Sexual Health of Woman & Nutritional Concerns

By Kanishka Singh

New Delhi, Sep 14, 2018: You all must have seen the wall on roadside painted with slogans and dialogues like “शारीरिक दुर्बलता, यौन इच्छा की कमी...गुप्त रोगी मिलें – डॉ सम्राट/ डॉ राज”... Actually, these sentences are usually referred for the abnormal or poor sexual health of men; but it is not just the men who are suffering from sexual health issues. Every girl & women out their also experience the health issues which are majorly related to their sexual health whether in terms of physical aspects, mental or emotional/ psychological aspects, but a big YES… women are also suffering from sexual health issues and that too in a very large percentage. Women sexual health issue is one of the major areas of concern nowadays which is in need of URGENT ATTENTION.

It is not the matter of shame for a woman to discuss or know the issues related to her sexual desires and sexual medical health conditions, but due to societal framework and incompetencies of women to discuss their own selves openly in a healthy manner is what causes the degradation of sexual health statuses among women both in urban and rural areas.

Nowadays all women are working women (whether at an office or at home) so it becomes more challenging & a big cause of concern to develop a healthy and normal sexual health for them. They are constantly under mental or emotional stress & pressure and barely get time to think about their sexual needs & health, in result they suffer many health problems, among which DEPRESSION and LOW-SELF ESTEEM are the majors.

Here I would like to be concerned about the nutritional aspects of women reproductive & sexual health which is one of the major sections of concern which almost every woman apparently ignores.

Nutritional factors affecting libido/ sex drive in women:

• Fat affects nerve transmission, so good & healthy fats and their level in the body acts as anti-inflammatories and support nerve transmission & neurotransmitter action, so that body can respond in a better way in response to sexual stimuli.

• Opt for an alkaline diet as it reduces the inflammation. Eat more dark green leafy vegetables, and avoid eating processed foods, sugars & refined flours/ grains. An alkaline diet will particularly help those women who are suffering from health issues like arthritis, obesity, hormonal imbalances, diabetes & heart diseases, as these all lower the libido in women.

• Boost blood flow and micro-circulation by preventing anemia and overcoming iron deficiency which is very common among all females. Circulation can also be improved by improving vitamin C, folic acid & zinc consumption level in females.

• Vitamin B acts as the mood enhancer, as it uplifts mood & also fights against stress, lack of energy & depression among women. Vitamin B also plays an important role in the healthy functioning of the adrenal gland.

• Vitamin D is a star vitamin for over-all health, & plays a vital role in boosting the immunity system, B.P. & cholesterol. Vitamin D plays a major role for sex drives in females, as its deficiency lowers the estrogen levels in females, which in turn affects mood, sexual desires & performance of a female.

• Stress is one of the major causes of decreased sex drives & poor fertility & female infertility. According to experts, oxidative stress can jeopardize fertilization, implantation & embryo viability. Antioxidant combats with them all and also improves sexual health.

• Too much consumption of alcohol & cigarettes affects the sex drives in females very rapidly, as alcohol interferes with the regulation of female reproductive hormones. And nicotine being a vasoconstrictor decreases the blood flow throughout the body as a result decreases the libido in females.

Foods that can improve sex drives in women are:

• Berries- Contains antioxidant called anthocyanin, which boosts circulation, creating a “natural vaginal effect”, and also prevents high B.P.

• Red Wines- Contains phenols which improve blood flow, thus improves as well as increases sexual desires in females.

• Watermelon- Contains lycopene & citrulline, which sets off the chain reaction by converting to the arginine (amino acid) & thus relaxes blood vessels & increases circulation to all the body parts thus improving sex drive.

• Chickpeas- They are the great source of zinc, thus balances the hormonal levels.

• Vitamin C rich foods- They enhance & uplift the mood & relax the mind & body by improving blood circulation throughout the body.

• Vitamin B rich foods- Foods such as poultry, bread, whole grains, eggs & pulses are Vitamin B rich which lowers the depression & stress levels in the body.

• Bee Pollen- Bee pollen greatly improves sex drive, & not only this, it also boosts your self-confidence, sustainable energy, increases endurance, relives stress & enhances immunity. It is believed to increase fertility.

• Garlic- It contains allicin, which believed to increase the blood flow to the sexual organs, thus is a potent food for increasing sex drive.

• Dark Chocolates- It boosts blood flow and increases feel-good hormones i.e. serotonin & dopamine, & thus helps in lowering stress levels & promote relaxation.

• Ginger- Best known food for its anti-nausea & circulation boosting properties, thus also improves sex drives in women.

• Chili- They helps speed up the metabolism, increases blood flow, plumps your lips, & releases feel-good endorphins. Combining chili with dark chocolate is an ultimate combination for increasing sex drive.

• Figs- Figs are believed to stimulate fertility & secretion of pheromones.

The author is a professor at Meerut College, Meerut (UP), and is a well known registered practicing nutritionist & alternative medicine practitioner (majorly in nutrition).