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
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hint hint nudge nudge
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