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PCOS is one of the primary non-contraceptive reasons women are prescribed the pill. Many doctors prescribe it to help with the symptoms of acne, weight gain, excessive hair growth, and irregular periods.
Your ovaries do not become insulin resistant, but if they are bombarded with insulin, a structural change occurs and stimulates your ovaries to secrete testosterone. This causes hair growth on your chin, chest, and abdomen. WTF!
You can experience symptoms of PCOS without actually having PCOS due to insulin and blood sugar issues driving testosterone levels up.
PCOS also has been linked to higher triglycerides, and because oral contraceptives can cause those levels to rise further, taking the pill when you have PCOS may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. If
Dr. Fiona McCulloch, author of 8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS,
(remember, a period on the pill is a withdrawal bleed).
If you’re between the ages of twenty and forty-four, then it’s important you know that 1 in 2,000 women in this age range and on the pill will be hospitalized for abnormal clotting. Compare
pill can and does kill. In women aged fifteen to thirty-four, the risk of death due to circulatory disorder is 1 in 12,000.
Genetic Risk and the Pill
systematic review of twenty-eight studies that looked at more than twelve thousand women with cervical cancer found that cervical cancer risk increases the longer the pill is used. The risk actually doubled after ten years of use! The risk increased even after accounting for factors like the number of sexual partners, the use of barrier contraceptive methods, previous pap smears, smoking, and human papillomavirus (HPV) status.
Studies have revealed that night-shift workers, like nurses, are at higher risk for breast cancer, and women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer have lower levels of melatonin. A meta-analysis found a 40 percent increase in breast cancer in women who worked night shifts.
In a thirteen-year study that followed more than one million women aged fifteen to thirty-four, researchers found the women were more likely to be diagnosed with depression for the first time if they used hormonal contraception.
Another recent study has discovered that young women who use hormonal contraceptives have three times the risk of suicide compared to those who have never used this type of birth control.
According to this study, the threat of suicide was highest during the first two months after beginning the pill (or the ring, IUD, or patch).
That means if you’ve experienced depression in the past but have since resolved it, it may return while taking the pill.
The Pill and Depression Risks
Brain-Supporting Nutrients
copper EPA and DHA folate inositol magnesium omega-3 fatty acids vitamins B6, B12, and D zinc So if you’re
You now know the gut and immune system play a pivotal role in your brain’s health,
Daily Smart Supplements
Not only that, social isolation—especially as we leave college and enter the workplace or become mothers—can really weigh on women, so spending time with friends who support us can help our mood and our hormones.
Plus, so many of us turn that finger around and point it right at ourselves, thinking, There must be something wrong with me. Or maybe it’s that I’m just not into this guy anymore. Or maybe you start making excuses like, Hey, this is just how it goes in relationships. It’s just not exciting like it used to be. Or I’m just getting older.
Most women are told that the pill has very little impact on their fertility and that when they get off it they’ll be able to become pregnant easily: “It’s nothing to worry about.”
They can reduce stress and anxiety, increase circulation, and improve autoimmune disease, menstrual cycles, and fertility.
Th2 is the aspect of the immune system that developed to protect against parasites, although in modern times it presents
but regular orgasms can have a hormone-balancing effect. They also can help relieve menstrual cramps, because releasing
oxytocin and other endorphins during orgasm may reduce pain. Orgasms improve your
The Top 10 Health Benefits of Orgasms
Unfortunately, the pill has been crashing women’s libidos from the very beginning. It seems pretty counterintuitive to me that someone somewhere designed a method of birth control for women that essentially ruins any desire for sex.
DHEA-S DUTCH Complete estrogen progesterone sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) total and free testosterone
But I store stress in my shoulders and my neck, but the fact is, you can store stress and trauma in any tissue in your body, and the sacral chakra is a common place where we women tend to put things.
because gyn exams were done to women and not with women.
The research has shown that the length of time does have an impact, and the longer you’re on the pill, the longer it can take to get pregnant.
However, if you’re thirty-five or older, have a history of smoking, have a family history of early menopause, or have any of the other risk factors that compromise fertility, then the pill is only adding a burden to your body and potentially contributing to compromised fertility.
Lab Tests for Fertility
children published in The Lancet Oncology revealed an increased incidence of childhood leukemia when mom was taking a combined birth control pill within six months prior to conception.
Decrease stress and increase sleep. Activate your lady parts. Talk with your partner. Eat a libido-loving diet.
Ten Foods for Maximizing Your Libido
Activate Your Lady Parts KNOW YOUR LANDSCAPE
previously, you still want to give your body at least six months to recover, and if you can make it twelve months, that just makes my heart soar.
If horrendous PMS, acne, bleeding, or any other kind of symptoms is what got you on the pill in the first place, I recommend starting the 30-Day Brighten Program now and staying with it at least three months before stopping hormonal birth control. That might sound a little discouraging or confusing, but don’t let it be. Here’s the deal: In this program, I outline everything you need
And I highly recommend you detox from any negative people or bullshit that may be weighing you down and causing unwanted stress.
Liver-Loving Foods
Foods to Eat
Foods to Remove
Preparing for the Program
If you haven’t gotten the memo, you’re a badass.
Reset Your Circadian Rhythm
help. I often have my patients evaluate their symptoms once a quarter to see how they’re doing.
With elevated testosterone, especially if you have insulin or blood glucose issues, get evaluated by your doctor to see if you have PCOS. Yes, your hormones will be cray, but you’re also at really high risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes if you have PCOS—all
