3 Expert Opinions on Boosting Your Libido
Updated: Aug. 06, 2019
Is your libido out-of-whack with your spouse’s? Our experts share three fixes for a low sex drive.
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How to Boost Your Libido, According to a Doctor
Dr. Zoltan Rona practices complementary medicine in Toronto and is the author of the bestseller Return to the Joy of Health:
- Step 1, relax. You can manage your life stresses better with a nutritious diet, increased exercise, a good night’s sleep, massage, meditation or yoga. These relaxation techniques improve mood, blood flow and desire.
- Avoid tobacco, excess alcohol, processed foods and sugar. Getting your blood levels taken by your doctor will give you an idea of how much of each sex hormone-testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and DHEA you need and already have in your system.
- There’s tentative evidence that Ginkgo biloba extract can improve blood flow to the brain and sexual organs, and the aphrodisiac maca root might improve mild sexual dysfunction in men and women. Both are available in pill form at health-food stores. Other herbs that can boost libido, especially in women, include Vitex and Panax ginseng.
- Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, vitamin C, zinc and the amino acid L-arginine are all important nutrients for optimal hormonal health and sexual desire. Check with a natural-health-care practitioner for personalized dosages.
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How to Boost Your Libido, According to a Nutritionist
Toronto-based certified nutritionist Julie Daniluk co-hosts the reality cooking show Healthy Gourmet on the Oprah Winfrey Network and is the author of Meals That Heal Inflammation:
- Back in the 16th century, Aztec Emperor Montezuma II is said to have drunk hot chocolate to cope with his bevy of lovers—and he had the right idea. Dark chocolate contains flavonols that increase the amount of nitric oxide in your system, which works to reduce blood pressure and erectile dysfunction in men.
- Boost your testosterone, the “passion” hormone that decreases in men and women as we age, with avocado. Zinc is also associated with increased testosterone production, and just 85 grams’ worth of succulent oysters contains more than your daily recommended dosage of the mineral. Ashwagandha root, a popular aphrodisiac in traditional Asian medicines, can be mixed in powder form into water or nut butter.Â
- At the end of the day, nothing kills your mojo faster than stress, so make sure you make time to chill.
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How to Boost Your Libido, According to a Fitness Instructor
Amanda Vogel is a Vancouver-based certified fitness instructor and author of numerous books of Baby Boot Camp: The New Mom’s 9-Minute Fitness Solution:
- For many of us, looking good means feeling good: improving your body image with regular activity can help you feel less inhibited and more aroused in the bedroom. Working up to completing 20 or more minutes of continuous cardio exercise—such as jogging or swimming—can translate to better stamina and energy through the day, which will make the prospect of sex later on feel exciting rather than exhausting.
- Stress can play a role in whether you’re in the mood, so try to relax by doing yoga or going for a brisk walk. One study found that 12 weeks of yoga elevated sexual arousal for women between 30 and 60 years of age who had multiple health conditions, such as excess body fat, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
- Research shows that 20 minutes of exercise increases arousal in women taking antidepressants, which can impair sexual desire. Another study suggests that health factors associated with a sedentary lifestyle may contribute to erectile dysfunction in men. Overall, getting your body moving improves health and increases blood flow, which can boost libido.
Here are 10 healthy things that will happen to you when you start doing yoga.
Originally Published: February 07, 2018
Originally Published in Reader's Digest Canada
