Sometimes, I do not feel sexy, and it has nothing to do with how I look; it actually is about hormones not making me feel sexy.
Men and women alike can experience this kind of slump, although the contributing factors may vary a bit.
For one, men don’t have to go through pregnancy, monthly period or menopausal. But they do have their own puberty (high sex hormones) and andropause (male menopause).
In any case, there are two possible causes for the non-sexy feeling: physical and psychological.
To accurately diagnose, a medical doctor will require you to go through various tests.
- If the problem is physical, then this article may help.
- If the problem is psychological, your doctor may refer you to a psychologist or a sex therapist.
Meanwhile, what factors affect our sex hormones and how do we manage this?
- Age is a big factor because our physiological development follows our age timeline. At a certain age, we peak, at a certain age, we wane.
- Physical fitness depends on how to fit and able we are. Consistent exercise will keep us more in shape and will make us feel confident on how we look, which also affects how we think.
- Women things like monthly period, pregnancy and menopause all affect hormones and cause imbalance.
- Diet can either balance or cause an imbalance on our hormones.
Depending on test results, the doctor may prescribe treatment. For some, it would mean medications. For others, the results would not be so radical, and would only require specific changes in lifestyle.
I had blood tests done, and all confirmed that I was healthy. So what was the problem?
Hormones, when affected by certain factors, result in the hormonal imbalance. Our hormones literally go berserk.
Food, as anything we take in, can help ease hormonal imbalance. As we always say, it is best to prevent so let us take these precautionary measures to combat hormonal imbalance and enhance sexual hormones:
Foods to enhance sexual hormones:
- Almonds have amino acids which help maintain the erection.
- Aphrodisiac fruits like avocados, bananas, and figs. They boost the libido.
- Berries are high in zinc.
- Chocolates release phenylethylamine and serotonin, which can lift our mood.
- Coffee is a natural stimulant.
- Eggs contain amino acid L-arginine which helps men with erectile dysfunction.
- Herbs like garlic and basil. Garlic promotes blood flow, while the smell of basil is very stimulating. Garlic can be useful for men with erectile dysfunction.
- Peaches have high vitamin C for fertility.
- Saffron improves stamina.
- Steak contains zinc, vitamin B, protein and iron which boost sex drive.
- Walnuts improve fertility.
- Watermelon with arginine increases libido.
Eating the right foods that balance hormones is the best way, and you can even put some excitement into it. Don’t serve up those fruits and vegetables as salads. Muscle it up by making fruit smoothies. Add some protein powder to make it a power protein shake and you get more vitamins and minerals.
Foods that cause hormonal imbalance:
- Alcohol is a depressant, and too much consumption will decrease stamina.
- Drinks with artificial sweeteners, which affect serotonin hormones. Low serotonin means lower libido.
- Microwave popcorn contains perfluorooctanoic acid that is in the lining of the popcorn bag. Repeated consumption may lead to prostate problems.
- Processed foods as essential vitamins and minerals are removed during the process.
- Some seafood is exposed to pesticides to prolong their shelf life. This includes shrimp, eel, farmed salmon and tilapia.
Eating proper food, and eliminating certain ones will make improve our sexual hormones, but it will also need the help of other factors.
How to enhance sexual hormones:
- Keep a consistent exercise regime to maintain proper blood flow which affects fertility and sex drive. It will also give us stamina and endurance. When we look good, we feel more confident, and this improves our performance.
- Simply put, our bodies need to rest. Get good sleep and feel rejuvenated.
- Reduce stress. Stress factors cause illnesses and adversely affect our physiological well-being. Manage stress by taking time to meditate or exercise.
- Identify certain times of the month. For women, we already know when to expect our monthly period. We can prepare our bodies for it by taking iron or vitamins, and by eating the correct foods, especially those rich in iron and vitamin C.
- Communicate with your partner. Low sex drive does not affect one person, but the couple. It is good to let your partner know what you are going through so he can support and even take the extra effort to make us happy.
- Try essential oils, like Rose for calming effects, Jasmine as a massage oil, Ylang-Ylang as an aphrodisiac.
While there may be medication to solve physical problems related to sex or even to balance hormones, I, for one, always believe that prevention is better than cure.
So while some may have no symptoms yet or problems with their sexual health, it is good to avoid already those habits that may adversely affect it.
It is also good to start being on the right road towards sexual wellness by consistently consuming foods that promote it and avoiding foods that hinder welfare.
Sex is an expression of love or other emotions. For a couple, it is essential to maintain intimacy not just at the start of the relationship, but throughout.
While sex is not the only special thing you can do, it is as nature has intended it to be – the most intimate. Let us take the effort to maintain our wellness – both physically and emotionally.
