HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SEX DESIRE - One year ago, executive Mr ABC Sharma had very little to complain about. He had a job with a reputed MNC, had just got married, and bought a house. But slowly, as his responsibilities at work increased, Sharma began to work long hours, skip meals, cut down on his sleep and find excuses to avoid going to the gym. Very soon, apart from feeling drained and tired all the time, he found that his sex drive too had vanished, forcing him to consult a doctor. According to health experts, a loss of sex drive is one of the inevitable consequences of ill health. What we eat, what time we sleep and lack of exercise all affects our sex drives. Says leading sexologist and author Dr Swapnil Deshmukh, "Sexual potency is inseparable from the total vitality of the body. Whatever is good and healthy for the body is good to maintain one's sex drive." Right diet for a good drive What one eats does affect one's sex drive. It is imperative to have a healthy, balanced diet to get the energy to have sex. Low energy results in bad sex, which in turn further diminishes desire. The food one eats has a direct connection with one's mood. "Overly fried and spicy food makes one irritable, uncomfortable and causes one to experience a turn-off. For a person to achieve desire, you need to be in a calm state of mind,". Have melons during the summer and warm food like almonds in the winter, Do helps as per expert, adding that one should avoid eating maida and fermented food too often as they are difficult to digest. Dr also points out, "If you stuff yourself at night, your body will not be comfortable and you will not get into the desired mood." It is advised that it is a good idea to "go slow on Scotch, smoking, stress and sugar. These four have a negative effect on the big 'S'(sex)," We says. e recommends foods rich in testosterone for men and estrogen for women to increase their sex drive. "Men below 40 should try and have black lentil (urad dal) once a week, while men above 40 should try and have it thrice a week. Women should try and include soya, which is rich in estrogen, in their diet. Having ghee made of cow's milk is also great. It calms the mind, reduces acidity, does away with constipation, and aids in having a healthy sex drive. Exercise for your libido Exercise is not just essential to be fit, it's also a great way to boost your sex drive. Include a half hour of exercise daily in your routine. Exercise releases feel-good hormones, and these make one feel better and in the mood for sex. Stress, as mentioned earlier, is the biggest reason why even young people complain of "not being in the mood" often. Walking is a great way to have a healthy sex drive and do away with stress: "Walking every day for 45 minutes at a reasonable speed helps one breathe better, improves the blood flow, reduces stress and results in good sleep. All these things are directly and indirectly related to one's sex drive." Yoga also works wonders to calm one's body and mind and paves the way for a good sex drive.
BEGIN WITH REWIRING YOUR NEUROCHEMISTRY Supplying the right foods to your brain to keep the chemical activity going. "The biggest sexual organ is the brain, which produces the chemicals and hormones that trigger feelings of love and attraction, arousal and orgasm," says Dr. "We need to make sure we're eating the right foods to ensure the production of these chemicals and hormones." For this, Dr advises a diet which boosts the dopamine levels. Dopamine is a feel-good chemical released by the brain. It is a neurochemical which is associated with a range of desires. It motivates people to pursue pleasure and drives you to have sex. So, next time you feel dull and lack a desire, blame the low dopamine activity in your brain. It’s not just food but any kind of body work can kick up the dopamine levels. So, get yourself out of the house and take a walk in morning to get a blast of dopamine.
Rx TO RAISE DOPAMINE LEVELS • Fill your plate with oily fish, legumes, eggs and cottage cheese. • They are high in protein and have amino acids, which help in the production of dopamine. • Good sources of amino acids are found in red meat, milk and wheatgerm. • Eat fruits like water melon, apples, bananas, blueberry and strawberry which are excellent sources of dopamine. • In veggies, go for beetroot, beans and peas. • Spices like black pepper, chilli peppers, cumin, fennel, flax seeds, mustard seeds, sesame seeds and turmeric are also useful.
REV UP YOUR ENERGY One needs to keep the energy levels super high. If you are listless and dull, sex is the last thing on your mind. So pep up your sex life by eating a healthy and balanced diet. And don’t forget to add foods that will increase your levels of Human Growth Hormone ( HGH). HGH promotes growth in humans and therefore builds up stamina and energy needed for a good performance. It is especially important in middle age as with the advancement of age, HGH production naturally declines.
Rx FOR MORE ENERGY • Eat protein from beef, fish, and chicken to increase production of HGH. Root vegetables such as carrots and parsnips can also help, as canned low- sugar fruits, such as blueberries. • Thyroid hormones help us to maintain energy. To work, the thyroid needs iodine, which is found in kelp, seaweed, oysters, clams and tuna.
WATCH THE HORMONES A fine balancing act between the hormones is essential to improve your performance.' Estrogens, androgens (also testosterone) and DHEA are the major hormones responsible for sexual arousal. Estrogen plays a big role for women in creating vaginal lubrication and maintaining the condition of vaginal lining. For many women the number one cause for losing sex drive in the middle age is the physical changes in the vagina which make intercourse painful. These physical changes are brought by the drop in estrogen levels. In men estrogen may cause erectile difficulties when the levels are too high. However, the real libido or sex hormone is testosterone which affects both genders. Large deficiencies of testosterone may cause a drop in sexual desire, and excessive testosterone may heighten sexual interest in both sexes. "Males with below normal testosterone levels have erectile problems, resulting in low libido," says medical research. While the market is full of testosterone boosting products the Dr says its best to eat well to keep the hormones in balance. 'A good balance of animal fat in meat and fish and good cholesterol, found in eggs for example, encourages the production of sex hormones, improving libido'. Oysters are the most popular aphrodisiac due to their high zinc content. Zinc is necessary for the production of testosterone in both sexes. Other libido-boosting foods are asparagus, figs, almonds, eggs, basil, bananas and celery.
Rx TO MAINTAIN HORMONE BALANCE • Eat foods high in zinc such as beef, pork, chicken liver, pumpkin seeds, eggs, seafood and tofu. • Avoid excessive amounts of fibre which lower estrogen by stopping its absorption. Having cereal and toast for breakfast is the worst thing you can do for your hormones.
Dr Deshmukh
MD Psychiatrist & Sexologist
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