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Whether you’re a man or woman, sexual health depends significantly on the body’s overall health condition.
The primary means of obtaining better health is through right nutrition, which means from the foods eaten. Probably, the most well-researched diet in the work is the Mediterranean diet.
Experts call it an anti-inflammatory diet, which simply means heart friendly diet. When it’s involved about the heart or cardiovascular health, sexual health was directly linked to it as it involved proper blood flow in the body.
Sexual inability issues like erectile dysfunction is due to lack of blood flowing to the penis.
Of course, there are other underlying issues that can cause ED, which you should consult with your doctor, but the principle goes back to inadequate blood flow for hard erections.
What’s The Word “Diet” Means?
The term “diet” in our modern society normally means to restrict eating certain foods for weight loss, or medical reasons.
While the experts who conducted an intensive research on the eating habits of people who live in the Mediterranean call it a diet, yet the reality it is the lifestyle of the people there.
It was only called a diet in order to fit into the urban way of living and set it as a standard for an anti-inflammatory diet.
Greek Nutritionist Talks On The Mediterranean Diet
Hopefully, as you read this portion of the article you’ve watched the video above about the origin of Mediterranean diet; and, by now you know it’s really a diet created by someone like The Atkins, Weight Watchers, South Beach, or numerous other fad diets.
This means, simply follow the rules and you can modify the recommended foods as long as it met proper description like healthy fats, whole grains, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
New York Times Reports On Mediterranean Diet Study
Mediterranean Diet Food Guide
The Mediterranean diet includes huge portions of vegetables, fruits, plant-based proteins, a small portion of red meat, and a moderate portion of whole grains.
In addition, healthy fat consumption is also a substantial part of the diet such as regular usage of olive oil, fish, and nuts. These healthy fats are heart-friendly.
1Exercise and Mediterranean Diet
While following this eating lifestyle, regular physical activity or workout is vital. A gym membership is not a requirement, but if you have one, the better as it can help you perform better specially if you have a personal trainer.
Without a gym membership, physical activities are doable including but not limited to walking, swimming, biking, or even playing physical intensive sports like tennis, basketball, or volleyball.
When it comes to length of doing the exercise, start with 30 minutes to an hour at least 5 times a week.
There is no doubt, this diet is healthy. I have been eating such diet but with slight twists as I eat foods that are widely available in my area.
If you take your time to understand this diet, it’s easy to find replacements on foods recommended that are not available to you.
For instance, there are times I heavily used coconut oil instead of olive oil. Now, you might think coconut oil is saturated fat and it’s not good, but there are lots of other numerous health benefits of coconut oil.
Another thing to consider and this is important because if you get this wrong, even how healthy the diet is, you could end up gaining weight instead of losing, or maintaining your ideal weight.
This diet is healthy, there is no doubt about that, but you should keep in mind to only consume the right amount because overeating can get your belly fat bulging overtime.
I’ve been there. What I thought to be healthy, I end up eating more than my body can burn, so I ended up increasing my belly fat, which has numerous health risks associated.
Why Can A Healthy Diet Make You Fat?
Too much of a good thing is bad. Even with coffee that has been regarded as a villain for health, experts now starting to learn its many health benefits if consume at a right amount.
Studies Conducted On Mediterranean Diet
- Modified Mediterranean Diet Score and Cardiovascular Risk in a North American Working Population
- Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet
- Can a Mediterranean-Style Diet Reduce Heart Disease?
- Mediterranean diet and telomere length in Nurses’ Health Study
- A Systematic Review of Observational and Intervention Studies
Recent Studies On Mediterranean Diet
One recent study conducted on Mediterranean diet is just released and published at JAMA Network this July 2015. The objective of the study is to investigate whether a Mediterranean diet along with foods rich in antioxidants can influence cognitive functions. The study participants were older population age above 60 years old. The researchers concluded;
A Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts is associated with improved cognitive function.
Emilio Rios, MD, Ph.D., one of the authors of the recent study shares his view in an interview which you can watch and listen through this link.
The latest study on the Mediterranean diet shows that it is beneficial for brain health on older people. In a press release, study author Michelle Luciano, PhD, said;
As we age, the brain shrinks and we lose brain cells which can affect learning and memory. This study adds to the body of evidence that suggests the Mediterranean diet has a positive impact on brain health.
In our study, eating habits were measured before brain volume was, which suggests that the diet may be able to provide long-term protection to the brain.
A previous study also found similar findingsREF.
This is just another evidence that the Mediterranean diet is a healthy way of eating. If you’re in region where you won’t find the exact foods that comprise of the diet, don’t fret and look for substitute.
It’s not the end of the world if you don’t find the exact foods. The foods in the diet are abundant in the Mediterranean region. If you’re in Asia or South America, or Africa, swap the foods with what is available to you.
The key to is eating whole foods. Another factor to consider is…it should be organic.
Alimentation is key for a better health! I learned it by my own experience , I dealt with many troubles because I had a really bad diet all based on sugars, soda (I would not drink water but Soda), fast foods.. it was affecting my general health and of course, my sexual health as well. I went to the doctor and He prescribed me a supplement for my low libido named alpha rise, also, he told me I needed a better and healthier alimentation, he explained me how it was affecting me and told me to eat vegetables like tomatoes (contains lycopene), fish (omega3), beans, fruits like watermelon, I had to quit the sugars, fast foods, coke, coffee, cigarette.. it was not easy at first but I made it, supplementation helped me a lot and the results have been even better because of my new lifestyle.