Tag: libido

Lost Your Mojo, Dude? Best Ways To Boost Male Libido

Chef V

Veronica and Brandon in bed

Is your man having an affair? Or does he just need to get his mojo back? Chef V shares some tips on the best ways to boost libido in men. 

Is your man feeling less manly lately? Tell him not to worry. Considering the stressful times of the last 18 months he’s certainly not alone. As I mentioned in the intro to my recent post, “Best Foods for Great S-E-X” lots of couples were getting it on more than normal in the first weeks of the pandemic because of the lockdown. 

But gradually over the last several months, many a manly man’s libido has plummeted. And it’s no fault of their own. And just like any normal year, there’s a one-word answer to blame for the loss of mojo: STRESS. 

Throw in a pandemic and many men may be tempted to solve the loss of desire by taking the little blue pill. But taking a little blue pill is the equivalent of going into battle without ammunition. Erectile dysfunction (ED) pills help raise the roof but don’t solve the problem of wanting to raise it in the first place. 

Now, before I reveal what I believe are the best tips for boosting your guy’s desire, let’s explore the main reasons why he doesn’t feel like getting it on in the first place. Remember, it’s not his fault and he needs to know that. 

men's libido and stress

Root Causes of Low Libido In Men

And it’s not just COVID anxiety that’s to blame for stress and a decrease in male libido. Other lifestyle factors such as drinking too much alcohol, taking recreational drugs, not getting enough antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids in the diet … these can all contribute to a loss of desire. 

—> Not getting enough antioxidants in your diet but don’t have time to cook healthy or don’t like the taste of leafy green veggies? Drink ‘em up. 

If we’re to believe the TV commercials, however, low libido in men is caused by the simple root cause of “low testosterone” or low T. 

But having low T is merely a symptom of chronic stress. And when your body is frequently in fight or flight mode the normal hormonal pathways are interrupted. You can think of hormonal pathways as a superhighway matrix. But if there’s an accident, on this superhighway, things get backed up and testosterone production plummets.

If your guy is frequently suffering from low libido, I recommend that he get a sex hormone panel test. A healthy level of testosterone is at least 300 ng/dl. 

Supposing that testosterone levels are indeed low, your guy’s doctor probably won’t educate him about how chronic stress zaps the body of a hormone that’s a precursor to testosterone. This hormone is called pregnenolone. When pregnenolone is “shifted” from its usual metabolic highway, less testosterone is produced. 

Chef V mens libido good

Reversing Chronic Stress To Increase Libido

Hey, no news flash here but it’s important to go over the fact that stress management techniques are a must for normalizing hormones and increasing male libido. Spending at least 45 minutes a day walking in a beautiful natural setting like the beach or the woods. Power off your phone while you’re out in nature. 

Yoga, meditation, tai-chi and qigong are also excellent ways to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the opposite of your body’s overstimulated ‘fight or flight’ sympathetic nervous system.  

Added sugars also cause stress to the body. And when it comes to sexy time, the extra sweet stuff can impair blood flow to the sexual organs. If your guy likes to have a few beers, it’s important he knows that alcohol, at least in my book, is the same as added sugar. 

Eating a clean, low-sugar, low-simple-carb diet, getting daily exercise and practicing stress-management techniques is a great way to kick start male libido. 

ginseng twigs

Best Supplements For Male Sexual Desire & Performance

But sometimes we all need a helping hand. And who better to turn to for help in the bedroom than Mother Nature herself? She’s held the wisdom and secrets of great love making throughout the ages…

Here, then, are some of the best research-backed botanicals and nutrients for supporting male libido:

  • Yohimbe bark: From the bark of the African yohimbe tree, this botanical is legendary for supporting virility. It stimulates the nervous system without raising heartbeat rate or blood pressure.
  • Tongkat Ali root: Research shows it leads to free-testosterone concentrations in men.
  • Tribulus: Known as a longevity herb in Chinese medicine.
  • Zinc: It’s not just for immune support. Turns out this mineral, to quote Healthline, “has a positive effect on arousal and maintaining an erection.” SHWING!
  • Vitamin B12: Supports energy levels and stamina. As men (and women) age, vitamin B12 levels tend to decline.
  • Fenugreek seed: “Researchers found that men taking fenugreek can boost their sex drive by at least a quarter,” says an article in WashingtonPost.com.
  • Rhodiola root: An adaptogenic herb, this stress-neutralizing plant influences mood-regulating neurotransmitters, dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin, all of which are key to sexual function and libido.
  • Other adaptogens: Adaptogenic herbs are known as adaptogens because they help the body adapt to stress and normalize bodily functions. This includes restoring balance to sex hormones. Other examples include ginseng, maca and astragalus. 

mens libido high

Conclusion: Give Him Time To Get It On

Before you rush out to your local pharmacy or shop online for these herbs and nutrients for your man, keep in mind that you don’t have to purchase every single one. Taking one or two at a time can yield impressive, noticeable results. But because these are not pharmaceutical drugs, these results may take much longer than a little blue pill to take effect. 

But all good things come to those who wait!

Chef V, Veronica Wheat and husband Brandon Kress

Best Foods For Great S-E-X

Jean Yates

Best Foods For Great S-E-X

Best foods for great S-E-X – Ladies: don’t feel like getting it on lately? Got no mojo, gentlemen? Here’s how certain foods and holistic health can improve your sex life.

A curious thing happened in the initial weeks of the pandemic. Couples who for the most part functioned as roommates prior to the pandemic suddenly rediscovered their intimate side. 

Despite the stress and fear in the early days of the pandemic, stay-at-home orders led to an initial increase in sex. After all, what else is there to do besides watch TV when you’re stuck at home all day and night? 

However, as stay-at-home orders eased (at least in the U.S.) and life’s other chronic stressors returned to the fold, our collective libido plummeted to pre-pandemic levels.

So if your libido is shot because of Covid-anxiety and life’s general grinding assault, I’ve got some tips for you about foods for great S-E-X…

Root Causes Of Low Libido

But before I share my tips for restoring your libido, including the best foods for great S-E-X, let’s explore some of the factors responsible for lowering sex drive.

Obviously, stress is a huge factor. But how exactly does stress affect libido? Chronic stress places a huge demand on two glands that rest on top of the kidneys called the suprarenal glands. You probably know these glands by their more familiar name, the adrenal glands.  

Your adrenal glands produce stress hormones such as cortisol. Cortisol plays several critical roles in the body, including normalizing inflammation levels; regulating blood pressure, and increasing blood sugar in order to deal with an emergency situation. 

The problem with chronic stress is that your body acts as if it’s always an emergency situation. And after a while, elevated or insufficient cortisol levels cause an imbalance of sex hormones. 

Imbalanced sex hormones can make sex torturous for women. For example, poor sex hormone balance can lead to vaginal dryness. 

Women who suffer from vaginal dryness often experience anxiety before intimacy because of the dilemma caused by the lack of enjoyment and the desire to please their partner. This pre-intimacy anxiety leads to a vicious cycle of more stress. And it’s not just women going through menopause that experience this. 

For men, excess cortisol results in poor sexual performance or a lack of desire to engage in sexual activity. 

Ancient Secrets To Enjoying Sex

Ancient Secrets To Enjoying Sex

No, I’m not going to rehash steamy scenes from the Kama Sutra here. But what I do want to share is the simple yet profound logic of traditional Chinese medicine that rules all aspects of life including getting it on between the sheets. 

You’ve probably heard of Yin and Yang. But can you define them? No, it’s not as simple as opposites. Rather, Yin and Yang are two halves of the same whole, constantly transforming but always striving to maintain harmony. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, every organ system strives for Yin/Yang balance, or as we would say in the West, homeostasis. 

When homeostasis is achieved, that is every single bodily system is running efficiently, a healthy libido will naturally arise (no pun intended). 

When your body is mostly humming perfectly along with Yin-Yang balance, blood vessels widen, circulation improves, the synapses that activate sensory organs fire more effectively and sex organs and sensual areas of the body receive enhanced blood flow. 

Ladies: don’t feel like getting it on lately? Got no mojo, gentlemen? Here’s how certain foods and holistic health can improve your sex life. A curious thing happened in the initial weeks of the pandemic. Couples who for the most part functioned as roommates prior to the pandemic suddenly rediscovered their intimate side. Despite the stress and fear in the early days of the pandemic, stay-at-home orders led to an initial increase in sex. After all, what else is there to do besides watch TV when you’re stuck at home all day and night? However, as stay-at-home orders eased (at least in the U.S.) and life’s other chronic stressors returned to the fold, our collective libido plummeted to pre-pandemic levels. So if your libido is shot because of Covid-anxiety and life’s general grinding assault, I’ve got some tips for you… Root Causes Of Low Libido But before I share my tips for restoring your libido, including the best foods to eat for a healthy sex life, let’s explore some of the factors responsible for lowering sex drive. Obviously, stress is a huge factor. But how exactly does stress affect libido? Chronic stress places a huge demand on two glands that rest on top of the kidneys called the suprarenal glands. You probably know these glands by their more familiar name, the adrenal glands. Your adrenal glands produce stress hormones such as cortisol. Cortisol plays several critical roles in the body, including normalizing inflammation levels; regulating blood pressure, and increasing blood sugar in order to deal with an emergency situation. The problem with chronic stress is that your body acts as if it’s always an emergency situation. And after a while, elevated or insufficient cortisol levels cause an imbalance of sex hormones. Imbalanced sex hormones can make sex torturous for women. For example, poor sex hormone balance can lead to vaginal dryness. Women who suffer from vaginal dryness often experience anxiety before intimacy because of the dilemma caused by the lack of enjoyment and the desire to please their partner. This pre-intimacy anxiety leads to a vicious cycle of more stress. And it’s not just women going through menopause that experience this. For men, excess cortisol results in poor sexual performance or a lack of desire to engage in sexual activity. Air Fryer Ancient Secrets To Enjoying Sex No, I’m not going to rehash steamy scenes from the Kama Sutra here. But what I do want to share is the simple yet profound logic of traditional Chinese medicine that rules all aspects of life including getting it on between the sheets. You’ve probably heard of Yin and Yang. But can you define them? No, it’s not as simple as opposites. Rather, Yin and Yang are two halves of the same whole, constantly transforming but always striving to maintain harmony. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, every organ system strives for Yin/Yang balance, or as we would say in the West, homeostasis. When homeostasis is achieved, that is every single bodily system is running efficiently, a healthy libido will naturally arise (no pun intended). When your body is mostly humming perfectly along with Yin-Yang balance, blood vessels widen, circulation improves, the synapses that activate sensory organs fire more effectively and sex organs and sensual areas of the body receive enhanced blood flow. air fryer and avocado oil How To Achieve Yin-Yang Balance For Great Sex

How To Achieve Yin-Yang Balance For Great Sex

The question then becomes, if you clearly lack Yin/Yang balance, how can you achieve it?

Well, diet of course is a huge factor and I’ll share my top foods for a great sex life below as well as a few supplements. But diet is only one piece of the holistic puzzle. Another critical lifestyle habit that will help you achieve homeostasis, and thus, a healthy sexual appetite is stress management.

If you’re waking up checking your news or social media feed and doing the same right before bed, you need a lifestyle change, stat! Replace staring at a screen in the morning and late at night with a healthy stress management technique such as yoga, meditation, a walk in the woods or neighborhood, etc.

Instead of confirming your biases or satisfying your gossipy nature, focus on getting your body back to a state of balance—if you want to have great sex!

Getting enough exercise is also important but some people actually deplete their adrenal glands even more by exercising too much. If you ask me, lowering your stress levels via meditation or going for a long walk is more important than doing high-intensity exercise. And of course, eating the best foods for great S-E-X.

Best Foods For Healthy Libido

Best foods for great S-E-X

As I mentioned, eating specific foods can help bring your body back into balance. Physiologically, certain nutrients are known to be effective vasodilators. This means that they open the blood vessels, which can help reignite libido. 

Here are my favorite foods to eat to support a healthy sex life: 

  • Dark leafy greens, like the seven different kinds in Organic Green Drink
  • Dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa)
  • Beets
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Citrus 
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Chickpeas/hummus
  • Avocados

These foods are great for a healthy libido because they contain nutrients that stimulate nitric oxide. Not to be confused with laughing gas (nitrous oxide), nitric oxide, or NO, relaxes the blood vessels. Every single cell in your body produces NO. But if you eat lots of processed food, your cells will do a poor job manufacturing NO. No NO means no sexy time!

As a vasodilator, NO increases blood flow by widening blood vessels and lowering blood pressure. While these benefits may be associated mainly with just men, the libido-stimulating effects apply to women as well. When women have increased levels of NO, it’s as if the nitric oxide itself acts as a signaling molecule to become sexually aroused, this study from Stanford University explains. 

Best Supplements For Sexual Arousal

In addition to eating plenty of foods on my best-for-sex list above, you may also benefit from taking a nutritional supplement. One that’s discussed in the Stanford study is L-arginine, an essential amino acid that increases NO in the cells. 

Zinc and B vitamins are also important nutrients that are often missing from the Standard American Diet. It’s best to get these nutrients from a whole-food plant-based diet. However, if your libido is running on empty, you may want to give your body the extra supplementation it needs to rediscover that magic spark. 

Here’s to your healthy sex life,

Chef V

Chef V

© 2021 Chef V, LLC.