8 Ways to Naturally Boost Libido
An excellent indicator as to whether your hormones are in proper range and balanced is your sex drive. In my last post, I discussed the many health benefits of having orgasms more often, but what happens if your heart or head just isn’t in it (and hasn’t been for a little while)? Low sex drive can have a major impact on your relationship, with yourself and significant other, and can be extremely frustrating for all parties involved. There will likely be a natural flux of sex drive throughout your lifetime, but it is possible to have a healthy sex drive at any age. First, I’d like to tell you, as hard as it may be, to be patient with yourself. It’s common to feel guilt and shame, especially if your partner has a higher sex drive, but this can put more pressure and stress on you and worsen the problem. Secondly, there are ways to boost libido and to restore your sex life to its glory days!
What is a “Normal” Sex Drive?
We all have different baselines for “normal” and this can ebb and flow throughout our lives. Is a 60 year old going to have the same sexual appetite they had when they were in their 20’s? Likely not, but at the same time it’s not unrealistic to still expect to have that urge and desire. A healthy libido is whatever the ‘norm’ is for your body. Do you usually have a high sex drive and now barely want your partner to touch you? We can often safely assume, in that case, that something might be amiss. Has your sex drive always been lower? That might just be your baseline (however, stick around because the tips provided are safe for most everyone to try).
What Causes a Diminished Sex Drive?
You may be wondering where your sex drive has gone or what caused it tank in the first place. There are a variety of factors, both psychological and physical, that can cause a drop in libido including:
Aging
Menopause
Antidepressants & Medications
Depression
Low testosterone and other hormonal imbalances
Stress
Painful sex
Relationship problems
Trauma*
*Note: If you are a victim of trauma that has impacted your desire to have sex I would highly recommend talking with a licensed therapist who specializes in sexual trauma, as these tips won’t address the root cause.
How to Naturally Boost Libido
The first few tips address foundational health that will support a healthy libido and the last few discuss targeted foods and supplements that have been known to help with sex drive.
Increase Feelings of Closeness with Your Partner
It’s common for relationships to go through dry spells or periods of not feeling as close to one another. First thing that needs to happen is to talk about it with your partner. There are a bunch of exercises you can do together to increase feelings of closeness and intimacy, but first you should probably let them in on how you’re feeling.
Stress Relief
There are both physical stressors (such as medications, environmental toxins, over-exercising, not nourishing your body, etc.) and mental stress, which is what we often think of when we hear “stress”. Both of these play a role in your ability to become aroused. To cut down on your environmental toxins and endocrine disruptors, check out this guide.
If you are chronically stressed, the last thing your body wants to do is reproduce. Because it’s focusing on trying to keep you safe. My go-to stress relieving activities include meditation, breath work, going for walks, and grounding myself in nature. Head over to this post to read about how to manage stress more effectively.
Gentle Exercise
Weight lifting a couple times a week has been shown to boost testosterone, which is tied to sex drive. And yes, women produce testosterone too. Testosterone is not only is tied to sex drive, but also aids in mood and cognition, builds strength, preserves bone mineral density, and increases motivation. Low sex drive does not automatically mean low T, but exercise has been shown to help improve sex drive in other ways including stress relief, boosts confidence, improves blood circulation, and can help with flexibility to improve your sexual experience.e
Sleep
Have you ever been super tired and thought “man I could go for a quickie right about now”….I’m guessing not. If you’ve been here for awhile, you likely have heard me talk about sleep before and that’s because it is so integral to our overall health and wellbeing. Getting a good nights sleep can do wonders for your sex life and it’s easy to see why. It ties into stress: you aren’t meeting your body’s basic needs so why would it want to risk reproducing by having a healthy sex drive? Catch those z’s and then see how you feel.
Foods to Boost Libido
Okay, now for the more targeted tips. If you skipped to these next two steps, thinking they would fix your sex life in a jiffy, think again. Foundation is key, however there is some evidence showing that certain foods can boost sex drive. Foods like dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, oysters, nuts/seeds, and ginger, avocados, citrus fruits. All of these foods indirectly impact your libido in one way or another whether it’s through magnesium and boosting serotonin (dark chocolate) or providing healthy fats and omega 3’s to support hormone health (avocado’s and nuts). Again, eating one oyster isn’t going to magically make you want to jump your partner’s bones but overtime can support the processes needed for that to happen.
Maca Powder
I decided to give maca powder its own moment in the spotlight. In various studies, such as this one and this one maca powder has been shown to boost libido in both men and women. It has a kind of nutty flavor and can be added into smoothie, oatmeal, or latte’s. Incorporate 1 tsp per day and see how it impacts your sex life.
Adaptogens to Boost Libdo
Much like the food recommendations, these adaptogens and supplements may indirectly impact your sex drive. Some studies and anecdotal evidence has shown that ashwaganda, vitex, rhodiola, b-vitamins, zinc, tribulus, ginseng, L-carnotene, and vitamin d can help boost libdio for one reason or another. Disclaimer: this is not medical advice and you should discuss any new supplements with your doctor prior to starting a new regimen. Be sure to research which one might be best fit for you, as they all have different benefits. And if you need guidance on what brands to trust, check out my guide to non-toxic living, called “Toxic”.
Overall Healthful Diet
Lastly, cutting down on highly processed foods and incorporating more whole foods into your diet can help to cut down on inflammation and again is a good foundational practice to support your general wellbeing.
Having an active libido is a positive sign of overall health and balanced hormones. When it’s absent, it can be extremely frustrating and confusing. I experienced this first hand after coming off hormonal birth control. It impacted me and my partner and our relationship as a whole. Since then, it’s been fully restored, so I know that it’s more than possible to do. I focused mainly on the foundations that I discussed above and would inadvertently incorporate the foods mentioned. If you’re currently struggling with this, I completely understand wanting a quick fix but it does require a little patience and work. Reach out to me if you have any questions and as always, thanks for stopping by for a little balanced buzz.
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