How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease

by Michael Greger

study found that men who ate three to four handfuls of pistachios a day for three weeks experienced a significant improvement in blood flow through the penis, accompanied by significantly firmer erections. The researchers concluded that three weeks of pistachios “resulted in a significant improvement in erectile function … without any side effects.”41 This is not just a male issue. Women with higher cholesterol levels report significantly lower arousal, orgasm, lubrication, and sexual satisfaction. Atherosclerosis of the pelvic arteries can lead to decreased vaginal engorgement and “clitoral erectile insufficiency syndrome,” defined as “failure to achieve clitoral tumescence [engorgement].” This is thought to be an important factor in female sexual dysfunction.42