Kim Anami

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REAL Aphrodisiacs

A true aphrodisiac generates signs of sexual arousal—increased lubrication, easier erections, longer-lasting erections, higher libido. Learn my top, scientifically-backed picks.

The word “aphrodisiac” is thrown around A LOT. 

What does it mean? 

Something that arouses sexual desire. 

All kinds of things are apparently aphrodisiacs. 

From chocolate to strawberries to oysters. 

But are they really? 

Nope. 

Typically, these are all foods containing some kind of vitamin or mineral or amino acid that is a precursor to sex hormone production. 

For example, chocolate products phenylalanine, which makes you feel kinda blissful. 

Which might be a good segue into lovemaking. 

But none of these qualify as a true aphrodisiac. 

A true aphrodisiac generates signs of sexual arousal—increased lubrication, easier erections, longer-lasting erections, higher libido. 

There are often associated reproductive benefits like improved prostate health or easier menstruation and menopause. 

For all of that, we’d have to look to herbs. 

In this week’s episode, I’m going to explain why herbs are more powerful and effective then pharmaceutical drugs, and how they are truly curative, rather than just being Band-Aids (as pharma drugs are).

All-natural, with no side effects.

I’ll also discuss ideal herbal potencies, dosing, and my top picks for the most powerful, and scientifically-backed, aphrodisiac herbs in the world.

Which I am now selling. 

Check out our new line of herbal tinctures, called Sex Nectar. There’s a blend for women, one for men, and one for…broken hearts. Seriously. There’s a herb for that. 

Here they are! 

Listen to this week’s podcast episode now.

Or download and listen on the go:

• iTunes 
• Spotify

Bottoms up, kids!

~ Kxx

Read the full episode transcript:

Real Aphrodisiacs

The word aphrodisiac is thrown around a lot. What does it mean? Well, it’s something that arouses sexual desire and all kinds of things are apparently aphrodisiacs, from chocolate to strawberries to oysters, but are they really?

Typically, these foods contain some kind of vitamin, mineral or amino acid that is a precursor to sex hormone production. It just might be tangentially related to feeling good. For example, chocolate produces phenylalanine, which makes you feel kind of blissful, and this could be a good segue into lovemaking, but none of these things qualify as true aphrodisiacs. 

A true aphrodisiac generates signs of sexual arousal from increased lubrication, easier erections, longer-lasting erections and a higher libido. There are often associated with reproductive benefits, like prostate health or easier menstruation and menopause. 

For all of that, we’ll dive into the world of herbs. There is an actual medicinal class within herbalism for plants known as aphrodisiacs. I have been a proponent and user of medicinal herbs and they’ve been the mainstay of my wellness regimen for the last 30 years.

I want to take some time talking about herbs as medicine and then I’ll get into some specific aphrodisiac plants.

In this episode, I’ll share five all-natural, organic, safe and powerful herbs that have been scientifically proven to improve your sex life and will give you their dosage instructions.

Growing up, I was quickly disillusioned by allopathic medicine and its many band-aids, few real answers and complete lack of healing. I began studying herbal medicine when I was 18 and then I started to grow my own herbs and food when I was 22. I’ve been using them ever since. I don’t even have Tylenol or pain medication in my house, let alone something stronger than that. I haven’t used pharmaceuticals for decades.

What I do have is an herbal pharmacy. I keep certain herbs on hand for acute issues. For example, I have immunity herbs for when I start to feel a dip in my immune system. I have herbs for parasites because I travel in the tropics frequently and if I feel like I might have eaten something that was a little suspicious, I quickly take some of those. I have lots of first aid topical herbs and that’s really it.

Indigenous cultures all over the world have cultivated relationships with plants that are native to their regions. Through their own intuitive observations they’ve compiled their own first aid kits à la nature to serve all of their needs. 

Because we live in a pharmacracy—a culture dominated by the big business aims of pharmaceutical and allopathic medicine, there has been centuries-old smear campaigns against herbal medicine. At the turn of the last century, there was a deliberate movement to squash all herbal remedies in favor of pharmaceuticals.

Do you know why this is? You can say, okay, money, but there’s a more specific reason than that, and that is because plants cannot be patented. 

If you create a synthetic version of something, you essentially rip off a plant and create a version of that in a lab. Then you can patent that. And that’s exactly what happened. People began to copy and replicate the molecular structure of known healing plants and made these artificial versions of them. It’s been happening for decades, at least over a hundred years now.

Did you know, for example, that aspirin is based on a composition of the white willow bark tree? Aspirin can be patented, and white willow bark cannot. Thus, we have a massive industry that has sourced much of its information from the plant world and formulated direct replications from plants.

A friend of ours used to drive a boat through a remote area in Indonesia and he worked for a pharmaceutical company. Their sole purpose was to scour the reef looking for new plant compounds from which they could make medicine. Not the original plant form itself, but a copy of it to make pharmaceuticals.

The problem with isolating compounds and attempting to recreate them, is that nature—surprise, surprise—did it best the first time. Any plant with medicinal powers, in addition to its main active properties, also contains other chemicals that help balance and support the whole system. A drug takes one particular compound and isolates it. This overwhelms the system.

I’ve had pharmacists talk to me about this, how the problem with these pharmaceutical drugs and why they’re so dangerous and often addictive is because these constituents have been isolated. If they were all working in harmony as the sole whole plant, we would get all of that balancing and harmonizing equilibrium effect out of taking it as a plant.

All of this is to say that plant medicine is extremely powerful and the only reason you don’t hear about it as a realistic option is because of withholding information and smear campaigns to get you to buy drugs instead. “Oh my god, chamomile is so dangerous, you better watch out for that chamomile.” Meanwhile we have, what is it, nearly a million people a year dying from the cause of iatrogenic medicine. Either side effects or the direct effects of pharmaceuticals and other procedures. That’s what the actual danger is, not in a bunch of chamomile-fucking tea. [Laughs] 

We have this massive opioid epidemic in America right now. I think it’s 1 in 5 people are on antidepressants. It’s fucking insane. We’ve got all of this going on and yet people try to rail against, “Oh, no, that comfrey leaf might not be safe.” It’s a mere smear campaign.

The other reason you don’t hear about these things as viable options is just ignorance. People no longer study the ways of plants. They’re discouraged from doing that and so they don’t even know how to dose them and use them for their true purposes. 

The other major difference between herbs and pharmaceuticals is that herbs are typically taken for a short period of time to balance out the system with curative effects, meaning they have permanent results.

Drugs, on the other hand, tend to be either temporary, or generally permanent lifelong band-aids, often seen with hormones or antidepressants. You’ve got this imbalance, you’ll need to be on these for the rest of your life! [Laughs] 

Let’s talk about potency and dosages with herbs. The most effective way to take any herb is through a tincture. This means that a whole mass of plant matter is put into a giant container or jug of alcohol and the alcohol extracts all of the active and medicinal qualities from the plant. This is far more effective than just crushing up the herb, taking it as a pill, or even as a tea. Alcohol pulls everything out.

Many of you know, I don’t drink alcohol myself, but I do take tinctures. If there’s a tincture that’s been extracted in alcohol, I take it. It doesn’t cause a problem for me, but let’s say I’m not drinking alcohol because I was an alcoholic or for religious reasons. If you are in that category, then you can put your drops of tincture dose into warm or hot water and let it sit and then the alcohol will evaporate out.

Then we come down to potency. Most tinctures sold in Whole Foods or your average health food shop use a ratio of 5 parts alcohol to 1 part plant. This is a very, very weak potency. It’s super diluted. You know those little echinacea bottles you buy at Whole Foods, maybe a 30mil bottle? You pretty much have to drink that entire bottle in a day or two days to get the actual medicinal benefit of the herb because it’s so diluted. 

A solid, useful ratio is 2:1. 2 parts alcohol to 1 part plant. That is powerful. Plants are even more powerful when you do conscious work to amplify their benefits. I’m all about not giving band-aids, not giving quick fixes. I’m all about the idea that you do the deeper, internal work and you can affect all kinds of changes in your life. Herbs, as powerful as they are, are going to be even more powerful and longer lasting when you take them in conjunction with doing your own inner work.

I don’t believe that libidos just evaporate at random or someone’s hormones go out of whack with no correlation to what’s happening in their life, their emotions, and the relationship to themselves and their partners. There is always a connection.

Even though I far prefer the use of herbs for all of the reasons I’ve said here, I still don’t look at them as, “Just go take your herb and that will take away your libido problem.” Yes, they’re very powerful and effective, but I think of them as a boost and a kick start, meaning we address our issues multidimensionally. I would look at someone’s patterns and behaviors in their sexuality as well as their intimate relationship, and if their libido is stalled out as a result of that, then giving them a physical remedy at the same time means that we’re treating on all levels and we’ll see results even faster than if we treat in isolation.

I’ll give you an example. I had a friend years ago and she was involved with this guy and they had the typical story of how the first couple of years, they were all over each other, had sex all over the place, all the time, and then five or six years into the relationship, she’s telling me that she has a “low libido.” “My libido is really low.” And at the same time, she’s having all of these arguments with her partner, they’re fighting all the time. She’s constantly blocking him on her phone and stuff [laughs]. I’d watch and they’d actually be text-fighting instead of getting on the phone and having a proper fight or doing it face to face. They were having these massive text arguments that I just find kind of amusing.

Anyway, so she is not connecting the fact that they are disconnected in themselves, and therefore disconnected in the relationship. They’ve had this giant pile of issues in their relationship that hasn’t been resolved, with the fact that she has a low libido. I connect that.

The ideal situation is that people are doing their inner work. They’re working on themselves, working on the relationship, and then you take an herb like this and that will just knock it out of the ballpark.

There have been all these scientific studies done on these herbs and they have results no matter what, so these people in these studies aren’t necessarily working on their relationships, they’re just taking the herbs.

But I’m saying, A) They’re powerful baseline on their own, but if you want to knock their power into the stratosphere, then you take them in conjunction with doing this multidimensional work.

The other difference between, I’d say drugs and herbs, is that herbs are typically taken for—and this really depends—but I’d say on average, about a six to eight-week course. Meaning a week isn’t going deep enough to do the true work of healing and resurrecting. Herbs are taken twice a day, once in the morning, once in the evening for two months or so. Again, this varies widely. If you were really looking to look at specific issues, you could speak to an herbalist or a naturopath specializing in this. But you need to have a concentrated period of time that isn’t a couple of years, generally, depending on what you’re treating. For some deep, deep, deep issues, it could be longer.

I would say a couple of months is typically enough time to really affect a change. The idea is that you get in and you get out without creating some kind of long-term dependency.

What’s also fascinating to me is that pretty much all of the herbs—if we’re getting back into aphrodisiacs now, that are considered to be legit aphrodisiacs, also have mood-boosting properties. Happy genitals, happy spirit. They support the system all around to boost everything from sexual and adrenal hormonal flow and function to increasing your powers of concentration and endurance.

Let’s now take a look at some of the most powerful libido-boosters on the planet.

Saffron. Saffron would have to be number one. You know those little orange filaments that you sometimes put in your curries. You buy them and there’s only three filaments in the little glass for something outrageous like $20. [Laughs] Saffron has been used in Western and Asian medicine for millennia. Historical use of saffron has been found in these 3,600-year-old frescos in Greece and it also has been known to “cause a person’s heart to be happy,” which is directly quoted from a traditional Chinese medicine text.

Recent studies have been done revealing saffron to be not only a powerful aphrodisiac but an antidepressant. While comparing the effects of saffron to Prozac, in mild to moderately-depressed people, the results were identical.

In both sexes, saffron has been found to increase libido, stamina, and sensitivity of the sexual organs, as well as regulate hormones. In men, saffron boosts sperm motility and quality and it’s effective in treating erectile dysfunction, particularly in those taking antidepressants. It also supports better and longer-lasting erections.

In women, saffron has been clinically shown to increase arousal and lubrication. It builds healthy tissues and sex hormones. It creates luminous skin and helps to promote that well-fucked glow. It’s also been shown to balance PMS and menstruation.

Other studies have been done citing saffron’s ability to decrease food cravings between meals and improve satiety.

As I kind of hinted, saffron is, I think, the most expensive herb in the world. Each saffron plant produces only three little stigma, those little filaments which are used as the medicine.

Next up would be Korean ginseng. Ginseng is considered to be a tonic and revitalizer of the whole body. It boosts metabolism, optimizes hormonal balance, and increases energy and reduces stress. Ginseng tends to be used as a male sexual aid. It boosts testosterone levels, fertility, sperm count, and mobility, and has been known to cure impotence.

Not only does ginseng increase libido, it’s also been found to improve copulatory performance by generating more frequent and longer-lasting erections. It has also been used in the treatment of ED or erectile dysfunction. A-men. 

Amidst all of this, it boosts mental alertness, overall energy, and athletic performance by increasing endurance.

Red Panax, or Korean ginseng, is meant to be the stronger aphrodisiac than the other strains.

Third up is Shatavari. This is known as the supreme women’s tonic and it’s also known as the herb responsible for “she who produces 100 husbands and can handle them well.” Shatavari root is considered to be unsurpassed in its ability to balance female hormones. It boosts a woman’s natural sexual energy, enhances vaginal lubrication, soothes PMS cramps, bloating, irritability, and also reduces fluid retention. It helps regulate monthly cycles and ease menopausal symptoms, such as night sweats, hot flashes, and dryness. Loaded with phytoestrogens, Shatavari is often recommended as a natural alternative to HRT, hormone replacement therapy.

Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha has been traditionally used as a male herb. It’s been clinically proven to increase testosterone, lower cortisol—which is the stress hormone—and it enhances virility, fertility, libido, sexual and overall stamina. It also supports prostate health. They found significant growth arrest in cancer cells in patients who used ashwagandha over those who did not. And it’s also supporting your erectile response and hormone balance. It generates confidence, decreases anxiety, and acts as a mood stabilizer.

Plus, it’s good at the gym. In studies, it’s been found to significantly increase muscle size and strength and reduce recovery times. 

Number 5 is maca. I’m sure you’ve all heard of maca as a really great superfood. This is an increasingly popular and available South American root with a plethora of healing qualities. Incan warriors are reputed to have taken it before battle and then after battle to celebrate victory with their lovers. It’s fabulous for boosting the adrenals, overall energy, and mental clarity. It stabilizes mood swings associated with PMS, increases vaginal lubrication and fertility and increases stamina, as well as athletic performance, which you’ll need once you get going. It improves erectile tissue response, balances testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone and yes, it boosts your libido. You can add it to smoothies and nut milks. I’ve never seen this in a tincture form.

Those are the top five I’ve got on my list. In my quest to bring you the highest quality information and sexual accessories in the world, I present to you, “Sex Nectar.”

Sex Nectar is our newest addition to the Anami Alchemia Online Shop. This is our line of organically grown, ethically sourced herbal tinctures. 

We have three blends so far: “Salacious for Her,” which contains saffron, Shatavari, and black cohosh. Obviously, I’ve spoken about saffron and Shatavari on today’s show and we’ve also included black cohosh to the mix because it’s another very female-friendly herb, especially for all things menstruation and menopause. It increases vaginal lubrication, treats PMS, PCOS, cramping, regulates periods, and balances menopause. It’s also known to relieve hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and sleep issues, and is excellent to use post-hysterectomy or ovary removal.

“Hard Roots” is our formula for men. This is inspired by the time I spent in and around Australians. The word, “rooting” is the Australian slang word for having sex. You have a root or you’re rooting. Hard Roots because most of the herbs in this mix, apart from the saffron, are made from roots, therefore, the name. Hard Roots is the one for him and it contains saffron, our number one aphrodisiac herb, as well as ashwagandha and ginseng.

We’ve also created a remedy called “Happy Endings” and this is our breakup remedy. It’s true, there’s actually an herb that’s meant to help you get through breakups. The single ingredient in Happy Endings is an herb called happiness bark that has long been prescribed as a breakup antidote. It’s been called by master herbalist Michael Tierra, herbal Prozac. It’s been used as a powerful mood booster, anxiety reliever, and a release for blocked emotions. Hence, why herbalists use it to help people process the loss of love.

You can find all of these products in the Anami Alchemia Online Shop under Sex Nectar Herbal Tinctures.

Thank you so much for listening. If you haven’t already, subscribe and also leave a review. Send someone else the gift of a healthy libido and an off-the-charts love life by sharing this episode with them. We’ll be back next week and in the meantime, many happy orgasms.