Heather Little-White, Contributor

Allan thinks that he is a healthy man because his sexual health is good. According to him, "My wife does not complain in the bedroom and I try to take care of myself. My doctor gave me a clean bill of health recently."

Like Allan, it is wise for men to have regular medical examinations to ensure that their entire body is healthy. Birthdays are a convenient date on which to have the examinations done. Sexual health is an important aspect of the overall health of a male.

As men go through their life cycle, they want to be assured that their sex drive remains strong. Maintaining a healthy sex drive is closely linked to diet, physical activity and an active mind.

Good nutrition

Good nutrition is crucial to a healthy sex drive. Men want to know that their nerves are functioning, hormone levels are healthy and that there is no obstruction in blood flow to the pelvic area where the penis is located.

One's diet should be loaded with peas, beans, grain products, lavish amounts of fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates (yams, sweet potatoes, brown rice), modest levels of protein, low-fat dairy products and minimal saturated fats.

Saturated fats

These include fats from animals, which increase cholesterol and build up fatty plaque on the blood vessels around the heart. Similarly, plaque also builds up in tiny vessels in the penis, limiting free-flowing circulation and the ability to respond to messages from sex drive.

Vitamin E

It is believed that a good supply of this vitamin from oils, nuts, seeds and green vegetables can boost a man's sex drive.

Drinking and smoking

To quote Shakespeare, alcoholic beverages "provoke the desire, but take away the performance". Excessive alcohol consumption can have a devastating effect on masculinity.

Herbert, a recovering alcoholic, confers with findings in the medical field: "If I had to live my life again, I would not drown my problems in alcohol so that I have no sex life. I am impotent, and when I look at my testicles, I can hardly see them as they have shrunk."

Smoking also saps sexual vitality. Nicotine, from smoking incessantly constricts the penis and causes the formation of plaque in the blood vessels of the penis.

Think zinc!

Zinc makes healthy sperm and is found in animal foods, seafood, especially oysters, meat, poultry, liver, eggs, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Be active!

Exercise stimulates mood-elevating brain chemicals, endorphins, to help reduce fatigue and depression, common causes of sexual complaints. Iron-deficiency anaemia may be responsible for fatigue, so one's diet should be rich in iron-loaded foods like legumes, green, leafy vegetables and dried fruit.

Names changed for privacy.

Heather Little-White, Ph.D., is a food, nutrition and lifestyle consultant.