Erectile dysfunction has been getting a lot of publicity in recent years, and when a brand-new drug, Viagra, hit the market in 1998, it zoomed immediately to the top of the list of best-selling pharmaceuticals, helped by heavy advertising and lots of free samples.

Impotence is one of the most dreaded conditions among men. Sadly, almost none of them are aware that the problem is most often caused by the foods they eat.

The most common cause of ED is lack of blood flow to the penis, which is dependent on enough testosterone (which most men have), a functioning neurological system (again, which most men have), and unhindered circulation. It should come as no surprise that the Standard American Diet, which can block arteries to the heart, brain, and all other parts of the body, can also block arteries to the entire genital region.

Scientists at the New England Research Institute found that 52% of men over 40 have some degree of impotence, with the rate increasing significantly with age.¹ It was also found that this statistic could be decreased through changes in lifestyle. Stopping cigarette smoking is an obvious factor, but few realize that a change in diet can also make a difference. The diet that reverses heart disease by cleaning out the arteries will have the same effect on the arteries that supply nutrients and oxygen to the genitalia.

In addition, the role of exercise seems to be much more important than previously realized. The 2006 Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) surveyed more than 51,000 male medical professionals, ages 53 to 90, asking them to rate their ability to perform sexually. They were also asked about important lifestyle habits such as smoking, alcohol, and exercise. Exercise turned out to be the most significant factor in sexual performance, as those who exercised the most were one third less likely to suffer from ED.²

It is obvious that exercise increases circulation to ALL parts of the body, but even that can’t push blood through clogged arteries. Which leads us right back to diet as the best way to open those clogged arteries needed to produce erections. And the perfect diet to do so is a low-fat vegan diet! (By the way, ladies, take note … as the same applies to women!)

(RELATED: Is vegan the new Viagra?)

¹ St-Onge, M.P., Heymsfield, S.B. “Overweight and obesity status are linked to lower life expectancy.” Nutrition Review 61(9): 313-316, Review (September 2003). Khoadhiar, L., McCowen, K.D., Blackburn, G.L. “Obesity and its comorbid conditions.” Clinical Cornerstone 2(3): 17-31, Review (1999).

² Harris, William MD.  The Scientific Basis of Vegetarianism (Honolulu: Hawaii Health Publishers, 1995), p.60.

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One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, What inspired you to do an Ironman Triathlon right after being diagnosed with breast cancer? The answer is that I stumbled onto some powerful information on both the role of diet and exercise on vibrant health and decided I had to spread the word. Thus, I began my mission to prove the powerful benefits of a low-fat vegan diet and rigorous exercise.

At the time of my breast cancer diagnosis, I had already been running daily for 14 years. In fact, I had run several marathons, so I was quite fit and found it hard to believe that I could have cancer. I didn’t smoke or drink, and ate what I thought was a healthy diet; this meant lots of chicken, fish, and low-fat dairy.

Several tests I took showed that the cancer had spread to my bones, a lung, and most likely my liver. Soon thereafter, by coincidence, I saw one of the first ever Ironman Triathlons on TV. This was back in 1982 when a race consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and then a 26.2-mile marathon, was thought to be tackled only by crazies!

I wondered if being fitter would make a difference with my cancer. I wasn’t sure but I decided to add swimming and cycling to my usual exercise routine. I thought about the Ironman, but naturally there was a lot of trepidation. What if I couldn’t finish? What if I finished last? What if all that training was detrimental to my body when I was dealing with the cancer?

At around the same time, I volunteered to be in the breast cancer vegan diet research study being conducted by Dr. John McDougall. I was soon seeing the benefits of the improved diet, such as more energy, better endurance, better sleep, and the elimination of my arthritis. Most importantly, some of the cancer was reversing: hot spots on the bone scan faded, bone pain stopped, and the liver enzymes normalized.

While I was realizing the benefits of my new diet, I soon found out that no woman as old as me—age 47—had ever done an Ironman. Plus no cancer patient either! I decided that this was going to be my challenge: to show that a healthy vegan diet was powerful enough to not only beat the cancer, but to complete in the Ironman Triathlon! So I trained hard and I did it—and to show that it wasn’t a fluke, I did it again the following year, and again for a total of six times!

I also kept up with marathons (now a total of 67) and even did a number of ultra-marathons. I did one race called, “The Run to the Sun,” which involves running 37 miles from sea level to the top of Haleakala on Maui—with  a gain of more than 10,000 feet in elevation! There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is really living—going from cancer patient to the Ironman!

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