by Nancy Mehlert, MS
February has a way of inspiring us in romantic ways to celebrate those we love most or perhaps try to reignite a dying ember back into a fiery flame. Sadly, the low fat, high carbohydrate diet we have been taught to eat not only wreaks havoc with your health, it also wreaks havoc with your sex life! Sex is directly impacted by your blood chemistry, hormonal health, and what’s going on in your brain, says Dr. David Perlmutter, a neurologist and author of the book Grain Brain (2013). He notes the dramatic impact a low cholesterol diet and cholesterol lowering statin drugs (e.g. Lipitor) have had on our brain function and hormonal health. The brain is 60% cholesterol and testosterone is made from cholesterol. Is it any wonder after several decades of a low fat, low cholesterol diet that we struggle today with brain fog, depression, imbalanced hormones, low testosterone, low sex drive and Alzheimer’s disease?
While you are preparing our special Valentines Day Libido-Boosting Menu for the love of your life, which includes many of the love promoting foods we recommend, why not get a jump start at preparing your body to be ready for what your heart and mind want to do? There are many foods that help your body produce hormones and new brain cells, ward off depression, and help you put a groove into your moves. In fact, here are choices that can support a healthy sex life for life! Choose alfalfa sprouts on a salad, enjoy guacamole or plain avocado, eat plenty of pastured eggs, use olive oil and grass fed butter wherever you can and top off everything with nuts and seeds, especially pumpkin seeds. Include blueberries a couple of times this week to relax blood vessels and increase blood circulation and toss in a little dark chocolate along the way. Include the wine on that special night but stick to one or two glasses to help with relaxation and inhibitions, but more than that can put the fire out fast, so use good sense here. All of this should set the tone for an amorous night or better yet, the whole year! After all, part of a healthy lifestyle includes a good sex life.