Over-Indulgence in Sexual Activities

Over-indulgence in sexual activities, either with a partner or alone, depletes the body and may influence a variety of health concerns including weight gain, digestive issues, chronic low back and knee pain, and infertility. Sexual activity pulls from the reserves of the body with the biological goal of reproduction – giving a small part of oneself to complete the task. If unmoderated, this can result in a deficiency in the body which may branch out and affect the digestive system as well as the reproductive system. Although this issue is more astute in men, and more likely to create imbalance if the over-indulgence is not with a partner, the issue can also affect women to a lesser extent. 

So what happens when our reproductive systems are depleted by over exertion? Since ejaculation is a loss of bodily fluids, we then tap into our reproductive reserves to make up for the deficit caused by that loss. That act of replenishment, if the body is not able to recover effectively before a further loss of fluids occurs, causes the body to short-hand the digestive system. Because the reproductive system took more than what the body had intended for it, resources must be acquired from elsewhere. Over a long period of time, a digestive deficiency can become more prevalent, showing as weight gain, loose stool and diarrhea, undigested food in the stool, cold hands and feet, intolerance to cold, feeling more susceptible to cold, and even chronic fatigue syndrome.

When our digestive systems are strong, they create a warming buffer in the body. That layer of warmth adds resistance to cold and the body becomes more resilient. So what can we do to help with weight gain due to the depletion of reproductive energy affecting digestion? 

• Pace yourself in your sexual activities.Resting more after sex to allow your reproductive system to recover before engaging in further depletion of bodily fluids.
• Consumption of warming foods.
• Acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas.

Herbal formulas that aid in the recovery:

Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan –  A mild and gentle formula that helps to replenish reproductive energy.

Li Zhong wan –  Intended to help digestion to recover by adding a warming buffer.