Many men, being the tough men that they are, tend to wait until an issue arises with their health to fix it, instead of using preventative care methods. As Charles Walker, M.D., an assistant professor of urology at Yale University, stated, “A lot of guys know their lifestyle is harming their health, but it isn’t until it begins to affect their sex life that they start to listen.”
So, instead of dealing with an injury to your chicksicle, you may want to be proactive and prevent any future issues from ever happening,
Luckily, you can play a pretty big role in your penis health by being mindful of a few basic lifestyle choices:
RELATED: 5 Secret Ingredients to Boost Sex Drive and Eliminate Erectile Dysfunction
- Check Your Medications
Certain medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, can cause problems with your erection. The biggest over-the-counter culprit is allergy and cold medicine, primarily ones with Sudafed as their active ingredient. Prescription drugs such as blood pressure medications, antidepressants, antihistamines, and narcotic pain relievers can also inhibit healthy erections. Make sure to read all medication labels for any side effects, and talk to your doctor if you are worried about any negative interactions with your medications.
- Monitor Belly Fat
Abdominal fat has recently been linked to erectile dysfunction. Men whose waistlines measures more than 39 inches are twice as likely to have some form of ED than those whose waistlines are smaller than 35 inches. This is because a higher circumference of the waist is indicative of higher levels of visceral fat, which is harmful and linked to inflammation and low testosterone, both of which are detrimental to penis and erectile health.
- Quit Smoking Cigarettes
This is a big one guys. Men who smoke are 51% more likely to have symptoms of ED than non-smokers. Smoking causes damage to the blood vessel lining, which affects the smooth muscle tissue in your penis, and therefore inhibits blood from flowing into the penis, which is what causes an erection. Luckily, quitting smoking can increase your erectile health by 25% within just one year of quitting – so kick those butts.
RELATED: New Research Finds Key to Getting Smokers to Quit
- Don’t Bring Work Home With You
A successful career often comes with long nights, lack of exercise, and high-stress/anxiety. As Dr. Walker notes, “Work-related stress is a huge issue for sexual function…I see a lot of guys in their 40s and 50s who are highly successful but in high-stress jobs, and a lot of them have ED.” It is often hard to leave this stress and anxiety at the office, which means you bring it home (and to the bedroom).
- Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is one of the biggest factors that makes for a happy penis. Dr. walker explains, “Sleep affects free testosterone, the part that isn’t bound by proteins and is free to do what your body needs it to do, including support your libido and sexual function.” Additionally, serotonin and dopamine, which affect your erection, are also regulated by your sleep. Surprisingly enough, even a few late nights can stifle your stiffy – if you get less than five hours of sleep, your testosterone levels can tank by 10%.
RELATED: How Much Testosterone Makes a Man?
- Good Oral Health
An unexpected link to your erectile health is your oral health. A study recently done in Turkey found that men who suffer from symptoms of ED are 3X more likely to develop gum disease than men without penis problems. So there is a definite correlation between the mouth and the penis. “As your teeth decay, your immune system attacks pathogens in your mouth. The bacteria then seep into your bloodstream, damaging blood vessels and blood flow.” And where there is damage to blood flow, there is damage to proper erectile function. Luckily, brushing twice a day and flossing can help with much more than just your gums.
- Limit the Alcohol
Most performance issues are related to heavy alcohol use, so cutting back on the cold ones could do wonders for your bedroom game. Even if you don’t see any correlation between sexual performance and alcohol consumption yet, these symptoms can pop up later down the road. The Journal of Sexual Medicine fond that alcoholics were much more likely to experience ED than their clean counterparts.
- Exercise Regularly
Working out is beneficial for an array of bodily functions, but it appears that going for that jog might not be enough for penis health. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension found that men who completed interval training for 8 weeks experienced better quality erections that those who didn’t exercise. So, don’t be afraid to crank it up and work up a sweat at least twice a week.
RELATED: Exercise: The Wonder Drug
- Don’t Cheat
If you have ever been unfaithful to your partner, then you know the crushing guilt that you are likely to experience with that cheating behavior. It is not uncommon for that guilt to quickly turn to anxiety, and anxiety inhibits your ability to have an erection by producing chemical changes in the brain.
- Don’t Use Laptops on Your Lap
The most unlikely culprit for erectile dysfunction comes directly from your laptop. Your testicles are extremely sensitive to heat, which is why your scrotum hangs outside of the body (In order for your balls to function properly, they must be kept a few degrees cooler than your internal body temperature). Laptops can generate a ton of heat, and when we work with our laptops on our lap for extended periods of time, we are exposing our balls to excess heat. Anything that warms the testicles too much has the potential to decrease both testosterone levels and sperm count. So, keep your laptop on your desk and away from your crown jewels.
Curated Article from:
Men’s Health
