6 Practical Ideas to Boost Your Libido
Women are very interested in sex after menopause and for many it can be the best ever. If you are looking for practical and easy solutions to your libido problem, you have come to the right place.
It is probably no surprise that the better your general health, the better your libido. However there are numerous things you can do to bring the fun back into the bedroom.
Just make sure you understand the reasons for your low menopause libido and if you have concerns, talk to your doctor about it. (You will find the link to more information about these reasons at the end of this page.)
So here are the 6 Categories For Great Sex After Menopause:
- Moisturizers and Lubricants
- Supplements for Menopause and Libido
- Herbs and Minerals
- Kick it Up a Notch
- Exercise for Love
- Eat for Passion
Moisturizers and Lubricants
Moisturizers and lubricants are important to combat vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness is very common and begins for most women in perimenopause when estrogen levels begin to decline. It can lead to painful intercourse, which is a killer for any intimacy.
Women have several options to deal with vaginal dryness:
- Replens is a commercially available moisturizer that last for several days.
- Vitamin E is also a great option. You can use either liquid Vitamin E or just get capsules. Open the capsules with a needle to apply the Vitamin E to the vaginal area. Not only is it a great moisturizer (use it several times a week, even if you are not intimate) it also increases the feelings.
- Astroglide and the line of lubricants from K-Y are great for helping women with vaginal dryness.
There are numerous brands and varieties available. Experiment until you find something you and your partner like. Lubricants don’t address low libido directly but make sex after menopause more pleasurable.
Estrogen Cream such as Premarin is topical estrogen that is applied directly to the vaginal area. This restores vaginal health and prevents vaginal dryness and atrophy. These creams are available by prescription from your doctor.
Supplements for Menopause and Libido
Zestra has been shown to improve low libido and arousal in women. It is made from botanical oils and extracts and is one of the few topicals that is clinical tested with positive results.
Zestra has mixed reviews: Women either rave about it or complain that is smells bad and doesn’t work. Several women report a burning sensation. Zestra is applied topicaly before you want to get intimate and is available as a liquid or an oil. Zestra Essential Arousal Oil may avoid the burning.
ArginMax has been shown in some trials to increase sexual desire in women. It contains Damiana, Vitamin A, C, E and B complex. It works by improving blood flow, which is critical for female arousal and lubrication.
DHEA is a precursor to all sex hormones. DHEA levels decline rapidly with advancing age. Low DHEA levels are a reason for depression and low libido, an important reason for problems with sex after menopause. Low DHEA levels have also been associated with weight gain. No studies have been done with DHEA on menopausal women. (For more information check out the great article on DHEA by the Life Extension Foundation).
Herbs and Minerals
Yohimbe Bark(Pausinystalia yohimbe) increases the blood flow to the sexual organs for both men and women. An extract from the bark contains Yohimbine, which is used medicinally. It is often used to counter the effects of antidepressant medications.
Damiana (Turnera aphrodesiaca) contains damianin, which has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system. It has long been reported to improve sexual desire in women (and in men) and relieves anxiety. It is an ingredient in ArginMax, a supplement to boost female libido.
Siberian ginseng is an adaptogen, meaning it helps the body to fight stress and maintains well being. It acts on the hypothalamus, adrenal and pituitary glands which are so important for menopause women (this HPA axis is responsible for numerous menopause symptoms).
Motherwort is a mild vaso dilator (meaning it widens the blood vessels) and has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system. It can improve libido and therefore sex after menopause.
Motherwort is a very important herb for menopausal women because it helps with so many menopause symptoms, especially those that involve anxiety and stress. It helps with heart palpitations, hot flashes and night sweats and insomnia.
The herb is very bitter and is often sold as syrup but the alcoholic extracts in Motherwort Tincture may be more powerful.
Ginkgo (Ginko bilboa) does not only improve memory and the “fuzzy thinking”, it can improve your low menopause sex drive as well. The active chemicals increase the blood flow not only to the brain.
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, great for healthy skin and makes a great lubricant and moisturizer to combat vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness is also a major reason for problems with sex after menopause. You can get liquid Vitamin E or just use a capsule that you prick open with a needle.
A good option for Vitamin E that has great reviews is ”Carlson Key-e Suppositories”.
The recommended dose for Zinc is about 40mg per day.High doses of zinc can have severe side effects and very high doses can be fatal.Avoid Zinc Nose sprays because they can permanently damage your sense of smell. |
Bee Pollen and Royal Jelly is full of B vitamins, lecithin and other important active chemicals. It enhances mental energy and nourishes the nerves, including those of the sex organs.
Royal Jelly is especially good for healthy skin. Some women use Bee Pollen successfully to get rid of hot flashes when they use bee pollen – a welcome side effect.
Zinc is an important trace mineral and essential for our health. It supports healthy adrenal activity, which combats the negative effects of stress and feeling worn out. It is known to help the immune system.
Testosterone production depends on zinc. However, don’t go out and double up on Zinc supplements – see Sidebar.
Kick it Up a Notch
You have checked out the supplements, are thinking about adding some herbs and will certainly change your diet. But what else can you do to kick your low menopause sex drive up a notch?
Remember when you where young and you spent a lot of time to look your best before going out?It still works! It may sounds strange but if you feel sexy – no matter what your age – your sex drive will improve. |
Find a new relationship – sort off. Nothing rekindles sexual desire more than a new mate. This is certainly not on option for those lucky women who live in happy monogamy, but you can shake it up a bit. Just don’t try anything totally drastic without telling him.
Maybe you can slip in a steamy video to watch together, or prepare a dinner with the thought in mind that it will lead to fun and games (use foods that are know to boost the libido but avoid heavy carbs). The preparation for it will rekindle YOUR libido just as much as if you were going on a date with a new flame. The result: great sex after menopause!
Engage the mind and your fantasy to get in the mood. Read some romance novels and go for romantica books, they certainly take it up a couple of notches and focus more on the sex than the romance. (Check out the examples from Amazon in the box below.) One example is Christine Warren’s vampire novel “You’re so vein” and her other books.
You can watch some videos that will stimulate your fantasy and will make him happy as well. Even TV series like “the Tudors” or “Rome” can give you ideas. (Keep in mind: women’s libido responds better to words and descriptions, men are more visual).
Switch things around a bit – for example have sex in the morning when testosterone levels are higher.
Exercise for Love
An ancient treatment is gaining more and more popularity for women with menopause and libido problems:Acupuncture.Acupuncture has been shown in several studies to relieve hot flashes and to reduce night sweats. But an added benefit is an increase in libido – good for sex after menopause. |
Acupuncture has been shown in several studies to relieve hot flashes and to reduce night sweats. But an added benefit is an increase in libido – good for sex after menopause.
Exercise is good for the body and good for love. Here are some ideas for specific exercise programs to help with menopause and libido problems:
Boost your testosterone level through exercise. Both resistance and strength training help to increase your testosterone levels as several studies have shown.
Pilates is all about “core strength”. Because it is “Yoga on Steroids.” It helps with relaxation at the same time as it strengthens your body. Similar to Kegel exercises, it teaches to control individual muscles and strengthens them. Similar to Yoga, it increases flexibility.
Yoga is a great stress reliever and helps to turn off the constant mind chattering that creates tension. Some say that specific yoga exercises can directly boost your libido. For example the Butterfly pose is said to direct energy to the pelvic area and to remove penned up emotional issues.
Kegel exercises are good for muscle control in the pelvic area. This helps not only with urge incontinence but also strengthens the muscles that support the pelvic organs.
Eat for Passion
In a nutshell: avoid heavy carb laden dinners when you plan a special night. Protein and Vitamin rich foods will contain everything you and your mate will need. |
Oysters, caviar and champagne, with a side dish of asparagus and a chocolate dessert with vanille topping – your body will respond.
Don’t forget the candles – vanilla scent.
Through the ages we have known that certain foods can boost our sex drive. Here are some of those foods that can give a boost to your low menopause sex drive:
- Soy Milk, Pomegranate and Fennel contain a form of estrogen
- Vanilla acts as an aphrodisiac
- Bananas contain potassium which is important for the central nervous system and most other functions of the body.
- Avocados and Asparagus are a Vit E powerhouse
- Salmon and other fish are high in essential fatty acids and B vitamins
- Pine nuts and Raw Oysters are rich in zinc, which increases pheromones (the hormones that make us attractive to the opposite sex). Testosterone production depends on zinc.
- Sea vegetables such as arame, kelp, nori, sea palm and wakame, contain a lot of potassium and iodine. Both those minerals are good for the support of the thyroid gland which is critical for women’s health. The are also great detoxifiers and contain many important vitamins.(
- And for dessert: Chocolate for the endorphins (the feel good chemicals).
Conclusion about Sex after Menopause
Don’t be too embarrassed or too afraid to try some new things. Things you would not have dreamed about when you were younger but always wanted to try.
This is certainly one advantage of getting older: Fewer and fewer things are quite as scary as they used to be. You might have to get over some initial embarrassment but the results are certainly worth it – especially if it leads to a second honeymoon.