Question:
My symptoms are numbness and a lack of feeling and erectile
dysfunction. I've had the condition for three years(prostatitis. The
Erectile dysfunction has gradually come on over the last year and a
half My condition started as bacterial. Now I don't know if it still
is. Anyone with similar symptoms ? What helped you ?
Answer:
I can identify with what you describe. My prostatitis simmered at low level
for about a year-and-a-half before flaring up dramatically (in Nov. 2001).
At that time I experienced a sensation of numbness in the penis, and libido
was next to nil. Normal sensation returned once I got the worst of the
inflammation under control. Libido is not what it used to be in my
pre-prostatitis days, but there are some (rare) weeks when I feel almost
normal.
> What helped you ?
The following measures helped me a whole lot...
* avoided alcohol, chocolate, coffee and spicy food
* used only olive oil as a cooking fat (sunflower oil has pro-inflammatory
omega-6 fatty acids)
* took 2x salmon oil capsules a day (contains anti-inflammatory omega-3
fatty acids)
* took a general multivitamin daily, or every second day (must be one that
contains the full range of B-vitamins)
* ate 3-4 Brazil nuts every day (the very best food source of selenium,
which combined with vitamin E has an anti-inflammatory effect)
* ate plenty of broccoli (lightly steamed) and apples (raw) -- both are good
food sources of anti-inflammatory quercetin (one of the principal
ingredients used in several over-the-counter prostatitis formulations).
* cut down on sugars and candies
It took about six weeks of diligence and persistence before I noticed an
appreciable difference, but pain is now about 70% diminished and libido is
somewhat improved.
I'm under no illusions....I don't believe that diet can be used to cure
prostatitis. But good diet has given me substantial symptomatic relief.
