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Diet and Exercise For ED: Are They Related?
A healthy diet and workout are critical for patients with poor blood circulation and high cholesterol. Eating a healthy diet for men, exercising, reducing anxiety with physiotherapy, and taking prescribed medications are some of the few ways to improve blood flow and reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED)..
How Exercise Helps With Erectile Dysfunction
Regular physical activity is beneficial for improving muscle strength, endurance, and blood circulation. A common cause of erectile dysfunction is poor blood flow due to plaque buildup in the arteries and high cholesterol. Exercise improves blood flow by stimulating the body’s production of nitrogen oxide, which allows blood vessels to become more elastic and expand. It also lowers LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and increases HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) in the body. Exercises for ED facilitate weight reduction and help you look your best. A boost of self-confidence can help with sexual performance and improve mental health in regards to the psychological factors involved with sexual activity. You also have to quit smoking to maintain stable breathing from doing some workouts.
Best Exercises For Erectile Dysfunction
Aerobic Exercise (Cardio)
The best exercises to improve vascular health and increase HDL cholesterol are aerobic (cardiovascular) exercises. This includes yoga, jogging, swimming, running, and brisk walking. Aerobic exercise will also help maintain a healthy heart and build muscle tone. For beginners, exercise could be started at a slower pace and gradually increase to a more moderate to vigorous intensity routine. This is necessary since going directly to a high intensity full-speed exercise session may cause health risks. It’s common sense but remember to move at your own pace and gradually raise intensity as you go. A 30-minute regular exercise routine or program provides great health benefits for men with erection problems. Aerobic activities could be done either at the gym or at home.
Yoga
Yoga promotes physical and mental benefits such as building muscles strength, flexibility, heart health, and overall well-being.
Pilates
Pilates is also a great option for erectile dysfunction exercises since they challenge pelvic floor strength while moving and activate the right group of muscles. Pilates exercises are also recommended by physical therapists and experts for their wide array of benefits such as stronger erections in addition to improved erectile dysfunction. Knee fall outs, pelvic curls, supine foot raises are some pilates exercises that are great erectile dysfunction exercises that are worth a try.
Jogging or Running
Most well-known as a fat-burning weight loss exercise, running helps to reduce other contributing and risk factors that cause ED such as high blood pressure and stress. Even walking regularly can improve physical fitness and disabilities in older people.
Swimming
Swimming is an exercise that is easier on the joints. It is a great form of resistance training that can improve tone and muscle strength.
Kegel exercises (pelvic floor exercises)
Pelvic exercises like Kegel exercises are great for strengthening core and pelvic floor muscles and effectively work in addressing sexual dysfunction such as erectile dysfunction. Pelvic floor muscle training leads to better control of pelvic muscles and can help men get and maintain an erection. Kegel exercises are a good start to pelvic floor activation and strengthening.
Kegel Exercise #1 Floor lying on your back squeezes
Start this exercise by lying on your back with your hands flat on the floor. Have your knees bent comfortably and pointing upwards. Draw your penis in towards your body and hold the position for five seconds before releasing. You can do the same squeeze and release for the anus muscles as if you are stopping a bowel movement. Repeat these squeezes 8-10 times for 3-5 sets.
Kegel Exercise #2 Floor lying on your side squeezes
Start this exercise on the floor on your side. Place a pillow between your knees to spread your legs apart. Squeeze your legs together and hold the position for 5 seconds before releasing. Repeat these squeezes 8-10 times for 3-5 sets.
Kegel Exercise #3 Sitting in a chair squeezes
Start this exercise sitting in a chair. Squeeze the muscles of your penis as if you are trying to stop urine from flowing and hold this position for 5 seconds before releasing. Do avoid using your butt and leg muscles when doing so to direct all focus to those important pelvic muscles that need exercising. Repeat these squeezes for 8-10 times for 3-5 sets.
Kegel Exercise #4 Standing squeezes
Once you’ve become comfortable performing pelvic floor exercises, increase the regimen and frequency without overdoing it. You can even do kegel exercises and squeezes while standing.
How Diet Helps With Erectile Dysfunction
Recent studies show that over 80% of male impotency cases may be caused by a high cholesterol diet. On the other hand, around 50% of men with higher cholesterol have increasing rates of impotency than those with healthy cholesterol levels. Additional studies also show that men with total cholesterol higher than 240 milligrams per deciliter were twice as likely to have high cholesterol impotence as those with cholesterol levels below 180 mg per deciliter. There are plenty of effective treatment options including medicines and therapies available to treat erectile dysfunction and high cholesterol. Although medications like Viagra are popular for those suffering from ED, it is also important to note that treating ED with any medication has to be a medically reviewed decision that’s been talked over with a healthcare professional or your primary care doctor. In addition to—or apart from—medication. Lifestyle changes and lifestyle modifications such as a healthy diet for men together with proper physical exercise can greatly help in lowering cholesterol and upholding their sex life.
Lowering the body’s bad cholesterol requires joint efforts in removing saturated fats from the diet. Saturated fat increases the LDL (low density lipoprotein) or also known as the bad cholesterol in the bloodstream. Lowering your cholesterol will result in an improvement in erectile function or sexual function during sexual intercourse for people who suffer from it. But it is also important to note that the act is beneficial in general for overall health and especially cardiovascular health since elevated LDL or bad cholesterol is a major cause of cardiovascular disease.
Foods That Increase HDL In The Body
It is essential to avoid foods high in cholesterol, especially saturated fats (fatty meats, whole milk dairy products, and processed grain products). In contrast, HDL (high density lipoprotein) also known as good cholesterol is vital for energy production. This is helpful to patients suffering from erection problems such as erectile dysfunction and impotence.
The following are some of the foods that can help increase HDL cholesterol in the body:
Food High in Omega 3
Flax seed oil, salmon, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and walnut oil, soybeans, dark green leafy vegetables like seaweed, greens, broccoli and kale. Spring leaves, dark salad leaves, cabbage and Brussels sprouts are also high in Omega 3.
Food High in Soluble Fiber
Oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp.
Soy Products
Soy milk, soy patties and any other food that substitutes animal products with soy can helps lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and increases HDL cholesterol.
Final Thoughts on Diet and Exercise for Erectile Dysfunction
A combined effort in both diet and exercise is effective in treating erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and can lead to improving your sexual health as well as overall quality of life. Aerobic exercises that get the heart pumping and blood flowing are great for overall body wellness and circulation, especially if you have heart disease and diabetes. Erectile dysfunction exercises like Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles that support the genital area, giving you more control over your erections. Eating well and a healthy diet gets your body the nutrition it needs while keeping cholesterol levels low.
Other health conditions and health issues such as prostrate cancer can often lead to Erectile Dysfunction. Trouble getting an erection and keeping an erection and reduced sexual desire are the symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction. If you want to have an erection, for safety considerations, you can try penile pumps. As urologists, we can help you with this. Contact us now.
Sources:
1. https://www.webmd.com/men/best-exercises-erectile-dysfunction-premature-ejaculation
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/erectile-dysfunction/exercises
3. https://www.medicinenet.com/the_best_three_exercises_for_erectile_dysfunction/article.htm
This Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
