Women

Not feeling very sexy? You might need to change your diet! Nutritional deficiencies can have a detrimental effect on your hormones, glands and organs, and play havoc with your sex drive.

Hopefully you will be eating a healthy, balanced diet. If you know you're not quite giving it 100 per cent, or you'd just like some extra insurance, start taking a daily multivitamin and mineral complex supplement, to correct any nutritional imbalances.

A regular intake of good-quality protein is important for your sex drive - the best sources are sprouted seeds, soya beans (sometimes called edamames, pronounced ed a mammies), quinoa, tofu, fish, and lean chicken.

Don't scrimp on wholegrains, fresh fruit and veg either. The mineral zinc is essential for the production of sex hormones, sperm and female lubrication. The B group of vitamins are needed for sex hormones too - plus they support your adrenal glands, helping you deal with stress, reduce lethargy and boost mood.

Gillian McKeith

Find zinc in nuts and seeds, beans, eggs, wholegrains and lean meat. And get your fill of B vits from wholegrains, green leafy veg, beans, tuna, chicken, figs, poppy seeds, raw shelled hemp seeds, dates, and nuts such as brazil nuts. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are needed for sex hormone production.

Eat plenty of oily fish and flaxseed oil, and consider an evening primrose or starflower oil supplement. The following foods are my favourite sources of the nutrients I've just talked about, and good foods to choose if you want added sparks between the sheets.

- Extract from Gillian McKeith's Wedding Countdown Diet