Reporter - I find it interesting when “experts” and books try
and convince the public that there is some MAGICAL SEXUAL HEALTH DIET?!
This is incorrect (sorry folks)! The same diet and routine that
promotes heart health is the best diet to make the penis work better,
and to enhance your sexual life. As we head into Men’s Health Week,
think about all the things that are bad for the heart and let’s put a
check next to the ones that can damage the penis and your sex life.
(Hint: all of these things listed below, which are all bad for your
heart, can also mess with your overall health and sexual health):
-Alcohol above moderation
-Anxiety & other emotions (including guilt, low self-esteem, fear)
-Bad diet
-Blood disorders (including anemia)
-Cardiovascular disease
-Depression
-Hormonal abnormalities (prolactin, testosterone, thyroid, etc.)
-High blood glucose (pre-diabetes or diabetes)
-High blood pressure (hypertension)
-High cholesterol (Higher “LDL” and/or “Triglycerides”)
-Kidney disease
-Lack of exercise
-Lack of sleep and obstructive sleep apnea
-Low amount of “good” cholesterol (Low HDL)
-Medication use (some prescriptions and over the counter medicines)
-Neurologic diseases
-Penile abnormalities (for example Peyronie’s disease)
-Peripheral Vascular Disease (PAD)
-Prostate problems (cancer treatment, enlargement, infection, inflammation …)
-Smoking (& smokeless tobacco—sorry Cowboy, because smokeless tobacco raises blood pressure and both types of tobacco cause cancer, it’s not good)
-Substance abuse (yup, marijuana can also make the erection go bye bye)
-Stress
-Trauma or surgery to the pelvis or spine
-Weight or waist gain
-Blah, Blah, Blah…have I convinced you yet?!
So, erectile or sexual dysfunction can be one of the best indicators of a future life-threatening disease, especially in younger men. The same type of cells that line heart and cardiovascular blood vessels are similar to the cells that line the penis. The blood vessels that supply the penis (penile artery) are only 1-2 millimeters in diameter (same size opening as a coffee stirrer...yikes that is tiny!), and the blood vessels that supply the heart (coronary artery) are 3-5 millimeters in diameter (about the size of a regular straw) and the blood vessels that supply the brain (carotid artery) are 4-6 millimeters in diameter (slightly larger than a straw). In other words, most research suggests that the penis runs into trouble before the heart does because those pipes that lead to the penis are more vulnerable to damage.
So, if a man has erectile issues early in life, there are many doctors that will refer that patient to a cardiologist, and I could not agree more. Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 killer of men and women. And, men have this thing between their legs, this barometer, that may tell them early on how their heart is doing-long before the heart cries for help (doesn’t that sound profound!). So, men or women with an increased risk for cardiovascular problems also increase their risk for sexual problems and vice versa. Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 cause of sexual dysfunction in men!
Interestingly, only a decade or two ago it was thought that most cases of erectile or sexual dysfunction were caused by psychogenic/psychological factors, but now we know that this is false. In fact, only 20% are psychogenic, and about 80% of cases are due to an underlying physical medical condition (which is known as an “organic” cause”) or “mixed” (combo psychogenic/organic) causes. And, please let me remind you again that cardiovascular disease has been the number 1 killer of men and women in the U.S. for over 100 years! Thus, it has also been the biggest killer of erections for over 100 years! In reality, 99 out of the last 100 years cardiovascular disease (used to be called “diseases of heart”) has been the number 1 killer of men and women and I constantly reiterate this fact and this reality and analogy to audiences that if a college football team was number 1 for 99 out of the last 100 years, you would be very aware of this dominant unprecedented streak going on today (even if you hate college football). In fact, one of the only years there was another disease that surpassed cardiovascular disease as the number 1 killer of Americans was 1918 when the great influenza epidemic occurred! So, the smartest way to improve your overall health and your sexual health is to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease to as close to zero as possible. So, again lets look again briefly at some more heart unhealthy things mentioned earlier.
Remember when it was cool to smoke and advertising encouraged it? Well, had we advertised that smoking damages all sorts of blood vessels including those that go to the penis, I wonder if more men would have quit sooner. I remember giving a lecture to some amazing young male athletes from around the U.S.. When I told them how many individuals smoking kills around the world, I got no reaction -- but when I mentioned that it can “mess up” your penis…well let’s just say I had everyone’s attention including the parents. You could have heard a half of a pin drop in that room!
Certain conditions, such has diabetes and sleep apnea, can cause erectile problems. High levels of insulin from too high a blood sugar actually increase the number of signals sent from different areas of the body that actually discourages erections! In other words, high levels of insulin like to turn the lights in the room to a very bright level even when you hit the lights “off” switch. High insulin levels also cause blood vessels to constrict and reduce blood flow to the penis. Less than 7 hours of sleep a night increases the secretion of a compound in the body known as “endothelin-1”, which is actually a powerful blood vessel constricting agent in MEN & WOMEN, which means less blood gets to the sexual organs. Also, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) where breathing is slightly interrupted during the night and the person wakes up many times can actually cause decreases in important compounds that are needed in higher amounts to cause erections.
Weight gain can be a problem too. Weight or waist gain causes testosterone to be converted in men to estrogen, so even though you will get more in touch with your feminine side, which is great, but this can cause erectile problems. In fact, studies show that as a man gains weight, the excess abdominal tissue begins to pull or retract the penis in toward the abdomen, and will expose less of the length of the penis. However, every 10 -15 pounds of weight loss can give a man an extra ½ inch of exposed penis length! You lose 30 pounds – well, umm, you do the math (not bad huh!). Wow!
And, alcohol in excess not only makes you gain weight, but it is a sleep inducer and a sedative, which also makes your penis about as soft and weak as a guest answering questions on a Barbara Walters interview special about their dead pet or lost love or family member that is no longer alive (break out the Kleenex)!
Finally, please repeat the words “heart health=penis health=overall health” and say that 3 times fast in private, not in public please, unless of course you are trying to save a man’s life then go ahead and shout this phrase out loud (but not in front of law enforcement officials)! I believe that if men really knew that the secret to longevity and better erections was to improve their heart health then you would see the stocks of most companies that make running shoes and treadmills go up immediately to a level you never could have imagined….hey, not a bad analogy as to what happens to your sex life when you are willing to become really heart healthy!
-Alcohol above moderation
-Anxiety & other emotions (including guilt, low self-esteem, fear)
-Bad diet
-Blood disorders (including anemia)
-Cardiovascular disease
-Depression
-Hormonal abnormalities (prolactin, testosterone, thyroid, etc.)
-High blood glucose (pre-diabetes or diabetes)
-High blood pressure (hypertension)
-High cholesterol (Higher “LDL” and/or “Triglycerides”)
-Kidney disease
-Lack of exercise
-Lack of sleep and obstructive sleep apnea
-Low amount of “good” cholesterol (Low HDL)
-Medication use (some prescriptions and over the counter medicines)
-Neurologic diseases
-Penile abnormalities (for example Peyronie’s disease)
-Peripheral Vascular Disease (PAD)
-Prostate problems (cancer treatment, enlargement, infection, inflammation …)
-Smoking (& smokeless tobacco—sorry Cowboy, because smokeless tobacco raises blood pressure and both types of tobacco cause cancer, it’s not good)
-Substance abuse (yup, marijuana can also make the erection go bye bye)
-Stress
-Trauma or surgery to the pelvis or spine
-Weight or waist gain
-Blah, Blah, Blah…have I convinced you yet?!
So, erectile or sexual dysfunction can be one of the best indicators of a future life-threatening disease, especially in younger men. The same type of cells that line heart and cardiovascular blood vessels are similar to the cells that line the penis. The blood vessels that supply the penis (penile artery) are only 1-2 millimeters in diameter (same size opening as a coffee stirrer...yikes that is tiny!), and the blood vessels that supply the heart (coronary artery) are 3-5 millimeters in diameter (about the size of a regular straw) and the blood vessels that supply the brain (carotid artery) are 4-6 millimeters in diameter (slightly larger than a straw). In other words, most research suggests that the penis runs into trouble before the heart does because those pipes that lead to the penis are more vulnerable to damage.
So, if a man has erectile issues early in life, there are many doctors that will refer that patient to a cardiologist, and I could not agree more. Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 killer of men and women. And, men have this thing between their legs, this barometer, that may tell them early on how their heart is doing-long before the heart cries for help (doesn’t that sound profound!). So, men or women with an increased risk for cardiovascular problems also increase their risk for sexual problems and vice versa. Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 cause of sexual dysfunction in men!
Interestingly, only a decade or two ago it was thought that most cases of erectile or sexual dysfunction were caused by psychogenic/psychological factors, but now we know that this is false. In fact, only 20% are psychogenic, and about 80% of cases are due to an underlying physical medical condition (which is known as an “organic” cause”) or “mixed” (combo psychogenic/organic) causes. And, please let me remind you again that cardiovascular disease has been the number 1 killer of men and women in the U.S. for over 100 years! Thus, it has also been the biggest killer of erections for over 100 years! In reality, 99 out of the last 100 years cardiovascular disease (used to be called “diseases of heart”) has been the number 1 killer of men and women and I constantly reiterate this fact and this reality and analogy to audiences that if a college football team was number 1 for 99 out of the last 100 years, you would be very aware of this dominant unprecedented streak going on today (even if you hate college football). In fact, one of the only years there was another disease that surpassed cardiovascular disease as the number 1 killer of Americans was 1918 when the great influenza epidemic occurred! So, the smartest way to improve your overall health and your sexual health is to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease to as close to zero as possible. So, again lets look again briefly at some more heart unhealthy things mentioned earlier.
Remember when it was cool to smoke and advertising encouraged it? Well, had we advertised that smoking damages all sorts of blood vessels including those that go to the penis, I wonder if more men would have quit sooner. I remember giving a lecture to some amazing young male athletes from around the U.S.. When I told them how many individuals smoking kills around the world, I got no reaction -- but when I mentioned that it can “mess up” your penis…well let’s just say I had everyone’s attention including the parents. You could have heard a half of a pin drop in that room!
Certain conditions, such has diabetes and sleep apnea, can cause erectile problems. High levels of insulin from too high a blood sugar actually increase the number of signals sent from different areas of the body that actually discourages erections! In other words, high levels of insulin like to turn the lights in the room to a very bright level even when you hit the lights “off” switch. High insulin levels also cause blood vessels to constrict and reduce blood flow to the penis. Less than 7 hours of sleep a night increases the secretion of a compound in the body known as “endothelin-1”, which is actually a powerful blood vessel constricting agent in MEN & WOMEN, which means less blood gets to the sexual organs. Also, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) where breathing is slightly interrupted during the night and the person wakes up many times can actually cause decreases in important compounds that are needed in higher amounts to cause erections.
Weight gain can be a problem too. Weight or waist gain causes testosterone to be converted in men to estrogen, so even though you will get more in touch with your feminine side, which is great, but this can cause erectile problems. In fact, studies show that as a man gains weight, the excess abdominal tissue begins to pull or retract the penis in toward the abdomen, and will expose less of the length of the penis. However, every 10 -15 pounds of weight loss can give a man an extra ½ inch of exposed penis length! You lose 30 pounds – well, umm, you do the math (not bad huh!). Wow!
And, alcohol in excess not only makes you gain weight, but it is a sleep inducer and a sedative, which also makes your penis about as soft and weak as a guest answering questions on a Barbara Walters interview special about their dead pet or lost love or family member that is no longer alive (break out the Kleenex)!
Finally, please repeat the words “heart health=penis health=overall health” and say that 3 times fast in private, not in public please, unless of course you are trying to save a man’s life then go ahead and shout this phrase out loud (but not in front of law enforcement officials)! I believe that if men really knew that the secret to longevity and better erections was to improve their heart health then you would see the stocks of most companies that make running shoes and treadmills go up immediately to a level you never could have imagined….hey, not a bad analogy as to what happens to your sex life when you are willing to become really heart healthy!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.