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Be Cautious with Hormonal Birth Control
One of the things that REALLY grinds my gears is when a person says they “have” to be on birth control because of a health condition they have. It’s all I can do to not scream when I hear that sentence. Birth control itself is one of my pet peeves. It is what initiated my descent into fibromyalgia and basically ruined my life. Which is why I am so passionately ANTI “the pill”.
Had I only been smart enough to put 2&2 together ten years ago when I first started it, I might not have had to suffer so long with health issues. My health started failing less than 2 months after starting this poison! And yet not only did I not think to blame it, but the 5-10 doctors I saw in the upcoming year didn’t think it would have caused any of my symptoms.
What were my symptoms? Migraines a few times a month, headaches (I had a headache for about 3 weeks straight at one point), severe muscle pain, weight gain (about 50 pounds in less than a year), brain fog, fatigue (I was sleeping 10 hours a night, plus having to nap when I got home from school- I was in my senior year of high school), depression and anxiety. I was 17. All of my friends stopped talking to me because they didn’t feel like dealing with me anymore. I had moved out of my house the previous summer because of a bad situation. I was so alone and had no idea how to feel better- so I suffered for about 6 years until I started my natural health journey.
So, obviously I have a huge personal issue with birth control, but imagine my complete ANGER when I found out that the World Health Organization actually classifies birth control as a CARCINOGEN. Let’s back up to my first sentence- women are being put on these pills to manage illnesses when in reality, they could end up with cancer?? OMG, the idiocy of “modern medicine” truly amazes me sometimes. This is so criminal.
Read about this here: Carcinogenicity of combined hormonal contraceptives and combined menopausal treatment
Not only that, but there are MANY studies and stories out there that prove the links between hormonal birth control and depression, anxiety, suicide, and more. Women are suffering, and for what?! Symptom suppression? Should we risk our good health just for the possibility of preventing pregnancy?
So How do we balance hormones then?
Get your minerals tested. Copper is needed for estrogen, zinc is needed for testosterone and progesterone. The number one most common side effect of birth control is copper dysregulation, and now I know that is what I suffered from for years, and it got ten times worse after I had a child. Balancing your minerals gets to the ROOT cause of the issue. Birth control is a (very dangerous) band-aid.
If your adrenals and liver are weak, your hormones will be imbalanced. If you are on a low fat, low cholesterol diet, your hormones will be imbalanced. Period. Balancing your minerals, support your liver and adrenals, eat a clean diet, and stop poisoning yourselves! Read more here about hormonal balancing naturally.
Well then, what about birth control?
Trust me, I know how annoying it is to not have that option of birth control. It was easy and effective as far as preventing pregnancy goes. But the side effects are NOT worth it. On the package insert for YAZ (I picked that one since that was the one I used before, but I am not sure if it is still sold), the side effects include (source):
- Blot clots
- Heart attack or stroke
- Gallbladder Disease
- Liver Tumor
- Breast cancer
- Cervical cancer
- All methods of birth control and pregnancy are associated with a risk of developing certain diseases which may lead to disability or death.
- Irregular bleeding
- Difficulty in sleeping, weakness, lack of energy, fatigue, or change in mood
- AND MORE!!
I mean, come on. Look at all of those horrible risks? And a majority of women will walk into their OB’s office and trust that they are truly knowledgeable and honest, so they will blindly accept the recommendation for the pill that is offered.
It is even worse these days now that there are apps that allow girls and women to get birth control without a prescription! So there is even LESS of a chance that women are going to be informed of these risks.
I am all for women’s rights and everything- BUT as soon as someone starts talking about the risks of birth control their warnings seem to fall on deaf ears. And who suffers most? Women.
What other safe methods of birth control are out there?
- Condoms- When used correctly, condoms will prevent pregnancy and STDs.
- Natural Family Planning– This is basically the original birth control. You have to learn to be very in tune with your own body, which is actually a fascinating process.
- Diaphragms, female condoms, and there are even some spermicides that are very effective
Sure, these options might not be as easy as popping a pill everyday. But they are much safer than hormonal or implantation contraception. There is NO perfect birth control. They all carry a possibility of failure.
And don’t even get me started with IUDs:
My Copper IUD turned me into a different person
Thousands of women complain about dangerous complications from Mirena IUD birth control
And there are countless forums out there like this one of women talking about their horrible experiences with all birth control.
Just because a TV commercial is selling something, doesn’t mean it is safe or effective.
More Reading:
- http://www.opposingviews.com/i/did-you-know-the-who-ranks-birth-control-pill-as-carcinogen
- http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/ageing/cocs_hrt_statement.pdf
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The body is a whole and we must treat it as such! I have my Bachelor of Science in Natural Health Sciences, certificates in Herbal Studies from Herbal Academy, and I am constantly learning more about health to help my clients and followers.
My goal is to help you unleash your own inner healer! You already hold the power to heal inside you. My role is as a guide to help you realize this potential.