This article first appeared in mindbodygreen.com and is written by Heather Lounsbury

Spring is almost here. Are you starting to feel friskier? Or maybe you’re not feeling frisky enough. That’s where Chinese medicine comes in. For those of you don’t know what it is, Chinese medicine can include acupuncture, herbal medicine, qigong, nutrition, and so much more, and is at least 5,000 years old. Ancient Chinese medical texts go into great detail on how important a healthy sex life is for our overall health. They even give recommendations on how often we should be doing IT. Boy, these masters really knew what they were talking about.

If you’re having trouble, there are several reasons things might not be performing at their best.

Emotional: Anxiety and depression are two major causes for sexual dysfunction. It’s the body’s way of saying it’s time to deal with old baggage. Healing old hurts is key for a truly fulfilling sex life.

Energy: A blockage of qi. Qi is basically a force that flows throughout the body and gives you energy. There can be energetic blockages ‘down there.’ Qi needs to be flowing to get your juices flowing.

Don’t worry, there’s no need to put needles on your privates. Since qi flows throughout in the body in pathways, you can needle other parts of the body to affect qi and bloodflow there. There’s also the ancient healing and exercise method of qigong. Qigong moves energy, improves mood, and can heal any imbalances in the body.

Hormonal: Testosterone is the primary hormone for libido and performance. It’s normal for men and women experience a drop in levels as we age. Seems so unfair, doesn’t it? One of the best Chinese herbs for safely increasing hormone levels is translated as “Horny Goat Weed.” Gotta love that.

Physical: This might be where the problem originates, especially if you consume animal products. Unless it’s psychological, erectile dysfunction is a sign that your blood vessels are plugged up in the love zone. It can be the first symptom of a much larger problem: a decrease of blood flow through out the body. Why not take care of your health before you have a heart attack? Gentlemen, it’s time to throw out the beef.

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In addition to ditching artery-clogging animal products, you can begin acupuncture, which helps the body heal itself. It reduces inflammation and stimulates blood flow. Both are key to great sexy time.

Why not just take a pill? When used properly, acupuncture and Chinese medicine help with all the causes listed above and have no adverse side effects. Some of the side effects listed for Viagra — impaired vision, headaches, painful or bloody urination, chest pain, dizziness, and diarrhea — don’t sound very fun. On top of all the potential side effects, most medications don’t fix why you’re having issues in the first place. They’re just a temporary fix.

How does it work? A big part of how Chinese medicine helps is through elevating serotonin levels. Healthy serotonin levels have been shown to help increase sexual appetite. Another way to increase serotonin levels is through exercise. So time to get moving on the treadmill to get you moving between the sheets.

Acupuncture also helps release suppressed emotions. Almost every acu-point has an emotional component to it. The results are incredibly powerful.

Balancing all aspects of your health, both physical and mental health, will result in maximum results. Who doesn’t want that?

Live natural. Live well.

Heather Lounsbury is an acupuncturist and nutritionist based in Los Angeles.