The birth control pill (BCP) is a wonderful option for those wishing to prevent pregnancy, address painful periods (endometriosis being one of them), acne, balance hormones, regulate periods, manage heavy periods, manage PCOS, etc, etc. Right?! Sure…but (and it’s a BIG ‘but’), the BCP is a cover-up solution (outside of pregnancy prevention) and we need to ask ourselves ‘where do these ailments really stem from?!’
The BCP is composed of synthetic versions of estrogen and progesterone. Although similar on a molecular level, these hormones do not act the same way as your natural hormones would, and because of this, they behave adversely in the body.
Some side effects include…
🔥 candida overgrowth
🔥 impairment of the detoxification process leading to the accumulation of hormones that are normally eliminated via phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification
🔥 may increase blood pressure which in turn, may increase your risk of stroke and blood clots
🔥 decreases libido (wait…you go on the BCP to prevent pregnancy yet, the pill makes you feel like sex is the last thing on your mind??)
🔥 promotes oxidative stress in the body
🔥 weight gain and increased cravings
🔥 depletes B vitamins (folate being one of them), vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, selenium, phosphorus
🔥 can increase thyroglobulin (the protein that binds thyroid hormone) which can lead to lower thyroid hormones and increased risk of hypothyroidism
…this is just a brief list of side effects!
One thing that bothers me is that, the BCP is the most common form of birth control used by women and a large portion use it to balance their hormones. Wake up call…the pill actually switches your hormones OFF. The period that occurs on the pill (like clockwork) is a withdrawal bleed making you think your body is working like a well-oiled factory. The bad thing about suppressing ovulation is that your body cannot make its own natural progesterone which we need for countless functions in the body. Once a woman comes off the pill, it can take up to one year to normalize hormones and there’s a delay with ovulation. The depletion of vital nutrients coupled with ovulation delay is not a good formula for those wishing to conceive right away post BCP.
Whether you are on the pill, wanting to get off, or are post-pill, it’s vital to ensure you consume a variety of whole, nutrient-dense foods in order to prevent nutrient deficiencies along with specific vitamins/minerals tailored to your needs.
My advice is for precautionary and information purposes only; I would never advise anyone to go off the pill. Those looking for alternatives to the pill when fertility is the challenge, may opt for a copper IUD (non-hormonal and no delay in fertility once stopped), diaphragm, natural family planning, cervical caps and good ole’ condoms 😉. Reasons outside fertility for using the BCP, we need to find the root cause of why you are having these symptoms in the first place. Don’t use the BCP as a band-aid solution. When/if you stop the pill, the symptoms will still be there and you will have most likely, gained more ailments on top of that.
On the pill, wanting to come off the pill, or struggling post-pill? Contact me for additional support.