One of the symptoms of menopause that husbands and lovers find most irritating and confusing is the lack of desire to have sex. Just when it is safe to make love without fear of having unwanted pregnancy, women suddenly lack enthusiasm and desire for intimate and passionate trysts.

If you are single, divorced, separated or a widow, it may probably be alright to stay celibate during menopause and post menopause. However, when you are married or in a romantic relationship, intimacy and sex are crucial in making your relationship work. Having menopause or vaginal changes should not be used as an excuse to turn down your partner all of the time.

Although HRT, short for Hormone Replacement Therapy, can answer most of the woes of menopausal sufferers, a lot of women would rather silently bear the irritating symptoms of menopause for fear of HRT's adverse effects. Studies have shown that HRT may cause breast cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and other serious diseases.

If you are experiencing menopausal symptoms, don't ever think that you only have two options -- HRT or nothing. Actually, there are natural remedies that can help you deal with the various symptoms of this stage in a woman's life. If your main concern is to bring back the heat in your relationship, then read on and discover how you can boost your sex drive during menopause:

Take Vitamin E Supplement

The decline in sexual libido can be attributed to the drop in levels of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. Furthermore, sleep deprivation, mood swings, anxiety, depression and other menopausal symptoms can also make you feel less interested in making love.

Several studies have shown that Vitamin E is a helpful substitute to estrogen in most women. Thus, this vitamin can assist in easing hormonal imbalances, hot flashes and even combating vaginal changes.

For maximum results, you need to take about 400 to 1,000 IU (International Units) of Vitamin E a day. It is even recommended to take this supplement in divided amounts four or five times daily. For example, if your required dosage were 400 IU, it would be best to take 100 IU of Vitamin E four times a day.

Perform Kegel Exercises

Menopausal women experience pain during intercourse because the vaginal tissues become less elastic, drier and thinner. Furthermore, appetite for sex is greatly decreased because of the decline in clitoral sensitivity.

One way to boost sexual pleasure and tissue elasticity is by regularly performing Kegel exercises, which was designed by Dr. Arnold Kegel. If you want to see dramatic improvement in your sexual pleasure and vaginal elasticity, you need to perform these exercises regularly, not less than five times a day.

Chase Your Blues Away Through Herbs

Unless your menopausal symptoms are severe, you actually do not need HRT. Instead of taking this artificial hormone replacement treatment, it may be better to just take Black Cohosh and Chasteberry supplements.

Black Cohosh is effective in maintaining the normal levels of estrogen in your body. As a result, most of the symptoms that are related to hormonal imbalance can be reduced. Another herb that can make a tremendous effect in correcting hormonal imbalance and vaginal changes is Chasteberry.

However, before you take any herbs and supplements, it is always best to consult your doctor especially if you are taking medications for other conditions. You need to remember that Black Cohosh is not recommended for long-term use, while Chasteberry may counter the potency of contraceptive pills.

An all-natural supplement that can also help boost your sex drive is Zalestra, which contains Black Cohosh, Green Tea extracts, and other nutrients that are helpful in reducing menopausal symptoms. For more information about this product, visit www.zalestra.com.

Author's Bio: 

Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine www.healthnfitnesszone.com.