Massage and Dietary Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction (Part 1)

What are some common health care methods that men with erectile dysfunction can use?

(1) Massage therapy

1) Massage the soles of your feet once each morning and before going to bed. Each time, first massage the sole of your right foot 100 times with your left palm, then massage the sole of your left foot 100 times with your right palm. The movements should be gentle, continuous, and with appropriate pressure.

2) Lie on your back and press the Shenque acupoint with the heel of your palm until you feel a warm sensation below the navel. The technique should be gentle and deep, and the time should be about 3 minutes. Then use the thenar eminence to massage the Qihai, Guanyuan, and Zhongji acupoints for about 2 minutes each. Finally, use the palm massage technique on the Qihai and Guanyuan acupoints for about 3 minutes until you feel a warm sensation in the lower abdomen.

(2) External drug treatment

1) Take 500 grams of green salt, stir-fry it over high heat until hot, and put it into a cloth bag. Alternatively, take equal parts of ginger, fennel seeds, and scallions, crush them, put them into a cloth bag, stir-fry them until hot, and apply the hot compress to the lower abdomen or below the navel. Replace the bag when it cools down. Do this for 1 hour each time, twice a day. This can treat impotence.

2) Poultice therapy: Apply an appropriate amount of honeycomb ash to the penis at night.

3) Umbilical application therapy: Take 6 grams each of gallnut and roasted astragalus, and 3 grams of sulfur, grind them into a fine powder, put them into a hollowed-out aconite root, and then put them into 250 ml of white wine. Simmer over low heat until the wine is dry. Take the aconite root, crush it into a paste, apply it to the navel, bandage it and fix it. Remove it after 3 days. Apply the medicine once every 10 days.

4) Topical therapy: Take equal amounts of rhubarb and phellodendron bark, decoct them, and apply the decoction to the penis twice a day to treat erectile dysfunction.

Shenque (CV8): also known as the navel or umbilicus, is an important acupoint on the Ren meridian. It has the effects of warming Yang, rescuing from collapse, promoting diuresis, and preventing prolapse.

Qihai (CV6): Located on the anterior midline of the lower abdomen, 1.5 cun below the navel. It has the effects of invigorating qi and yang, regulating menstruation and consolidating the meridians.

Guanyuan (CV4): Located on the lower abdomen, on the anterior midline, 3 cun below the navel. It has the effects of nourishing vital energy, promoting urination, and relieving urinary tract infections.

Zhongji (CV3): Located in the lower abdomen, on the anterior midline, 4 cun below the umbilicus. It can benefit the kidneys and invigorate yang, regulate menstruation and stop leukorrhea.

What dietary therapy methods can be used for patients with erectile dysfunction?

According to traditional Chinese medicine records, the following foods are beneficial for patients with erectile dysfunction.

Sea cucumber: A typical high-protein, low-fat, and low-cholesterol food. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that sea cucumber is sweet and salty, warm and nourishing, and can invigorate the kidneys and treat impotence. It is suitable for patients suffering from chronic weakness, depletion of essence and blood, dizziness, tinnitus, lower back pain, fatigue, nocturnal emission, and frequent urination. A suitable remedy is to take an appropriate amount of sea cucumber and 100 grams of glutinous rice. Soak the sea cucumber thoroughly, clean it, slice it, and cook it until tender. Then add the glutinous rice and cook into a thin porridge. Season to taste and consume. This is suitable for those with kidney essence deficiency.

Shrimp: It is sweet and salty in taste, warm in nature, and enters the liver and kidney meridians. It has the effects of strengthening yang and kidney, invigorating qi and nourishing yin, nourishing blood and consolidating essence, promoting lactation and detoxifying. Eating shrimp can have a health-strengthening effect for ordinary people.

Lamb: Sweet, warm, and non-toxic. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* records that "lamb can warm the middle and replenish deficiency, invigorate the middle and benefit qi, stimulate appetite and strengthen the body, benefit kidney qi, nourish the gallbladder and improve eyesight, and treat weakness and coldness, and the five weaknesses and seven injuries." Cooking lamb thoroughly and eating the meat and drinking the broth can benefit those with insufficient kidney yang. Lamb kidneys, sweet and warm in nature, have the effects of promoting sperm production and blood circulation, and strengthening yang and tonifying the kidneys. The *Rihua Materia Medica* records that lamb kidneys can "replenish deficiency and weakness, strengthen yang and benefit the kidneys," making them suitable for those with kidney deficiency.

Donkey meat: Donkey meat is delicious and is a high-protein, low-fat, and low-cholesterol meat. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that donkey meat is sweet and cool in nature, and has the effects of replenishing qi and blood, nourishing yin and strengthening yang, calming the mind and relieving irritability. Donkey kidneys are sweet and warm in nature, and have the effects of tonifying the kidneys and strengthening yang, strengthening muscles and bones, and can treat impotence, lower back and knee weakness, etc.