What’s Wrong With The Pill?
Things Are Not Always As They Appear
More than 30 years ago, the Pill made its debut as the be-all, end-all for women who wanted to avoid pregnancy. It allowed for exploration of sexuality with new confidence and freedom, and brought with it an increase in sexually transmitted diseases as caution was tossed to the wind.
After a few years, the magic of the Pill began to fade as it became associated with diseases such as breast cancer, embolism, and stroke. Women became more cautious and in response to those cautions, drug companies became busy revising and redeveloping their products. Birth control pills work in one or a combination of ways to prevent pregnancy. Some prevent ovulation, and others prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus lining. Others thicken the mucus around the cervix that makes it difficult for the sperm to enter the uterus and make their way to the fallopian tubes.
The Latest Development In Birth Control Pills
A recent development is a new type of birth control pill that claims a woman can safely have only four periods a year, or may avoid having them entirely for several years at a time. This concept alone can be very dangerous as it means there is no break from the excess estrogen used in birth control pills to prevent pregnancy. When estrogen is not balanced by progesterone a situation called estrogen dominance occurs and some very serious effects take place. There is an increased risk of breast cancer and blood clotting as well as heart attack and stroke. Increased blood pressure, migraine headaches, and gallbladder disease are also risks. Breast tenderness, weight gain, mood changes, liver tumors, and irregular bleeding are still other risk factors. In addition, the effectiveness of birth control pills is reduced with the use of antibiotics.
What They Don’t Tell You
Something that is not made public is the fact that in order for the liver to metabolize birth control pills, it requires extra B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and zinc. Women who have been taking birth control pills for a long time often become deficient in nutrients. When a woman is nutrient deficient, her body becomes subject to such conditions as weight gain, fluid retention, mood changes, and depression. A key factor in heart disease is high levels of the amino acid homocysteine. High homocysteine is the result of vitamin B and magnesium deficiency.
Yeast Overgrowth Can Trigger All Sorts Of Problems
Yet another devastating side effect of estrogen dominance is the risk of developing yeast overgrowth. An imbalance of estrogen is created by the continual stream of estrogen generated by birth control pills. The toxins produced by yeast overgrowth are capable of adversely affecting the body. Symptoms as far reaching as migraines, infertility, endometriosis, psoriasis, PMS, depression, fibromyalgia and countless other maladies have been attributed to yeast overgrowth.
While birth control pills are an effective and easy way to prevent unwanted pregnancies, they are not necessarily the safest way to accomplish the goal. There are many other options available to women today to address their concerns. By taking the time to become informed, a woman can make a decision that will not only be effective but will also be healthy and safe.
Chat with other women about the side effects of the birth control pill in our birth control forum.