With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it felt like the right time to talk about something that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: sex drive. Desire doesn’t disappear because you stopped caring. It often fades for a slew of other factors: when you’re chronically tired, your body is stressed, you’re hormonally off-balance, etc. Libido is very sensitive and responsive! It’s deeply tied to nourishment and nervous system support.
When those pieces are in place, desire often has room to return. In today’s scoop, we’re breaking down the most common causes of low libido, how food plays a powerful role, and how seed cycling can gently support the hormones that influence desire.
The biggest causes of low sex drive
Low libido is rarely just “in your head.” It’s usually a combination of physical, hormonal, and lifestyle factors working together. Some of the most common contributors we see include:
- Chronic stress and elevated cortisol
- Blood sugar swings and under-fueling
- Low progesterone or estrogen imbalance
- Fatigue and poor sleep
- Nutrient depletion (especially minerals and healthy fats)
- Feeling disconnected from your body after long periods of stress
When your body perceives stress or scarcity (whether from dieting, lack of sleep, or mental overload) sex drive is often one of the first things to downshift. No surprise! Libido isn’t a priority function for survival, so it tends to take a back seat when the body feels under-resourced.
How food supports desire (more than you think)
Sex hormones are made from nutrients. If your body doesn’t feel well-fueled, it won’t prioritize pleasure. Consistent meals, adequate protein, healthy fats, and minerals help regulate blood sugar and support hormone production. When blood sugar is stable, cortisol comes down. When cortisol comes down, your body feels safer. In turn, desire has space to return.
Certain nutrients play especially important roles here!
- Magnesium supports relaxation and nervous system balance
- Zinc is essential for hormone production and ovulation
- Vitamin E supports circulation and hormone signaling
- Healthy fats help build hormones like estrogen and progesterone
Food isn’t about “boosting libido overnight.” It’s about creating an internal environment where desire doesn’t have to fight for attention.
Where seed cycling fits in
Seed cycling is our favorite way to support libido! In a very gentle (and delicious way) it nourishes the hormones and systems that influence desire.
During the first half of the cycle, flax and pumpkin seeds support estrogen metabolism and circulation. Estrogen plays a key role in arousal, vaginal health, and desire. When estrogen is supported and cleared properly, many women notice improved lubrication and responsiveness.
During the second half of the cycle, sunflower and sesame seeds provide magnesium, vitamin E, and selenium—nutrients that support progesterone and help calm the nervous system. Progesterone is closely tied to feeling relaxed, safe, and receptive, which are often prerequisites for desire.
When hormones are supported gently and consistently, libido doesn’t need to be “fixed.” It often re-emerges naturally.
If desire feels completely gone…
1. Check your energy before your libido
Again, low desire is very often an energy problem before it’s a “sex” problem. If you’re exhausted, overstimulated, under-slept, or running on cortisol, your body isn’t going to prioritize intimacy. Start by asking: Am I actually rested enough to feel desire? Protect sleep, reduce burnout where possible, and build small pockets of recovery into your day. Check in with your provider if something feels off.
2. Eat in a way that supports hormones
Chronically under-eating, skipping meals, or fearing carbs/fats can suppress libido. Sex hormones require adequate fuel. Prioritize regular meals with protein + carbs + healthy fats to support estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone production. Blood sugar stability = nervous system safety = more capacity for desire.
3. Reduce stress load (not just “manage” it)
Libido is highly sensitive to stress. When your brain perceives pressure, deadlines, mental clutter, or emotional strain, desire often shuts down. Instead of adding more “self-care tasks,” remove friction: fewer obligations, clearer boundaries, lighter evenings, less multitasking.
4. Reconnect with your body (outside the bedroom)
Desire doesn’t switch on instantly. It builds from feeling embodied. Gentle movement, strength training, walking, stretching, massage, breathwork. In other words, anything that shifts you out of your head and back into physical sensation can help restore that connection.
5. Create space for intimacy without pressure
If sex has started to feel like another task, obligation, or performance, desire retreats. Focus first on closeness without expectation: affection, touch, laughter, shared time, flirting, novelty. Safety and pleasure precede libido.
6. Consider seed cycling
A daily scoop, taken over time, can help replenish key nutrients and support hormonal rhythms that influence energy, mood, and yes—desire. If your cycle is irregular, stressful, or unpredictable, you can still follow a general rhythm: Flax + pumpkin during the first half of the month; sunflower + sesame during the second half.
Supporting your spark
Sex drive isn’t just about sex. It’s about vitality, connection, and feeling at home in your body again. And it’s allowed to ebb and flow through different seasons of life! This Valentine’s Day, consider this your reminder: you don’t need to “get your spark back.” You need to support the body that creates it.