Over the years, there has been a saying in China that "medicine is better than food for supplementing deficiencies" and "strengthening yang and assisting sexuality." Some common foods are given names like "yang-boosting grass" (leeks) and "heavenly essence grass" (goji berries), claiming to be the "Viagra" in food. "Viagra" is the colloquial term for the drug sildenafil, which is used to treat erectile dysfunction. So can "yang-boosting" foods improve sexual function?
1. Clear mechanism of action for the drug "Viagra"
There are many risk factors that can cause erectile dysfunction, such as age, smoking, diabetes, depression, and hypertension. Sildenafil works by releasing nitric oxide to relax the smooth muscles of blood vessels.
Initially, researchers found that sildenafil was not effective in treating high blood pressure and angina, but they discovered that it specifically relaxed the smooth muscles of the penile corpus cavernosum, thereby improving erectile dysfunction. In our daily diet, the main goal is to maintain a well-balanced intake of nutrients to maintain normal physiological functions. Common foods are unlikely to have the specific effect of improving erectile function like the drug "Viagra."
2. "Yang-boosting" in Traditional Chinese Medicine has a broad and narrow meaning
"Yang-boosting" is a term in Traditional Chinese Medicine that can be broadly or narrowly defined.
Broadly speaking, "yang-boosting" refers to the use of warm and hot natured medicines to strengthen the body's yang energy and treat deficiencies in the heart, kidneys, and other organs. This "yang" refers to yang energy, which has a warming and stimulating effect on the body, and can be used to strengthen both male and female yang energy. Narrowly speaking, "yang-boosting" specifically refers to methods and medications for treating male sexual dysfunction such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, nocturnal emission, and infertility. This is because tradition holds that males belong to yang energy and females belong to yin energy, so "yang-boosting" is specifically for male sexual function.
3. "Tonifying the kidneys and boosting yang" is not a universal method for treating erectile dysfunction
Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that there are multiple factors related to male erectile dysfunction, such as excessive mental stress, excessive worry and sadness, excessive masturbation, excessive sexual activity after marriage, or indulging in excessive desires. From a symptomatic perspective, there are also several types, such as insufficient kidney qi, weak kidney yang, excessive yin and fire, and liver qi stagnation.
4. Three principles for using diet to improve sexual function
1. First, daily diet should consist of nutrient-rich, light and delicious, easily digestible foods such as eggs, lean meat from poultry and livestock, dates, yams, beans, dairy products, fresh vegetables, etc. Avoid consuming large amounts of raw and cold, cool and stimulating foods such as melons and fruits, cold drinks, and crabs.
2. Secondly, avoid eating foods that dispel qi and eliminate stagnation, such as radishes, hawthorn, persimmons, betel nuts, and pepper, to avoid further depletion of yang energy.
3. Thirdly, it is important to adapt to the situation, progress gradually, and take a slow and steady approach. Do not rush to achieve results by consuming large amounts of "yang-boosting" foods in the short term, to avoid seeking temporary relief and suffering the consequences.
