Thread by @JulianaLung

WHAT DOCTORS DON’T TELL YOU ABOUT THE PILL

A thread

On birth control and its long term implications

We’re told by society it’s ‘normal’ to ingest synthetic hormones

In fact, we’re taught from an early age it’s perfectly healthy! The right thing to do!

Some take the pill to prevent pregnancy
*although it’s only 91% effective*

Others are prescribed it by doctors to help ‘regulate’ their TOM

It’s even normalized for athletes to be on BC in order to get rid of their period entirely, making them more competitive in their sport

While many initially report feeling better due to lighter flow + less cramps

We are NOT taught how detrimental the pill can be to our health over time

There are consequences to suppressing our natural cycles

Let’s take a deeper dive into BC and how it affects our health 👇

HOW DOES BC WORK?

Birth control works by COMPLETELY shutting off ovulation, a critical phase of a healthy cycle + necessary for optimal hormonal health

When you shut down ovulation, your body doesn’t make progesterone

Progesterone + estrogen are opposing hormones

Without adequate progesterone, your body has nothing left to oppose estrogen

Progesterone also helps reduce inflammation, protects against stress hormones, and down-regulates us to a calmer state for quality sleep

Unfortunately, we live in an estrogen-dominant world full of toxic endocrine disruptors

As excess synthetic estrogen builds up

Chronic metabolic conditions ensue, including:
- gut dysbiosis
- insulin resistance
- candida
- SIBO
- iron overload

INFLAMMATION

The truth is, the pill causes systemic stress, dysfunction, and imbalance in the body

These changes include:
- alterations in gut microbiome + damage to the gut lining
- suppressed thyroid function
- impaired liver and gallbladder function
- nutrient depletion

This triggers an inflammatory cascade resulting in symptoms like:
- leaky gut
- IBS
- chronic bloat
- constipation
- acne
- rosacea
- psoriasis
- hypothyroidism
- slowed metabolism
- weight gain
- nausea
- PMS
- brain fog
- poor sleep
- loss of sex drive
- depression
- anxiety

NUTRIENT DEPLETION

Birth control depletes:
- Magnesium
- Vitamin A, C, E
- B vitamins
- Selenium
- Zinc

These are critical nutrients necessary for optimal health, balanced hormones, blood sugar regulation, immunity, thyroid function, among many more processes in the body

Over time, chronic depletion results in nutrient deficiency, one of the most over-looked factors of poor health + mental disorders

When you are nutrient deficient, your body doesn’t have the building blocks to make what it needs to be happy + healthy

LIVER

The pill overworks the liver, congesting it with synthetic hormones that constantly need to be filtered + detoxed through it

The liver is also where thyroid hormone conversion occurs

Over time, the chronic stress of BC on the liver results in an impaired thyroid function

THYROID

The pill depletes you of zinc, selenium, B vitamins, all of which are specific, key nutrients for thyroid hormone production

These nutrients are required to convert inactive thyroid hormone T4 to active T3

Without these nutrients, thyroid conversion comes to a halt

With a slowed thyroid comes a slowed metabolism

This leads to:
- digestion issues
- constipation
- leaky gut
- poor detoxification
- weight gain
- hair loss, etc.

MENTAL HEALTH

Did you know?

Teens taking the combo pill were 80% more likely to develop depression

And women taking the combo pill were 23% more likely to be prescribed anti-depressants

There is a strong correlation between the pill + mental health

This is because the pill specifically depletes vitamin B6, interfering with how the body metabolizes tryptophan, which is necessary for serotonin production

BC also damages the gut lining and alters the gut microbiome

Fun fact:

80-90% of our serotonin is created in our gut!

GETTING OFF THE PILL

It will take time for your body to return to hormonal homeostasis once you get off BC

I may post a separate thread on this if there is enough demand

What you can do to help:
- mitigate stress through meditation, grounding, daily sun, etc.
- consume saturated fat rich foods like raw butter, coconut oil, tallow, ghee
- follow an ancestral, omnivorous diet consisting of quality, whole foods

What you can do to help (continued):
- supplement magnesium + minerals every day
- have roasted dandelion root tea + raw carrots to bind up excess estrogen
- 0 caffeine a week before your period

Ultimately, taking the pill is an autonomous decision

I just hope to offer a more complete picture on the lasting effects it has on your overall health

Also taking into consideration that our natural cycles are what makes us women!

They give us energy, a healthy sex drive, robust metabolism, quality sleep

It’s our life force✨

And what a privilege it is to be a Woman
To have the capacity to bring Life into the World
To be a portal between the Living + Source

A celebration of Divine Femininity + Fertility

Thanks for reading!

If you would like more threads on
- alternative forms of holistic BC
- how to achieve optimal hormonal health
- more tips on getting off the pill
- or anything female-related

Pls comment and let me know 🤍