I just read the thread "My response to the diet" by Huntng4Os and I was caught by the mention of being cold. It reminded me of the whole journey that led to me finding Marrena's diet. I was going to post a reply, but my reply became long and rambling, so I decided to post it as a new thread in an attempt not to be a hijacker! Hopefully my ramblings make some sort of sense.


Probably about two and a half to three years ago, my man pointed out that I seemed to want sex less. I hadn't noticed any change, but he did. I couldn't explain it, couldn't figure out what might have changed in my life. I was about 22, had just moved to a new city (now lived with him, which was great, not long distance any more), new job, grad school, so could have easily said it was all a result of stress. However, I wasn't feeling stressed.

We got engaged, and I went on a diet, the LA Weightloss diet, which worked (lost 20 lbs to fit into the perfect wedding dress, and have kept it off, yay!), and I started eating much more healthy, more well-rounded diet, as a result. Started eating fruits, veggies, and dairy on a daily basis, which I have NEVER done in my entire life. So one theory was that my body was somehow in shock because I was eating different (better) than ever before. I cut down on the bad carbs tremendously, which one would think would have a positive effect. Was it the diet change? Did the weight loss effect me?


Anyhow, time went on, and my man and I would occasionally have emotional talks about our sex life. He worried that I wasn't attracted to him anymore, I felt horrible because my body seemed to be dead. All throughout high school and college I was a complete sex machine, so he sudden change in my early 20s was unexplainable and distressing, now that he brought it to my attention.


There were a few other symptoms I started to notice, but in no way connected them together. I would get really cold a lot and have a hard time warming up. At first I thought nothing of it, and then I noticed it happened a lot, so I thought something more of it, and started trying to do some research. The first thing I found was that it could be a symptom of a thyroid problem. I went to the doctor, and one of the things he checked was my thyroid levels. They came back normal, which was good, but also meant I needed to go back to the drawing board with my theory.


I kept doing reading, lots of online research, and found some info on symptoms of low progesterone. Most of the info pertains to menopause, but a lot is still pertinent. As I kept reading, all of the symptoms started sounding exactly like me. Fuzzy thinking, sometimes cold, diminished libido, and the list goes on (can't remember the entire litany at the moment). At the same time, I also found info about xenoestrogens, or synthetic materials in our environment that come into our bodies and act like estrogen. So, I started doing things to eliminate things in my life that might be introducing xenoestrogens (a big thing is not heating plastic in the microwave). Partially I did this because it seemed to be an overall good thing to do, and if it could possibly help me, then great. (there is so much info out there on this type of thing, I won't go too deep in my post, but you can look it up)

So basically, I was finding all this info at once. I also quit using hormonal birth control and my husband and I started using the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning. That came mostly as a result of personal choices, but after reading more, it sounded like a great thing as well because of all the side effects of the pill that I never knew. (which Marrena talks about in the book as well).

All at the same time, I discovered I had breast cysts (nothing serious). I had some drained at a doctor's advice. After doing more research later, I found some sites that say natural progesterone can treat breast cysts. Also found more info on xenoestrogens in the process. I was getting info that seemed to somehow all be linked, just wasn't sure how.

So in the meantime, I found a new gynecologist that was NFP friendly, and went to see him. The trip turned out disappointing (gave me a lot of the usual "its all in your head" responses), but he did order a progesterone level test for me. He said the results were normal. So darn, back to the drawing board yet again.

In yet more research, I read something about needing to test the levels of free progesterone... which sounds similar to the talk to free testosterone that Marrena mentions. So now, I am at the point of investigating all hormones and trying to figure out what's going on in my body.

In the midst of all this research I had been doing, I was also looking for general info and tips on "how to improve your sex life." My husband had come to accept that it was not him, and he was very supportive and understanding. But I was still very upset and feeling guilty because I had no sex drive and no way to explain it. I knew there was something going on with my body, I just had no idea why, and couldn't (and still haven't) find a doctor who seemed to really want to listen and help me figure out what is going on. One of the things I stumbled upon was resistance vaginal devices (mostly in reference to incontinence). But I found some info on using them to increase sexual pleasure, and my random internet searched accidentally then led me to the Orgasmic Diet.

I found mention of the diet while online early one morning before work. Before lunch time, I had located the bookstore nearest to my office, and I had the book in my hands by lunch. I never read books, but I read this book in record time. I was at the store and buying fish oil and supplement and chocolate in a flash, and ordering my gyneflex.

So in the past few months, the diet has been working pretty well for me. I have had some problems with the fish oil making me nauseous, so I have to be very diligent to space out my dosage and take it with plenty of food. Also, I am sometimes forgetful and don't get my correct daily dosage. Love the chocolate! I'm conscious about eating carbs when I want to be sexual, but I don't eat a lot of carbs as it is. I already had no caffeine in my diet.

So far, the results have been satisfactory. I am much more lubricated most of the time, and it is very easy for me to become aroused and wet. I don't have the sensations I would like during sex yet, but I'm hopeful. My orgasms aren't as intense as they once were, but at least they are easier to come by. I've been very inconsistent with using my gyneflex, so I need to work on that. I've had a few erotic and sometimes strange dreams involving some sort of sexual acts, but my dreams usually are strange. I've initiated sex a lot more lately as well. I'm not back to my younger state of sexuality, but given that I had reached a dead zone, I am perfectly thrilled with where I am now.


I plan to continue the diet, and I have started mentioning it to a few friends. Gotta share the knowledge! I still intend to keep investigating the hormonal balance issue, and may even try to see an endocrinologist. I feel pretty certain that there is "something" going on with my hormonal balance, just need to figure out what. Hopefully I can find a doc who won't act like I am a nut case!


Sorry that this post is long and rambling. This whole learning process for me has been going on for so long that its hard to keep it all straight and recount it in a short way that makes sense! I'm just glad to have found something that works for me, and a place to talk about these things!


And Marrena, I have even highlighted certain phrases in your book that I really like. Especially the parts where you talk about how insulting it is when docs treat women like we are crazy. I think I responded out loud when I read that in your book! I am in a group that has speakers on a regular basis, and our recent speaker was a urologist who does a sex presentation. I thought it would be interesting. She (yes, it was a woman) spoke mostly of men's issues, and when it came to the female portion of the presentation, she might as well have said "we don't know how women work. They are hard to measure. Its all in their heads." I was like, seriously?? Is that all you've got? I attempted to ask a question about "when doctor's say its all in a woman's head" but she didn't even comprehend my question. It was sad. Now I am rambling again, so I will stop and go get some work done today!

Thank you for all of the detailed feedback! And thank you even more for telling your friends--my book publicity is basically over, except for an HBO thing I will be shooting next month, so at this point my book has to survive on word of mouth. It's so maddening to me that women don't know about how their sexual physiology can be improved, and instead they get these clueless doctors shrugging their shoulders.

I'm really hoping to get a study going.

Marrena!
I'm still plugging you and your book, and there must be a critical mass by now.

Good sex has always been a mystery. Perhaps there was a time in the distant past in India or China where quite a few people knew how to get the most from it, but apart from that sexuality just rumbles along with the odd good discovery from time to time like Masters & Johnson or ESO or the blessed fish oil.

The guy that got me into semen retention tells me that when he tells his friends how wonderful the results are, and how much more sex he has been getting since he started it, he just gets laughed at. I took him on face value, tried it, and got the same results. Same with the fishy stuff. You can lead a horse to water... etc.

Maryk - You write well for someone who claims never to read books. Your story is another reminder to "keep on keeping on" when you want to find something, and never listen to people who say it doesn't exist!

Thanks Marky777... I think.... I may not enjoy reading books, but that doesn't mean I'm not articulate!

Hi Mary

I was really interested to read your story. Do you eat much soya? I was told I was allergic to dairy and so replaced my dairy with soya (I was a vegetarian at the time and had been for about 10 years). Within 6 months I looked 5 years older, my hair was falling out and my attempts to get pregnant were leading to nothing. My temperature in the morning was lower than it should be and my TSH increased from 1.2 to 2.8 in only a few months. The doctors said there was nothing wrong with me. (Hmm if your blood pressure doubled in a few months would that be nothing??)

Eventually I found a nutritionist who told me how bad soya is for you and I stopped taking it straight away. It affects some people more than others, but even fertility doctors are now recommending women in their childbearing years don't eat soya.

My libido disappeared about 10 years ago after being full on through my 20s (when I was married to a man who didn't like sex - how ironic). I'm so thrilled that after 4 months on the diet I now get horny again!! (and my 2nd husband is thrilled too...!).

I'm also amazed to find that my general mood is much improved, I'm calmer, happier and all round better than I've ever been. That's something I didn't expect.

I've posted elsewhere that digestive problems (IBS, ulcerative colitis etc) may slow down the benefit of the fish oil. As Omega 3s are used to reduce inflammation, it may be that they are all being used up to help heal digestive problems and not many left over for the libido. I know this is a problem I have and apparently up to 40% of people have digestive problems. But I can see a slow improvement and I just have to stick with it.

I'm just grateful to have found Marenna's book while I'm still young enough to enjoy it.

Never had soya. Thanks for the info, though!