Reclaiming Desire 4 Keys to Finding Your Lost Libido By
Andrew Goldstein, M.D., and Marianne Brandon, Ph.D.
Published by Rodale May 2004; $23.95US/$32.95CAN; 1-57954-683-
8
headlines on women's magazines, touting exciting new ways
for readers to
are tantalizing promises, to be sure. But they sorely
miss the mark.
understand why.
Through years of clinical practice, Andrew Goldstein, M.D.,
and Marianne Brandon, Ph.D., have worked with scores of
clients who aren't satisfied with
personal and painful problem. And they've seen how it can
erode women's self-esteem and strain intimate relationships.
In Reclaiming Desire, Dr. Goldstein and Dr. Brandon present
a self-care version of their highly effective holistic
approach to treating low libido. Inside you'll find:
a.. An exclusive self-test to assess physical, emotional,
intellectual,
b.. Essential information on how major life events like
pregnancy,
c. . A range of practical measures, from conventional and
herbal medicines
to mind-body techniques and lifestyle strategies, that can
help rekindle
d. . Personal stories that draw upon the real-life
experiences of women who
once struggled with low libido -- and emerged with a
greater understanding
Reclaiming Desire also offers a healthy dose of reassurance
and encouragement as an antidote to all of the
misconceptions about low libido.
necessarily point to a problem in a woman's relationship
with her partner.
Unlike those magazine headlines, Reclaiming Desire will more
than live up to its promise. With this book, you can reclaim
your desire -- and make your
***
bedroom -- to her sense of value as a person, her perception
of her relationship with her partner, and her satisfaction
with life in general.
Yet many women are reluctant to seek help for low libido,
because it's such a deeply personal problem. Those who do
may not get effective treatment. Too
physical or psychological. It's much more complicated
than that.
Reclaiming Desire is the only book to address low libido by
considering the whole woman -- her physical health, her
emotional resilience, her intellectual fulfillment, and her
spiritual beliefs. At last women can get a
factors that have helped shape it. Using an array of
proven self-care
and what will help bring it back.
Authors Andrew Goldstein, M.D., and Marianne Brandon, Ph.D.,
are cofounders of the
between Annapolis and New York City; Dr. Brandon resides in
Annapolis.
For more information, please visit or www.writtenvoices.com.
Reviews "A wonderfully up-to-date and comprehensive summary
of the myriad
desire." --Cindy M. Meston, Ph.D., 2003 president of the
International Society for
psychology at the University of Texas at Austin
drive are likely to emerge more content -- not only with
their libidos, but with life in general."
"Dr. Goldstein and Dr. Brandon have set a new standard in
the understanding and treatment of a problem often regarded
as one of the most difficult to
division of the Fogel Foundation, Washington, D.C.
"Any woman who has experienced low libido can benefit from
reading Reclaiming Desire. I would heartily recommend this
book to my students and clients."
Excerpt The following is an excerpt from the book Reclaiming
Desire: 4 Keys to Finding Your Lost Libido by Andrew
Goldstein, M.D., and Marianne Brandon, Ph.D. Published by
Rodale; May 2004; $23.95US/$32.95CAN; 1-57954-683-8
Copyright © 2004 Andrew Goldstein, M.D., and Marianne
Brandon, Ph.D.
From Mother Nature's Medicine Chest
As pharmaceutical companies continue their quest for the
perfect synthetic aphrodisiac, more and more people are
experimenting with natural
focused on herbs, though some cultures prize animal parts
for their suspected aphrodisiac powers. (Tragically, this
pursuit has contributed to the near extinction of several
animal species -- including the black
Plants in general are a rich source of compounds that can
after our physiological and psychological states. In fact,
an estimated 60 percent of conventional medications come
from plants. And that's after scientific study of just a
relative fraction of the world's plant population.
Realistically, then, many more herbs than the ones presented
here may possess potent aphrodisiac powers. They just
haven't been discovered yet.
improve their libidos, with excellent results. But as we
always remind them, herbs are medicines. Like conventional
pharmaceuticals, they can cause serious side effects if they
are not used according to directions or if they're taken
with preexisting medical conditions such as hypertension.
In addition, the herbal industry -- like the supplement
industry -- isn't subject to FDA regulation. This means the
quality, safety, and effectiveness of herbal products is not
guaranteed. As we mentioned in our discussion of DHEA in
chapter 7, what is on the label is not necessarily what is
in the bottle. And DHEA, which is synthesized, is much
easier to control than herbal preparations, which are grown.
The potency and quality of an herbal preparation depends on
the same variables that affect all crops, such as rain, sun,
temperature, and soil conditions. As an analogy, consider
wine. Some years, the weather cooperates and the grapes grow
well, so the wine is full-bodied and robust. Other years,
too much rain, or not enough, takes a toll on the grape
crop, producing a thin and not especially tasty vintage.
Herbs are just as vulnerable to environmental factors, if
not more so.
Keep in mind, too, that we do not intend for this section to
be an authoritative text on herbal aphrodisiacs. Dozens, if
not hundreds, of herbs
studied, their side effects are well-known, and they are
widely available.
As you'll see, we've not included specific dosage
information here. Your best bet is to consult a qualified
herbalist or a physician who specializes in herbal medicine,
who can recommend an appropriate dosage for you.
Yohimbe: A Proven "Love Potion"
Manzambi and her husband, Remmy, moved from their native
Zaire to the United States 7 years ago. At first, they lived
with Remmy's brother and his family in a cramped, dark
Brooklyn apartment. Remmy worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a
week driving a cab. It certainly was not paradise, but it
was a much safer place to raise their daughter than in their
war-torn country.
Like generations of immigrants before them, Manzambi and
Remmy stayed in New York for a few years to get acclimated
to the wonders and fast-paced life of their new country.
Then they moved to Cleveland, where another relative had
settled some years before. There Manzambi made many
friends, who openly admired the relationship between
Manzambi and her husband. While their husbands often went
out to bars after work, Remmy headed straight home and
showered affection on his wife.
Her new friends wanted the same type of relationship with
their husbands that Manzambi had with Remmy. So they asked
her advice. "The secret," she told them, "is to keep your
man happy in bed." She continued. "Every night we drink a
tea that we have sent from back home in Africa. The tea
causes a pleasant fire in my vagina, and Remmy can make love
like a man 15 years
A traditional herbal remedy in West Africa, yohimbe has a
centuries-old reputation for its libido-enhancing
properties. The herb, which comes from the bark of the
corynanthe yohimbe tree, plays a role in tribal fertility
celebrations, marriage ceremonies, and mating rituals.
Spurred by yohimbe's
days, or even weeks.
Since the late 1930s, researchers have been studying yohimbe
to substantiate
shown that the active ingredient in yohimbe, the alkaloid
yohimbine, increases blood flow to the genitals and
stimulates the central nervous system as well as the nerves
of the genitals. Together, these physical
Researchers at Valparaiso University in Indiana confirmed
that yohimbine
fact, the FDA already has approved the compound as a
treatment for erectile dysfunction in men. Further studies
have shown that yohimbine can counteract
antidepressants.
As yohimbine works to stimulate the nervous system, it can
enhance blood flow, metabolism, and alertness. On the
downside, it can raise blood pressure and heart rate and
cause heart palpitations, restlessness, and insomnia. For
these reasons, we do not recommend yohimbe or yohimbine for
anyone with a history of coronary artery disease, stroke,
heart arrhythmias, high blood pressure, migraines, panic
attacks, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. Even if you
don't have one of these conditions, we advise trying yohimbe
only after a thorough physical exam.
You have several options for using yohimbe. You can brew
yohimbe bark to make a tea -- we suggest adding honey to
mellow the slightly bitter taste -- or buy the powdered
form in capsules. Yohimbine also is available as a
concentrated tincture.
Damiana: Fights Low Libido On Many Fronts
Damiana is a wild shrub that grows in parts of Mexico,
Central and South America, and the West Indies. Recently,
it has been cultivated in Texas and California. Its
botanical name, Turnera diffusa aphrodisiaca, hints at its
reputation as a libido-enhancing plant. The ancient Mayans
used damiana for
Though much less studied than yohimbe, damiana has been the
subject of some research that's worth discussing here. In
one trial, researchers gave a
preparation called ArginMax for Women -- which combines
damiana with other
intensity of orgasm, and improved clitoral sensation in
women who took it.
In fact, almost three-quarters of the women in the study
showed positive
one-third of the women who took a placebo. The results are
all the more significant because they come from a double-
blind placebo-controlled study, considered the gold standard
in clinical research.
Damiana leaves can be brewed as a tea or taken in powdered
form in capsules. You also can buy Damiana Liqueur, a light
herbal-based liqueur that is made from damiana grown in Baja
California. It comes in a bottle with the shape of a
pregnant woman, modeled after the Incan goddess of
fertility. According to Mexican folklore, the very first
Margarita was made with Damiana Liqueur. The Damiana
Margarita remains popular in the Los Cabos area of Mexico.
Ginkgo: Slowly But Surely, It Works
Chinese culture is rich in the study and use of
aphrodisiacs and
well as their mental acuity.
Though limited, recent scientific research suggests that
ginkgo may benefit
with erectile dysfunction found that the herb helps to
restore erections without side effects. In a study involving
women, a preparation of ginkgo
Most herbalists agree that the effects of ginkgo are
gradual. A woman who's taking ginkgo may notice increased
genital sensation and more vivid orgasms, along with
sharper memory, over a period of several months. Ginkgo can
be found in most health food stores in extract form or as a
powder in capsules.
Ginseng: Good For Mind And Body
Perhaps the best known of the Chinese herbs is ginseng. It
has been used in Asia for more than 5,000 years to boost
energy and alertness. It also is
libido.
There are three different types of ginseng: Asian, or "red,"
ginseng (Panax ginseng); American, or "white," ginseng
(Panax quinquefolius); and Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus
senticosus). The herb is considered an adaptogen. In other
words, it helps restore normal function to the human body by
increasing all-around resistance to stress.
Ginseng contains ginsenosides, compounds that stimulate the
hypothalamus to
increase genital blood flow, which enhances lubrication,
sensation, and arousal.
response in men with erectile dysfunction. And in
combination with ginkgo
satisfaction.
Look for ginseng in tincture, capsule, or tablet form.
Some health food stores even carry soft drinks made
with the herb.
Buyer Beware
Before concluding our discussion of herbal aphrodisiacs, we
must mention Avlimil, an herbal formula that is aggressively
marketed on radio and TV.
their own "little blue pill," just as men do. They also urge
potential customers to ask their doctors about Avlimil,
which implies that the supplement is available only by
prescription and, therefore, has been approved by the FDA.
Unfortunately, neither is the case.
As an herbal supplement, Avlimil is not regulated by the
FDA. And if it has been studied, the research has yet to
appear in any peer-reviewed medical journal.
Avlimil contains a blend of sage, red raspberry leaf, kudzu
root, red clover, capsicum pepper, licorice root, bayberry
fruit, damiana, valerian root, ginger, and black cohosh.
Though damiana may have aphrodisiac properties, there is no
evidence that the combination of herbs enhances desire,
arousal, or orgasm, as the manufacturers claim. And it's
very expensive -- $55 for a 30-day supply!
Reprinted from: Reclaiming Desire: 4 Keys to Finding Your
Lost Libido by Andrew Goldstein, M.D., and Marianne Brandon,
Ph.D. © 2004 by Andrew Goldstein, M.D., and Marianne
Brandon, Ph.D. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus,
PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from
the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735 or visit their
website at www.rodalestore.com.
For more information, please visit or www.writtenvoices.com.