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Sex is often taken for granted, as is fitness and sexual fitness is the cornerstone of satisfying sex. In my late teens and early twenties, I didn’t factor in physical fitness. Many people don’t automatically relate sex with exercise. In our society, sex is often related to performance and performance enhancement, often via artificial means. While I’d rather not get swept up into the gender debate, there is a tendency – within wider media – for women to be portrayed as submissive individuals. Sure there are women who initiate sex, but on the whole, our mainstream culture tends to focus on the image of the dainty (the glam media’s thin model) woman who struggles carrying an over-sized Prada handbag.
I don’t think diets are realistic, but neither is limited or no physical exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
When it comes to sex, physical fitness plays a role for both genders. For women, popular sexual fitness articles tend to focus on Kegel or pelvic floor exercises and while these exercises are essential to maintain bladder function, especially after childbirth, Kegels aren’t cardiovascular exercises.
Physical fatigue and limited flexibility can impede sex. Circulatory issues can affect arousal for both men and women: both genders rely on blood flow. Impeded blood flow to the clitoris may affect a woman’s orgasm and impeded blood flow to the penis is associated with erectile issues.
From the outset, a healthy body is essential for great sex and fitness isn’t just about exercise. It’s also about what enters the body. What’s more, there are three things or choices that – unlike the fads and rip offs- don’t require huge financial outlays.
1. Smoking:
Forget the old propaganda that glamorised smoking after sex. Over time, the chemicals in tobacco are known to affect the elasticity of the blood vessels. Think erectile dysfunction:
Smoking injures the ability of blood vessels to respond to sexual stimuli. Normally blood vessels release a substance known as nitric oxide during sexual stimulation, resulting in the opening of the floodgates. Smokers release less nitric oxide and the blood vessels open less readily, resulting in a flaccid erection. It is still unknown whether nicotine or other products of cigarette smoke cause all the effects related to vascular damage.
Actually there is no real time estimate; damage can occur at any time. The damage also depends on genetics and although many have heard about ‘aunt or uncle’ who lives to 100, little is said for their sex life. Smoking affects the cardiovascular system as well. So it’s not just about impeded blood flow to the genitals, it’s also about limited lung capacity and if the blood can’t be circulated effectively due to narrowed arteries, the smoker will feel fatigue: long lasting sex is out of the question.
2. 20 Minutes a Day:
Cardio exercise is essential. A daily dose of cardio exercise not only maintains blood flow, but is necessary for cardiovascular fitness and all it takes is a twenty minute walk. Not only does cardio improve blood flow, it also maintains a higher elevation of feel good hormones or endorphins. This means that one’s self esteem is also maintained.
3. Diet:
I’ve never been a fan of the adage, ‘you are what you eat.’ I’ve never really understood it and it can’t be taken literally however there is a link between overall wellbeing and our food intake. The most basic allergic reaction is enough proof to indicate that some food can be lethal to some people. Foods like saturated fats, overly processed carbohydrates can lead to constant fatigue and this relates to the glycemic index (GI) of foods. Ideally, foods that should be a part of the daily diet should have a low GI. Low GI foods don’t lead to high fluctuations in blood glucose. High fluctuations tend to lead to mood chances and fatigue. Not good for sex.
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