MUMMYS_COMING

Nutrition & libido

It’s no big secret that nutrition (what we put inside our bodies food wise, you filthy mind) is directly correlated to our mental and physical health and hence libido. There are many lists of aphrodisiacs that can heighten our libido but at this point I am looking at overall health and nutrition.

We all know that comfort food is not going to have us feeling frivolous. That bag of crisps and whole bar of chocolate is more for our emotional state. Fat, salt, sugar and refined carbohydrates all make us feel tired and bloated and frumpy.

The food we eat can make a huge difference to how we feel. I love preparing meals that are rich in color and look pleasing to the eye. This is also mood-lifting!

Whilst we hear about cliché foods such as oysters which really can boost your libido, some are less heard of:

• Dark chocolate
• Salmon
• Nuts and seeds
• Apples
• Beets
• Red wine
• Spinach
• Green tea
• Pesto 
• Steak / Burger

Many of these foods are high in iron (which gives us energy), magnesium (hormone regulating) and dopamine production (plays a role in how we feel pleasure).

Albeit for green tea, all these foods are consumed in our house but I will be more aware of them from now on.

Food & Drink

My nutritional routine is normally as follows:

07:00 Fresh roasted coffee with a splash of full fat milk upon waking

10:00 Breakfast of either fried egg sandwich with cheese, ham & salad or homemade porridge with fruits and nuts

14:00 Snack with the kids of either waffles, grilled toasties and fruit/veg

15:00 Espresso with condensed milk (my absolute treat) and a square of dark chocolate

17:00 Dinner: fish/meat 3x per week with or without carbs and salad or veg

During the day I drink mainly water (as much as I can manage, sometimes none at all…) and perhaps some fresh orange juice. Alcohol is not quite me unless it’s in a social setting, then I love having a glass of wine or a rum and coke.

My plan isn’t to change much but rather to stick to it and improve my conscious eating. 

Every now and then we’ll treat ourselves to some sushi but otherwise we are happy foodies that like to know where our food comes from and what we put in ourselves.

Fasting

A while back I discovered fasting and realized I was doing it unknowingly. I would have my final meal at 17:00 and not eat again until 10:00 the next day (albeit for the milk in my coffee, which officially counts as nutrient intake).

Defined as the abstinence from all or some foods or drinks for a set period of time, there are many different ways of fasting. Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting, ranging from a few hours to a few days at a time. 

A few benefits are:

• Promotes Blood Sugar Control by Reducing Insulin Resistance
• Promotes Better Health by Fighting Inflammation
• May Enhance Heart Health by Improving Blood Pressure, Triglycerides and Cholesterol Levels
• May Boost Brain Function and Prevent Neurodegenerative Disorders
• Aids Weight Loss by Limiting Calorie Intake and Boosting Metabolism
• Increases Growth Hormone Secretion, Which Is Vital for Growth, Metabolism, Weight Loss and Muscle Strength
• Could Delay Aging and Extend Longevity
• May Aid in Cancer Prevention and Increase the Effectiveness of Chemotherapy

Source: Healthline.

Now I don’t know about those last ones but I do know that not eating crisps in the evening in front of the TV has improved my sleep and I finally have a grumbling tummy in the morning (for quite a while I had forgotten what it feels like because I ate and ate).

So I will stick to that window of fasting as I have done until now.

I’m quite content with this area but would like to consciously place more emphasis on my meals and their composition. Also, I would like to start cooking with my partner again (see Relationship).

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Diet for Great Sex: Food for Male and Female Sexual Health by Christine DeLozier (link here)

I’ll show you some of the meals we come up with on my instagram: mummys_coming.