Be my Valentine

Try some herbal aphrodisiacs and make February 14th a day to remember

February 14th is here again but what if your libido has taken a downward turn and you don’t feel like celebrating? The good news is there are things you can do to re ignite the spark.  And this is where a few herbal remedies can help to fire things up.  Read on for some common problems and the solutions.

‘Not tonight, I’ve got a headache’

Headaches are the oldest excuse in the book although they can be a genuine reason for wanting to give lovemaking a miss. They are a common symptom of stress so chances are if you sort out the stress your libido could go up a notch or two.

Relaxing in a herb-filled bath before bed is a good place to start. Wrap some herbs such as sage or camomile in a cheesecloth or muslin bag and hang it from the tap so the water runs though as your bath fills up. Alternatively, passionflower has long been valued for its calming, sedative properties and is especially good for taking the edge off anxiety and worry, as well as helping stress symptoms such as a racing heart. It also has mild analgesic properties, which makes it good for soothing tension headaches. 

 ‘I’m too tired’

Rue the day you are too tired for love. There’s no time like now to refuel your energy tanks so you are ready to face whatever life throws at you. Who knows this could be your lucky Valentine’s Day. Ginseng is the great energy booster and is said to be especially good for flagging sex drive in men.  A tincture of wild oats is also worth trying. As well as being generally energizing, it’s said to nourish the reproductive organs. 

‘It’s my hormones’

Hormones are well known for playing havoc with our love life. Stress, a poor diet and lack of exercise can all cause an hormonal imbalance. A woman’s hormonal balance may also be knocked out of kilter by childbirth, gynae problems, the menopause, the Pill or HRT.

For men, low libido is often due to a drop in testosterone, which happens as a natural part of the aging process.  Hormone balancers such as agnus castus and wild yam can work wonders for women while for men a supplement of zinc may help the body produce and metabolise testosterone.

‘The spark has gone’

A candle lit dinner with lots of aphrodisiac foods on the menu might help to rekindle a love lost. Here’s what to include on the menu: truffles, wild mushrooms, celery and asparagus and don’t forget some chocolate – a favourite of that all time lothario Casanova. 

Garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, cloves and cinnamon are all traditionally used to stimulate sexual energy and could help to spice up more than just your cooking.

Finally look out for herbal preparations containing muira puama  -studies show that this herb can boost sexual appetite and generally improve things in the bedroom.

‘I’m just not in the mood’

Feeling down is guaranteed to put you off sex.  St John’s wort is one herb that can help to lift a low mood, even in cases of moderate depression.  It is also good for anxiety and has been shown to help re-establish good sleep patterns. At least one trial using St John’s wort in pre- and post-menopausal women found that those taking a standardised extract of the herb felt sexier and more confident because they were happier in themselves.  They were also more inclined to initiate sex with their partners.

St John’s wort is found in Karma - A traditional herbal medicinal product used to relieve the symptoms of slightly low mood and mild anxiety based on traditional use only.