4 Daily Habits That Boost Your Sex Drive Naturally

Sleep, movement, nutrition, and stress reduction are the foundations for optimizing any and all aspects of sexual health. When it comes to each of these 4 factors, it's not enough to simply tell my patients to do better. I have to provide them with tangible guidance on how to make the next better decision.

Eat These Foods

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For nutrition, I provide recommendations on convenient and healthy snacks that are high in protein.

• Chickpeas: Vitamin B6, found in chickpeas, has been known to regulate testosterone, estrogen production, serotonin and dopamine, all of which can lead to an increased libido and increase in sex hormones.
• Edamame: Going through menopause? Soy-based foods, including tofu and edamame, are rich in isoflavone compounds. These compounds can attach to estrogen receptors within the body, functioning as phytoestrogens. They trigger a gentle estrogen-like effect, potentially enhancing your arousal.
• Carrots: Beta-carotene supports the endocrine system, which i turn can help boost libido.
• Snack Packs of Nuts: Zero pun intended.Omega-3s, Zinc and L-arginine, found in snack packs of nuts, can help you perform.

Those are all good options. Portion control is key. Minimizing added sugars is also crucial. By eating anti-inflammatory foods and limiting pro-inflammatory foods, we can improve all aspects of sexual functioning.

Related: I Lost Over 129 Pounds with the Help of This Cereal Hack

Do Aerobic Exercise

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Aerobic exercise, turns out, may be just as effective as viagra to treat ED. If that's not a reason to move our bodies, I don't know what is! Some of my favorite examples of aerobic exercise include running and swimming but even dancing counts—anything that gets your heart pumping.

Reduce Stress

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And stress—stress in our lives related to anything may impact libido. If work, a person/people, situations are causing us stress, our bodies may respond in a way that reduces sex drive. Consider a massage, as that can also be a part of foreplay.

Related: “Tough Love” Dieting Advice From a Weight Loss Coach

Get Better Sleep and Checked For Sleep Apnea

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When it comes to sleep, I recommend sleep apnea testing for many of the men who see me. Nighttime urination, low testosterone, erectile dysfunction, low libido, and fatigue are all common symptoms of sleep apnea (it's not just about snoring) and oftentimes, my patients present with several of these symptoms. The ideal amount of sleep per night is 7 to 9 hours.

💪🔥Body Booster: Boost your libido by incorporating carrots, rich in beta-carotene, into your diet to support your endocrine system.

Amy Pearlman, MD, is a Board-Certified Urologist and Co-Founder of Prime Institute.

Is your testosterone low? There are things you can do to boost it the natural way, claims one health expert. William Li is a bodybuilder and fitness influencer with over 3.8 million followers on TikTok and 1.2 million on Instagram. He regularly shares videos on how to improve health and fitness without going to extremes. In a recent viral video, he shared five things to do if “you want to naturally boost your testosterone.” We also consulted with our Resident RDN, The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, to weigh in on his suggestions.

1. Get 10 to 30 Minutes of Sunlight

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“Number one is getting enough sunlight,” says Li. “Try to get 10 to 30 minutes of sunlight a few times per week.”

2. Get 6 to 8 Hours of Sleep Per Night

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“Number two, try to get six to eight hours of sleep,” he says. What are the health benefits of sleep? According to the Sleep Foundation, getting enough z’s is a mood booster, promotes heart health, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function, restores your immune system, helps relieve stress, and aids in weight loss.

3. Maintain a Healthy Body Fat Percentage

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Number three, he recommends maintaining a healthy body fat percentage. “Around 10 to 15 percent for men is ideal,” Li maintains.

4. Consume Nutrient Dense Foods with Healthy Fats.

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“Number four is to consume nutrient dense foods with healthy fats,” says Li. He specifically recommends whole eggs, salmon, mackerel, sardines, oysters, red meat, spinach, seeds, and nuts.

5. RDN Weighs In

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Collingwood is onboard with these recommendations. “Just a healthy lifestyle in general is important, but so is some fat on your body and fat in the diet,” she explains. “Not all of the foods he lists have healthy fats, but they are all nutrient dense and good to include for various reasons (zinc, iron, protein, fat, etc).” And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss This Is Exactly How to Lose Body Fat This Year.

It shouldn’t have to take the starting of a new year to make game-changing health resolutions. Whether it is January or August, you can improve your life by making a few small tweaks to your day that can make a huge difference. Here are 8 things you should be doing now, according to wellness gurus.

1. Exercise 8 Minutes Every Morning

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You might not think you have time in your busy schedule to make it to the gym, but according to Jorge Cruise, a personal trainer and New York Times bestselling author, all you need is 8 minutes in the morning. Cruise wrote an entire book detailing the simple exercises that can help you lose two pounds per week in under ten minutes.

Related: I Lost 15 Pounds in 6 Weeks With These 3 Things

2. Take Periodic Breaks for Spurts of Exercise

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Meghan Livingstone, Certified Holistic Nutritionist, also has a suggestion on how to sneak exercise into your busy day. She recommends taking “periodic breaks during your workday to move,” keeping it simple. “Something like standing up after 30 minutes or an hour and doing some stretching, reaching your arms up overhead or doing something like 20 squats or 20 jumping jacks,” she says. “As we know, sitting for a lot of the day isn't great for our health, but even a little bit of movement can have benefits for us when it comes to reducing our risk for chronic disease.”

3. Drink More Water

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Livingstone also encourages amping up your hydration. “Drink a big glass of water first thing in the morning. Hydrating really well when we first wake up is a great way to get in a bunch of water when we can otherwise kind of forget about it as the day goes on,” she says. “Plus, when we wake up, we tend to be a little bit more dehydrated since we've been sleeping through the night.”

4. Start Snacking

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You might associate snacking with empty carbs and processed food. However, learning how to snack the right way can help you lose weight. “Snacking is a good thing to do when we respond to our hunger signals. By fueling up properly through the day, we really help to avoid getting over hungry, which then leads us to often making poor food choices or binging later on in the day,” explains Livingstone. It also helps us to better balance our blood sugar, supports our mood, our energy levels, and it keeps cravings in check. She suggests having a small snack every two to three hours between bigger meals. Also, try and snack on protein, “things like Greek yogurt with berries or nuts and seeds with apple slices or banana with nut butter or boiled eggs,” she recommends.

Related: This is the #1 Carb You Could Eat For Your Body

5. Practice Mindfulness

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Practicing mindfulness can help you evolve in 2024. Whether you devote a minute, 10 minutes, or longer, Livingstone suggests focusing on the little things you can do to live in the present, and quelling negative thoughts and anxiety. “And now, just for a minute, pause, notice your surroundings. Maybe take a deep breath and just notice what's around. You can have amazing effects on your sense of wellbeing. I do love the app called Insight Timer for doing some meditations,” she said.

6. Take a Daily Walk

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Going on a walk every day, “or even just a few times a week,” is a game changer, says Livingstone. Going for a daily walk can be a game changer in terms of exercise, especially at a brisk speed. One study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that walking at a brisk pace for about 30 minutes a day led to a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia and death, compared with walking a similar number of steps but at a slower pace. “I like going for walks anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes around my neighborhood or some of the trails nearby,” she adds.

Related: 4 Incredible Ways Your Body Changes When Intermittent Fasting

7. Cut Out Sugar in Two Easy Steps

The thought of cutting sugar completely from your diet may be daunting. However, according to Autumn Bates, CCN, MS, CPT. “The first thing you need to do is eat protein,” she reveals in her viral TikTok video. “Protein turns off hunger and can reduce sugar cravings. She recommends eggs, cottage cheese, fish, Greek yogurt, and ground beef. The second step? Get more sleep. “Poor sleep increases the hunger hormone ghrelin which can increase cravings for fast energy sources like sugar.” She recommends aiming for 8 hours every night.

8. Quit Drinking

Daniel Amen, MD, offers three simple tips to quit drinking alcohol in a viral video. “If you are drinking a lot, cut it down by ten percent over ten days,” he says. “That way you are probably not going to go into withdrawal. The second? “Begin to see alcohol not as your friend,” he says. “See the bottle and a small brain. See the bottle and fat on your body. See the bottle with more brain fog and cognitive problems. And finally, “find something to replace it with, even if it's something as simple as sparkling water with a little lemon,” he suggests. “ Love something to drink that loves you back.”

💪🔥Body Booster: Snack wisely every few hours on protein-rich foods like Greek yogurt with berries or nuts with apple slices to keep hunger in check, maintain energy levels, and make healthier food choices throughout the day.