Don't Let Low Libido Get You Down

by Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

One of the most common complaints I hear from patients of all ages is low sex drive. Today with so many people overworking, we see this problem with younger and younger patients.

Understanding the core causes of low sex drive can lead to effective treatment with Chinese Medicine. Since the sexual reproductive system is driven by the Kidney’s energy we often need to focus on restoring Kidney Essence and Kidney Yang Qi to restore both sexual drive and function.

The genesis of low libido patterns often arise due to exhaustion from an imbalanced lifestyle. When too much is demanded of the body’s resources from overwork and stress to overindulgence in sex, drugs and late nights, the body’s Essence and Yang Qi simply eventually can’t keep up and low libido can develop regardless of one’s age.

In general, low libido and decreased sexual performance are often rooted in damaging lifestyle patterns which include a chronic lack of sleep, excessive use of stimulants and recreational drugs, excessive sexual activity and, of course, exhaustion from overworking and stress.

Furthermore, low libido is occurring more frequently in younger individuals these days because in general the constitutional Essence of the younger generation isn’t as strong as older generations who lived closer to the earth and had simpler lifestyles.

Of course, the physical demands on the older generations was often quite extreme and people in general didn’t live as long as we do today, but these prior generations grew up on wholesome natural foods void of the sugar and food additives found in today’s modern American diet.

Beginning with the advent of TV dinners in the mid-1950’s and prepared frozen meals, the Standard American diet started to decline. Add in an increase in sugar and chemicals in the diet of young people and newer generation mothers will tend to develop weaker constitutions which will impact their offspring’s constitution as well. Furthermore, this situation has been exacerbated with the poor toxic diets children grow up on from birth to adulthood.

With this said, we can see why low libido is a more common issue today than years past along with the issue of infertility which has become a booming industry because of these factors.

In environments like Silicon Valley where I practice Chinese Medicine, work and life-stress in general is extremely high and this creates a chronic situation where unnatural demands on the body’s resources to support stress hormones far exceeds the need to produce sexual reproductive hormones.

This exposure to chronic stress over time can lead to sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction (ED) as well as infertility.

It’s no wonder a study many years ago demonstrated that 50% of the infertile women who practiced meditation daily ended up getting pregnant. 50% got pregnant naturally from simply relaxing! Meditation and relaxation helped regulate their sexual hormones so they were able to get pregnant through natural means.

The end result of extreme daily stress can not only lead you to feeling tired, but can also lead to a lack of interest or energy to engage in sex. This is because if your body is working overtime during periods of high stress, your resources will be utilized to produce stress hormones and therefore reduces the resources necessary to produce sexual hormones to help your body regenerate and support healthy reproductive function—which is also why long term stress accelerates the aging process.

Even if improving your sexual function is not your priority, this topic is important so you understand how to preserve youthfulness and ensure graceful aging.

Your Jing

Maintaining healthy DNA relates to maintaining your Jing. The organ system that stores and preserves your Jing is the Kidney system. The adrenal glands are also a part of the Kidney organ system. For example, when a woman goes into menopause and her ovaries shut down, the adrenal glands take over the production of sexual hormones, including estrogen and progesterone.

It’s thus essential that a woman struggling with menopause supports her adrenal glands during this transitional period. This is why overworked women with exhausted adrenal glands are prone to suffer from menopausal symptoms such as hot flushing and night sweats.

Your Jing can also be impacted by emotional trauma. Since the Kidneys relate to the emotion of fear and shock, a person who has gone through great trauma can also develop weakened Kidney’s Essence, which can lead to reproductive problems and menopausal symptoms as well.

In Chinese Medicine, Jing is a reflection of the status of Yin, which is a form of fluids. As a form of fluids, Blood helps to nourish Yin. It’s therefore essential to keep the blood strong to support the nourishment of the Kidney Yin.

According to Chinese Medicine, the Liver Blood protects the Kidney Essence from declining, so supporting the Liver to store blood is key to protecting your Jing and preserving your youthfulness.

A diet that includes red meat such as beef, lamb and bison supports the Liver to store blood. If a person has weak blood and is a vegetarian, it’s indeed much more difficult to help the Liver store blood especially in terms of supporting fertility.

One of my first Chinese Medicine teachers who specialized in treating infertility would turn away patients who were vegetarian if they wanted to get pregnant. This is because a diet that excludes red meat is much more challenging to build up the Liver’s Blood than a meat-based diet.

Animal products such as beef and lamb support both the Yin and Yang aspects of the Kidneys so these are powerful, vitalizing foods. When a person is working hard physically or mentally and suffering from sexual reproduction problems like infertility and low libido, boosting the Yin with cholesterol foods supports the raw material for hormone production.

Fortify Your Yang Qi to Boost Your Libido

Four-legged animals like cows and lambs are imbued with a lot of Yang Qi energy, so eating this type of meat can quickly fortify your Yang to enhance energy and sexual performance.

In addition, Acupuncture and Qi Gong are modalities that can help fortify your Yang Qi. Along with consumption of animal products, these powerful practices can help enhance your libido and sexual reproductive functions.

Enhancing your Qi with Acupuncture and Qi Gong helps stimulate Yang Qi to strengthen the production and consolidation of Yin to support your sexual reproduction system. And as your body becomes more balanced through these modalities, sleep will improve and your Yin will also increase because resting is key to regenerating and preserving your Kidney Yin. Increasing your Kidney Yin equates to increasing the production of reproductive hormones such as testosterone, estrogen and progesterone to help restore and optimize sexual function.

Here are some herbs that can help out as well.

*Five Herbs to Support Your Sex Drive

Herbal medicine is an important aspect of Chinese Medicine to support your Liver to store Blood and boost your Kidneys’ Yin and Yang energies. Though I’m discussing some individual herbs as examples in this article, it’s important to understand that in the practice of Chinese Medicine, we do not generally prescribe herbs individually but rather we use them synergistically in formulas to counterbalance any side effects.

Since supporting your adrenals is key to boosting your Kidneys, I’ve chosen to share some common herbs that support both adrenal function and sexual health. These herbs include Ashwaganda, Gotu Kola, Holy Basil (Tulsi), Epimedium (also called the ‘Horny Goat Weed’ and Yin Yang Huo) and Cuscuta Seed (also called Chinese Dodder Seed and Tu Si Zi in Chinese Medicine).

1. Ashwagandha is a popular herb that’s native to India. Ashwagandha is known as Indian Ginseng and is especially useful for men with low testosterone, low sperm count and low libido. It also helps reduce anxiety and boosts GABA, a brain neurotransmitter that both helps you relax when overstressed and promotes sleep, which is critical to restore adrenal strength.

   Since Ashwagandha is considered a Kidney Yin and Yang tonic, it can potentially be too warming for some patients so keep this in mind when using it. It has been shown to increase the adrenal’s production of DHEA, a precursor hormone for testosterone, estrogen and progesterone. It’s also been found to reduce depression.

   Generally speaking, Ashwagandha is considered a supportive agent for low libido and erectile dysfunction, but keep in mind if you have Yin deficiency with heat signs, Ashwaganda can create too much heat in the body.

   In these cases, it’s best to nourish the body’s Yin and slowly introduce a warming agent like Ashwagandha along with cooling Yin nourishing herbs. Often times, once the Kidneys’ Yin is nourished, warming stimulants are not even necessary.

   Yin burns out first then the body’s Yang weakens, so it’s important to nourish Yin to recover your Yang Qi. Since resting is a Yin activity, rest is essential for recuperating your vitality.

2. Gotu Kola is one of my favorite brain herbs. Gotu Kola strongly benefits brain health by improving circulation and thereby increasing oxygenation into the brain. Gotu Kola has also been found to promote regeneration of brain nerve cells.

   Since the brain is considered the seat of the Kidney’s Jing, we can see how Gotu Kola is a potent Kidney tonic.

   Gotu Kola is also known for its ability to improve memory recall. Since memory recall is a function of the Liver in Chinese Medicine, we can make the association of how Gotu Kola supports the Liver’s Blood.

   With such potent brain function benefits, it’s no wonder Gotu Kola has long been considered an important longevity herb.

   In terms of libido, Gotu Kola is also considered an aphrodisiac and this is possibly due to its enhancement of blood circulation, which can help with supporting erection and sexual satisfaction. Gotu Kola also helps calm the nervous system and reduces anxiety as well as depression which can also benefit one’s sexual desire.

   As a blood invigorating herb, it can potentially overstimulate menstruation and is contraindicated during pregnancy. Because of these side effects it’s always advised to consult an herbal professional when using herbal supplements

3. Holy Basil is a common Ayurvedic herb used to support adrenal health. Holy Basil is also called Tulsi meaning “Sacred Plant” in the Ayurvedic tradition.

   Holy Basil helps reduce cortisol levels and therefore has a potent stress reducing action on the body.

   By reducing cortisol, it allows the adrenal glands to conserve energy and resources for the production of sex hormones rather than stress hormones. This is why even though Holy Basil is an adrenal supporting herb, it’s more of a relaxant than a stimulant that helps with anxiety and stress management.

   Ironically, Holy Basil can actually reduce sexual desire, but the reason I’ve included it in this discussion on low libido is that if you’re exhausted from overwork and stress, it’s essential to first recuperate your energy before you can expect to frolic between the sheets.

   An important warning when using Holy Basil is that it’s so strong in winding down a hyped up neuroendocrine system that if you’re already burned out, you may feel worse when taking it. In such cases, Holy Basil should be augmented with other supportive herbal agents or avoided altogether.

   Holy Basil can also reduce blood sugar so if a person has hypoglycemia, Holy Basil may not be well tolerated and contraindicated. Ideally, Holy Basil is for the very hyper type person who can’t seem to slow down and relax and not a person who is already dragging.

   For the overly exhausted person who feels cold and uninterested in sex, an herb like Epimedium, also known as Horny Goat Weed, may be more appropriate.

4. Epimedium is one of the important herbs to add into a formula when a person is truly lacking a sex drive but not overheated from Yin deficiency.

   What this means is a person should not be too dry and hot inside because Horny Goat Weed will exacerbate an overheated body and cause further burnout.

   Under the right conditions, Epimedium can be a true wonder herb when someone needs a boost with their sexual appetite and sexual potency especially when used at the right time and with assistant Yin tonic herbs to balance out its overly warming side effects.

5. Cuscuta Seed (Tu Si Zi) is an important herb used in Chinese Herbal Medicine to strengthen the Kidney Yang Qi and nourish the Kidney Yin. It also helps astringe Jing to reduce the loss of Essence if premature ejaculation and urinary frequency are problems.

   By benefiting Kidney Yang, Cuscuta seeds also help boost sexual desire and reduce sexual impotence.

   Since Cuscuta seeds also nourish both the Kidney and Livers’ Yin, this herb helps strengthen the lumbar spine for lower back pain problems which as you can imagine will improve one’s sexual performance as well. In addition, in terms of nourishing the Livers’ Yin, Cuscuta seeds help reduce blurry vision and spots before the eyes. This herb is often combined with Gou Qi Zi berries to improve the vision and I have had personal experience with the benefits of these herbs for vision enhancement and use them periodically when my vision seems to weaken.

In Summary

While Chinese Medicine is a complex study that offers many herbs to support low libido and sexual function, these are some common herbs you may be familiar with that are used today in modern herbalism for low libido and what I will call ‘sexual rehabilitation’.

For any reproduction issue it’s imperative to keep the Liver Blood strong because this is how the Kidney Yin maintains its health. In addition, once the Yin and Blood are depleted, the Yang will suffer and this will compromise the sex drive and libido.

The herbs presented in this article are supportive agents to nourish the Liver Blood and strengthen the Kidney Yin and Yang energies of the body and thereby help normalize sexual reproduction functions.

*This article is for educational purposes only and it’s strongly advised that you consult a medical professional who specializes in herbal medicine before embarking on using these potent substances. Remember that even though an herb may seem appropriate for you, it may be contraindicated with your specific health pattern or need to be used in conjunction with other herbs to balance its side effects.

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Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is Founder & Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, CA, a wellness clinic he runs with his wife, Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac., that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine & Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare non-insertion form of Acupuncture using Gold and Silver needles. Learn more at www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

Are You Leaking Qi? How to Preserve Your Essence to Slow Down the Aging Process

by Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

Leaking Qi, or energy, describes the body’s inability to consolidate and hold in any type of fluid substance in the body. Leaking Qi is common because it relates to many different types of conditions.

In order to describe the different types of leakages, I will begin by describing the three divisions of the body according to Classical Chinese Medicine. These divisions are called burners, heaters, or energy centers and are associated in Chinese Medicine with the Triple Heater organ system. 

The Triple Heater System

The Triple Heater, also referred to as the Triple Burner, is called in Chinese Medicine San Jiao, meaning three warmers.

According to Chinese Medicine, the Triple Heater system is an organ but it has no form. This is a system that essentially coordinates the organ functions of the body held within these three energetic centers and is responsible for maintaining overall metabolism within the body.

Imbalances in the Triple Heater system can lead to leakage of Qi that can then cause damage to the fluids and essence of the body. 

The three energetic centers controlled by the Triple Heater are the lower abdomen (called the lower heater or Lower Jiao), the middle abdomen (called the middle heater or Middle Jiao) and the chest (called the upper heater or Upper Jiao). 

The Lower Jiao located in the pelvic basin contains the genitourinary system responsible for reproduction and elimination. The Middle Jiao contains the organs of digestion, including the Spleen, Stomach, Pancreas and Small Intestine, and controls digestion and absorption of nutrients. The Upper Jiao contains the Heart, which controls circulation, and the Lungs, which control respiration.

It is through the action of these systems that fluid dynamics are maintained in the body. Depending on the type of leakage one may be experiencing, we can determine what heater, or Jiao, is out of balance and needs support.

Excess Sweating as a Form of Leaking Qi

Sweating easily or excessively is often associated with a weakness in the Upper and Middle Jiao. Sweating too easily is often due to the Qi of the Lungs being too weak to control the skin function to properly contain fluids. A weakness of the Lungs is often concurrent with a weakness of the Spleen since the Spleen supports the health of the Lungs. For example, if the Spleen is weak and overly damp due to a diet high in carbohydrates, sugar and dairy, then the Lung function will suffer and a person may tend to sweat too easily with or without exertion.

Sweating due to hot flashes is a different situation and is related to weakness in the Kidneys and Lower Jiao. Excessive sweating that occurs with hot flashes is usually a hormonal imbalance related to hyperactive adrenal glands and dryness of the sexual organs due to a depletion of Yin fluids. Lack of Yin fluids, coupled with hyperactivity of the adrenals that are trying to produce more Yin as the ovaries decline, generates a deficiency heat which induces sweating. Correction of this type of sweating is different than the Lung Qi weakness issue as it requires nourishment of Kidney Yin to relax the adrenals.

Both of these situations involving excess sweating and the leakage of Qi. If left uncorrected, leakage of Qi will damage one’s Constitutional Essence and accelerate aging.

Dietary Tips to Strengthen the Lungs and Reduce Excessive Sweating

From a dietary standpoint, for a weakness of Lung Qi causing excessive sweating, the use of compact fruits eaten on a daily basis are helpful to strengthen the Lung energy.

Compact fruits, including apples, pears, Asian pears, persimmons and quince tonify Lung Qi in Chinese Medicine.

Stewed pears and apples are especially nourishing to the Lungs but be aware that too much can lead to phlegm in the Lungs. For example, if a person has a lot of sinus congestion, eating these foods can exacerbate this condition.

Japanese persimmons are more useful to help stop sweating than Chinese persimmons. Japanese persimmons are higher in tannins which gives them a strong astringency affect on the body to deal with profuse sweating and prevent leakage of Qi.

Citrus fruits are also effective for tonifying Lung Qi.

Citrus is hydrating and high in vitamin C to boost the immune system. More sour citrus fruits are better astringents to stop sweating that causes leaking Qi.

Though lemon and lime are highly concentrated in citric acid, once ingested, they become alkalizing to your body and help balance an acidic terrain so they have a cooling affect on the body.

Too much citrus, however, will induce the opposite effect and induce heat. For example, drinking a lot of orange juice is not a healthy habit as it creates a lot of damp heat in the body in the form of excessive mucous which can then lead to sinus and ear infections over time. Consumption of orange juice during acute infection can cause chronic infection that is resistant to antibiotics.

Overall, since citrus, including oranges, produce a lot of fluid, they are especially good for dryness, but excess consumption can induce phlegm very easily when a person has a lot of dampness.

Infusing or steeping citrus peels in water is an especially effective way to support astringency without inducing the dampness that easily develops from drinking the juice.

Citrus peels are also used to produce essential oils. In Chinese Medicine, citrus oils help regulate Qi to reduce epigastric distention and bloating. These oils can simply be rubbed on the belly for immediate benefit.

Citrus essential oils contain a chemical called limonene, which has a plethora of potent health benefits. Limonene (also called d-limonene) makes up over 90% of orange oil and is found in citrus peels. It helps aid digestion for problems such as acid reflux. Limonene also helps support elimination by reducing sluggish bowel movements especially when Candida is involved. It's also been shown to help reduce cholesterol and improve Gallbladder function to improve bile flow and support fat digestion. In addition, limonene has been found to be helpful for weight loss as it suppresses appetite and regulates blood sugar. 

Leaking Qi and the Middle Jiao

Leakage of Qi as it relates to the Middle Jiao, or middle burner, involves how the Spleen is managing blood. In Chinese Medicine, the Spleen’s Qi is responsible for containing the blood in the vessels. A person who bruises or hemorrhages easily likely has a weakness of the Spleen Qi. 

Hemorrhaging can be associated with many conditions so a proper diagnosis is required to establish an accurate treatment protocol. With that said, hemorrhaging can occur in many ways. Hemorrhaging can include mid cycle breakthrough bleeding during menses, excessive menstrual bleeding with long periods, frequent nosebleeds, and can be as serious as gastric or intestinal bleeding or stroke involving bleeding in the brain. 

The saying “Spleen Qi manages the blood” means that the Spleen keeps blood from leaking out of the vessels. Thus, varicosities are associated with weakness of Spleen Qi as well and if there is also edema in the legs due to venous insufficiency, the Kidney Qi may also need support.

Here are a few Western and Eastern herbs commonly used for the purpose of reducing leg edema and varicose veins: 

• Butcher’s Broom is an evergreen shrub known to contain phytochemicals that are both anti-inflammatory and astringent to tighten up blood vessels and strengthen capillaries as well as reduce edema. Butcher’s Broom is also a folk remedy for hemorrhoids, another form of leakage of Qi due to a lack of vascular integrity,

• Chestnuts are good for strengthening the vascular system as well and Horse Chestnut seed extract has been known to be especially effective as a vascular anti-inflammatory and to strengthen weak veins and capillaries causing edema due to vascular insufficiency.

• *Gotu Kola is an Asian herb that has been successfully used to reduce edema and poor circulation leading to varicosities. Studies have also found Gotu Kola to be regenerative to the brain by supporting neuron growth.

• Gingko Biloba is another super herbal supplement to improve circulation in the brain and strengthen vascular integrity for the treatment of varicose veins which is a common type of leakage of Qi.

From a Chinese Medicine perspective, these herbs strengthen the vascular system and therefore also strengthen Spleen Qi. Herbs that reduce edema in the legs also strengthen Kidney Qi.

A simple dietary tip in Chinese Medicine for weakness of the Kidneys is to eat both toasted and raw sesame seeds as well as pumpkin seeds. And if a person is not urinating completely and this leads to edema, eat the sesame seeds with cucumber. This needs to be eaten at every meal of the day so it’s a big part of one’s diet.

Leaking Qi and the Lower Jiao

Incontinence is a common form of leakage of Qi that relates to the Lower Jiao, or lower heater. Getting up during the night to urinate is also a form of leaking Qi related to the Lower Jiao, and is due to deficiency of Kidney Qi.

Acupuncture is highly effective to improve incontinence.

Some of the most useful herbs in Chinese pharmacopeia that treat incontinence are commonly used in cooking. Many of these Chinese herbs are seeds, including lotus seed (Lian Zi), Astragali seed (Sha Yuan Zi), Euryales seed (Qian Shi) and Cherokee Rose Hip fruit (Jin Ying Zi).

From a dietary standpoint, seeds are important to strengthen the Kidneys. The primary seeds that target the Lower Jiao and the Kidneys are pumpkins seeds and sesame seeds. Small amounts should be eaten 3-5 times per day.

In general, foods that are high in zinc strengthen the Kidney system. Zinc is essential for the health of the prostate, which is part of the Kidney genitourinary system in Chinese Medicine. Foods highest in zinc are oysters, lamb, pork and grass fed beef. Toasted wheat germ, pumpkin and squash seeds are also potent food sources of zinc.

Conclusion

Leaking Qi is common and while challenging to one's health, it can usually be resolved with proper treatment and dietary modifications. Preventing the leakage of Qi is essential not only to have healthy levels of energy, but also to maintain one's constitutional Essence in order to slow down the aging process to achieve optimal health and longevity.

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*I’ve used Gotu Kola with my 91 year old father who has moderate level dementia, swollen ankles and poor kidney function. After a few months of taking Gotu Kola twice daily, his mind is clearly working better, his ankle edema has reduced and his recent blood test showed his kidney function has improved. He is much more mentally alert and present than before he started Gotu Kola.

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Please note: The information provided here is for educational purposes only and not intended for diagnosis or treatment. Please contact a licensed health provider for lifestyle, dietary and herbal recommendations specific to your condition.

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Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is the Founder & Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic run by he and his wife, Setareh Moafi, PhD, L.Ac. that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine. Salvador is a leading U.S. practitioner of Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare form of non-insertion Acupuncture using Gold & Silver needles. More information at www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.