Hey tired mamma, are you worried you lost your mojo? Don’t worry, you are not alone! A low libido is one of the most common complaints we hear from our clients. Between the late nights, early mornings, organising the kids, working, planning and everything else life throws at us. It’s no wonder there is little time or energy left for love making.
When it comes to sex drive, there are many factors that are involved. Luckily, as Naturopaths we can play a positive role in addressing the root cause and provide you with the tools and support you need to address your concerns. Today we are here to share with you our top tips to help you reignite your sex drive!
Why is my libido low?
Our libido levels are linked to our physical, mental and emotional health. Everything from fatigue and stress to hormonal imbalances and psychological factors including anxiety and depression, can all play a role in low sex drive. Medications including some anti-depressants, sleep aids and birth control can also affect your libido.
Natural ways to boost your libido
Get intimate
Intimacy isn’t just about sex, it’s also about desire! One sure way to increase your libido, is to put some effort into intimacy. Give each other massages, take baths together, or go for a romantic weekend away – do whatever you need to help you reconnect physically. It doesn’t need to be about sex; it can be about romance and love at first, and you may find those feelings develop into sexual desires.
Get some testing done
Chatting with your Naturopath or health practitioner to get some hormone testing completed is a great way to identify if your hormones are the reason for your low sex drive. Your Naturopath may suggest a salivary hormone test to assess your cortisol levels (the stress hormone), your DHEA (anti-stress/anti-aging hormone), estrogens, progesterone and testosterone levels, which can all play a role in your libido.
Your health practitioner may also have your thyroid tested too as a slow functioning thyroid can affect your energy and decrease your sex drive. Other tests that may be considered include your iron and B12 levels. These are commonly low in females, and deficiencies result in fatigue and low motivation.
Fix up your diet!
Nothing replaces a well-balanced diet which includes a good source of protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. The key is to focus on reducing the number of highly processed foods you eat, and focus on nourishing wholefoods.
We need good sources of healthy fats to create our hormones which are involved in a healthy sex drive. Focus on getting enough healthy fats throughout your day by eating foods such as wild caught fish, avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil and grass-fed butter. Zinc also increases testosterone, so make sure you eat oysters if you can or pumpkin seeds.
Move your body
Exercise improves circulation, helps manage stress and promotes muscle definition. It also releases those feel-good chemicals that make us feel happy. When you feel good physically and emotionally, you’re more likely to be in the mood for love. In addition, studies have found that those who exercise regularly have healthy levels of testosterone, which is a key hormone in supporting a healthy sex drive.
Manage your stress
Stress can be difficult to deal with and can leave you feeling exhausted and turned off sex. Chronic stress can also interfere with your hormone levels, resulting in lower libido. By reducing your stress levels, you can improve your sex drive. Exercise is a great way to start de-stressing, as well as breathing exercises, meditation and incorporating weekly self-care rituals.
Try some supplements
Maca powder
The Peruvian superfood maca has an aphrodisiac-like action and can help modulate hormones. Simply adding a daily dose of maca powder to your breakfast smoothie can be a great way to support a healthy libido. Our favourite maca powder is the Nutra Organics - Buy Here
Withania
Withania is an adrenal adaptogen which means it helps support the body in times of stress and support the adrenal glands production of hormones. It is also a nervine tonic so it’s great for soothing over stressed people and particularly useful in times of ongoing stress.
Shatavari
Shatavari has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years as an aphrodisiac and is best known as “she who has hundreds of husbands” due to its tonic effects on female reproduction and supporting healthy libido.
Damiana and Tribulus
These two popular hormonal herbs both support healthy testosterone levels which is vital for a healthy sex drive.
Cordyceps mushroom
As we know chronic stress can decrease your libido. Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom that is used to revitalise the body during fatigue and has shown to improve sex drive.
Whole Health Studio Balance Hormone Support
This is one of our absolute faves when it comes to hormonal support! It is a beautiful blend of key nutrients and herbs to promote hormonal balance and modulate stress, which are both so important when it comes to our sex drive! Shop it here
