Change your lifestyle, improve your sex life

By Karen Asp

Nearly half of American women -- 43 percent -- suffer from some kind of sexual dysfunction, the Journal of the American Medical Association recently reported. But simply changing your everyday behaviors may help. "A decline in your sexual health may mean something's wrong with your overall health," says Hank C. K. Wuh, M.D., M.P.H., co-author of Sexual Fitness (Putnam, 2001). There's evidence that the lifestyle program Wuh created works:

In a 30-day study of 25 men and women (median age: 42), 82 percent said they experienced sexual desire more frequently, 50 percent said their level of desire increased, and 40 percent reported an improved sexual relationship. Wuh's seven strategies in a nutshell: Eat a healthy diet; take certain herbs; avoid medications that can cause sexual dysfunction; stimulate your senses; exercise regularly; get enough sleep; and, most important, learn healthy ways to manage stress.