You can use the power of visualization and imagery, classic mind-body techniques, to support a healthy libido. We’re all familiar with fantasizing, so I invite you to take it one step further by applying that daydream-like practice to focus on getting ready for sexual intimacy. As we age, the juices don’t always flow so spontaneously, but we can use the power of imagination to get them going!

Try this: Picture the place where you and your partner will be intimate. Create the scene in your mind exactly as you’d like it to be, using all of your senses. Look around in your mental room or space at the colors, the visuals, what’s on the walls or windows, the furniture, etc. Or if you’re outdoors, what are the colors and sights there? Then notice the fragrances. In your imaginary room you might want to light a fragrant candle or bring in some sweet-smelling flowers. What are the sounds? Play your favorite inner music, or perhaps there’s the sound of flowing water. Now feel the textures around and beneath you: Soft? Silky? Leafy? You decide! Create the perfect scene, and then, finally, invite your partner into your intimate and beautiful space and allow yourself to let go and enjoy!

With the dry, cold air, winter is the time to eat foods that produce mucus in the body and provide a slow sustainable energy source. It is a time when the earth provides food from the fall harvest that is naturally heavier and full of protein and healthy fats. This does not mean that carbs need to be avoided in the winter, simply that the proportions are different, with a focus on soups, grains, nuts, and yes, meats, too. Remember, not all grains are the same and I always recommend eating the less inflammatory gluten-free grains, just as I recommend eating grass-fed organic beef and free-range organic poultry whenever possible.

Vegetables continue to be important in the winter and are especially warming when eaten in soups and stews with added legumes and fat to make it even heartier. In the winter, I love to have bean soup for lunch most days. I heat it on the stove top at home, and bring it to work hot in a thermos. This is the quickest and easiest lunch and is perfect for those of you who sometimes skip or forget to eat ‘on time’ while at work.

Salads and cold-pressed, low-sugar juices are still really nourishing for you in the winter and will give you the intense levels of vitamins your body needs and might be missing because of your focus on cooked foods. Your body will really like these foods, especially after exercise when you are heated. The most important thing to remember is that, in addition to making sure there is a protein source in your salad, you should make sure to add plenty of fat, too. Don’t skimp on the dressing, and be generous with sprinkling nuts and/or seeds. This is a good time of year to add that cheese, whether dairy (if you can eat dairy) or a nut cheese like almond cheese.

If you choose to do a juice cleanse during the winter, make sure the daily program has lots of fat and protein, too. I designed the cleanse program at Organic Pharmer to be nutritionally sound in this way, and work for all the seasons. Choose the cleanse with the highest daily fat and protein. I recommend Power Play, Reboot, and Liver Love.

Your body instinctively thrives when it takes its cue from nature and follows its own rhythm. During winter, Nature is at rest, and so it is for you: the time to turn your attention inward, seeking warmth and comfort at home with loved ones.

The cold and damp weather is also when your body intuitively craves more warm, cooked and satisfying foods that are higher in protein and fibrous carbohydrates. It’s also a great time to pull out the slow cooker or your Dutch oven and gather your favorite ingredients for a nourishing meal.

Here’s a list of the foods to incorporate into your winter food plan:

• Legumes: black beans, kidney beans, lentils, peas, and chickpeas are high in both fiber and protein, and are great in soups and stews. Plus, their longer cooking times make them easier to digest.
• Root vegetables: carrots, turnips, onions, garlic, ginger, and potatoes.
• Nuts and nut milks are also good in the winter to snack on. Try home roasting raw nuts and seeds with herbs and spices, like cayenne pepper, turmeric, paprika, rosemary, thyme, etc., and enjoy them alone or sprinkled on your favorite vegetables. Warm up some nut milk and enjoy a cup with some cinnamon and vanilla extract.
• Fruits and vegetables: be sure to include all orange, yellow, and red fruits & vegetables for their immune boosting compounds, called carotenoids.

Remember, because days are shorter, you may be less active. Therefore, take care not to increase your food intake too much during the winter months, as it is easy to gain unwanted pounds.