About 30 per cent of my female patients come to see me because of fatigue and exhaustion. Some of these women are very young, some have just had babies, others are peri- or post-menopausal.
In determining their vitality, one of the questions I ask them is: how is your sexual function? Most of these women reply that it is poor. Some report that they haven’t had sex for more than one year, some say they have no interest in it anymore, others tell me they are too exhausted to even think about it.

The main reason for this drop in libido is mental and physical exhaustion from either nutritional deficiencies, malabsorption of nutrients, overwork, bad diet or poor lifestyle.

Chinese Medicine looks at female sexual dysfunction as kidney yin and kidney yang deficiencies.

Kidney yin (water) determines the normal function of the female endocrine system. It looks after the circulation of body fluids and blood, nourishes the vagina, cervical membranes, and the uterus. It determines the secretion of sex hormones, sex drive, and even the feeling of being loved sexually.

Kidney yang (fire) controls production of female sex hormones, production of body fluids and blood. It produces vital energy, and provides nutrients for endocrine activity.

Kidney yin deficiency results from overwork, shiftwork, late nights, constant worrying, depression and anxiety, dehydration, poor diet and malabsorption of nutrients. If kidney yin is deficient, the woman will feel very dry, very agitated. She does not like to be touched, to be loved physically. She avoids sexual contact because the vaginal membranes are too dry and undernourished. This type of woman is usually menopausal, or peri- or post-menopausal.
Treatment of kidney yin deficiency involves nourishing the kidney yin by addressing diet and lifestyle, and correcting nutritional deficiencies. The woman should drink nourishing soups, and eat fish, nuts and seeds for essential fatty acids. Soy products are yin-building. Chinese herbs such as dong quai, rehmannia, and lyceum fruit are used traditionally to tonify kidney yin. Steamed chicken, and white fungus, walnut paste and green-skinned duck eggs steamed with rock sugar, sugar cane broth and rice milk have been used for centuries by Chinese women to build up kidney yin and maintain their sexual function. These foods are to be eaten regularly, and are often combined in a Chinese herbal formula called Left Kidney Return. Another effective formula is called Eight Precious Pill. Cold food and drink must be avoided.

Rest and relaxation are great healers for kidney yin deficiency.
Kidney yang deficiency is caused by overwork, too much sport, indulging in sexual activity which leads to exhaustion, childbirth, physical trauma, regular drug use, prolonged illness, lower back pain, digestive disturbances, liver disease such as hepatitis B and C, and chemical toxicity.

Kidney yang is in charge of production of bone marrow, maintaining vitality, and longevity. It controls sexual activity, conception, and childbirth. The symptoms of kidney yang deficiency are more obvious than kidney yin deficiency. Apart from low sexual libido, the women generally have very pale complexions, constant low back soreness and weakness in the knee. They complain of cold all the time, even in summer, and suffer fatigue and exhaustion, profuse vaginal discharge, dizziness, prolonged nagging headache, and loss of appetite. They have a total lack on interest in sexual activity.

Kidney yang deficiency occurs after labour, and in older women who give bear children one after another without rest. It can also be the result of poor diet, such as skipping meals or eating junk food like french fries, cream buns, chocolate and cola. Long term consumption of these nutrient-poor foods depletes vital force and leads to loss of vitality – hence sexual dysfunction.

Treatment of kidney yang deficiency starts with bowel detoxification. The liver is then tonified to regenerate its vitality. Herbs, acupuncture and nutritional supplements are prescribed to tonify kidney yang. Acupuncture involves puncturing and stimulating a point between the two kidneys called the Lifegate. Additionally, herbal rolls (moxa) are burned on this point to generate the kidney yang, and increase sexual vitality. To tonify blood and kidney yang activity, the herbal formula Return to the Right Kidney, or Dong Quai Four Major, is prescribed.

Tribulas, an Ayurvedic herb, is a wonderful tonification for kidney yang. It also nourishes kidney yin, increasing sexual libido and gives people a lot of energy and a wonderful feeling of wellbeing.
Junk foods should be eliminated, with a healthy diet comprised of good quality protein and stirfried or steamed vegetables substituted. Rabbit, or lamb, cooked in ginger and red wine, is traditionally used to tonify kidney yang.

We obtain excellent results in the treatment of sexual dysfunction, so if you encounter this problem, don’t feel shy about seeking treatment.

This article was first published in the magazine “Nature and Health”

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