12Th Century Text Links Diet to Desire

Maimonides, a 12th century physician and philosopher originally from Córdoba, Spain, wrote a treatise on sexual health offering advice to a high-ranking official in Egypt on increasing sexual potency. The text, recently translated into Spanish by El Desvelo Ediciones and philologist Darío Fernández Ruiz, does not resemble erotica. Instead, it emphasizes a healthy diet and positive emotional state as key to stimulating desire.

Maimonides believed sexual activity was a natural physiological and psychological function, framing it as a matter of public health. He recommended consuming foods like turnips, walnuts, and figs to enhance libido and semen quality, alongside practices like foot massage. However, he cautioned against excessive intercourse, which he believed could lead to mental weakness.

The treatise, organized into ten chapters and focused solely on the male perspective, offers a pioneering medical reflection on the physiology, hygiene, and psychology of desire. It prioritizes preventative medicine and holistic wellbeing, considering emotions and feelings as integral to sexual function.