Women's Health: Fertility, Cycles, the Pills, Pregnancy and more
May 14, 2022
As you probably know by now, women hold a special place in my heart. Raised by a single mom, I’ve always had a soft spot for supporting women in my life. Of course, I don’t have much experience related to female hormones, fertility, pregnancy, or any of the other special experiences women are blessed with. However, I have tried to learn as much as I could over the years in all of my traditional and ongoing education.
It’s actually kind of crazy just how many problematic conditions or environmental struggles women have to deal with that far outweigh that of men. Women are famous for somehow surviving the average morning routine habit of applying nearly 10-12 personal care products, being exposed to nearly one-hundred or more chemicals every….single…day… and sometimes even several times a day.
That’s why I like brands like MIG Living and others.
Furthermore, women have historically been overlooked in medical research, manipulated, exploited, and excessively marketed to by profiteering chemical companies, vanity metrics, sexual provocation or objectification, and worse. I’ve heard so many disturbing stories from women young and old about how they have been mistreated in traditional medical systems.
You may have heard me speak about the atrocities attached to the history of birth control, teenage acne, and hormonal dysfunction in young women. There’s been so much more awakened education and women empowerment in these topics over the last few years and I for one have been delighted to see it, grow to understand and empathize with women even more (hopefully).
Some of the problems with excessive unnecessary use of “THE pill” include multiple nutrient deficiencies, hormonal dysegulation, anemia, headaches, secondary mood disorder diagnosis and more. Imagine a young woman being told she needs to go on the pill to prevent her acne, only to learn down the road that her body has adapted to almost “depend” on the pill for regulating acne, so there is almost always a hyperbolic reaction of increased acne immediately after going off the pill. So women often feel they are stuck having to depend on the pill just to have clear skin.
Back in the day there were a lot of strange things happening around promoting more Cesarean sections for women under the guise of “safer, easier labor” but really it was found to be more profitable and thus promoted more aggressively than just simply giving women the informed education and optimal choice optionality for the health of themselves and their babies. We now know the many potential negative side effects of C-section births for the immune system of the baby, as well as the healthy function of hormonal regulation, neurotransmitter production, and communication throughout the digestive tract for mom. Sadly, the c-section push was less about health and more about money.
As we will look at in the future on a story coming in June all about our broken food system, when we choose profits over people, we lose. We all lose. We must stay awake and educated with open mind, open hearts, and open dialogue to learn from others.
Most recently I went diving into the historical research over the last 100 years detailing conversations in the medical field about the use of epidurals in pregnancy, risk of complications, side effects, and even the crazy fact we give mothers fentanyl of all things during birth. Like I’ve said, I’m always on the lookout for more ways to learn new things in this world about holistic health and wellness.
Epidural or Natural Births: epidurals may lead to delayed births, longer births, hormonal dysfunction, potential increased risk of c-section, and much of the research I found pointed to the fact that saline solution seemed to promote healthier, easier births without the use of epidurals.
“Sometimes, when all other options are exhausted, an epidural can actually help a mom avoid a c-section, which is a very good thing. Epidurals can help to relax the pelvic area, which can help bring the baby down and out of mom.
The key is for mom to be educated about the epidural risks and rewards, and then make an informed and empowered choice for her and her baby.“
INFORMED CONSENT IS A BIG DEAL in my book!
Personally, I have my fair share of opinions about the use of particular synthetic drugs that are used during pregnancies that women don’t even know or understand. I have some theories too about the use of opioids, fentanyl, and other forms of anesthesia during pregnancy and how it may influence and impact earliest stages of neurochemistry and biological bonding between mum and babe.
Here are some more of my favorite resources to learn more on some of these interesting and important topics:
“The Business of Birth Control”
Sixty years after the pill revolutionized women's emancipation, The Business of Birth Control examines the complex relationship between hormonal birth control and women’s health and liberation.
The documentary traces the feminist movement to investigate and expose the pill's risks alongside the racist legacy of hormonal contraception and its ongoing weaponization against communities of color.
Weaving together the stories of bereaved parents, body literacy activists and femtech innovators, the film reveals a new generation seeking holistic and ecological alternatives to the pill.
Watch the full Film here and learn more.
The Post-Birth Control Pill Hormone Reset - full blog post- Dr. Aviva Romm
“The Business of Being Born”
Documentary: explores the history of obstetrics, the history and function of midwives, and how many common medical practices may be doing new mothers more harm than good. Watch the full film on Amazon Prime here.
Fertility & Cycle Tracking
FemmeHead - A Youtube Channel breaking down fertility, menstruation, and more
The Optimal Fertility Diet - full blog post & podcast
Flo App - “Flo Period Tracker & Calendar” - learn more here (one of the most widely used apps by women on the market today.
Nike Training App for Optimizing Cycle Syncing with Exercise Performance
MyFlo App - “The first-ever period tracking app that also tells you exactly what to do to be symptom-free!“
Overall Women’s Health:
Dr Aviva Romm - Full Website full of helpful resources and info!
Body Literacy: The First Step Toward Hormone Intelligence - Podcast episode
“Women’s hormonal problems are real and have sky-rocketed in the past three decades. At present 80% of women will struggle with some form of hormonal problem in their lifetime, from PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, infertility, low sex-drive, menopausal discomforts, to thyroid problems and more. You may be one of these women, and if not, my guess is that someone close to you is – and you have watched them – maybe held their hand as they go from doctor to doctor without answers, without solutions, and without relief.
This is unacceptable, especially when we consider that women are much more severely impacted by medication side effects than men, and that gender bias in medicine has prevented adequate research on how pharmaceuticals impact us. We don't have to look too far back in history to find frightening examples of this, and even now, the risks of birth control and hormone replacement therapy are still just being uncovered.”
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