- Be the right weight: being overweight can affect your confidence and ability to be frolicsome, but being underweight can be a passion killer too. Body fat is needed for the metabolism of sex hormones, so while slim may be desirable, super skinny is not.
- Get enough energy nutrients: B vitamins and iron affect energy levels and therefore your libido and how keen you feel to have sex. Foods rich in iron and B vitamins include lean red meat and liver, nuts, eggs, wholegrain breakfast cereals and wholemeal bread, as well as deep green leafy vegetables.
- Eat sensuous foods: just the appearance or texture of some foods is enough to get you in the mood, especially if you share your food in a more intimate way than usual. Have a little piece of luxury dark chocolate, remembering to focus on the feel of it melting sensually in your mouth at just above body temperature.
- Drink wine: a glass or two of your favourite tipple can help get you in the mood, but do stop there – you can forget any passion if you drink too much!
- Eat oily fish: omega-3 polyunsaturates, particularly a fatty acid called EPA, which is found in salmon, herrings, sardines, pilchards, prevent the blood from getting too sticky and ensure it flows freely to the parts that matter.
- Drizzle maple syrup: just a little drizzle of maple syrup could help ensure your sexual vibrancy, as it’s a particularly good source of manganese, a mineral that is essential for forming sex hormones.
- Try a herbal helper: Peruvian maca root increases energy, enhances stamina, mental clarity and athletic endurance. It has reputed aphrodisiac properties, hence its nickname ‘Spanish Viagra’.
- Get spicy: ginger, chillies, cinnamon, cloves and fenugreek all encourage blood flow and mild sweating, two factors that can heighten feelings of arousal. But think light and appetising, like a Thai-style whole baked fish not a spicy vindaloo!
- Up the zinc factor: oysters – reputedly Casanova’s favourite snack – supply the highest quantities of zinc, which is crucial to both sperm production and female reproductive health. Other sources of zinc are crab, red meat and nuts and seeds.
- Have some liquorice: according to Doctor Alan Hirsch, who heads The Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, USA, the smell of different foods can also heighten our state of arousal, as measured by increased blood flow. Bizarrely, says Hirsch, one of the most arousing smells for women is that of liquorice allsorts combined with cucumber!
Billy Hoyle
Also grey rock salt, coconut oil & Cholesterol help.