Libido, or sex drive, plays a crucial part in your sex life. There are many factors that can increase or decrease your libido. Understanding how your libido works will allow you to make the necessary choices to have a positive impact on your sex drive. According to Boston Medical Group, there are three major factors affecting your libido. Your weight has a major role in determining your sexual activity. Psychological factors including anxiety, fatigue and trauma also have a major role in your sex drive. Finally, prescription drugs have also been proven to have an effect on libido. All of these factors can be changed to improve your libido. Many of the foods that you eat can have a huge positive impact on increasing libido as well.
Why Foods and Not Drugs?
According to Ellen Khami of Natural Nurse, 10 pills of Viagra will cost you $150 and multiple doses to achieve the desired state you want to be in. Side effects of this popular drug are stroke, heart attacks and even death. Why go through all of that when you can get the same benefits from food and other natural products? One trip to the local health food store, and you will be hooked on using natural products to increase your libido, with no adverse effects on your overall health.
Vegetables
Diets high in vegetables and fruits have shown to increase libido among men. According to EnergiseForLife.com, vegetables like celery, aspargus, maca, avocado and chilies are essential in increasing libido. Celery is considered to be a great food to increase stimulation because it boosts androsterone, an odorless hormone released through perspiration which increases female attraction which will boost the male's libido naturally. Avocados contain high levels of folic acid, which assists in metabolizing proteins and will give you more energy during activity. It also contains vitamin B6, a nutrient that improves male hormone production. Asparagus is high in vitamin E, which is commonly referred to as the "sex vitamin" due to its naturally-boosting libido affect. Chilies can also heat up your sex life due to capsaicin. Capsaicin releases endorphins, the "feel good" chemical found in the brain. It also stimulates your nerves to be more sensitive and increases your heart rate. Sauerkraut also seemed to make the cut for its results in a U.S. study in which 90 percent of men reported increase in libido after consumption. Maca, although newly introduced to the Western world, increases testosterone, which will help out if you have erectile dysfunction.
Fruits
According to Natural Nurse, fruits such as bananas and figs are great in increasing libido. Bananas help boost libido due to the presence of the enzyme bromelain. Also a good source of vitamin B, bananas increase your total energy levels. Potassium and riboflavin are also essential in sex-hormone production. Figs are high in amino acids, which are critical to increasing your libido and stamina.
Spices and Herbs
Spices and herbs have the most profound effect on libido reports both EnergiseForLife.com and NaturalNurse.com. They come with very few side effects, which are mostly non-detrimental to your health. Yohimbe is bark stripped from a tree found in West Africa. According to Natural Nurse, it stimulates circulation to the genitals within an hour of intake. Korean ginseng should also be taken before sexual activity because it increases duration of an erection and increases testosterone levels. Using warming herbs, such as ginger and cayenne pepper, increases circulation to the genitals. Basil also increases circulation, and its scent is a natural aphrodisiac to both men and women. Vanilla's scent also stimulates the libido. Many cultures view cardamom as an intensely powerful aphrodisiac due to its aroma. It is beneficial in treating impotence and increasing blood flow to certain areas due to its high content of cineole. Garlic, not usually associated with increasing libido, but rather driving the opposite sex away, actually does increase libido. Garlic contains high levels of allicin, a compound that improves blood flow to the sexual organs. However, you have to chop it up to receive these benefits.
Nuts and Seeds
According to Energise for Life, nuts and seeds are great in boosting sex drive. Pumpkin seeds are full of zinc, which is important in testosterone production for men. Pumpkin seeds are also rich in the essential fatty acid omega-3, which acts as a precursor of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that play a key role in sexual health. Almonds are another important tool for increasing libido. The scent of almonds is found to arouse females, giving the male a little helping hand. They also provide for the healthy production of sex hormones. Oats are recommend by Natural Nurse, which also contain zinc and help for the production of healthy seminal fluids.
Food for Thought
Everyone always hears people telling them to eat oysters to increase libido. Those people are actually correct. Oysters contain zinc, which is great in boosting sex drive. Chocolate too is a natural booster because it releases endorphins which make you feel good. Stay away from a lot of carbs, fats and alcohol when trying to increase libido. Carbs and fats lead to hardening of the arterial walls, which decreases circulation to the genitals. Trans-fats decrease testosterone as well. Alcohol as most men know, decreases sexual response because it is a depressant.
