A lot of recent brain research has focused on how high-calorie foods alter brain balance. For example, a rat’s dopamine receptor density declines sharply with its first heavenly helping of fatty food. Learn more in these articles:
- This is what happens to your brain when you stop eating sugar
- Has Evolution Trained Our Brains to Gorge on Food and Sex?
- Intoxicating Behaviors: 300 Vaginas = A Lot of Dopamine
- Protect Your Appetite for Pleasure
- Fasting (visitor’s suggestion)
- Will Healthy Eating Make You Happier? A Research Synthesis Using an Online Findings Archive
As the same reward circuitry in the brain governs both food and sex, it’s not surprising that recovering users report that improving their diet makes improving sexual balance easier. Conversely, consuming junk food increases cravings for porn during withdrawal.
Find which diet improves the balance of your brain. We don’t have any specific recommendations, but here are some general guidelines:
- Candy and starchy foods, such as a bag of chips, often make cravings worse (possibly because they dysregulate dopamine). Visitors say they can also promote wet dreams!
- Spicy foods have traditionally been avoided by monks. It may be that they cause a slight inflammation in the genital region, which the body associates with sexual arousal.
- A vegetarian diet is rumored to ease sexual cravings.
- Some guys report that caffeine can trigger relapes:
I had another 200 mg caffeine pill before my run tonight. I thought, oh, what harm could it do if it helps me run farther, encouraging me to get a natural “runner’s high” and not want PMO? But it led to PMO again… like clockwork. No more caffeine for me whatsoever.
Comments from forum members:
- Another tip: I’ve learned to stay away from sugary food. I had some chocolate and for the next two days I had bad cravings for my DOC (drug of choice >> porn).
- I remember the mood swings, the cravings, the feelings of being physically ill [during withdrawal]. So I decided to start eating healthy to quicken my recovery. I didn’t eat unhealthy to begin with, but I started eating more nuts, fruits, greens and pure meats. It worked wonders, and I still do it today.
- Clean diet—no inflammatory foods, excess proteins, etc.—was one of the three most helpful changes I made. The other two were getting out via socializing and traveling and exercise.
Try intermittent fasting everyday and I guarantee you your pied will be 100percent gone. Fasting actually does the same exact thing as nofap: increases dopamine and androgen receptor sensitivity and thus I’ve found that if you combine them you become an animal. Sometimes however I feel like I’m experiencing too much real life when I combine these, it’s really a strange feeling. The only way I can describe it is that I feel like a roided out Tarzan. Very odd sensation because it’s the opposite of how I’ve been most of my life. permalink
- An important aspect of recovery is managing ALL types of addictions, including food addictions. Addictions can be tied together, like the alcoholic who needs a smoke. A cigarette could trigger an alcohol binge as well. It’s the same for us. Refined sugars do this for me in a big way, so I try to limit processed sugar and foods from the diet. I experience hangovers when I drop them, similar to orgasm hangovers, and when I take both of them out at the same time, it can be hell for a little while. I eliminate processed breads as well: white breads and white pasta (literally “paste”). Brown rice instead of white rice has been helpful. More fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly organic if possible. Lots of water. Mostly vegetarian, but I will eat a fish if it swims onto my plate. In addition, I take a food-based vitamin, trace minerals, and omega 3’s.
- We went cold-turkey with carbs. It took about two or three weeks of withdrawal before we were totally free of the cravings. By cold-turkey I mean *no* carbs that didn’t come in meat, fish, eggs or green vegetables, berries or coconut. (no grains of any kind, no beans, no milk, no sugar/honey, no high-carb fruits) Then I lived very low carb (I had added dairy back in) for about 4 months before I chose to begin testing which denser carbs I can eat without subsequent cravings, hangover, congestive or digestive issues. There are lots of resources out there if you’re interested in breaking free of the carb-addiction most of us have, even if we’re following the standard ‘healthy high-fiber whole grain diet’. Here’s just one source as a starting point: https://web.archive.org/web/20110102080811/http://whole9life.com/2010/12/whole30-2011/
- If you are dragging ass on low-carb paleo, look for info on higher-carb paleo. If you google “Kitavan” you’ll find some bloggers talking about it.
- ED officially cured: Started 3 years ago. I think Paleo diet helped.
Find what works for you. People need different levels of animal protein for ideal function, for example. Also see the childpages below.
;
I would strongly suggest eating “clean.” There’s a lot of movement towards this trend lately, and for good reason. Eating clean is simply about eating foods that are natural, and abstaining from foods that tax the human body.
Eating clean usually involves getting rid of wheat (gluten, the same sticky substance that makes bread squishy, clogs up your GI tract and limits nutrient intake), sugar (for the obvious addictive properties, immune system inhibitors, and blood sugar/dopamine surges), and most cow dairy (difficult for the body to process, even if you’re not lactose intolerant). You might think if you take these away, what’s left to eat? You would be surprised how much is out there once you set aside the asumption that you need wheat, sugar, and dairy to survive and thrive. There is much more focus on alternative grains like spelt and kamut (ancient wheat species that have not been overly hybridized and are low in gluten), fruits & vegetables, meats, and alternative dairy like yogurt and goat cheese. There are so many other choices out there that are so much better for us.
A few years ago I thought we ate quite healthy. We ate almost no processed food and my wife baked and cooked meals from scratch using wholesome ingredients. We didn’t eat much in the way of candy or sugar. Or so we thought.
When my wife and went on the 8 week eat-clean challenge I felt better on the FIRST DAY. I didn’t have my 2pm crash, you know the one where you feel like doing a George Castanza and taking a nap under my desk. By week 3 most of the cravings had disappeared and I felt the best I had ever felt. Gone was the fatigue, brain fog, moodiness. I had zero cramping or digestion or bathroom issues. I was so regular I could set my clock to it. And I lost weight and watched my little bulge of a belly turn into washboard abs, without doing any exercises. It really was remarkable.
We’ve read some of Tosca Reno’s stuff, see her here
http://www.toscareno.com/
…or the 8 week challenge here
http://www.8weekchallenge.com/
…but otherwise just google “clean eating” and you’ll see lots to research.