Sexual problems might mean you have a broken heart, literally. The most common sexual problem in men is erectile dysfunction (ED). Erectile dysfunction affects >30% of men between 40 and 70 years of age. There are several different causes of ED, including depression, low testosterone, neurological problems, and some medications, such as beta blocker but the most common cause is a problem with the blood vessels called atherosclerosis.
Erectile dysfunction is frequently a sign of atherosclerosis, that can be the first clue to heart disease in men. It usually comes 3 to 5 years before a heart attack, so after ED is diagnosed, there is time to treat atherosclerosis and prevent a heart attack.
Sexual Activity and Cardiovascular Disease
Decreased sexual activity and function are common in patients with CVD and are often interrelated to anxiety and depression. In fact research has proved that there is a strong link between erectile dysfunction and heart disease. Studies have shown that if a man has ED, he has a greater risk of having heart disease. For instance, in one study, 57% of men who had bypass surgery and 64% of men hospitalized for a heart attack had had ED.
Several having ED can predict that a man will probably have heart disease symptoms within five years. In fact, having ED is as much a risk factor for heart disease as a history of smoking or a family history of coronary artery disease.
The Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Programme (SHEEP) study of post-MI patients (50% women) found that those who were sedentary had a higher risk of MI with sexual activity (relative risk 4.4) than did those who were physically active (relative risk 0.7).
How is the Heart and ED Related?
Deposition of cholesterol in the arteries causing atherosclerosis is taken as the most important reason for ED as the plaque formation reduces the blood flow in the penis, thereby affecting the erection process. However the latest studies show that ED is also due to the dysfunction of the inner lining of the blood vessels (endothelium) and smooth muscle. This causes inadequate blood supply to the heart and the penis which also aids in arthrosclerosis. Hence ED and heart disease are found to be inter related.
What to do?
If you are suffering from ED or heart disease , it is best to discuss your concerns with a specialist - for the heart a cardiologist and for the ED a urologist.

How Erectile Dysfunction and Cardiac Problems are Related

A number of factors, such as physical ailments, stress, anxiety and even relationship problems can cause sexual problems. Relationship concerns where intimacy and the culmination of the various phases of sexual activity from stimulation to excitement and peak, cannot be possible in a satisfactory manner. So what are the routine sexual problems recognised and treated as per ayurveda? read on to know more.

1. Erectile dysfunction: this condition is also known as impotence and it usually occurs when male patients cannot muster up and retain an erection for long enough to enjoy sexual intercourse. This problem can be fixed with various herbs and condiments including sanda oil massage on the testicles and nearby areas in order to increase the blood flow. Also, one can have ginger, honey, drumsticks, milk and other such ingredients for better achievement and retention of an erection for a prolonged period of time during sexual intercourse.

Sanda oil is not available in its pure form and simple branding of this name is not useful. Sanda is a wild reptile, which was boiled in ancient times and fats taken out to make sanda oil. This is not possible now a days. Instead various'tilas' (penis massage oils) prepared by valuable herbs and vegetable oils such as sesame oil should be used. Tila using mall (purified arsenic) and egg are also effective. Preparation and use should be as per instructions in classic ayurveda. Tila is selected as per history, present condition and duration of specific problem

Otc or advertisement products are general products, which do not benefit all. Post application directions are also important otherwise there may be adverse effect of tila application

2. Premature ejaculation: premature ejaculation is a condition when the male patient may face ejaculation as soon as the intercourse begins, or upon insertion. This happens in an unplanned way and is a sudden occurrence that usually puts a damper on the sexual mood and activity. In ayurveda, there are various herbs including ashwagandha and a variety of oil massages that can help in treating this problem.

3. Sexual weakness: sexual weakness is a condition when the female or male patient may not have the energy to go through with sexual intercourse and may even complain of pain during intercourse. This problem is especially common among women, and may be caused due to fatigue, stress or even low pelvic strength following childbirth or miscarriage. The best way to treat this issue is with the help of proper counselling and therapy that will help in introducing yogic poses that can strengthen the pelvic area so as to have better sexual strength.

4. Infertility: this problem may be found in both men and women. Ashwagandha, vasant kusumakar ras, shilajit and labub kabir are some of the herbs and concoctions that can help in increasing virility and the chances of conception by creating better sperm quality and quantity, as well as more effective ovulation.

Most of the sexual problems in ayurveda are recognised as factors that arise from stress and anxiety. These are recognised as temporary issues that can be fixed with the help of a proper routine of eating, resting and exercising, as well as a healthy diet where the patient stays away from smoking, excessive drinking as well as drug abuse. Before taking any herbal medicines, one will have to consult the doctor and find out about side effects for patients suffering from chronic ailments like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and others.

Solving Routine Sexual Problems Through Ayurveda

Erectile dysfunction is also known as impotence in men. When you lose the ability to retain an erection during sex, then you might be suffering from erectile dysfunction. There are many different reasons why you might suffer from it, like stress, fatigue, relationship issues, consumption of alcohol or performance anxiety. You will find many different pharmaceutical or surgical methods to cure erectile dysfunction, but here is a list of various different types of natural treatments which you might undertake:

Walk: walk for at least 2 miles every day. Walking not helps you to stay healthy, but also helps reverse the situation of impotence which you might be suffering from. It also helps obese men retain their erection while having sex. Walking also helps you maintain a trimmed waistline which helps you fight erectile dysfunction. It helps you to maintain a healthy weight which reduces the risk of suffering from erectile dysfunction.
Exercise: exercise seems to be the key answer to many such disorders. Even erectile dysfunction can be cured or treated with exercise. Pelvic or kegel exercises will help you promote urinary continence as well as sexual well-being. Exercise helps you to strengthen your bulbocavernosus muscles which are responsible in engaging the penis with blood while erect. It also helps in ejaculation and clearing the urethra after urination.
Acupuncture: acupuncture is a very popular form of treatment. Treating erectile dysfunction with acupuncture is one of the easiest treatments. This is because in most case erectile dysfunction occurs due to a psychological cause, and acupuncture helps to release this as it can relieve you of stress and anxiety.
Intake of herbal viagra: red ginseng is known as herbal viagra, as it possesses the ability to help treat erectile dysfunction. However, red ginseng needs to grow for 5 years before it can be used as a natural supplement of viagra. A 2008 review has found red ginseng to treat erectile dysfunction effectively.
Watermelon juice: watermelons contain an amino acid called citrulline which helps in improving the blood flow to the penis. Watermelon is also called" nature's viagra" as it helps achieve an erection and retaining it.
Erectile dysfunction sometimes tends to be extremely embarrassing. You might not want to discuss it with anyone, whether it is a friend or a doctor. So, if you try out these natural treatments, neither will you have to feel embarrassed nor will you regret trying them out. You can be rest assured that these will definitely help your condition.

Natural Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is a disorder where the person affected is unable to maintain or achieve an erection during sexual intercourse. As diabetes is a disorder that affects blood supply to organs, so the ability to achieve or maintain erections are impaired, as erections are dependent on proper blood supply to the penis. Fortunately, there are treatments for these symptoms and they are:

1. Injection therapy and oral medications

Some medications are directly injected to the penis in order to facilitate erection, while certain other oral drugs are administered to treat symptoms of erectile dysfunction which have a higher success rate in treating people who are diabetic than those who are not.

2. Regular exercise and a healthy diet

Exercising on a regular basis combined with a healthy diet can reduce the symptoms of both diabetes as well as erectile dysfunction.

3. Reviewing medications

Some medications used to treat blood pressure and depression can often cause erectile dysfunction. So, the medications should be reviewed by a doctor and, if necessary, should be changed.

4. Usage of vacuum constriction devices

These devices are used to create a pump in the penis which facilitate the ability to maintain an erection and engage in sexual intercourse. It is reported to work in 80% of the cases.

5. Penile implants

It is a surgical procedure where a penis implant is used to treat this disorder.

6. Intraurethral therapy

In this treatment, the medicine is placed in the urethra of the penis in the form of suppository by an applicator. These medicines improve blood flow and thus facilitate a normal erection.

How To Deal With Erectile Dysfunction If You Are A Diabetic?

Zinc and erectile dysfunction

Zinc is a naturally occurring metallic element. Certain types of vegetable, meats and seafood are rich in zinc.

Erectile dysfunction is a man's inability to achieve a penetrable erection. It is one of the most common sexual problems faced by men of all ages. Zinc helps the body to produce testosterone and thus the levels of zinc in a person's body may affect erectile dysfunction.

A host of factors ranging from nutritional deficiency to clinical depression can lead to the condition. In recent years, deficiency of zinc has been found to be the cause of ed. Apart from producing testosterone, zinc is used for metabolism purposes, DNA and protein production and cell division.

Most studies related to male infertility show a clear concise relationship between zinc and ed. During a study some young men were given a diet which included very little amounts of zinc and thus they developed a zinc deficiency. When testosterone levels were measured after 20 weeks of low-zinc diet it was found that the level of the hormone had drastically reduced. The study also found that in elderly men, with an increase in the uptake of zinc, testosterone levels nearly doubled.

Research on animals established the fact that relationship rats who were given 5 milligrams of zinc supplement a day, were found to be sexually active to a greater extent. It concluded that zinc had an impact in the arousal and maintaining of an erection in men.

Zinc deficiency can also reduce the sense of smell in person. A sense of smell is vital to libido, especially more in young men. Thus, it can cause a person to lose the ability to detect certain chemicals that stimulate arousal.

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Related Tip: Knowing Erectile Dysfunction. PART 2: Management and Treatment

Zinc and Erectile Dysfunction - How is it related?

Ayurvedic Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction in men is the condition that signifies the inability to achieve or maintain an erection. Also known as impotence, it creates a great problem for a man and his partner in terms of sexual function.

The cause of erectile dysfunction can be physical, medical, or psychological in nature. Sexual prowess and libido in men are affected by various systems of the body and the mind.

Some of the most commonly occurring causes are:

- Old age
- Stress and anxiety
- Addiction to nicotine and alcohol
- Narcotics abuse
- Physical injuries
- Nervous disorders
- Diabetes
- Obesity and high cholesterol
- Cardiac disease and heart complications

How does Ayurveda provide relief from this problem?

Treatment methods used for erectile dysfunction depend on the specific cause and nature of the condition. Ayurveda provides an effective remedy to the problem of impotence through long-established healing methods. Ayurvedic treatment makes use of traditional herbal medicine that cures the condition and prevents it from reoccurring.

In Ashtanga Ayurveda, sexual dysfunction is treated through medication composed of vajikarana herbs. 'Vaji' is the Sanskrit word for a horse, which is an age-old symbol of virility and sexual potency. These herbs have been conventionally used to cure conditions related to erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, lack of libido and male infertility.

A few herbs used in vajikarana therapy for treating erectile dysfunction are as follows:

- Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)
- The 'panchaule' orchid (Dactylorhiza hatagirea)
- Safed Musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum)
- Kali Musli (Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.)

Scientific tests and studies have shown that these ayurvedic herbs are effective in providing a remedy for the problem of impotence in men. This form of therapy takes a holistic approach  treating and curing the symptoms of erectile dysfunction by eliminating the root cause of the problem. The greatest advantage of this treatment method is that there are no side effects. Relapses of the condition also do not occur.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Ayurvedic Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction

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