Healthy Habits for a Strong Erection

Sexual strength and potency can be achieved by following one very basic rule: stay healthy. Maintaining good cardiovascular health is a cornerstone for being able to create a rock hard and lasting erection, and since this depends upon a healthy diet and a vigorous exercise regime, there some important steps a man must take to insure that he stays fit and able in the bedroom.

A common rallying cry heard among the players of high school and college athletics is that “cross country runners do it longer.” In fact, this statement may be truer than originally thought. With an average race stretching five kilometers, or three miles, the long distance runner is able to achieve peak health and ample circulation to make his prowess clear when it comes time to get between the sheets. While running has systematically been discouraged in throughout the childhoods of many, used only as a punishment of sorts, this simple activity ranks high on the list of beneficial activities for the male sexual drive, or libido, and his erectile potency.

Yet running is far from the only cardiovascular exercise associated with strength and virility. Any aerobic sport, that is, a sport that involves ample respiration such as soccer, football, tennis, basketball, handball, racket ball, rugby, hockey, water polo, swimming or many others can be beneficial as an aid in the development of excellent circulation and supreme cardiovascular health. In addition, walking can be an extremely valuable form of cardiovascular activity, as long as one experiences an increased heart rate and heavy breathing during such a work out. Bicycling is an excellent form of exercise, but it should be cautioned that biking for long distances over an extended period of time has been linked to impotency in some athletes due to the constant pressure placed on the groin.

Anaerobic activity, that is, exercises that involve shorter, quicker bursts of powerful force with less respiratory flow, are excellent for muscle development. Anaerobic activity includes weight lifting as well as certain types of work that involve heavy lifting. The benefit of this type of workout is the stimulation of testosterone production. This hormone, which is responsible for the growth and healthy maintenance of muscles, will be produced in larger quantities under a regime of anaerobic exercise. Since testosterone is also directly responsible for giving a man his libido, this type of activity is important for masculine sexual vigor.

In addition to the type of exercise a man engages in, it is important that he maintains a healthy diet. Along with an increased sexual appetite that comes along with working out, the body’s metabolism is raised at all times and the man often experiences physical hunger. But while increasing food intake, it is important to remember that a high level of cholesterol in the bloodstream has been associated with a decrease in a man’s potency. This is because too much cholesterol will clog up the blood vessels, leading to poor circulation.

Foods that are low in cholesterol include grains, cereals and legumes. Beginning the day with oatmeal, granola or any other low fat, high fiber cereal will give the eater of such foods a sustained energy throughout the day. A midday meal including fruits, grains, and nuts will help satisfy the man’s increased appetite and a dinner with lots of vegetables rice and beans will round the day off well. A diet that is low in cholesterol, combined with a good workout routine, will promote better blood flow and healthy erectile responsiveness in men.

In the diet plan for the extremely popular low carb craze, foods with high amounts of saturated fat are recommended as a replacement to foods with carbohydrates. This type of eating could adversely affect a man’s sexual vitality, due to its adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and general circulation.

In order to understand the importance of circulation to a healthily functioning erection, a bit of the science will be explained here:

The first stage in the development of an erection is the stimulus. A man sees or hears something exciting, or his penis is touched directly, and a neural response is sent to the spinal cord. The nerve endings there then send back information to the pubic area, triggering a release of chemicals that act on the penis by allowing it to begin engorging with blood.

The penis is almost entirely made up of a dense and cavernous mass of spongy tissue. When looked at more closely, this tissue is full of tiny chambers surrounding a deep artery. During an erection, when the artery brings in blood, these chambers are designed to maximize the blood intake. Just below and to the middle of these bodies runs the urethra, a tube that continues through to the head of the penis and allows urine to flow out. Around the urethra and the spongy tissue are the deep dorsal vein and more arteries. For the uncircumcised penis, these lie just beneath the outer skin and external blood veins.

When the penis is signaled to develop an erection, a huge amount of blood rushes into the spongy tissue to fill it up. Blood normally flows through an organ fairly quickly, bringing nutrients in and taking wastes out. During an erection, however, it must stay inside the penis for an extended period of time. This is caused by small blood vessels that swell up and block the veins from letting any blood out. Meanwhile, more and more blood flows in until a full erection is attained. Blood is not released from the penis until after an orgasm, or until the stimulus ceases.

The complex erectile process is fundamentally based on healthy circulation. Therefore it is crucial to maintain healthy habits, and before beginning any diet or therapy that might negatively affect one’s circulation, it is important to speak with a physician first.