sperm count. A sexual health professional should evaluate the causes of failed pregnancy attempts because there can be a variety of causes.
Porn addiction refers to a person becoming excessively dependent on pornography leading to a disruption in their everyday life. This could include their job, relationships and at times, their day-to-day lifestyle.
The causes behind porn addiction could be:
(1) Negative sexual experiences
(2) Incorrect understanding of porn and its uses
(3) Initially trying to learn about sexual experiences, resulted in dependency
(4) Experiencing mental health disorders such as OCD (an anxiety disorder) or depression
Watching porn isn’t a bad thing, nor should it be associated with any shame. However, compulsive porn watching can have negative effects on your sexual, physical and mental health.