Several millions of UK men are currently suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED). The good news is that the condition is usually easily treatable with medications like Viagra, Cialis, Spedra, and Levitra. The even better news is that in some cases, ED is entirely avoidable. Before we check out how to prevent erectile dysfunction, it’s worth looking at the main causes.
Table of Contents
Physical causes of ED
ED can strike at any age, but the majority of sufferers are over forty. Middle age is a time of change. As our bodies slow down, physical problems, ailments and illnesses start to speed up. Erectile dysfunction may be a warning sign of conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, or metabolic syndrome. If you always enjoyed a normal sex life, and then begin to find that you have difficulty getting - or keeping - a firm erection, you need to see your GP ASAP.
Psychological causes of ED
Erectile dysfunction may be your body’s response to underlying psychological or emotional problems. If you’re suffering from stress, anxiety, depression, or have deep rooted issues about sex, you may suddenly find that you can’t perform in the bedroom. If you’re willing to seek treatment and explore these issues, your ED can often be resolved and your wider quality of life may improve.
Preventing ED - a holistic approach
1. Get an annual checkup
Too many men don’t take care of their health, they assume that because they’re not suffering right now, everything is OK. The NHS recommends that healthy men should get their blood pressure checked every five years. If you’re at risk of high blood pressure, you should get an annual check. Regardless of how old you are, or how fit you think you are, you shouldn’t be a stranger to your GP. You take your car for an annual MOT - why not your body too? Identifying physical problems at an early stage can prevent ED and could save your life!
2. Practice stress management
Modern life is stressful. Unless you plan to live in a monastery (in which case ED shouldn’t be an issue) or sell up and live on a beach somewhere, you will experience significant daily stress. Sometimes, it feels like the pressure never stops. You may think you are toughing it out and coping, but the quality of your erections will tell you differently.
- Make an honest appraisal of your stress levels
- Don’t be afraid to make big changes in your life
- Get counselling or professional help if you need it
- Exercise daily and keep fit - it can really help!
- Talk to your partner, family and friends
3. Respect your body
We’ve all heard the fitness fanatic’s cliche that the body is a temple. If you’re overweight, forty and frustrated, that may not be entirely helpful. But there’s still an element of truth in the phrase. Not everybody is a natural athlete, but almost everybody can take some form of daily exercise - even if it’s just a short walk. You can also cut back on junk food and alcohol, give up smoking, and stay away from recreational drugs that can cause ED. Regular exercise will also boost your natural energy levels, increase your self-confidence and could be a way to meet new people.
Fitness
Physical fitness builds confidence and can lower your blood pressure, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and improve your energy levels between the sheets. Get medical advice before you begin a new fitness program and start slowly. The emphasis should be on safe and gradual improvement. Try jogging, swimming, gym sessions, or even just walking. If you enjoy it, you’re much more likely to persevere and get results.
Diet
If you’re in your teens or twenties and active, you can get away with regularly eating junk food. The pizzas, kebabs, burgers, and snacks can be burned off through sport and exercise. Once you hit your forties, whatever you eat - you’re probably going to wear; in the form of unwanted body fat. A diet of junk food may also be setting you up for serious medical conditions like diabetes that can cause ED. Stop dodging the salads and cut back on the fries and deserts.
Drinking and Smoking
After sex, alcohol and tobacco are some of life’s great pleasures - at least for a lot of British men. The bad news is that you need to stop smoking; preferably today. Smoking can reduce the quality of your erections and causes cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure that may in turn cause ED. The good news is that you can carry on drinking, but only in moderation (less than 14 units a week). Alcohol might increase desire but it won’t necessarily increase performance. Anybody who’s suffered from brewer’s droop knows the score. Heavy drinking damages your health and can contribute to erectile dysfunction.
4. Be with the right partner
It may sound obvious that if you want to have good sex, you need to be with the right partner. Unfortunately, many men aren’t and they suffer as a consequence. There’s a misconception that men are easy to please and are biologically programmed to function regardless of who their partner is. If you’re with the wrong partner, feel obliged to have sex, are not comfortable in your surroundings, or you have unresolved relationship issues, your penis may suddenly go on strike…Sex should be a pleasure, not a marital duty, social rite, or a cause of anxiety.
5. Feel good about yourself
Guess what? Your body isn’t perfect and what you see in the mirror doesn’t match your perfectionist ideals. Like every other man on the planet, you’re too short/tall/fat/thin/hairy/bald/young/old etc. etc. The chances are that your partner doesn’t care (after all, she wants to have sex with you). You shouldn’t get stressed about it either. If you’re not satisfied with your appearance go to the gym or work on your personal grooming, but set realistic goals and don’t punish yourself. If you’re worried about your sexual technique or performance, find a receptive partner and start playing, exploring and learning. Never forget that sex is supposeed to be fun!
Erectile dysfunction used to be a stigma and a taboo subject. It was often a devastating personal blow for sufferers. The old-fashioned term for the condition was “impotence” literally meaning a lack of power. It denigrated patients on a subtle level and questioned their manhood. These days, doctors understand erectile dysfunction and are used to treating it. Whether you have an underlying medical problem that requires medication, or you need some therapy or psychosexual counselling, your treatment plan may include effective ED tablets that will quickly allow you to get a full and firm erection - and enjoy a normal sex life again! DoktorABC is here to help and you can login to your account at anytime, if you have questions about ED treatment or related health issues.
