YOUR LOVE LIFE SPARK UP Natural Ways to Boost Libido by Lisa Marshall
U
nderlying health issues aside, a hectic schedule packed with work deadlines, kids’ sport-
ing events and household chores can leave little time for intimacy. Letting that pattern go on too long can become a problem. “There’s a use-it-or-lose-it phenomenon that occurs,” says Dr. Anita Clayton, a University of Virginia psychiatry professor, neurologist and author of Satisfaction: Women, Sex, and the Quest for Intimacy. Despite what hyper-seductive female media stereotypes suggest we believe, in the real world, 39 percent of women feel they lack sex drive, and nearly half experience some kind of sexual dissatis- faction, according to a survey of 32,000 women published in the journal Obstet- rics & Gynecology. About one in eight women are significantly distressed about it. “The truth is, many of us don’t have great sex lives,” confirms Clayton. Sprout Pharmaceuticals introduced
Addyi, aka filbanserin, last fall; the first prescription drug to address low libido in women. Some heralded the controversial medication as “the little pink pill,” seeing it as the female ver-
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sion of males’ blue Viagra pill, which a half-million men purchased in its first month on the market in 1998. Yet several months after its launch, only about 1,000 women had tried Addyi and many doctors declined to prescribe it, due to its lack of widespread efficacy and possible adverse side effects, in- cluding low blood pressure and fainting when combined with alcohol. “This is a complex problem that requires a complex solution,” says Hono- lulu-based naturopathic physician Laurie Steelsmith, author of Great Sex Naturally: Every Woman’s Guide to Enhancing Her Sexuality Through the Secrets of Natu- ral Medicine. “For most women, drugs are not the answer.” She notes that for men, boosting libido is largely a matter of boosting circulation and blood flow to the penis. But for women, desire for lovemaking stems from an interplay of emotional, interpersonal, hormonal and anatomical drivers that make lack of desire harder to “treat”. The truth is that many simple, ef-
fective, non-drug approaches exist. As Boulder, Colorado, marriage therapist Michele Weiner Davis puts it, “There’s no reason why a woman wanting a more robust sex life cannot have one.”
www.NaturalAwakeningsLI.com
Overall Health Check The number one culprit for low libido in women is subpar physical health, says Steelsmith. “To be capable of fully enjoying pleasure, you need a healthy body.” Carrying excess weight can both erode self-esteem and lead to reduc- tions in a woman’s natural circulating testosterone, a critical hormone that helps ignite pleasure circuits in the female brain and increase sensitivity in the clitoris. Being underweight can result in fatigue and low sexual energy, diminished production of excitatory brain chemicals and low levels of estro- gen, key for keeping a woman moist. Meanwhile, Steelsmith explains, excess stress can prompt the body to “steal” from libido-boosting hormones like progesterone in order to make more of the stress-hormone cortisol. High blood sugar can drive down testoster- one, while high cholesterol can clog pelvic blood vessels, dulling sensation. Depression, diabetes and thyroid disorders are other major libido killers, says Clayton. “If you treat them effec- tively, you may see big improvements.” Women seeking to improve their
sexual health should first try to achieve a healthy weight via diet and exercise, Steelsmith says. She recommends an organic diet rich in complex carbohy- drates (which keep blood sugar bal- anced), lean protein (a precursor to desire-related neurotransmitters) and good fats (which help keep vulval tissues lubricated). Exercise—another circulation
booster—is also key. Do it before a scheduled hot date for even better results. One 2014 study of 52 women found that those that worked out prior to an anticipated romantic encounter had significantly increased sexual desire.
Pamper Femaleness Many women avoid sexual encounters for fear of sparking a urinary tract or vaginal infection. This becomes more common after age 40, as estrogen wanes and pelvic tissue thins and dries, leaving it more vulnerable to microbial invaders. Because semen is alkaline, it changes a woman’s vaginal
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