Here’s How Diet, Sleep, Superfoods and Lifestyle Choices Affect Your Libido

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You can find a quick summary of the episode below. (Thanks to Dr. Olivia for providing these notes!)

1. What is naturopathic medicine? Tell us about your practice.

• Naturopathic medicine is a health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge and evidence with traditional and natural forms of medicine. As NDs, we assess the whole person by providing physical examinations, nutrition, lifestyle and mental health assessments and we refer for blood work at our local labs when necessary.
• I have a general practice, however, I do tend to focus on women and men’s health, gastrointestinal health, immune, skin and children’s health. Lifestyle, nutrition, herbs and acupuncture are the modalities I use the most.

2. What is the most common sex-related problem patients present with? (We're assuming low libido is up there.) What are some lifestyle causes of low libido?

• Low libido is common, especially in women. At least women tend to talk about it more, vaginal dryness, pain during sex and erectile dysfunction in males come up frequently.
• Lifestyle causes of low libido include poor diet (e.g. not enough or an excess – too much alcohol, caffeine, sugar, fat, processed foods, and also eating too little – not eating frequently enough, not having enough of the key micronutrients such as iron and B12 and macronutrients (missing healthy fat, protein etc.) which are important for blood circulation and hormone health; metabolic syndrome is a condition characterized by high blood pressure, central obesity, elevated blood sugar and abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels that increase your risk for stroke, heart disease and diabetes, inactivity – being active maintains good circulation to your pelvic floor and genitalia. Regular physical activity also helps to balance your hormones and maintain healthy testosterone levels. Stress – relationship, workplace, environmental – can play a role.

3. How does diet affect libido?

• Your diet can play a huge role in sexual desire. Going back to the not enough or too much diets – both can affect libido. Your libido relies on circulation and if your diet isn’t conducive to promoting healthy circulation, your libido will be affected.

4. How does diet effect mood and relationships more generally?

• Diet and digestion are closely tied to mood. Certain foods and additives in our food supply can have a negative effect on your mood such as MSG – some people are sensitive to MSG and report feeling sluggish, depressed or angry after consuming it. However, the first thing I do before even changing anyone’s diet is to make sure they are eating regularly. Eating at regular intervals can make a huge difference in regulating your mood. It also helps to balance your blood sugar and insulin. I emphasize a diet that contains enough protein with each meal because protein gets broken into the amino acids we require to make our hormones.

5. Can herbs/supplements be used to address libido? Can herbs/supplements be used to improve mood (and relational interactions)?

• There are many herbs that have traditionally been used for sexual enhancement and mood stabilization for centuries.

• Fenugreek is a popular culinary spice in South Asian dishes and in Ayurvedic medicine. It’s backed by promising research that it can increase sexual arousal and orgasms. It’s thought to contain plant chemicals that serve as precursors to estrogen and testosterone.

• Maca – This root vegetable from Peru can be found in supplement form. It’s a member of the broccoli and cabbage family and it is a good source of minerals and vitamins. It’s associated with increasing fertility and boosting sexual desire and stamina. In one study, taking a powdered Maca supplement was associated with a significant reduction in psychological symptoms including depression and anxiety and sexual dysfunction compared to the placebo. More research is needed but it seems that this herb is able to exert these effects without altering your hormone profile.

• St. Johns Wort – I use St. John’s Wort on it’s own or in combination with other herbs to treat mild to moderate depression and the hot flashes related to perimenopause.

6. Are there other alternative treatments (e.g. acupuncture)?

• Acupuncture and pelvic physiotherapy are other treatments I typically recommend. Acupuncture is great at reducing stress and boosting circulation to the pelvic area. I refer to pelvic physiotherapists who can assess the pelvic floor and recommend specific exercises that can make a world of a difference.

7. Sleep really tends to affect relationships. What foods should we consume/avoid to help get a better night’s sleep.

• My go to remedies for sleep – 1^st make sure you’re not going to bed completely hungry – or you may wake up in the middle of the night. Supplement wise, especially for anxious or tense people – it’s powdered or liquid magnesium. Magnesium is great for relaxing your muscles, calming your mood and helping with sleep. It’s thought to be the most common mineral deficiency in North America mainly due to industrial farming practices, lack of whole grains and abundance of processed foods in the standard diet.
• Foods to avoid – caffeine, alcohol, heavy & high protein meals, fatty foods, certain supplements taken in the evening, B complex, iron, multivitamin can increase your energy and interfere with sleep.

8. What can you take if you’ve lost all interest in sex (especially post-baby)?

• This is a tricky one if Mom is nursing. And it may take a while to get back to wanting to have sex again. The relationship with your partner will definitely change, hormones will be fluctuating and there will be a lot on your mind – especially for first time moms. I tend to stick with acupuncture, omega – 3 fatty acids, dietary support and ensuring adequate protein intake. I encourage nursing moms to continue their prenatal vitamins and to ensure that their iron levels are optimal. It’s also important to get your thyroid levels checked soon after delivering as sometimes an underlying thyroid issue can affect your energy, mood and sexual desire. Certain herbs may be safe but it would be best to seek the help of a ND to make sure it’s ok if you’re nursing. If you’re not nursing what you can take will depend on what is going on. Is there a nutrition issues, stress? For stress I recommend adrenal support supplements. The stress hormone cortisol can block sexual desire because think of it, when you are stressed and your body is trying to flight or fight, blood is being directed to your legs and arms and away from your pelvic floor and genitalia to be able to flee or fight off any danger.

Further Thoughts...

There are certain foods and herbs that can enhance your sexual experience.

Essentially, almost any food and nutrient that is good for your heart and brain, can be good for your libido and sexual performance.

When someone comes into my office with low libido as a primary complaint there are a few aspects of their health that I inquire about. It’s not only about sexual pleasure but it’s also about overall health. Both female sexual arousal dysfunction and erectile dysfunction are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease risk.

Lifestyle interventions that target erectile dysfunction can help improve other health outcomes including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease risk and vice versa.

Possible Causes of Low Libido

Stress - relationships, environmental, work

Medications - Hypertension medication and some antidepressants

Health conditions - Diabetes and hypertension, metabolic syndrome (characterized by high blood pressure, central obesity, elevated blood sugar and abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels that increase your risk for stroke, heart disease and diabetes), inactivity

Hormone imbalance - It’s very common for me to see peri-menopausal women in practice who complain of reduced sexual desire. Some of this is due to the normal hormonal fluctuations that occur during this time but there are natural approaches to this issue that can help. One approach is to make sure there is enough physical and mental foreplay. Not just right before the sex but throughout the day. Often times it just take more time to get to pique the interest.  Herbs and dietary changes can help as well.

Mental / Emotional – stress, depression, anxiety – e.g. about your health condition can worsen the sexual dysfunction; fear - e.g. fear of heart attack while having intercourse.

Foods to Include

There are certain foods that have been shown in studies to help with libido and sexual stamina.

One study found that people with metabolic syndrome who followed the Mediterranean diet had fewer issues with erectile dysfunction. The Mediterranean diet incorporates, lean meat and fish, olive oil, legumes, nuts and seeds, fruit and vegetables.

Seafood – In particular oysters which are high in zinc may help boost libido.

Other foods high in zinc include red meat, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts. I often recommend taking zinc in supplement form when necessary on a case by case basis. Zinc is a vital mineral to support healthy testosterone levels which is important for the sexual function in men and women.

Fruit – A high intake of fruit has been associated with decreased ED. ED is a global health problem with estimates of a 33–52% prevalence. Fruits contain plant chemicals known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are bioactive plant chemicals found in foods. Research has linked flavonoids to improving the function and strength of your blood vessels and reducing blood pressure. They also have anti-inflammatory effects. Fruit is a major source of flavonoids and higher total intake of fruit in one study was associated with a 14% reduction in risk of ED.

Other foods high in flavonoids include: cocoa – dark chocolate, the less processed the better, berries, hot peppers, grapes and citrus

Foods to Avoid

Excessive alcohol intake – Although alcohol may help reduce anxiety, and lower social inhibitions - too much can interfere with the body’s sexual response. The leading cause of impotence is the abuse of alcohol.

Fatty Foods – Foods that clog your arteries and interfere with the function of your blood vessels should be avoided.

References: 

Dietary flavonoid intake and incidence of erectile dysfunction.

https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/103/2/534/4564750

Beneficial effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen or androgen content.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18784609

Physiological aspects of male libido enhanced by standardized Trigonella foenum-graecum extract and mineral formulation.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21312304

Sexual dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review of prevalence.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3812559/

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Rough Transcript:

This is a computer-generated rough transcript, so please excuse any typos. This podcast is an informational conversation and is not a substitute for medical, health or other professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the services of an appropriate professional should you have individual questions or concerns.

Heres How Diet, Sleep, Superfoods and Lifestyle Choices Affect Your Libido

00:00:05 - 00:05:02

You're listening to the sacs with Dr Jess podcast sex and relationship advice, you can use tonight. Hey, it's the sex with Dr jazz podcast your friendly neighborhood sexologist here along with my partner in crime mister Brennan wear. Excited to be here and a big thanks to desire resorts for your ongoing. Support of this podcast. You already know that they've got naked clothing. Optional paradise is on the Mayan Riviera as well as European cruises in the south of France, the Greek isles and beyond so make sure you check them out on Instagram at desire experience. So brandon. How's your libido to be honest? It's up and down. I would say it depends home feeling man today. Right. This moment. But this particular thing, thankfully, because we're sitting with a bunch of people. I'm glad to hear your libido is low, and it's it's fluctuated lately. Because as you know, and I know you probably feel like we're going on and on about our puppy, but with loss with grief. I don't think we can put the pressure on our selves to do it all the time, keyword. I don't wanna do it all the time right now. Now fair enough. So we're going to be talking about libido today. What drives it what kills it? How does your food your diet your exercise, your sleep, your mindset? And of course, your relational interactions affect your libido, and I receive a number of questions often about supplements about foods about drugs and all of those things are beyond. My purview. So today, we're bringing in Dr Lidia Rosa, naturopathic, doctor in Toronto and product expert for vita rock who really knows a lot about this stuff. So welcome thanks for being there having me. Hey, everybody. So you are naturopathic doctor. What is what is naturally? Did. I say that wrong less right? Natural gas naturopathy doctor. So naturopathic medicine is a distinct form of medicine that really takes traditional approaches medicines and combines it with evidence based scientific approaches to medicine collaborate with medical doctors allied healthcare professionals like massage, therapists, chiropractors pelvic physiotherapist for this topic will be very interesting clever ration-, but I do a lot and we're able to do physical examinations nutrition mental health. Assessments and order lab work, and and assess that in apply that to our patients as well. So it's all encompassing holistic it really is a holistic approach when I first went to a Natura path. Can I say that it was you? It was many years ago. I'm not a patient of yours now move. Yes. But I was so impressed with what the intake posts says looked like it wasn't a walk in. Okay. What's wrong with you? We will treat one issue. There were multi pages of questions that I had to complete which by the way. I'm sure I did not how did you get through that? I know. This. I had my friend. Do I copied my friends? So that's why what do you dealing with itchy penis? Should've copied someone with the same genitalia. But it really is a holistic approach looking at the big picture and in your practice. Tell us about your practice where do you practice who? Do you see ya? So right now, I practice in the beach area of Toronto or beaches, are you to say it, and I have a general practice, but I tend to focus on women's health issues men's health issue snot love, naturopathic doctors, I find focus on men's health issues. There's a lot of women's health because I mean, let's face it about eighty percent of my practice as women I was writing about. So that's why so you gravitate towards that when you graduate. But I try to make a point to make sure that I dress and ask the right questions when men come in as well males come in as well children, and then like aspirin tests, no immune health, these types of conditions that are chronic that we often times the medical. Establishment may not have solutions for long term solutions floors. So we can help with that I looking at taking that holistic approach, right? And so because you ask such comprehensive questions on the way in it means that you touch on relationships and sex and not just the mechanics of sex, but all of the mood and lifestyle factors.

00:05:02 - 00:10:01

So what would you say is the most common sex related issue? Patients present with it would be the lack or the diminished, sexual desire or libido. That's number one. I also see vaginal dryness, especially around the Peri menopausal time menopause pain with sex men and women. So yeah. Those main ones let's talk about menopause because menopause is often treated as a footnote at the end of our lives. When in fact, we spent half of our adult lives post menopause because right and in sexuality and in relationships there will be a wealth of information on sex pre menopause. Right. And then there's always this kind of like paragraph at the end, and if you're menopausal or postmenopausal us Lou use loop to Joe, you don't have to have penetration. And those things are certainly key. Sure. Regardless of whether you're pre or post menopause don't have to have been attrition and. Yes, use Lou. But what are you? What are you seeing? With regard to save addtional, dryness or vaginal atrophy. And what are people? What do you do for them? Yeah. Well, there's the one thing that I mentioned a lot to the pre menopause and menopausal women is that it's not as. Not going to be as quick to get aroused. Okay. So to take your time and to focus on more of that relationship and figuring that piece out and so spending that quality time with your partner. Spending time in that spending a longer period of time in that arousal phase, you know, throughout the day. Being close with each other saying things speaking, you know, your love language to each other engaging in that way can help lead to a better sexual outcome that evening, or whatever you choose to have share that closeness. So it's just I do encourage spending more time in the pre phase, not just it's not as easy anymore as just because the hormones are changing that you know, they're they're balancing the constantly balance. What is happening during first of all what is paramount AP's? So Peri menopause is the stage before menopause when you're experiencing mental notional changes. Sometimes so you can be anxious to pressed your periods. We'll look at physical things that are happening. Your period can becoming more frequently it could be becoming longer heavier. Sometimes you won't see your period for six months had a patient. The other. Day was like I thought I was on my way to menopause because menopause is actually when you're periods cease you stop to stop ovulating. Right. So so area of ties. So it has to be for is usually a year. Okay. So this person got to that nine month. She was like, I'm on my way, I'm on my way and in the period came, and then she was like, oh shoot. So it was light. But it was there still. So that means you start day one again. Right. So she might not see your period again for maybe maybe she'll go into the year this time, maybe it'll be a few months. So it's that it's that phase where things are up and down. You'll know when you're coming not great for planning -cations, and for planning activities and even for planning sex. You just never know period might show up you might be spotting the so many variables there that that you don't have that control over. It sounds a little bit like puberty, and I would think that with the age at which people are having kids. You must have that magic. Cocktail of parent in menopause and CHAI. Child impurity in the house at the same time that as to the stress and to what's happening with the hormones what's happening with estrogen. What's happening? Yeah. There's definitely going to be fluctuations is really how we can describe it. So you're you have your hormones L, H and episodes that are released from your brain to help, you know, they stimulate the ovaries to produce follicle and produce estrogen progesterone, and that is what's fluctuating up and down. And there are definitely there's also a role that your adrenal glands play, which is which are the stress hormone producing glance at sit on top of the kidneys in that plays a huge role as well in the mixture of all the hormones lectu actions that are happening when you're more stressed. I find women they experience more menopausal symptoms. You know, like it's just it's heightened because now you're dealing with. You know? Elevated cortisol levels that that are impacting you as well. So how do you deal with that? How do you balance out the hormones? So there are lots of things I talk about lifestyle. So we look at sleep number one. Are you sleeping is that something you should do sleep? Yes.

00:10:03 - 00:15:01

Yes. No. You need to sleep. We had a big flight delay last night. So there was no sleep last night. And you're doing pretty well right now. But yes, well sleep is really key sleep is the master controller of your mean system of your hormones of of even just aging in general general body in and brain aging, you know, your brain goes through a detox when you're when you're sleeping gets rid of toxins circulation. Goes right metabolism people come in for weight loss. It's like if you're not sleeping. I can't even touch nutrition. We have to work on that. I so when it comes to to menopause seep is really important what can change about my diet or supplements to sleep better. Sure. I mean, number one might my most favorite mineral magnesium magnesium before bed is such a muscle relaxer. So it just relax. Your muscles your mind, reliable question definitely can redo make museum and still drink. Well, let's talk about that part. Second. So you could but alcohol, especially when we're talking about the Beato, some people are, you know? You know, alcohol abuse too, much alcohol and actually really affect libido is the number one cause of rectal this function in men alcohol abuse, so although alcohol can help release reduce inhibitions and reducing Sidey around sex. It also can wreak a lot lot of havoc like it can disrupt asleep. So you might get to sleep feel good about that. But your quality of sleep might not be too great. It's called passing out. Yeah. You just sort of pass out. Right. And then waking up sweating and saying oh God. What did I say? I have to say whiskey. Dick is a real thing. There's a whiskey Dink. Well, I'm trying to use the gentler terms right now, but whiskey dick where my used to go out drinking, and then maybe had many drinks, and you might have simultaneously met someone that you wanted to go home with and maybe your your performance was a little lacking that evening because of the extra shots that you took the true true, Cambridge real problem. And so you can you take magnesium if you have a glass of wine, you can I don't know if it was help say like kind of counteract or negate the effects. Okay. The hawks alcohol still in your system. But the fact that alcohol does disrupt your electrolytes can play a role in how you feel so electrolytes and magnesium being electrolyte as well may be something that would be helpful by negate the effects caffeine is another is another huge thing. Right. Like people. They'll. Have there one coffee, but everyone has different sensitivities. So you have your coffee at noon, you think you're okay. But it is it can be distracting your quality of sleep. Even if it's at ten AM for some people. So so that's an issue and also wants simple fix is people who are taking the supplements at the wrong times taking a becalmed. They're taking a b twelve they have low aren't that are taking iron, but the taking it before bed. And these are kind of these are supplements that help boost your your energy. So you're doing that before bed, and then you're up as well. So that can affect sleep to having a heavy meal, heavy protein fatty meal and going to bed on that. Like your body's trying to digest your food. So trying to do that. It's not trying to sleek how much time ideally, would you like to elapse between a heavy meal and going to probably three to four hours. Okay. Would be good. But then you also want to go to sleep hungry hungry. I have many patients who've. Come and and they're eating the not eating enough, and they're going to going to bed and they're waking up at three AM. So there's a fine balance. They sort of know, your body know your activity level. No, no yourself. And no, then you know, what you need to do before for you. Go to save. If that's eat more, eat less, whatever that be so funny to me the idea of waking up to eat because that's not me at all. Once I'm I'm out. But for those of you that that no just just as father lives in our hose. And he will we first started living together he will wake up in the middle of the night. And how something to eat, and it just kind of blew my mind. I didn't understand, but I guess that's more common than I realized in my family. We are constantly hungry on both sides of my family. We are always hung. I could get sick because I had food poise. Winning and within five minutes of getting sick. I would want lobster go through. I never lost my appetite.

00:15:01 - 00:20:03

That is something I've never really it's should be physically ill and then still wind on this. The first thing that goes usually your appetite. I've never lost appetite. I have a couple of questions of mine sense basic after listening, very detailed response. So you had mentioned to do things you'd mentioned that guys come to you. And they're they have pain during sex. What what pain might they experience so pain in the sort of this air in psalm? You can't see, but sort of the the pelvic area in Guido region. We call it everywhere men content to get hernias and women being at hernias in that area. Penile now pain so and oftentimes due to post surgical they had prostate surgery or if they had like traumatic injuries through playing sport some some of this pain, even during sex with. Direction can be long lasting. And so what I do. So acupuncture, is helpful. I recommend castor oil. Rub. So castor oil, you know, Castro's in many people traditionally would take castor oil. Orally to help seem like the bowels. That's not how recommending it here. I'm recommending more so like rubbing in the know and pelvic floor area can help reduce the inflammation increased circulation he'll and scar tissue with with with good massage. And I also referred to pelvic physiotherapists in the city who as an up and coming around while, but there's more and more public therapist around. Now, they've helped my patients allot so for Menier. It's more of a robe where something depending on the situation. It's not something that they're necessarily taking a supplement for pain. Yes. So definitely we address that too. So he looked for remember when we look for deficiencies. We look for. Lack of certain things in the diet. Like if macronutrients are they lacking healthy fats are they having inflammatory foods in their diet? Like too much fat fatty foods trans fats sugars refined chemicals refined for fine, sugars and chemicals as well. And really we just we want to dress addressed the issue by just focusing in on or are they lacking. So sometimes that means to take supplements vitamin c like zinc things that helped to heal tissue help to reduce scar tissue from the inside out as well. And all of those things would help libido on the street to you took a very holistic approach like you said, so maybe experiencing pain, but if you use this and use that in addition with x y and z with your libido for sure, and I would add to exercise to help bring circulation to the pelvic floor and genitalia also really helpful gentle exercise stretching as well. So yes, it was a holistic approach because we do know that the Mediterranean diet us for helping to prevent and treat heart disease stroke, diabetes is the number one died that we use to help with libido issues as well with inflammation as well. Because high nuts and seeds and whole grains and low and refined carbohydrates sugars. So so, yeah, I think that a lot of people are looking for the magic bullet. Yeah. When you say, oh, you need to exercise you need to adjust your diet Moulmein you need to drink a little bit less people don't necessarily want to invest the time. Yes. So how do we get people to buy in is it as simple as start your day with handful of nuts because it fills up your belly latte little bit. And makes you less likely to reach her a Danish when you pass the coffee counter is it small changes like that. And hundred percent when people will I think for. Most naturopathic doctors. But the way I work is like you come in. And we do take that step wise approach to your health. And so if you're coming in with a whole list of issues, it's really important to build that foundation. And that might just mean changing Ivan changing the dialysis how far back, oh, I'll take it. So maybe ninety chasing her diet. When I see you at first just getting you to eat more frequently of what you're already eating to help. Stabilize your sugars to help balance your hormones and to help you feel better. If you're going for a lot of people if you're going six seven hours without having a meal, you crash you feel horrible fasting. No that people are doing in intimate and fasting but intimate and fasting type of diet where you do. Most people who are just getting started with it. You want to do it at a calculated time, you want to make sure that you're doing it sort of while you're sleeping, most of it. So that, you know, you'd have your last meal at a certain time, maybe maybe eight seven and they don't eat again until basically skip breakfast. Then you have lunch, right? So that's that's standard intermittent fasting that people start off with naggus.

00:20:03 - 00:25:08

And so that can help with anti aging inflammation, it can help with weight laws. There's a lot of good benefits intermittent fasting and more sort of rejuvenates immune system. There's a lot of good merit to it. But you had to make sure that it works for you. I love 'cause I got a friend of mine intermittent fast, and he'd be like not eat for sixteen hours. And then he three types of stream in two zero. Intermittent. The right approach that's part of the problem. Just as a layperson diet when you try inch overhaul your diet. And I think you're setting yourself up for failure. We are used to doing one thing. It makes sense to me that you change one small thing about what you're already doing. So sure, right. Like if you eat fast food three times a week, and we tips anyway cake. I guess I'm just describing myself. If I were to say, Nope. I am going on vegan raw food diet. I think that would be too much of shift. But if I could cut one of those incidents of fast food, and I know this isn't necessarily about sex. But all of these things they affect your mood. They affect your sleep. They affect your libido. They affect the way you interact with other pizzas. So you mentioned small meals is that something we should all be thinking about often. Because Brandon you do not eat often. In fact, you intermittent fast every night not on purpose by accident. Wake up first thing in the morning. I just wanted to coffee. Okay. And then I will surprise my appetite. And then I might eat a couple of like, you know, those nam date balls or something like that. And then I don't really eat too much. And then usually by three or four o'clock, I'm starving, and then I overeat and too much and is probably extremely unhealthy, and it has to do with our work as well. We just dive right into Busia. Yeah. And so. It's about doing it in a way that is going to make sense around your schedule your lifestyle. And so that any what you mentioned to start was. Okay. But maybe to break your fast, it's about how you break that fast. Maybe you just need more protein to help balance things. It depends on your activity level. Are you working out as well? So then really I I often emphasize the protein and then getting back to the libido issue. If you not having enough protein, it's hard to balance and keep those those hormones doing what they need to do. Right because you eat protein it breaks down to the amino acids. Your body builds protein from that which ends up being your hormones as well testosterone. Right. So we protein deprived in the morning. A lot of people tend to dive for oatmeal cereal. Still I'm seeing this maybe smoothly, but they don't put any protein in the smoothie these are things that people are doing an insult their there. Not starting their day with enough protein. I would say what can you add to your smoothie for protein? You can add some Greek yogurt you can do a protein supplements. There's many out there that are even plant base that are delicious. My favorite's pumpkin seed protein right now. So yummy. So you could do that you could do hemp hearts of Chia seeds beans stocking to patient the day, and I'm will. Will add avocado hear me out Syria. Yeah. It's about how much you add right? But you can do of KADO, but you can make I love the white PB. My husband introduced me to this being years ago. And it's neutral tasting you can boil it keeps them in the fridge outta handful. You get some fiber you get some protein, right? And it's a natural way to get that protein. I've just thinking that I've been following you on Facebook, and we have already right here. So I didn't know you were Jamaican. So the Jamaican folk and our facon partner food. What can you my family is actually in food in Jamaica? And my aunt and cousins have have restaurants called island grill seen that you make and what they're really trying to do. In fact, there was an article in Forbes on my aunt salia last week and number of the other fast food, or what we call quick service restaurants Jamaica, which are not quick or faster, but to making they are looking at healthy approaches to service food. So for instance, island grill has added superfoods to the menus too rather than getting rice in peas are or fry Bany on the side wound festival. They also offer boiled Yam boiled Brennan, which Jamaica, we just call food. Yes. Right. I have some chicken food. So what what about for folks, I think oftentimes when we think of health food against pretty whitewashed and a lot of healthy eating becomes a little bit elitist. And this notion that our ethnic foods are thirty and this North American eurocentric, white foods are clean.

00:25:08 - 00:30:01

What is it that we're already eating as people of color that we can up, and because we do know like in Jamaica, for instance, lots of people in my family that everyone has high blood pressure, we struggle with high cholesterol. And this does come from the fact that a lot of the foods that have been accessible were the tossed aside, cheap boiled, boiled, dumpling fried dumpling, flower water cost almost nothing. Right. So what are we eating that? We can eat more a more of those provisions right because they're high in minerals, salesman, talk about one in particular. But from Peru like Maka, right? But in Jamaica, the men swear by even. Same bolts where swears by his Yam. Right. And yet how when Cam is. So Yam is a ground provisions. So it's grown in the earth. And and anything that's growing the earth is going to be typically high in minerals like selenium, which is really important for prostate health for men, zinc, really important for testosterone levels, and maintenance and men and women. So that's why I think a lot of the men in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries swear by their their Yam their roots, chevelle stamina, they're also very high in in carbohydrates and fiber. So they sustain you write the flower. We do love our Johnny cakes and fry dumpling and stuff, but it's not going to sustain you as much as like a Yam or any of those those types of root vegetables, do and so yes in Jamaica is different than the m you have in North America. They call sweet. It's not right. That is not right. No, judgment veggie. Ron. That's wrong. It's a yellow it has a yellow interior and a Brown exterior that is almost a little bit stream e or your area, and you can find it in many grocery stores, you'll find it near where you find they get Hickam and even the regular potatoes and stuff like you'll find it where you find potato potato usually it'll be there with like sometimes green banana. High in potassium boiling it again, these things you can have for it for breakfast, you could make soup or porridge out of banana of green banana. So those lots of ways we can use our food now, protein wise. That's the tricky part really North America is really the only cultures that that. Just don't eat food that you'd have lunch and dinner for breakfast. It's like this whole, cereal and smoothie and eggs. You know, this is like these are the three things are allowed to have. And so when people come in I start talking to them about have lunch for what's the problem? You know, became a popular now ten years. What do you mean? I can't have chicken and Brown rice and salad for breakfast. But really, it's what I feel the best when I eat like that, you know. So Chinese do that any well. Yeah. Be switching cultures here. People. We needles and rice for breakfast. It's not a thing that you have to save for for lunch or dinner, exactly and pancakes, and French toast, basically, it's desert for breakfast. Yeah. Exactly. We want to like if it's healthier to do the opposite to to have the high protein in more grounding meals for your breakfast. Okay. So if we're just in our diet a little and we're looking at her sleep not to ask her a magic pill. But what supplements would you recommend somebody who says I've lost my libido? I'm just interested in sex. Let's put the relational issues aside because I think we've talked about that. And I talk about it often in the podcast. But what can we do to change our diet and supplements to increase libido? Yeah. So dying supplements. I you all look at. So main things we wanna get circulation to the area. Right. So you wanna look at iron iron levels, though. In in women. That's a big issue, especially when you're going through that period menopause talked about where sometimes appears longer depleting your. Stores so jet that checked and not just our hematoma. Check your fair levels. That's that's the actual indicator of anemia anemia per se a combination but low iron, and that can definitely affect your libido and sexual because Iran makes a Pima goal when which brings oxygen and other nutrients to her genitalia and all over your body. Right. So very important b twelve number one very important, making sure your your levels are the needs to be if you're if you're vegan vegetarian oftentimes those things are low. So you wanna make sure that you check those mce we talked about that. I love Maka route you can add it to the smoothie you can you can take it as a supplement form, but it helps with reducing executive and depression without disrupting your hormones.

00:30:01 - 00:35:01

They've shown in studies and also helping to to increase sexual stamina. So really good fenugreek fenugreek you can cook with this. So if any Greek is an ir. Veda higher veta- culinary spice. Herb that. You can use it in stir fries, you can use it. When you're seasoning meets. What is it tastes like? It has like a. Kind of nutty sweet. I would say flavor. It's a nice gentle flavor. Like Brennan, you're nutty. Why wouldn't know that? No. Meant it. I'm just nodding accepting it. So you can take those. Sometimes these herbs are in combination formulas in so you can just pop it like a pill before sexual encounters or during the day to help. I like Saint John's wart Saint John's worts a good one for helping women are going through hot flashes night sweats. But also for mood. I use it as a standard treatment for people who come in with mild to moderate depression. And that often goes hand in hand sometimes hormones are fluctuating so men as well. But we're talking about premenopausal use that too. So there's there's lots of formulas that that that. Yeah. That kind of combine combined those things and it's also important like not to necessarily come someone comes in. And they have the beat libido issues to just go right there because I people come in and say, I'm having a sexual issue here, and it's libido and or rectus function. But it's like the other things it's like the stress and the menopause formulas that. Them the most. So it's really about finding what the chew causes right? Because sometimes we think the problem is the problem. And in fact, it's just a symptom exactly when we look at things -iety look at depression onto hall, look at how you're feeling about your partner Brown, the biggest libido killer, of course, being resentment. Right. When you built up that resentment, and you're not addressing and probably said this before but people used to come to me and say, we've got this great relationship. It's just the sex and bottom line. It is never almost never just the sex. The sex is often a symptom of what is going on in your life and relationships juice, some Maca root and every. Story for being didn't. But I did take. You're making all these recommendations. And they're they sound amazing before somebody runs out and just buys all of the the first step is to see someone a professional lake you because I'm sharing all of these things can drastically affect you. If you're not taking them the right amount or combination. Yeah. It's yeah. You're exactly right. Like, for example, even Saint John's wart, right and one that you really can't depending on the one you when you purchase you have to be careful with certain medications, it can speed up the detox vacation of certain medications that you're on and they can interact can throw off your birth control pill is in effect, potentially. So you just wanna make sure that you see someone to help address the issue properly, and what's really cool is on Thursday mornings on the vita rock Facebook page. You have an ask me anything. So people have specific questions for Dr Libya rose. Related to naturopathic Madison. You can check out the vita rock Facebook page, and we'll be sure to linked to that as well. Thursday mornings. And so I probably have questions I have one last one because near the beginning, you mentioned vaginal, dryness. And so this can happen, regardless of where you are in your life cycle. So maybe higher incidents in people who are paramount apostle menopausal postmenopausal. But what can we take? What can we adjust to affect positively affect badge drawings? I would say you want to emphasize less caffeine less alcohol. More water and electrolytes, especially if you're sensitive to this area. Look at your medications sub indication can throw this off birth control pill combined times throw off your sex, right? And just the way your body's responding being aroused or not being aroused. So important. What else shows that? So is there anything diet wise that can affect positively affects your relation which I assume so fish-oil gambling illeg asses evening. Primrose oil GLA is the type of fat. That's an evening primrose oil often that can help sea buckthorn oil another one. That's also quite helpful for helping dryness. So wanna make sure that your your hydrated and your your tissues are are healthy from from the inside out. And so this many ways to do that mostly fatty acids and water as well.

00:35:02 - 00:38:56

And when you say cutting alcohol, you don't include wine in that. I one hundred percent caffeine in coffee, right? Doesn't count. Also, everything in moderation. I mean, I g or there's a big difference between having a glass of wine and having a bottle of wine or having us, you know, for instance, I tend to drink decaffeinated coffee, even though I post all my pictures of all of my Espresso everywhere. I know, but as a treat once in a while I have a half calf until what she does. Bye. Want to take over the world. I'm already vibrating. And so a coffee just takes it to another though. So I think this is such an interesting discussion, we didn't even get to talk about CBD THC. But I I'm sure that people are going to have specific questions. So make sure you check out Dr Libya rose, her website is Libya rose n d for naturopathic doctor, Libya rose n dot com. She's on Facebook and Instagram Libya rose n ND and Thursday mornings on the vita. Rick vita rock Facebook page that AMA I'm sure people have very specific questions because you mentioned a lot of supplements. And we don't want people running out and buying them. All in bulk at Costco. In fact, you might wanna check vital vita rock. Where are these products have been tested? So we screen our products to make sure that they don't contain like, nasty ingredients in chemicals, and so I'm part of that sort of quality assurance in. We just make sure that what we carry as clean better for the environment better for your health overall. Yeah. So this too because I used to work with with a product called her back believe you carry fantastic, and herb Amax was held to the highest standard went through all the health candidate has sting. And I recall that many of its competitor is when they do shelf tests they'd pull these supposedly natural products from the shelf and they'd find Viagra. Yes. Yes. We did a discussion with the creator urban max, and he was telling us that. And that's crazy. But that's what it goes to show. And really we were proud to carry brands like that. Because you don't know what you're getting out there. Often times when you're just going to regular store, and it's really good to be able to trust somewhere with your your health, basically. Right. And natural doesn't equal that are regulated exact oftentimes it's the opposite. Yeah. So before we go have one last quick question. Quick. You had mentioned that women go through menopause and hormonal changes and things like that. Is there something like that? That guys do go through. Yeah. That could be a whole discussion. Okay. So maybe I should have a holy. But Vance or my question. Yes, there is and it might not be as as distinct of a time frame and characterized by that last pyrrhic doesn't happen in men, but they're conducting be fluctuations that needs to be supported for minutes, especially with drops testosterone, the best definitely possible writer men group. Just on. You're still young. Prepare. The future. Well, thank you so much for being here. Make sure you check out Livia rose and d dot com. And thank you to you for listening. Thanks Brennan for hanging out as always right and thank you desire resorts. They thank you. And check them out at desire experience wherever you're at have a wonderful week. Thanks for having me. You're listening to the sex with Dr jazz podcast, improve your sex life, improve your life.