iThei mdcdaelcinfd o c elllllrllll o thec dslblohkphc dseOral contraceptives, or birth control pills, are a great convenience. One
little pill a day stops ovulation. No more worries about getting pregnant.
I have relied on birth control pills to help with heavy menstrual bleeding
and skipping periods while on vacation. Birth control helped me pursue
my career and passions in my twenties before I was ready to be a mother.
But I wish I had known the risks associated with “the pill”—such as the
changes in beneficial bacteria and the nutrient depletions that can cause
so many health problems. It’s possible birth control pills are one of the
reasons autoimmune conditions are more common in women than in
men.
Additionally, I had never been taught about alternatives to birth control
pills. I knew condoms had a pretty high failure rate for most typical users
and, as far as natural family planning methods go, I knew the old joke,
“What do you call people who practice the rhythm method?” “Parents.”
The rhythm method aside, there are reliable methods of natural family
planning based on women’s reproductive cycles.
Please see the Triggers chapter for more information about birth control
pills as triggers as well as reliable methods of natural family planning.
AntibioticsDrug Category Nutrient DepletionsAntibiotics
Common names: penicillin,
Cipro®, cephalexin, Z-pack®,
many othersBeneficial floraB vitaminsCalciumMagnesiumIronI want to preface this section by saying antibiotic medications are lifesavers
and a tremendous advancement in modern medicine, and I would never