Love is in the air...

With spring right around the corner and the sun shining, you may be feeling a little frisky. Luckily, Iluminar has many different natural ways to improve performance and your love life!

Foods are often considered aphrodisiacs because they are shaped like sex organs or have chemical properties that help get you in the mood. Here are a few examples:

• Avocado: apparently Aztecs used to call avocado trees “testicle trees” because the fruit hangs in pairs; figs, bananas, cucumbers, carrots are also all shaped like sex organs
• Sweet basil: increases blood flow to the penis (for a firmer erection) and clitoris (for increased sensation); makes it easier to stimulate external genitalia
• Chocolate: the phenylethylamine and serotonin in chocolate provide the consumer with feelings of euphoria
• Ginger: known for its scent and also for increasing circulation
• Oysters: other than their shape, oysters are also high in zinc, which improves potency in men and D-aspartic acid and NMDA which help release human sex hormonesPapaya: helps increase female libido because of its estrogen-like compounds

We carry many supplements that are great alternatives to Viagra, but remember that supplements are drugs and are not necessarily safe without guidance from a physician.

• Arginine: used to treat erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to help maintain an erection
• Tongkat ali: increases testosterone levels, which not only improves libido and energy, but can also help with muscle growth
• Myomin: this is a blend of herbs that helps to balance estrogens in the body; estrogen imbalance can lead to low libido, sleep disturbance, migraines, depression, weight gain, impotency, and more
• Maca: improves libido and semen count
• Yohimbe: often prescribed for erectile dysfunction because it dilates blood vessels and increases blood flow to the genitals

Other forms of aphrodisiacs include:

• Scents—usually sweet, warm, or spicy rather than fruity
• Music
• Pheromones are chemicals found in human sweat that attract us to each other
• Exercise releases endorphins, increases blood flow, and helps build muscle and increases testosterone levels

Come in and get your sex hormones checked so that we can recommend an effective supplementation plan! Also, ask for a B12 injection for more energy to act on your desires or for our all-natural female lubricant!

Dark chocolate

Ok so I know we are all trying to be good and stick to our goals this year, but sometimes we all need a little treat… for our “mental health,” right? With Valentine’s Day coming up, instead of reaching for the Skittles reach for something that can benefit you in some way—dark chocolate! Here are a few things that make dark chocolate great:

• Dark chocolate has flavonoids, which are compounds that naturally occur in plants. Flavonoids are good for cholesterol and help prevent blood clots, which means they are heart-healthy and may reduce risk for having a stroke.
• Although chocolate has a relatively high amount of fat, not all of the fat in it is “bad” fat. It actually contains some monounsaturated fat (the same kind of fat in olive oil!).
• Eating dark chocolate when you are stressed can help control cortisol and catecholamines in highly stressed individuals.

Always remember to pay attention to serving size (around 1.5 ounces)—eating a pound of any type of dessert is never beneficial! The type of chocolate you buy is also important, so look for higher quality brands that don’t have marshmallows, caramel, or creams in the middle. Dark chocolate won’t ever have as many nutrients as fruits or vegetables, so remember that this is a treat, not a staple of your diet.