So you've met someone great and you've both decided it's time to take the relationship to the next level. Everything is starting to heat up, and then .... nothing. The mind is willing, but the body isn't cooperating.

What's a guy to do?

If those ED ads you see when you turn on the TV are hitting a little close to home, don’t think pills are the only path to hot sex. Three basic life changes can help men decrease sexual dysfunction and have more satisfying sex.

FIND YOUR SEXUAL MATCHES

Where it was once a taboo subject, male sexual dysfunction is now fodder for everyday conversation. With spokesmen ranging from Bob Dole to Mike Ditka, drug companies are peddling solutions to erectile dysfunction, or ED, openly. Non-stop commercials convey the message: Help in the bedroom is just a prescription away. And while some 35 million men in this country have found a renewed sex life thanks to the “little blue pill,” Temple University urologist Jack Mydlo says many men can improve their performance without a visit to the doctor or a drugstore.

“The last thing I want them to do is take a pill and jump in bed because a certain art of the mechanism for erections is psychological. They have to be in the right mood, with the right person and take care of themselves,” says Dr. Mydlo, a professor and chair of the department of urology at Temple’s School of Medicine.

Instead, Mydlo offers simple tips to turn a man’s potency from uncertain to satisfying:

Stop smoking

Diabetes and high blood pressure restrict blood flow to the penis, leading to erectile dysfunction. But if you can rule those conditions out as causes of ED, the next culprit in line is cigarettes. “The No. 1 thing we can do to stop erectile dysfunction is to stop smoking. It’s the No. 1 environmental cause of ED in our society,” says Mydlo. The catch? Don’t expect better erections the minute you stop lighting up. He says it takes 12 to 24 months for better function once you quit the habit.

Control cholesterol

Cholesterol is a trigger of sorts for ED. “Men with a cholesterol level of 240 or higher have almost a twofold increase of ED compared to a man who has lower cholesterol numbers,” says Mydlo. That’s because high levels of cholesterol lead to plaque buildup in tubes in the penis and arteries, which can greatly reduce blood flow. And no blood flow means no erection. Mydlo encourages men to check with their doctors on exercise and cholesterol-lowering medications.

Cut back on fat

Obesity can be blamed for self-esteem issues involving appearance, as well as decreased performance. “Adipose tissue in body fat converts testosterone to estrogen, and lower levels of testosterone can make it difficult for a man to achieve an erection, no matter how many pills they take,” says Mydlo. Losing weight will improve the testosterone to estrogen ratio, which can improve sex drive, as well as erections.
For some of the 18 million men who have erectile dysfunction, these three tips may do the trick.

If all this has you in the mood for love, be sure to take our free Sexploration test and find other singles who are sure to light your fire!