Sweet Temptation: Mangoes, papayas and oranges are energy boosters

Rent a DVD of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and open a bottle of champagne to get ready for a wonderful romp in the bed with your spouse. Sounds exciting? Then it all goes haywire. Disappointment writ large on your face, you go into hiding with volumes full of advice on how to and then you try once more. The result remains unchanged. How then does one have good sex?

Secretly every Indian man or woman is forever trying to find ways to become a better lover. The Romans got the ball rolling with such exotic aphrodisiacs as hippo snouts and hyena eyeballs. The traditional Chinese medicine prescribed was rhino horn. Modern lovers prefer Viagra and other drugs. Aphrodisiacs, for the most part, have been proven to be ineffective.

But for those who genuinely wish to have a good sex life, the dining table is a good place to start with. Now don’t get wrong ideas! What we mean is ? our sexual desires are definitely affected by what we eat. A few drinks and a heavy meal with chatpata samosas and vadas thrown in as starters, with a jalebi and rabdi for dessert, may sound sumptuous and mouth-watering, but it is actually the best way to go to sleep ? not have sex.

Change your diet. “Soya products are generally recommended for women. Chillies and ginger are believed to improve circulation and stimulate nerve endings, which may improve sexual pleasure,” says Naini Setalvad, of Health for You, a nutrition and diet clinic. Foods that are generally suggested for weight loss programmes may boost your sex life too. “Research shows that obesity is a risk factor for low testosterone,” says Dr Chipalkatti of Bombay Hospital. “Reducing weight,” she says, “leads to an increase in testosterone, and increases sexual function ability.” Too little fat, on the other hand, is also bad. “You need fat to produce hormones,” says Chipalkatti, “Cholesterol is metabolised in the liver, and you get your testosterone, which you need for your sex drive,” she says.

“Olive oil, salmon and nuts are optimal sources of the “good” kinds of fats ? mono unsaturated and poly unsaturated,” says Setalvad.

“Anything that’s good for your heart is good for your penis,” agrees Dr Rajan Bhonsle, senior consultant in sexual medicine and counsellor. “The only exception is Viagra (Sildenafil). The combination of Sildenafil and nitrates (a commonly used medication in heart patients) can make your blood pressure suddenly drop to unsafe (even fatal) levels, causing dizziness, fainting or even a heart attack or stroke.” Too much saturated fat can, over time, clog arteries and, in doing so, prevent an adequate flow of blood from reaching the genital region. This not only interferes with the ability to perform, but also with sexual pleasure.

“Often, an occasional failure to get an erection can be related to stress, fatigue, insufficient stimulation, intoxication, anxiety, guilt, anger, mood disorders and relationship difficulties,” warns Dr Bhonsle. “In 90 per cent cases of impotence, the cause is psychogenic. It is only in 10 per cent cases that the cause is biological, that is, medical and/or hormonal.”

What you need to do is follow in the footsteps of that fitness freak in your neighbourhood who gets up at five in the morning, puts on his ear plugs, wears a sexy exercise outfit and goes to the nearest garden to run for at least 15 minutes. Also, change your dietary habits to sex up your life.

Diet suggestions

• Try fruits such as pomegranates, cherries, passion fruit, blood oranges, mangoes, papayas and figs. Carbohydrates in fruits provide energy and stamina.

• Vitamin C helps with sperm production. Indulge in melons, berries, sweet lime and oranges.

• Everybody knows that strawberries are aphrodisiacs. This heart shaped red fruit is a key to making your night beautiful.

• Zinc sends your sex hormones in a tizzy. Indulge in some shellfish (especially oysters), other zinc rich foods, whole grains found in wheat, maize, brown rice, breakfast cereals like muesli, harvest crunch, oats, wheat germs, beans, nuts such as cashews. Chicken without the skin or turkey or lightly grilled or saut?ed meat or tandoori food marinated and grilled are equally effective.

• Essential fatty acids help regulate hormones, including the sex hormones. Sprinkle walnuts, flax seeds and sunflower seeds on a salad, toss it with avocado and drizzle it with olive oil. Feed yourself and your partner ripe, round, green, red and black olives.

• The Omega-3 and the Omega-6, the essential fatty acids should be included every day in your diet. Cook your food in a variety of oils daily ? mustard oil for pickles, groundnut and sesame for cooking and olive oil for salads.

• Essential fatty acids found in fish such as surmai, ravas, salmon and tuna are used by the body to make prostaglandins which help regulate a number of systems in the body. Especially the hormones responsible for depression that make people feel blue from time to time, causing loss of interest in sex. Add one or more servings of fish to your diet every day to help restore this balance.

• Spice up your meals with cayenne or green and coloured peppers or else, bring on the Tabasco!

• Eat chocolates. Cocoa known as Theobroma Cacao or “food of the gods” is the key ingredient of chocolate. Dark chocolate is a good source of antioxidants especially when melted on strawberries. Cocoa mimics the properties of marijuana: the feel good drug! It releases endorphins which relax the nerves thus preventing stress.

(As recommended by Naini Setalvad)