Think a romantic meal of beef tenderloin with a side of potatoes sounds delicious? Maybe with a nice Bordeaux?  Perhaps it does (especially if it’s grass-fed beef!), but it may decrease your chances of conception.

A new study shows that men who want to be fathers should increase their intake of fruits and veggies and decrease their consumption of fatty foods like red meat and creamy dishes.

Men who ate healthy diets not only had faster sperm, they had more sperm in their semen. It was both a quality and quantity effect.

Dr. Jaime Mendiola of the University of Murcia, Spain said of his research:

In this study, we have found that people who consume more fruits and vegetables are ingesting more anti-oxidants and this is the important point.

We saw that, among the couples with fertility problems coming to the clinic, the men with good semen quality ate more vegetables and fruit than those men with low seminal quality.

There are obviously many factors that influence fertility, and this is only one.

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So combine a little more action in the bedroom with a breastfeeding or post partum mom (which could be anywhere to years after you have kids, at least that’s what I tell myself) and lubricant is a necessary evil. But know this, as my sex columnist alter-ego the Mominatrix would say, not all lubes are created equal. According to Good Clean Love, a mom-owned business and website aimed at “making love sustainable,” over 90% of lubes contain chemicals aimed at car and oven cleaning; probably not anything you’d want anywhere near your nether regions.

Aside from being extremely effective, my suggestions for personal lubricants are made using naturally-minded practices, which includes no testing on animals and natural ingredients.

Keep these bedside if you’re looking at a very very long winter.

1) Good Clean Love offers naturally scented lubes that are long lasting and recommended by gynecologists.

2) Emerita natural personal lubricants, including their popular OH warming gel, are made for women, by women.

3) The Sliquid Sassy Booty Formula is all natural and glycerin free, which is great for the many folks who are sensitive or allergic. *Link not safe for work*

4) Parent-owned LeastLikely2Breed.net makes a fantastic lubricant with an almost equally fantastic name that’s great to combat personal dryness as well as help things along in the bedroom.

With any one of these lubricants, you’ll be sure to make the holiday season a memorable one. Just remember to lock the bedroom door.