BEWARE: Birth Control and Toxic Tampons
BEWARE:
Birth Control and Toxic Tampons
Ladies..
I often have women come to me complaining about hormonal imbalances, intense periods and extreme emotional instability. The first question I ask these women is, “Are you on any form of birth control?” and the second, “Do you use toxic tampons?”. Taking a hormonal supplement, or some form of birth control, has become the norm in our society and we tend to overlook the serious effects that this drug has on the female body for that temporary fix. The first piece of advice that I give to my clients is to stop the use of birth control; yes, this includes IUDs (both plastic and copper), the pill, the arm stick or whatever form is currently in fashion. Now before you go on the defensive, hear me out…
The endocrine system is one of the top communication systems of the body next to the nervous system. While the nervous system uses neurotransmitters as its chemical signals, the endocrine system uses hormones to send important messages between the brain and the body. Enter birth control – a synthetic hormone disruptor that can cause permanent changes to both emotionally and physically. Not to mention the list of “mild” side effects such as:
- Increased risk of cervical and breast cancers
- Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
- Migraines
- Higher blood pressure
- Gall bladder disease
- Infertility
- Benign liver tumors
- Decreased bone density
- Yeast overgrowth and infection
- Increased risk of blood clotting
Sure...you may be thinking “my doctor said it was safe, so I’m not going to pay attention to the list of lows that coincide with this medication.1” But as Body Ecology puts it well:
Cancer, heart disease, stroke, infertility. Surely these side effects make birth control pills a less than desirable option for contraception. And now that heart disease has become the leading cause of death among women, one has to wonder if there is a connection between the widespread and long-term use of oral contraceptives, which debuted in 1960... just as the first of the baby boomers were entering their teens.1
Yeast overgrowth and yeast infections (candida), too, are particularly dangerous to your overall health.
Birth control pills actually destroy the beneficial bacteria in your intestines, making you more susceptible to yeast overgrowth, lower immunity and infection.
After years and years of taking birth control pills and creating an imbalanced inner ecosystem (with an overgrowth of bad bacteria and yeast), it is no wonder that women are at greater risk for infections as well as chronic diseases like cancer.1
Now that you are aware of the physiology behind how birth control effects the body; below, I have laid out the most popular forms of birth control and the negative effects women are experiencing. In addition, I have also included some non-toxic alternatives that I highly recommend.
Birth Control
IUDs
IUDs are a newer method of birth control that have been introduced within the last decade. This means that there have been no long-term effect studies done of what happens to the body during or after using this form of birth control. Several short-term studies have been done and a majority of these studies have proven the IUD to cause more harm than good. For instance, several women have told their horror stories about how IUDs have attached to their cervical walls and needed to be surgically removed. Below I have listed several other negative side effects that will make you rethink getting an IUD, even the copper one.
Effects
- Extreme cramping and/or backaches after insertion as well as during periods
- Irregular periods, Heavier periods, Spotting between periods
- Could result in attachment to cervical wall
- Do not protect against STDs
- Body may reject the IUD – causing fever, sweats and labor like contractions
The Pill
One of, if not the most, popular form of birth control is the pill. I’m sure almost every woman can relate that their OBGYN has at some point strongly urged you to go onto the pill, whatever reason. Though the pill does seem to have several benefits they do not out-weigh the lasting effects of this drug. I have met several women who have been put on the drug and it worked wonders for them, no more cramps, no more acne, less facial hair, etc., until one day it no longer worked. Their cramps and acne returned with a vengeance and they realized the drug had not solved their problems it had solely delayed the problems until the body could no longer delay these symptoms. Symptoms, are exactly what acne and cramping are this is why I believe in healing the body from the root cause as opposed to the symptom. Birth control on the other hand, treats the symptom so your body will not be able to heal itself so long as the drug is being used.
Effects
- Can cause migraines
- Weight gain
- Extreme cramping
- Blood clotting
- Vaginal irritation
- Decreased libido
- Hormonal changes and emotional instability
Alternatives
Since I recommend women to get off of birth control that does not mean I expect them to live an abstinent life. Luckily there are other ways to practice safe intercourse without being dependent on the drug.
- Daysy - This app is a fertility tracker that allows you to track your periods telling you what days you are the most fertile. AKA do not have sex when you are fertile that is just asking for trouble.
- Non-Toxic Condoms – These condoms are free of the toxic chemicals that regular condoms contain. Trust me, we do not want any type of toxic substance in that area.
Tampons/Pads
As for tampons and pads, the generic brands that we see at most drugstores and supermarkets are filled with toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, polyethylene, and propylene glycol. Why would the FDA approve a product, that is used in the most absorbing area of the female body, with chemicals that have been proven to cause cancer? Any chemical substance inserted will be absorbed into the vaginal wall and travel straight into the blood stream. It is extremely important for the health of your vaginas…as well as your bodies that you substitute your toxic tampons and pads with any of these non-toxic alternatives:
Alternatives 
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