Diabetes impacts your sex life when elevated blood sugars disrupt healthy blood flow to the sex organs. It can create sexual problems like erectile dysfunction and vaginal dryness, giving rise to trouble having orgasms and painful sex.
One way to restore healthy sexual function is by improving your diabetes health through healthy eating.
Read on to learn more about food that activates your sex drive so you can rev things up in the bedroom, reclaim your sex life, and reconnect with your partner.
The Mediterranean diet has shown promise in helping people with diabetes enhance their sexual health. Fruits, vegetables, seafood, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and low-fat dairy are the primary foods in the Meditteranean way of living.
Eating the “Mediterranean” way may not be for everyone. You can still enjoy a healthy eating pattern by choosing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, legumes, and lean protein that are part of your family traditions, taste, and culture.
This heart-healthy diet curbs the intake of processed foods, fried foods, refined grains, and added sugars, all significant components of the Western diet. The Western way of eating promotes metabolic syndrome, leading to increased risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Heart disease and diabetes affect blood flow to your organs, and diets that promote these conditions may also result in poor blood flow to your sex organs and result in poor sexual function. Because heart health may predict sexual function, a heart-healthy diet is critical for improving diabetes and protecting sexual function.
Several studies have linked the Mediterranean diet to improvements in sexual function in adult men and women with type 2 diabetes. Mending sexual dysfunction means a greater chance for well-functioning sex hormones, increased libido, and more sexual satisfaction.
Other studies have determined certain foods from the Mediterranean diet may improve erectile and sex function, like nuts. The Meditteranean diet includes a variety of different foods, makes plenty of room for good-for-you nutrients, and reducing the intake of processed foods that aren’t so beneficial for diabetes and sexual health.
The Mediterranean diet is high in:
The Mediterranean diet is low in:
9amHealth is here to help you restore and reclaim your sex life by offering nutrition tips and guidance to enhance your diabetes and get you to the healthiest version of yourself. We’ll create a personalized care plan based on what works for you—and take every new day as it comes, together.