Sex is now regarded as a basic instinct like hunger. Sexual activity, however, demands complete concentration and relaxation and it cannot be performed in haste and tension. Persons who are usually tense and over-occupied are unable to follow these norms. Many persons, therefore, suffer from sexual dysfunctions. The most common male sexual dysfunction is impotence or loss of sexual power.

Symptoms of Impotence:
Primary Impotence: It occurs when the man`s erectile dysfunction is present from the very beginning of sexual activity, but he simply cannot have an erection. This is a rare manifestation of the problem.

Secondary Impotence: It is the commonest and this implies that the man can normally attain an erection but fails on one or more occasions in between normal activity.

Third form of Impotence: It is associated with age and is a continuous and serious form with poor prognosis.

Causes of Impotence:
Since erection is the result of erotic excitement, intact nervous pathways and adequate hormonal functioning, the pathological causes of impotence are numerous. It may occur as a result of psychological illness such as depression, which lowers sexual drive and erectile function, tiredness, alcohol abuse, the therapeutic use of estrogens, paralysis of the parasympathetic nerves by drugs or permanent damage to them and diabetes. Other causes of impotence are abuse or misuse of the sexual organism over a long period and devitalised condition of the system in general.

However, the main problem of secondary impotence is the apprehension created by failure, which generates a good deal of anxiety for the next time round regarding the likelihood of failure. If, in fact, intercourse is attempted again and the same failure results, then a vicious circle is established. Anxiety of failure is established as an anticipatory reflex, which in turn impairs the capacity of the penis.

Treatment of Impotence:
The patient should adopt an exclusive fresh fruit diet from five to seven days. In this regimen, he can have three meals a day, at five hourly intervals, of fresh juicy fruits such as grapes, oranges, apples, pears, peaches, pineapple and melon. Even the bowels should be cleansed daily during this period with a warm-water enema.

After the all-fruit diet, the patient may gradually embark upon a balanced diet of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits, with generous use of special rejuvenative foods such as whey, soured milks, particularly made from goat`s milk, millet, garlic, honey, cold-pressed vegetable oils and brewer`s yeast. However, the patient should avoid smoking, alcohol, tea, coffee and all processed, canned, refined and denaturated foods, especially white sugar and white flour and products made from them.

Certain foods are considered highly beneficial in the treatment of impotence. The most important of these is garlic, since it is a natural and harmless aphrodisiac. It is a tonic for loss of sexual power from any cause and for sexual debility and impotence resulting from sexual over indulgence and nervous exhaustion. Onion is another important aphrodisiac food. It stands second only to garlic. It increases libido and strengthens the reproductory organs. The white variety of onion, is however, more useful for this purpose.

Carrot is also considered useful in impotence. For better results, carrot should be taken with a half-boiled egg dipped in a tablespoonful of honey once daily for a month or two, since it increases sex stamina by releasing sex hormones and strengthens the sexual plexus.

The ladyfinger is another great tonic for improving sexual vigour. It has been mentioned in ancient Indian literature that by taking five to 10 grams of root powder of this vegetable with milk and `misri` daily retains one`s sexual vigour for a long time.

Black raisins are also useful for restoration of sexual vigour. They should be boiled with milk after washing them thoroughly in tepid water. This will make them swollen and sweet. Eating of such raisins should be followed by the use of milk. Starting with 30 grams of raisins with 200 ml. of milk, three times daily, the quantity of raisins should be gradually increased to 50 grams each time.

A vigorous massage all over the body is highly beneficial in the treatment of impotence, as it revives the muscular vigour, which is essential for nervous energy. The pelvic region controls the nerves of the genital organs. Hence a cold hip bath for 10 minutes in the morning or evening is also very effective.

Treatment of Impotence by Yogic Asanas:
Every effort should be made to build up the general health level to the highest degree and fresh air and outdoor exercise are essential to the success of the treatment. Yogasanas such as dhanurasana, sarvangasana and halasana are also highly beneficial.