Can Food Put You “In the Mood?”

Sexuality is one of the great mysteries of life, synonymous with life itself.  More than simply creating new life in the form of babies, the sexual energy can also be skillfully channeled into creativity, industry and a passion for almost anything.  Taoists, Buddhist and Hindu traditions teach how to harness this powerful energy  for the purposes of  activating spiritual awakening, vitality and longevity.

The level of sexual energy is undeniably related to the vitality and health of the organism, no matter what kind of food is eaten.

I’ve been asked many times if I think eating raw and living foods increases  libido or do I think raw fooders are hornier.   My resulting conclusion is, YES, eating raw is likely to not only support more sexual arousal but also to experiencing the most satisfaction with ones sexual activities and being able to enjoy sex longer.  I conducted an online survey and more than half the respondents claimed increase in sexual energy after starting to eat 80% or more raw vegetarian.  A few of the respondents over 50 years old  stated that their increased interest in sex and sexual activity were the opposite of what their age might have led them to expect.

When one starts eating raw and living foods as a primary diet, they usually experience remarkable  energy levels and   an increase in all sensory awareness, such as increase visual acuity, sense of smell, hearing, and touch.  You might feel more sensitive to  lighting or heating that previously went unnoticed.  With the increase in sensitivity, often there comes an increase in sensuality and a sexual awakening since people can be sexually aroused by different things, in a variety of situations. An arousal may be physical or mental in nature. A person may be sexually aroused by particular aspects of a person (cleavage, thighs, muscles, build, smell, smile, hair color, build, familiarity, etc), or through touch.

Consider the suggestive nature of the food itself and the ritual surrounding the food presentation. Take into account the shape of an avocado, or papaya or the beautiful color and fragrance of a strawberry or mango.  Certainly many smells, sights, sounds and scenes from nature can arouse your passions.

Since research already suggests that eating a plant based diet is helpful for normalizing all body processes, including digestion, elimination, blood pressure, cholesterol and immunity, it stands to figure that with higher levels of vitality, some of that energy would go toward your sexual life.   No more headaches for you!

How do raw foods accomplish their job ?  They might be adaptogens so you better resist stress, increase blood flow or positively affect neurotransmitters.  Circulation is so important for sexuality in men and women alike.  A diet high in cooked fats, carbs, and proteins can lead to blood thicker, so the blood has difficulty circulating of the smaller vessels of the brain and genitals.

Raw and living food diet provides the nutritional power pack that a long and healthy sex life requires.  The raw living food diet may help alkalize the body, detoxify the body, improve appearance and normalize weight.  All or any of these effects can improve libido. Obviously these foods are so health promoting that not only sexual energy, but certainly enhanced fertility  could be a logical result.

Still, particular foods have more of an effect on your libido. We have  centuries of literature about the aphrodisiac properties of certain foods.    An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire.  There are certainly foods for which the argument of their aphrodisiac power can be made soundly.  As one example, take  fenugreek..  This  sprouted seed is one of the staples of the Hippocrates Buffet.   Many lovers enjoy the sweet spicy  peculiar aroma of sprouted fenugreek that sweetens the breath and exudes from the pores of Fenugreek eaters.

Fenugreek is one of the oldest recorded medicinal and aphrodisiac herbs  and is regarded as a treatment for just about every ailment known to man. The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used the aromatic seeds extensively. It was a staple in the diet of Harem woman reputed to increase the size and roundness of their breasts.   Fenugreek is reputed to have beneficial effect on the kidneys ˆ detoxifying the body of impurities and strengthening the kidneys with important nutrients.  Traditional Chinese Medicine states that the key to healthy sexual function lies in healthy kidneys and anything which nourishes the kidneys contributes to an active sex life.

Steroidal saponin diosgenin, choline, trimethylamine (a sex hormone in frogs) are found in fenugreek.  Diosgenin is an important precursor for the synthesis of a number of sex hormones, and also exhibits estrogenic effects.

Fenugreek is packed with nutrition. Fenugreek is 30-36% protein with all essential amino acids and  offers more than 25 different vitamins; essential oils; and over 10 essential micro-minerals including zinc.  Zinc is lost in ejaculate, so foods rich in zinc are helpful for the sexually active man.

At Hippocrates we eat our fenugreek sprouted. Sprouting means bringing the seed to life by germinating it.  Germinated seeds supply predigested nutrients, an increase in nutrient value  and a dramatic even profound increase in the nutritional and energetic potential of the seed, nut, grain or grass.  Foods that are living when you eat them supply an essential energy that contributes to over all vitality.  So, by eating raw living ( germinated) seeds; nuts; and grains, you completely potentate the life-force as well as nutrient load.

Granted it sounds like Fenugreek must be one of the most aphrodisiac of the living raw diet, but its not.  I just picked it  as an example.   Asparagus, Bananas, Avocados, Horny Goat Weed, Saffron, Garlic and many more foods have centuries of aphrodisiac fame. Certainly the sprouts, ferments, seaweeds and chlorophyll rich foods found in the raw and living foods diet are supportive to your whole body, which includes your sex system.

Your sexuality is connected to your nutrition and a healthy sexual attitude is an important part of a long life. Whatever your goals may be , to increase your sexual energy, to enjoy a healthy sex life, increase your sensuality, blood flow or spiritual awareness, evidence supports that some foods can put you in the mood.

by Katharine Clark, Hippocrates Health Educator

Katharine Clark, RN,  is a  HIppocrates Health Educator  Raw Food Educator and can be contacted at [email protected].

References:

Ellen Kambu, Ph.D.,R.N. , The Natural Nurse®, is the author of several books, including The Natural Guide to Great Sex

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Tiran, D. The use of fenugreek for breast feeding women. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery. 2003 Aug;9(3):155-6.

Basch E, Ulbricht C, Kuo G, et. al. Therapeutic applications of fenugreek. Altern Med Rev. 2003 Feb;8(1):20-7.

Thompson Coon JS, Ernst E. Herbs for serum cholesterol reduction: a systematic view. J Fam Pract. 2003 Jun;52(6):468-78

Devi BA, Kamalakkannan N, Prince PS. Supplementation of fenugreek leaves to diabetic rats. Effect on carbohydrate metabolic enzymes in diabetic liver and kidney. Phytother Res. 2003 Dec;17(10):1231-3.

Puri D, Prabhu KM, Murthy PS., Mechanism of action of a hypoglycemic principle isolated from fenugreek seeds. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2002 Oct;46(4):457-62.

Taylor WG, Zulyniak HJ, Richards KW, et. al, Variation in diosgenin levels among 10 accessions of fenugreek seeds produced in western Canada. J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Oct 9;50(21):5994-7

Aradhana. Rao AR. Kale RK. (1992) Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, 30(5):367-70.

http://www.futurescopes.com/love-and-sex/aphrodisiacs-men/1167/fenugreek-aphrodisiac-men

http://www.kimberlysnyder.net/blog/2011/10/03/25-foods-that-are-natural-aphrodisiacs/