How Exercise Benefits One's Sex Life

The only real way to prevent the sluggishness, overweight, depression, winter hibernation and overindulgence of comfort foods is to exercise.

Aerobic activity increases the heart rate, blood flow, and circulation which means it is easier to become aroused. If you are worried about smelling, you can always shower together. On the other hand, sweat contains pheromones, or sexual hormones, a key ingredient to sexual chemistry. Usually if you use deodorant, fresh sweat doesn’t smell bad. Only when bacteria is left and grows is there the putrid smell associated with B.O..

Besides the instant benefits of circulation and hormones, exercising regularly will help the overall sex drive in men and women. Regular aerobic activity provides more energy, circulation, a balanced immune system and battles depression. But physical exercise before going to bed with someone also provides the body with a release of extra hormones, pheromones and increase in circulation which will aid in the ability to ahem, GET IT ON! Oh, yeah, and people always talk about how many calories are burned when you have sex, too. I guess that depends on how aerobic you are.

Here are a few ideas for exercise to increase circulation and getting those pheromones rolling:

Go the to the gym together.
Take a stroll  after dinner.
Go dancing. Ladies love a man who can dance. And they'll love a man who just tries to dance too!
Yoga or meditation.
Hiking in a scenic forest.
A walk in the moonlight.
Sunset on the beach.
Play a sport.
If you happen to be taking dance classes and want to show off, your partner will probably be a willing subject.
Vacuuming--way more romantic if a man does this as chore play to show off how great he is to his wife.

Dangerous Aphrodisiacs to Avoid

Often in the past, aphrodisiacs have been rare, expensive and even dangerous items such as Spanish fly, powdered rhino’s horn and tiger testicles. The psychology behind believing such substances were aphrodisiacs may be because they are rare and difficult to obtain. Therefore, one who can acquire them is more powerful and virile. Because specific animals are seen as having strength or sexual superiority by some cultures, the animals are then considered to possess this power in their sexual organs and therefore thought to pass ability on to men who consume these ingredients.

Other infamous aphrodisiacs such as Spanish Fly, Cup of Gold, and belladonna are dangerous. Spanish Fly is actually a beetle that causes urinary tract irritation which one registers as a sexual feeling, but it also causes permanent kidney and genital damage. Cup of Gold is a plant also known as solandra brevicalyx, solanaceae. This Central and South American flower can lead to death through excessive sexual drive. Yow! 

Belladona is another plant in the solanacea, or nightshade family, that can cause a variety of side effects, among them, hallucinations, psychotic behavior, respiratory arrest, convulsions and coma. It is also  easy to buy on the internet and in some herbal shops. I actually was surprised to find a bottle of homeopathic medicine of belladonna in my local health food store in Portland, Oregon. Though, I am sure the dosage is minuscule so that someone doesn’t overdose, I am not going to mention the store that sells it, as there are other herbs far safer and better to use.

So instead of going out there and buying powdered rhino horn (which is an endangered species because people still kill them for their horns which are sold on the black market as aphrodisiacs),or applying black pepper to the genitals as was done a thousand years ago in China, consider if such methods are truly worth it.  Try the safest and most potent natural Viagra’s: yohimbe bark or damiana. You can buy either as herbal tinctures in most health food stores. I have also found damiana alcohol sold in a liquor shop in a bottle in the shape of a woman’s body.

Aphrodisiacs: Miracle Herbs and Common Supplements to Aid in Sexual Function

Aphrodisiacs have been around for thousands of years. Two thousand years ago men applied black pepper to their genitals to cure impotence, men still ingest dangerous substances such as Spanish Fly and belladona, endangered animals are poached in order to be made into aphrodisiacs. When Viagra first came out it was pretty common to hear stories about old men with heart conditions who weren’t supposed to take it, yet they found a way to acquire some and then died. Hopefully happy.

As an alternative to black market aphrodisiacs that kill endangered species—or you, let’s look at some cheap, natural ingredients and supplements. These aphrodisiacs work by aiding in sexual function naturally by making up for the nutrition that the body is lacking.

Nutrient/Vitamin	What it’s found in	Effect
Black pepper	Spicy food	The alkaloid affects the mucous lining of the genitals and stimulates the organs in men.
Caffeine	Coffee, chocolate, energy drinks	The caffeine stimulates the body
Capsaicin	Chili peppers, cayenne pepper, curry, garlic, spicy food	The heat of capsaicin stimulates endorphins and nerve endings when ingested. Also high in Vitamin C and good for circulation.
Chocolate (my favorite drug)	Cocoa, chocolate, candy, etc.	Chocolate has over 30 chemicals that stimulate, relax, release endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, etc.
***Damiana	Herbal supplement, liquor (in a bottle shaped like a woman)	This South American plant contains chemicals that increase sensitivity in the genitals.
Dopamine	Fava beans	Dopamine is a chemical in the brain necessary to increase libido and decrease depression.
Garlic	Common root herb	The heat aids in increasing sexual desires. Also keeps mosquitoes away, so be sure to have some before a romantic or unromantic camping trip.
Ginger	Root/spice found in supermarkets, pumpkin pie, stir-fries, etc.	This spice stimulates the circulatory system and aids digestion.
Ginko	Supplement found in vitamins and herbal stores.	This supplement increases circulation and aids sexual dysfunction, causes the release of nitric oxide, and widens the blood vessels and erectile tissue. Also good for the memory, so you will have the added benefit of remembering your recreational activities.  (Not to be taken by people with heart disease or blood thinning drugs.)
Ginseng	Very common in Korean food and some Japanese food, found in teas, soups, dietary supplements and raw.	This plant usually grown in Korea, relaxes muscles, increases circulation and acts as a hormonal stimulant. (Similar to Viagra.)
Kava kava	Supplement found in the health food store	This Polynesian aphrodisiac aids in relaxation.
L-arginine	Supplement found in the health food store	This amino acid increases the nitric oxide in the blood vessel walls to maintain erection.
Phenylethylamine	Red wine, aged cheese, chocolate	In small amounts, increases arousal, stimulates the senses, and causes relaxation. Too much can cause headaches, fatigue and a lack of sexual desire.
Phytoestrogen	Soy products, cardamom, saffron	A plant chemical that mimics estrogen and helpful for women. This decreases; vaginal dryness, cholesterol, the likelihood of some cancers, and the side effects of menopause such as lowered sex drive.
Chlorogenic acid	Sunflowers	Aiding sexual stimulation.
Tryptophan	Black beans	Amino acid that relaxes.
***Yohimbe Bark (nature’s Viagra)	Must purchase in a healthfood store	It increases circulation, enhances libido, fights depression by releasing serotonin in the brain, relieves impotence caused by stress, fatigue or tension.

Out of Order: Natural Sexual Dysfunction Solutions

 “Yeah, all this aphrodisiac stuff is great and all but I need something a little stronger. I need something that’s more than just nutrition,”one who has read about aphrodisiacs might say.

The idea behind aphrodisiacs is that it provides the nutrients to heighten the body’s sexual functioning. A boost of Vitamin A, B, C etc. can increase energy, stamina and overall well being. Aphrodisiacs can also stimulate the psyche if one is eating a food or meal that reminds them of sexual organs such as bananas, asparagus, oysters or figs. Some plants have natural hormones or help increase hormones needed for sexual function such as soy which contains phytoestrogen for women or ginko for men.

Usually that is all one needs. But in some circumstances, the body needs more than vitamins. Sometimes one needs something to enhance the libido. That is where true aphrodisiacs come in. Damiana, yohimbe bark, chocolate, and fava beans stimulate serotonin and dopamine and help decrease depression. And when that isn’t enough, there are still other factors to examine.

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association in a study reported in February 1999, about 43 % of women and 31 % of men suffer from sexual inadequacy.  In the article mentioned above, the causes for impotence ranges from lacking the ability to be aroused, inability to orgasm, premature ejaculation, or other sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction. The latter term specifically refers to not being able to achieve or maintain an erection hard enough for sexual intercourse 50 % of the time. Thirty million American men suffer from erectile dysfunction. Is it really so surprising that drugs such as Viagra, Levitra and Cialis are so popular?

Below is a list of reasons one might develop sexual dysfunctions and potential preventative measures one can take to remedy this. These are all natural and drug free ways to aid sexual health

List of Potential Problems and Potential Cures

Cause	Solution
Inadequate diet	Providing the vitamins and minerals the body is lacking.
Too much Fat	The body doesn’t need Omega 9 since our diet is already so rich in it. Try to avoid too much corn and canola oil, transfats, etc.
Not enough fat	The body needs more Omega 3 and 6’s which are found it fish oil,
Not enough exercise	When one does aerobic exercise at least three times a week, the body has more energy through out the day, sleeps better at night, decreases depression and increases circulation and sexual hormone production.
Prescription Medications	Some medications ranging from anti-depressants to birth control effect the body’s hormone production and sexual functioning. If an alternative prescription can be substituted,  some times that is a happy alternative.
Diabetes	Causes poor circulation.
Smoking	Decreases circulation.
Drinking	Damages the blood vessels and can cause a little too much relaxation in some cases.
Too much caffeine	Can cause a variety of symptoms including headaches to the caffeine low.
Aging	Yeah, try to avoid that one.
Stress	Effect the psychological and physiological functioning.
Depression	Effect the psychological and physiological functioning. Kava kava and St. John’s Wort are common herbal remedies, (not recommended for women taking birth control as it makes the birth control ineffective!)
Seasonal Depression	If you need more sunlight or Vitamin D, go to a tanning salon, get some sunlight and eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit.