As Valentine’s Day approaches, and we all prepare to buy cards, enjoy chocolate and be descended upon by bow-wielding cherubim, some questions remain. Like… “which supplements are best for boosting sexual health?” and “does chocolate actually affect women on a deeper level than it affects men?”
Let’s start by getting beyond the Mars/Venus dichotomy.
The truth is, we’re all a little more similar than most people realize.
Sure, there are many demonstrable differences between men and women and what makes each tick, but what are the common denominators?
What gets us all revved up and ready to enjoy sex?
Are you ready to be totally aroused by the answer?
It’s rest. 💤
That’s right.
Good, old-fashioned dreamy sleep is the most important component of a good sex life.
There are evolutionary reasons for this. We exist, all the time, in one of two major states – one favors the Parasympathetic nervous system. The other favors the Sympathetic.
The Parasympathetic state is about “rest-and-digest.” That’s when we sleep or heal. It’s the state that helps your muscles rebuild after a workout or send all that was useful from dinner off to the various parts of your body.
The flip side (Sympathetic nervous system) runs in full Stress mode. Think “fight, flight, faint or freeze.” This is the part of you that keeps your guard up. The “spidey senses.” The part that kept your ancestors alive when wolves and tigers and bears were around.
So the sympathetic nervous system is useful, but it doesn’t exactly put you in the mood for love.
The fight-for-your-life state isn’t exactly compatible with the let’s-get-frisky state.
So in order for us to be in the mood for sex, we must first be relaxed. Chances are you knew that. It’s why many people self-medicate with cocktails on first (or second or third) dates. They want to cut the tension, within themselves, and between them and a would-be sex partner.
Beyond being relaxed, whether we have a vagina or a penis, getting ready for sex involves increasing the blood flow to the pertinent regions.
We all naturally produce Nitric Oxide within us. Nitric Oxide is what we need to boost blood flow, not just to penises and vaginas, but also to lungs and glutes and quads and biceps. But we’re still talking about sex organs. So we like to take a strategy of boosting our body’s Nitric Oxide production to get the blood pumping again so that everything can get properly throbbing or lubricated in time for the festivities*. The good news is you can support this strategy using Irwin Natural’s products .
Irwin’s RED Line includes products like Steel Libido RED®, which uses L Citrulline, an amino acid, to help your body boost Nitric Oxide production.*
As a special promotion, take 10% OFF any product from our RED or Sexual Health collection with code: LOVE2019. Valid until midnight PST 2/28/2019.
Managing your stress with adaptogens is another way to keep our bodies and minds (it needs to be both) in the mood.*
As the major fuel of stress in your body, Cortisol is the proverbial wet blanket that spoils the sex lives of a lot of people. Adaptogenic herbs can mitigate the effects of occasional stress on your mind & body by lowering the presence of cortisol in your body.*
And when we lower the need to produce stress hormones, our body has more reserves to make sufficient amounts of sex hormones (including testosterone), which, like the increased blood flow to sex organs, is helpful to both men and women who want to improve their sex lives.
And chocolate. 🍫
We said we’d talk about that.
Beyond the sheer yumminess, chocolate contains something called theobromine, which is related to caffeine. So it’s a stimulant. But it’s also a potent antioxidant, which brings us back to supporting cardio health, all around.
Chocolate actually affects men and women about the same.
In a nutshell, sexual health is a subset of mental and physical health. Reduce stress and stressors, sleep enough, and keep your cardiovascular system healthy.
Yes, Kegel exercises are great for improving circulation and strengthening the musculature of the pelvic floor, but good old cardio health and sleep are the foundations of sexual health.
Whatever your plans, Happy Valentine’s Day, and stay healthy. ❤️
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
