What do men with heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, excess weight, tobacco use, too much alcohol, sleep disorders or low testosterone all have in common?Â
They’re all much more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction--either now or soon.Â
But it gets worse because there are also psychological reasons your male hardware might be more like a shop rag than a sledge hammer.Â
In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, stress, depression, anxiety, or relationship problems can all contribute to erectile dysfunction in men.Â
They say hard times make strong men. But, it seems, hard jobs can also make men soft--in exactly the wrong time and place.Â
And as a male first responder, our jobs seem to be breeding grounds for ALL of the above.Â
Between the erratic hours, grab-and-go food, and the stress our profession can become a cocktail of bad habits that breed the very diseases already taking men down--both in the bedroom and in everyday life. Â
That’s not what we want for you.Â
After all, erectile dysfunction can lead to all kinds of complications in our lives. Complications like…
Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent or even potentially reverse erectile dysfunction.Â
However, long term solutions are not as simple as popping a little blue pill.Â
These solutions will require a few lifestyle changes. But each change affects far more than just your ability to get a hard on.Â
These changes can improve every area of your life. Headboard banging sex is just one of the benefits.Â
Here are a few of the things you can start doing immediately (and yes, they probably sound familiar)...
Exercise. Exercise, especially strength training and sprint training (not long cardio) boosts testosterone and strengthens blood flow.Â
Stop smoking. Do we really need to still say this?
Change what you eat. No matter the illness or problem, these foods show up as solutions over and over and over: fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans), nuts, fish. Learn to love them. They could literally save your life--and your sex life.Â
Sleep. Especially if you work the night shift. Use all the sleep tricks, dark rooms, cool rooms,supplements.Â
Reduce stress. You can’t always eliminate stress but you can learn to manage it and react differently to negative stress. Consider trying simple mindfulness exercises like meditation or deep breathing. If it’s good enough for the Navy Seals, you can give it a try too. There are even apps that make it easy to get started.