11 Natural Ways To Boost Your Sex Drive

If "No, honey, not tonight," sounds familiar, you or your partner may be one of the many women with a low libido. According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 43% of women under age 60 have some type of sexual dysfunction, and decreased libido, or sexual appetite, is the most common sexual dysfunction. Find out what causes low libido in women and discover natural ways to recharge desire here.

Romantic Cooking

"Cooking for somebody else, or cooking with somebody else, that says 'I care about you. You're worth my time.' And that's really the biggest turn-on of all," says Martha Hopkins, co-author of Intercourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook. Hopkins had 75 couples -- ranging from first date to 50-year relationships -- test drive her recipes. For those in a long-term relationship cooking together can be an excuse for a date night and a chance to rekindle the initial spark, and for those on a first date it can be a sexy icebreaker, Hopkins explained.

"In the Mood" Foods

When it comes to aphrodisiacs, Hopkins says, "There's no rule, it's about the imagination. The brain is the strongest sex organ." She recommends foods that are quick and easy to make, so you're not exhausted by the time you're done cooking. One favorite? Chocolate that melts in your mouth, which contains cocoa butter, one of the only fats that melts at body temperature. That sensual feeling of the pulling of chocolate on your tongue, Hopkins says, triggers the same "Mmm" and "Ahh" sounds as lovemaking.

Addressing Relationship Problems

Relationship satisfaction is a critical part of ensuring sexual satisfaction. "If we are upset about something, we often bring it into the bedroom with us," says Calee Spinney, MA, and Project Coordinator at Indiana University's Center for Sexual Health Promotion. "How can we have great sex with someone we feel inferior to or don't get along with?" The effect? "Holding grudges, feeling like your partner isn't contributing to the relationship, not feeling supported, etc. can make any woman's libido disappear," says Amy Levine, sexuality educator and founder of Sex Ed Solutions.

Arousing Your Senses

Indulging in sensory pleasures, like your favorite music and fragrances, can have an affect on libido. Levine recommends, "Getting in touch with music that you loved when your libido was kickin'. Then you can graduate to new favorites. Go to Sephora or a department store and sample a ton of fragrances. Take notice of the ones that make you tingle." Sensory pleasures' power over libido varies, says Spinney, so she suggests incorporating different combinations: "Look for a new CD to play, blindfold your partner so they can focus on their other senses, use scented lotions for massage or try edible paints and powders!" Read more >>