Article of the Month

Enhancing sexual health

EVERYONE experiences low sexual drive and other sexual problems at some point in their lives.

This may be due to illnesses, surgery, injury, fatigue and stress. Those with high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol are at higher risk of developing sexual problems. These conditions may affect blood flow to the sexual organs and nerve functions. Ageing may also affect sexual health in women as many complain of vaginal dryness and lack of libido especially after menopause.

Those who are younger may experience sexual problems due to stress and fatigue. A heavy workload and long hours may affect a person's behaviour and mood towards sex. Other problems faced by younger people involve finances, poor health and relationship with others.

Balancing your life is important to ensure a healthy sex life and ultimately, a healthy relationship with your partner. Healthy eating and regular exercises are advised. It is not as easy to put this into practice but it may help your health overall, including sexual health.

Many people opt for vitamin Bs to sustain energy levels and to cope in times of stress. Others go for herbal remedies. A combination of herbs such as horny goat weed, ginkgo, ginseng, withania, muira puama, puncture vine and damiana may be of benefit.


Withania and ginseng are adaptogens which help one cope with stress. In addition, ginseng increases the nitric oxide level, helpful for erectile dysfunction. Ginkgo has been traditionally used to promote blood flow. The herb relaxes the artery walls, allowing more blood flow to the penis. Horny goat weed has testosterone-like effects, stimulating sexual desire and sensory nerves.

Damiana stimulates the natural desire for sex. Muira Puama increases libido and helps in hormone production. It also helps to maintain an erection. Puncture vine raises the amount of luteinising hormone, leading to increased testosterone levels in men.

A combination of these herbs increases the production of the hormones dopamine and serotonin by the pituitary gland. The adrenal gland produces lower amounts of cortisol and higher DHEA. This leads to higher stamina and energy levels. In addition, these herbs are able to relax muscles, thus improving blood flow.

According to Dr Ismail Tamby, an andrologist or specialist in sexual and reproductive health medicine who conducted a study on 50 people from all walks of life using these herbs, all of them had positive effects not only in sexual health, but also in physical and mental health.

"The participants saw changes in their body, improved health, better immune system and higher energy levels. This is what this food supplement does. It adapts to improve function and processes and gives a lot of benefits," said Dr Tamby.


This article was first published in The New Straits Times on Dec 24, 2007.

Why do accpressure massage?

Acupressure primarily affects the body as a whole. It can be used to treat a large range of health problems, but it is particularly effective for headaches, tension, depression and fatigue, as well as neck and back problems. As a preventive therapy there is a good chance that some illnesses will be caught very early as a result of acupressure treatment. Taking a look at the key effects of acupressure gives insight into how acupressure works and what the benefits of acupressure are:

Activating Qi and blood (increasing its activity)
Regulating Qi and blood (dispersing stagnation and guiding counter flow)
Dredging the channels (removing external pathogens like Cold and Damp)
Reduce muscle tension
Improve blood circulation
Improve lymph movement
Increase mobility and range of motion of joints
Stimulate or smooth nervous system Enhance skin condition
Relief of acute and chronic pain
Reduce swelling

Case Study: Acupressure for protruding Discs - Acupressure were performed on 82 patients diagnosed with protruding lumbar discs to activate Qi and blood and alleviate pain. Most patients experienced improved curvature of the spinal column, increased range of motion and decreased back pain after being massaged. (Source: Journal of TCM, June 2002; 22(2); 126-127)





For the best results, it is always a good idea to receive a combined treatment of acupressure together with acupuncture therapy, and/or Chinese herbal medicine if necessary.

Meridian Channels

There are 14 main Meridians, and these correspond to the 14 main organs in the body, such as the Liver, Heart, Stomach, Kidneys, Spleen, and so on. These Meridians are bilateral - there is an identical pair on each side of the body. Some are more Yin meridians, with functions more to do with storing the vital essences of the body. There are the Kidneys, Liver, Spleen, Heart, Lungs, and Pericardium. The other six are more Yang Meridians, with function more to do with transportation of fluids and flood. These are the Bladder, Gallbladder, Stomach, Small Intestine, Large Intestine, and the Triple Warmer (a mechanism which regulates the overall body temperature and the Upper, Middle and Lower parts of the body). There are also tow extra meridians. One of which runs up the front center line of the body - Conception Vessel, and one of which runs up the spine - the Governor Vessel.

For instance, the Liver Meridian runs from the big toe, up the inside of the leg, through the genitals, and then deep into the Liver organ itself. There can be problems along the course of the meridian, and there is also a sphere of influence which each organ has within the body. The Liver controls the free flow of Qi generally in the body, including the evenness of emotions, digestion, and menstruation. It also store the blood, rules circulation in the tendons, has the major influence on the eyes, and manifests in the nails. It is therefore possible to see how diseases in these areas of the body may be treated via the Liver Meridian.

In illness, different meridians exhibit different tendencies of disharmony - for instance, the Spleen has a tendency to deficiency causing Damp. This creates symptoms such as diarrhea or lassitude (tiredness). The Liver; on the other hand, has tendency toward rising Yang, creating red sore eyes, migraines, and high blood pressure

Concept of Meridian

Meridians aid in the flow of blood and qi, and nourish the body, integrating our viscera and limbs into a balanced and systematic whole

Meridians are like rivers, the water that flows through is like our blood which contains nutrients, oxygen, and immune cells. The water (blood) is being push through the system by current (Qi). Along the river system there are dams, these dams are like our accupressure points. When these dams are blocked, the water can't flow through well. And water in the lakes become stagnant and living things inside starts to die. The lake is like our organs, without fresh supply of blood, the cells inside starts to deteriots and illness starts to form

Thus by applying Meridian Massage, we are stimulating our accupressure points to ensure there are no blockages, and blood and qi circulates well in our body system.