Rekindle romance naturally in time for Valentine’s Day.

Julia R. Heiman, PhD, director of the Kinsey Institute for Sex, Gender, and Reproduction at Indiana University, estimates that 25 to 53% of women of all ages have low libido. And judging by all those commercials for erectile dysfunction, estimates that 30 million men experience sexual dysfunction don’t seem at all unreasonable.

Candlelight and soft music may not be enough to spark that loving feeling in today’s high-stress world. Before you invest in a bottle of bubbly or a slinky negligee for Valentine’s Day, ask yourself what may be holding you—or the one you love—back.

Burning the candle at both ends is one sure way to put out any romantic sparks. Being overweight can also make some people feel less attractive—and negative body image is one sure way to kill libido.

Not that there aren’t plenty of physical reasons for lowered sex drive, as well. Hormonal changes impact women at almost every life stage, particularly before their periods, after pregnancy, and during perimenopause and menopause, affecting libido.

For either sex, an underactive thyroid can diminish sex drive, leading to significant weight gain and depression, further lowering libido. Now a new Scottish study shows that among men with erectile dysfunction, 40% also had metabolic syndrome (a prediabetic condition for which blood sugar imbalances and belly fat are some of the symptoms).

Both men and women produce fewer sex hormones as they age. And men don’t have a monopoly on testosterone. A 2008 study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows this male hormone makes women feel friskier too!

In this placebo-controlled trial, researchers followed 814 postmenopausal women with “sexual desire disorder” in Australia, Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The women received either 150 mcg or 300 mcg of testosterone daily via a patch—or they were given “placebo” patches.

Neither the scientists applying the patches nor the women receiving them knew who got what until the end of the study. But both groups receiving testosterone reported increased sexual desire.

Other research suggests that testosterone therapy relieves hot flashes and other vasomotor symptoms of menopause, lessens breast tenderness, improves sexual desire, increases sexual sensitivity, and can help promote orgasm in women. It also enhances their sense of well-being and boosts energy levels.

I agree with research results that testosterone is the hormone of desire. Unfortunately, synthetic testosterone is not recommended for any woman at risk for breast or uterine cancer.

Most experts also advise against this kind of hormone replacement therapy for men because testosterone may promote prostate cancer. There is also evidence that too much testosterone can increase the risk for cardiovascular and liver disease in both sexes.

That’s why I recommend a natural topical Hot Times Testosterone Body Creme—available for both men and women. It combines 11 homeopathic ingredients that have been safely used for more than 150 years to mimic testosterone’s effects in the body—without the negative side effects of the synthetic hormones.

Oh, and by the way, if you have a little black dress that feels a little snug, you still have time to lose tummy fat before Valentine’s Day. The 5-Day Hot Metabolism Booster in Fat Flush for Life can help you recoup your “skinny” metabolism—or break through a weight-loss plateau.

The centerpiece of this amazingly satisfying and effective plan is a soup-like cocktail that allows you to enjoy a larger volume of food than most diets. Drinking the Hot Metabolism Booster cocktail triggers the stomach’s stretch-like receptor to signal the brain to stop eating.

Also important in this quick, safe, but effective way to turbo-charge weight loss? Eat enough lean protein (eggs, fish, poultry, seafood, and whey) to raise your metabolism by roughly 25 percent. Along with green and low-starch veggies, “good” fats, fiber-rich fruits, thermogenic spices, and plenty of water to flush out toxins and further rev up metabolism, you’re likely to drop 5 to 10 pounds in plenty of time for Valentine’s Day.

Sources:
Fat Flush for Life
http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/menopaus1/a/menotestosteron.htm
http://women.webmd.com/normal-testosterone-and-estrogen-levels-in-women
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20057988
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20070301
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20057984

Ann Louise Gittleman is a health guru, diet/detox expert, award-winning author of 30 books on health and healing including the New York Times bestsellers The Fat Flush Plan, Before The Change, and Fat Flush For Life. A regular contributor to national television and radio, visit her at www.annlouise.com.

2010 FirstLook Review: Fat Flush For Life By Ann Louise Gittleman

10 Ways Lose Weight In 2010

75-80% Of Women Using Testosterone Experience Side Effects

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.