Your libido is a personal barometer of your health and zest for life. Being passionate and physically ready for sex is a sign of a vibrant personality and an active lifestyle. Finding your partner irresistible and ending up in bed before you know it not only makes you excited and ecstatic, it can release a wide variety of hormones necessary for your overall well-being. During sex, your body experiences physical changes equivalent to an intense workout. Sex gets your heart racing, raises your metabolic rate, increases energy, stretches all your muscles and burns calories.
However, even the most exhilarating and joyful sex life can become dull, draining and dragging. You might find yourself saying “not tonight honey” more often than you’d like. Stress, exhaustion, hormonal fluctuations and less than optimal health can leave you feeling less than your sexiest and adversely affect your sex life.
Since a healthy sex life is a stress buster, joy inducer, and is a really good way to connect in your relationship, sex is an important aspect of life that should never be ignored. If you’ve been turning your partner down a little more in the bedroom that you actually want to, perhaps it’s time to turn to some natural herbs to turn the heat up. Much of the physiological processes in sex requires an appropriate blood flow, as the brain must be properly nourished and access properly oxygenated blood and also for erection in men and lubrication in women.
Here are a few herbs that can increase libido and spice up your sex life:
Ginger
Ginger increases blood flow, especially to the sexual organs. It also warms your blood and optimizes your body’s temperature. Many cultures have used ginger as an aphrodisiac, as it can be made into a sweet tea or added to soups. As for its other benefits, ginger is also high in potassium, magnesium, and copper. It is a great anti-nausea substance, and has anti-inflammatory effects.
Basil
This sweet herb has a pleasant taste and stimulating scent that is known to increase sex drive. Basil increases circulation, stimulates the sex drive and boosts fertility. It is also said to produce a general sense of well-being for body and mind. Many attribute basil’s sweet scent with its sex-boosting properties, so take a heady whiff and see if it doesn’t get you in the mood!
Gingko Biloba
Also known as the Maidenhair Tree, this herb has been shown to increase circulation in blood vessels just below the surface without increasing blood pressure, so it’s ideal to use for erectile difficulties.
Fennel
This licorice-flavored herb looks a little like celery with lacy fronds at the top. You can chop fennel stalks and add them to foods much like you would celery, or use the fronds to flavor foods. You can also grind the seeds as a spice. The ancient Egyptians used fennel to boost women’s libido, as fennel contains chemicals that may increase sex drive. Fennel is also used to aid digestion, assist with lactation, and to loosen phlegm in bronchial passages.
Ginseng
Ginseng increases blood flow through a man’s lower extremities and helps to maintain an erection, but it has also shown promise in helping women boost their desire, performance, energy, and orgasm. This is most likely due to affecting the dopamine system, which is the complex system of the brain that researchers believe triggers sex drive. In general, ginseng has been found to be perfectly safe for use, except in pregnant or breastfeeding women, because of its estrogen-like effects. The only other common effect from its use is producing excitability, but that’s exactly what we’re after here!
