Sexual health is not spoken of enough in a healthy and natural way. No matter what your beliefs are around sex, it is still a part of human life and should be understood is a holistic and natural way. We are taught about sexually transmitted diseases and practicing safe-sex techniques, which is definitely important, but we need to also learn about a healthy libido that plays a huge role in a relationship.
This Valentine’s Day, let’s focus less on heart-shaped chocolates, flowers and teddy bears, and more on natural supplements and methods that can balance male and female hormones and maintain a healthy libido.
Firstly, here are some factors that may lower your libido:
1. Stress and anxiety – This is perhaps the top reason for low libido in males and females. Sexual intimacy is part of your parasympathetic nervous system which controls sleep, digestion and reproduction. You might’ve heard the phrase ‘rest and digest’ because that is what this system does. When you are stressed on a day-to-day basis, your body shuts off these less important functions to boost your adrenaline, energy and alertness. When you do not give yourself and your mind the rest and self-care it needs, your body functions on a heightened sense. This may work for a few weeks perhaps, but it often leads to a state of burn out and fatigue and ultimately decrease your sexual desire.
2. Hormones – Male hormones are a lot simpler to monitor and keep in check because they do not fluctuate as vastly as female hormones do. For females, your menstrual cycle and hormone balance is hugely linked to your libido. Your body is designed to reproduce when your hormones are at their peak (ovulation) and so you may notice a high libido over that time. However, before your period starts, your hormones drop majorly to allow shedding of the uterus, which is what causes your Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and a lowering of your libido. If these hormones are not properly balanced because of the contraceptive pill, stress or lifestyle factors, it can disrupt that natural flow of libido.
3. Menopause – A ‘pause’ from men perhaps?? Many women feel this way when they reach menopause and feel pressure to keep up with their partners sexual desire. Menopause is the end of the menstrual cycle in women and the decline in those major female hormones which can result in dryness and low libido. This is one reason why menopausal woman take Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) as a way to keep their hormone levels high, but this comes with side effects and risks of cancer.
4. Relationship status – I don’t mean this in the Facebook sense, but in the literal sense! What is the status of your relationship with your sexual partner? Do you feel supported, heard, loved and understood on an emotional level? How would you describe your relationship and do you feel satisfied with that? The mind and emotions play a huge role in how your body reacts and if there is any tension or things left unsaid, this can quickly build up into a resentment which in turns lowers your desire and drive.
5. Medication and chronic disease – When your body is dealing with chronic inflammation and disease, it uses all of its energy and resources to fight that and keep you strong. Just like with chronic stress, the body shuts down these ‘less important’ functions like reproduction because it needs that energy to fix your body instead. Certain medications can also cause a decrease in libido like blood pressure meds and antidepressants.
6. Sexual problems – Beyond the internal imbalances that can happen in the body, some things are more functional and you may not have a healthy sex life because these things hinder you, even if you do have the desire. Vaginal dryness in women and erectile dysfunction in men are the top in this category. It is always important to find a professional that can address the underlying issue to find out what the cause is and treat it from there.
7. Trauma – sexual abuse or emotional trauma of any kind can be a huge factor towards the way you look at sex and intimacy. If you have experienced any form of trauma, please seek out the right professionals that can help you work through it.
Here are some helpful supplements and tricks to Naturally boost your libido:
· Ashwagandha – a wonderful herb for both men and women that helps to reduce stress, give deeper sleep and protects the heart and liver. It is also useful in increasing sperm quality.
· Ginseng – this herb is great for men and women and increases circulation, gives you energy and helps reduce stress. It can be used for erectile dysfunction in men.
· Tribulus terrestris – this herb is mostly beneficial for men but can also help women. It increases libido as well as testosterone so is useful in impotence. It can also be used in menopause to help balance hormones.
· Black Maca Powder – this root powder is a wonderful nutritional source and has many health benefits including lowering blood pressure, increasing energy, reducing depression and anxiety, improving fertility and sperm count, and can be used during menopause.
· L-Arginine – an amino acid that builds muscles in the body. It can be used to improve male fertility, protects the liver and decreases fat.
· Aromatherapy Oils – such as ylang-ylang, lavender, rose or sandalwood can be used as massage oils (externally only), diffusers or as incense to create relaxation and a more sensual environment.
· Wild yam – this has been used for many years for female hormonal balance. It increases female hormone production and aids with symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes and vaginal dryness.
· Saw palmetto – this is a great herb for men who are suffering with any prostate issues such as enlargement or cancer. It can assist with increasing sperm count and testosterone. It can also be used to help with balding and hair loss.
· Homeopathy – this is not always a known method of therapy when it comes to fertility and sexual health, but homeopathy has some wonderful natural remedies that can assist in these areas. A homeopath will try to find the root cause of the problem and treat that first. Homeopaths look at the mind and body together in a holistic way to treat each person individually.
Dr Sarah Tandy