When erectile dysfunction happens, there are often quite a few factors involved. Reduced sex drive, low testosterone, poor mental health, stress, anxiety, and other physical conditions can all contribute to erectile dysfunction.
But the single most important factor involved in quality erections is blood flow! Improving blood flow to the penis can create stronger and longer-lasting erections.
In fact, that’s exactly how popular erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra® (sildenafil) and Cialis® (tadalafil) work: by promoting blood flow to the penis.
Before you throw your hands up in frustration, there are ways that you can naturally increase blood flow to your penis with lifestyle changes and more. (And if appropriate, trying these effective and affordable erectile dysfunction medications has never been easier.)
What To Know About Increasing Blood Flow to The Penis
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Read on to learn some of the best ways to combat erectile dysfunction and increase blood flow naturally.
Improve Your Diet
The phrase “you are what you eat” holds some truth when it comes to improving blood flow in the body. The nutrients that your body absorbs from the food you eat are directly responsible for the structure, function, strength, and health of every cell in your body.
Improving your diet in a few simple ways, particularly if your diet was poor to begin with, can greatly improve blood flow and health in general. And that can in turn impact erectile dysfunction.
The first step to improving penis blood flow is learning what to avoid.
In order to improve blood flow and combat E.D., work to eat less of the following:
- Trans fat and saturated fats are found in dairy products and red meat. Foods with high amounts of these generally unhealthy fats can contribute to plaque development and hardening of arteries that can reduce blood flow.
- Sodium is necessary for your body to function properly, but only in small doses. Eating large amounts of salty foods can lead to hypertension, which can severely damage blood vessels, tissues, and arteries over time.
- Sugar is glucose, which requires the hormone insulin to become usable as fuel for your cells. Consistently high blood glucose can result in an overproduction of insulin, which can lead to metabolic disorders, diabetes, and ultimately a negative impact on blood flow.
- Nitrates are commonly used as preservatives in meats and processed foots. Eating high amounts of nitrates can lead to atherosclerosis, resulting in your blood vessels becoming more narrow and hard with time.
Eating fewer BAD foods is clearly beneficial to your health, but that’s just the first step. Increasing your consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and lean proteins simultaneously can take your blood flow and health gains even further.
These are a handful of the best foods for a positive impact on your blood flow:
- Almonds
- Avocado
- Bananas
- Beets
- Berries
- Carrots
- Cinnamon
- Citrus
- Collard greens
- Dark chocolate
- Fish
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Grapes
- Green tea
- Onions
- Peppers
- Pomegranates
- Spinach
- Sunflower seeds
- Tomatoes
- Walnuts
- Watermelon
Get More Exercise
Your heart is the hardest-working muscle in your body, pumping nearly two ounces of blood every time it beats for your entire life. Since the average heart beats around 100,000 times a day, that's more than 1,000 gallons of blood daily passing through your heart!
The stronger your heart, the more efficient and stronger your blood flow.
The best way to strengthen your heart and promote good blood flow is to start a regular exercise routine. Heart-focused exercise doesn’t have to be particularly strenuous — a daily walk for 30 minutes can be tremendously beneficial to blood flow and heart health compared to a sedentary lifestyle.
If you want to see results a little faster, create a weekly workout schedule that includes four 40-minute sessions of moderate-intensity exercise. Include cardio-focused exercises such as walking, jogging, running, rowing, or swimming, as well as some weight-lifting and resistance training, both of which have been shown to benefit not just strength but blood flow as well.
Pair this new exercise routine with an improved diet and many older men start seeing health improvements like weight loss, better blood flow, and improved stamina rapidly. In fact, men who get their overall health under control frequently report better erections and stronger erections due to better blood flow – a side effect that they may not have expected!
Maintaining a healthy weight is a great way to improve the blood flow to your penis and increase sexual performance. Keeping your body mass index (BMI) at an optimal range of 18-25 can significantly reduce your risk of experiencing erectile dysfunction, according to research.
The bottom line: tackle health and wellness to tackle erectile dysfunction at the same time.
Drink Less Alcohol and Quit Smoking
Smoking and alcohol abuse have severe physical and mental side effects associated with chronic use. While most people are probably aware that alcohol can damage the liver and smoking can damage the lungs, they both affect your blood flow as well.
Alcohol is a vasodilator, meaning that it relaxes blood vessels and allows more blood to flow throughout your body, skin, and tissues. As a result, your blood pressure drops and your heart has to pump harder to make up the difference when you're drinking. While this won’t be devastating occasionally, consuming large amounts of alcohol consistently can lead to circulatory issues.
Smoking, on the other hand, is bad for your blood flow in any amounts. Unlike alcohol, nicotine is a vasoconstrictor and has the opposite effect: your blood vessels constrict and narrow. As a result, blood pressure can skyrocket. This leads to greater strain on the heart, and over time can lead to substantial and permanent damage to your cardiovascular system and blood flow.
The Takeaway
The key to improving blood flow naturally – including blood flow to the penis – lies in improving cardiovascular health.
If something is good for your heart, it's great for your blood flow. Eating a healthier diet, exercising more often, and eliminating bad habits like smoking are a few fast ways that you can improve blood flow to your penis and experience stronger and longer-lasting erections (and fight erectile dysfunction). The science is proven: men who get their overall health under control tend to see better erections thanks to better blood flow and cardiovascular strength.
It’s important to note that these lifestyle changes may take time before you notice results. Even then, it’s possible that they won’t fix erectile dysfunction completely.
For many men, erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra (sildenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil) are a great option, too. These popular, common, and effective erectile dysfunction pills are cheaper than ever thanks to generic options.
Rex MD has them all, delivered to your door, if appropriate.
Sources
Is It True: You Are What You Eat?. | IDS Med
Diet And Chronic Disease In The United States | NCBI
Walking for good health | Better Health
Physical Activity to Improve Erectile Function: A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies. | NCBI
[Obesity--significant risk factor for erectile dysfunction in men] | PubMed
Effects of Alcohol on the Cardiovascular System. | Footprint Store Recovery
