[There's nothing like spending the evening in the company of a gorgeous lady.]

The following healthy and delicious foods may actually affect hormone levels, brain chemistry, and energy heightening arousal and excitement. While there aren’t any double blind studies to prove the aphrodisiac qualities of these foods, plenty of anecdotal evidence suggest they really help. Before reaching for the little blue prescription pills, why not work in one or more of these superfoods on your next date.

Asparagus You’re not alone if those fleshy spears remind your of… well you know. This veggies phallic appearance no doubt has something to do with its aphrodisiac status. It’s rich in vitamin B6 and folate both of which can heighten arousal and orgasm. It also has vitamin E that stimulates sex hormones in both men and women.

Avocado Energy and a healthy libido are crucial for great sex and avocados can give you both. They’re loaded with minerals, monounsaturated fats and omega 3’s( the good fats) and vitamin B6 for energy.

Chili Peppers Chili peppers can really spice things up! Not only does their heat explode in your mouth – thanks to the heat producing chemical capsaicin ,but they also induce a release of endorphins in the brain to create a chemically induced feeling of euphoria . The payoff is enhanced foreplay and hotter sex.

Chocolate Chocolate has long been linked with love and sex and for good reason. it contains tryptophan which helps the body produce serotonin – a natural feel good chemical that plays a role in arousal. It also contains phenylethylamine- a stimulate thought to create loving feelings. So go ahead and indulge – but just a little!

Licorice This candy is thought to mimic the effects of estrogen and progesterone, critical hormones for normal reproductive and sexual response. Eating it may help you get in the mood and help you stay that way more often. Look for higher quality brands that contain real licorice root extract.

Oysters It’s not the slippery feel or the singular taste of oysters that make it a sexy super food. It’s Zinc a mineral oysters are loaded with. It helps in the production of testosterone- the hormone critical in regulating a man’s libido and sexual potency. Research shows it can increase sperm count and their swimming ability. No wonder Casanova had several oysters per day!

Stay primed for bedroom action. Along with a healthy diet and exercise you can enhance your sex life and have lots more fun in the bedroom. It’s all about feeling good and better sex enhances the quality and quantity of life .

Photos by geishaboy500 46137 One man’s perspective jessicafm pointnshoot
Andreanna Kanko

A Cooking Support Squad Works For Several Reasons:

1. It’s great EXCUSE to socialize with like minded health oriented guys who love to cook and eat fresh home made food.
2. It gives us a chance to try those recipes that we never quite get to try and accumulate in the dusty corners of our cabinets.
3. It creates a sense of accountability to others- you can’t let the others down by not pulling your weight and doing your share.
4. The weight of a deadline creates an urgency that leads to action and creativity, especially in managing time.
5. It pulls you out of your old eating ruts- Most of us eat the same 15 foods over and over without even realizing how predictable we are.
6. Portion Control- Most guys despite eating a healthful diet tend to overeat and underestimate portions sizes. We portion our meals into freezable microwaveable containers and know exactly how many calories we’re getting.

How To Do It

If you want to start your own group it’s simple:

• Find 1-2 other guys who want to cook and are into eating healthy.
• Keep the group to 3-4 people or rotate if more want to join.
• Most home kitchens get crowded with more than 3 people cooking at once.
• Aim for 4-6 recipes with two portions per person.

Assign each person a food from these categories:

• BREAKFAST choose low cal versions of traditional foods like frittatas, pancakes, yogurt cereal parfaits and panninis
• SNACKS – usually anything easily portable and easy to transport on the road or at work
• LUNCHES/DINNERS- Divide the lunch and dinner category into a separate PROTEIN OR STARCH(for example one guy would make pork tenderloin another guy would make the butternut squash) or a combination “all in one dish meal” like chili, stews, casseroles salads.

Be open and allow for creativity just try to keep a balance so each of your meals contains a vegetable ( fibrous carb) a Protein ( meat fish, poultry eggs) and starchy carb ( sweet potato, barley)

Here Are A Few Recipes To Get You Started
(Most of these recipes can be found in my Good To Go cookbook)

Cottage Cheese Pancakes
These can be made ahead , frozen and reheated in the microwave for 45 seconds. Also make a great “bread” for breakfast sandwich with eggs and ham.

• 1 Cup of cottage cheese
• 2 egg whites
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbs of soy flour ( try Twinlab Veggie Fuel)
• 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar

Using a wire whisk or portable mixer beat the egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat until still meringue like peaks form . Set Aside.
In a separate bowl mix the egg yolk cottage cheese and soy flour. Gently combine this with the egg white mixture and stir until combined. DON”T OVER MIX! Cook as you would a regular pancake using a pan sprayed with PAM cooking spray and a medium flame heat, cook until each side becomes lightly browned. Serve with low sugar pancake syrup , cinnamon, butter substitute, or add fresh berries and Greek yogurt topping. Makes a single serving 340 calories 30 grams of carbohydrates 2 grams carbs 8 grams of fat 0 fiber

Chicken Club Lettuce Wraps
A low carb alternative to bread based wraps

• 3 large green leaf, bib or iceberg lettuce leaves
• 1 cup of leftover cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup of diced red pepper
• 1 plum tomato diced
• 1/4 of a HAAS( the kind with the dark green skin) avocado
• 1 heaping tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise

Mix all the vegetable with the mayonnaise. Place in the center of the lettuce leaf wrap it up and enjoy!
Makes a single serving 320 Calories, 34 grams protein, 15 grams of carbs 13 grams of fat 3 grams of fiber

Have You Seen Those Ads For The Diet Pills That Curb Your Appetite?

They contain fruit pectin and fiber. Save your money and eat apples – they’re much better for you and a lot cheaper. Other fruits like pears, grapefruit, plums, apricots and peaches have similar qualities.

A Recent Study Proved This Theory

Two groups of women were divided into two groups fruit before meals and no fruit before meals. The group that ate the fruit lost more weight even though they were following the same diet plan as the other groups. The key is choosing fruits that are high in fiber and high in water content. Here is another appetite controller:

Eggs Are Back!

Have a hard boiled or scrambled egg for breakfast instead of a bagel to feel satisfied all day. Eggs have been reinstated as a health food( a major nurses study cleared eggs of upping heart attack and stroke risk.) If you have avoided eggs for the cholesterol, fear not it’s safe to eat them again. Eggs are a rich source of nutrients, high in protein and for reasons not completely clear, they make you feel fuller longer. People who eat eggs instead of bagels ( which have the same number of calories) by pass junk food cravings and eat less overall calories in a 24 hour period without even trying.

Keep Lots Of Fresh Fruit On Hand At Home And At The Office

In the car keep dried apricots and prunes. It’s easy to eat high fiber and lose weight when you are prepared. If you have no time for eggs at breakfast prepare a frittata in big batches and cut slices in the morning before you go to work. 30 seconds in the microwave will give you a nutritious and belly filling treat. For more easy recipes using apples and eggs check out my book “GOOD TO GO” – a recipe book of healthy, quick on the go foods at www.hartbody.com

Juicy apple by sheilnaik

#1 – Less Pain And Inflammation

Omega 3 fatty acids particularly EPA, have a very positive effect on your inflammatory response. Through several mechanisms, they regulate your body’s inflammation cycle which prevents and relieves painful conditions like arthritis, prostatitis, cyctitis, any most anything else ending in “itis”

#2 – Cardiovascular Health

Omega 3’s have been proven to work wonders for your heart and the miles of veins and arteries that make up your cardiovascular system. They help to lower triglycerides, LDL’s and blood pressure while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol.
This adds years to your life expectancy

#3 – Prevention Of Stroke And Heart Attack

When plaque builds up on the artery walls then breaks loose, it causes thrombosis a fancy name for a clot. If a clot gets stuck in the brain, it causes a stroke, if it gets stuck in an artery it causes a heart attack. Research shows omega 3 fatty acids break up clots before they can cause any damage.

#4 – Better Brain Function And Higher Intelligence

For adults 50 and over fish oils have been shown to enhance the outer lining of the brain and to increase memory, recall, reasoning and focus. There are some preliminary results that show it can slow dementia and early onset Alzheimer’s disease. You’ll swear you’re getting younger and smarter!

#5 – Less Depression And Psychosis

Making you smarter is not all Omega 3 does for your brain. Psychiatry department researchers at the University of Sheffield found that fish oils can alleviate the symptoms of depression bi-polar disorder and psychosis.

#6 – Lower Incidence Of Adult ADD

People who have ADD show an improved quality of life and less symptoms of the disease while taking 3000 MG of fish oils a day. People with dyslexia, dyspraxia and compulsive disorder have gotten a new lease on life thanks to Omega 3 fatty acid supplementation.

#7 – Reduction Of Breast, Colon And Prostate Cancer

Finally Omega 3 fish oils have been shown to prevent three of the most common forms of cancer- breast, colon and prostate. Science tells us this happens because they stop the alteration from a normal cell to a cancerous mass, inhibit unwanted cellular growth, and cause apoptosis- a fancy word for cancer cell death.

Now it’s time to put this knowledge to work. Eat at least of three servings of fatty fish each week- Salmon, mackeral, tuna, sardines, herring anchovies and swordfish. If you’re not a fish lover supplement with Capsules- Take 3000 daily in the morning for maximum benefit. The best value in fish oil is the WALMART brand – about $12 for 300 1000MG capsules. They’re proven to be just as good as the more expensive pharmaceutical grades. Go get some today!

Relaxing beach stroll by mikebaird