Hello birth control and welcome to my body

I'll say it again and again, most women who are prescribed a hormonal birth control are never explained how their birth control is affecting their body. Everyone seems to be on it and the doctor gave it to you so why not! While I strongly advocate that birth control is a useful and beneficial tool to use, I also believe it is vital for those taking any medications INCLUDING birth control to have a basic understanding of how it works, how it is effecting your body and most importantly what you can do you help your body harness all of the good and mitigate all of the not so good. This post is going to focus on just that-What you can be doing to help your body replace key nutrients the birth control depletes, help clear breakdown products of our hormones, and finally how you can help combat against the more serious adverse effects associated with birth control use! 

The Nutrients that Birth Control Depletes

Folate (B9)
Consequence of folate deficiency can result in anemia, cause birth defects, and lower your levels of white blood cells and platelets. The most obvious signs of this is fatigue and irritability, but other less common symptoms can include a swollen tongue or mouth sores, pale skin, and graying of the hair. 

Folate is a water soluble vitamin, which just means our bodies will simply urinate the excess amount out. Because this is such an easily accessible nutrient to get in our diets, I would simply suggest to increase foods rich in folate rather than supplement unless you fall into a population that has an increased requirement of this vitamin.

Foods: Dark greens, mushrooms whole grains, organ meats, kidney beans, asparagus, broccoli, beets, yeast, egg yolk, wheat bran, cantaloupe, green peas, lima beans. (bonus fact: Vitamin A can help with its absorption) 

The other B Vitamins ( specifically B2, B6, B12 )
Our B vitamins are important for many pathways in our bodies. Some symptoms of these deficiencies include low energy, moodiness, poor concentration, insomnia, hormonal skin conditions, and migraine headaches. 

Based on your symptom picture certain B vitamins may be more indicated than others. Seeing a naturopathic doctor would be best to determine which B vitamins may be best for for your individualized treatment plan. You can get them individually or buy a B complex. 

Selenium
Not only a critical nutrient for our thyroid gland but also vital for supporting our detox pathways and acting as a prominent antioxidant in our body helping to lower your risk of cancer and heart disease. 
If you're taking hormonal birth control pill and are starting to exhibit signs of thyroid dysfunction be sure to go get your thyroid checked. Based on your levels there can be many natural treatments to support the thyroid gland. 
Foods:  Seafood Nuts, Garlic, Yeast

Vitamin C, E and Zinc
Ok, so let's be clear, birth control is not going to cause scurvy. However, hormonal birth control has been linked to lower levels of Vitamin C. When at a sub-optimal level of Vitamin C our body is more prone to aging, poor musculoskeletal health and even at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Similarly Vitamin E is another prominent antioxidant that protects our heart and cells from damage. Zinc deficiency can present itself in acne and rashes, hair-loss, digestive concerns and poor immune functioning. 
Eat plenty of kiwis, bell peppers and oranges to get your adequate daily intake of Vitamin C. Or sprinkling a few pumpkin seeds to add a bit of crunch and a lot of zinc. Finally for Vitamin E, eating foods like spinach, sweet potatoes and almonds can all be great sources to get your adequate daily intake.      

Magnesium
It's safe to say many, if not most, people would benefit from supplementing magnesium. There are over 300 pathways in our bodies that require magnesium to carry out their function. It plays a prominent role in sleep, muscle function, nerve health, and energy production to name just a few. This is also an awesome supplement for those stubborn period cramps, anxiety and migraines. 
Something you may find helpful is to keep a bottle of Magnesium Bis-glycinate (to take acutely for period cramps or for the week prior to your period). Over time this will replete your lost stores but also help with some of your discomfort around that time of the month. Usually an adequate dose is 200 mg but you should always check with your Naturopathic Doctor to ensure there are no interactions with other medications you may be taking or health conditions you may have. 

CoQ10
Not only another great antioxidant but also great for supporting egg quality in the potential case you would like to become pregnant post birth control. A deficiency of CoQ10 can be associated with those symptoms you may be experiencing such as migraine headaches or body aches. It is also protective to your cardiovascular symptoms. In addition to hormonal  birth control statins will also deplete our levels of CoQ10. 

Give your liver a lot of love

When we are taking hormonal birth control we are adding synthetic hormones into our bodies and once they have there desired effect it places stress on our livers to excrete these hormones and their byproducts. It is throughout this process in the liver that primarily contributes to the increased risk of certain cancers and symptoms you're experiencing on your birth control. 

Taking herbal tinctures or supplements that are hepatics or hepatic protective can aid in supporting these phases of detox in your liver. Because dose and which herb can make a difference in your specific condition it is important to seek medical advice as to what is right for your body. Other things like local castor oil packs and hydrotherapy, and eating a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables can also help promote a happy and healthy liver. 

Garlic.

There is a well known association between hormonal Birth control and risk of stroke. Garlic is known to promote fibrinolysis and decreases clotting events and thus decrease the potential risk for stroke. 

Garlic has wonderful health benefits. Make this a staple in your cooking! Adding a couple cloves to your meals can have profound effects. Just note that the best way to get the health benefits is to eat the garlic raw or only slightly cooked.

Maintaining your body's good bacteria balance

Birth Control may effect the natural population of certain bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract. This can effect many of your body systems including further altering your hormonal levels, the immune system, digestion, and detox. This can result in lots of loose stools, water retention, bloating, and digestive upset. 

Consider adding a probiotic to your routine. When buying a probiotic it is easy to be over burdened with all the options, for this issue you will want to look for one high in the Lactobacillus bacteria. This certain bacteria has a prominent role in our GI function and has been shown to be most effected by hormonal birth control. 

Borage Seed Oil

High in gama linolenic acid (GLA), which is a fatty acid known for its great anti-inflammatory properties. In regards to taking it with your hormonal birth control is it can decrease your breast tenderness by effecting the breast tissues sensitivity to hormone levels. 

The end.