So you've decided to stop the oral contraceptive pill, now what? It can often take up to three months for most women to regain hormonal balance, but many women experience 'Post Pill Syndrome' which can last for months or even years and include a delayed return of fertility, irregular or missed periods, heavy bleeding, menstrual cramps, nutritional deficiencies, mood swings, bloating and fluid retention as well as skin breakouts. These are all due to your body trying to regain hormonal balance and if you went on the pill because of previous hormonal issues they may be exacerbated because the pill only masks symptoms, it doesn't treat the root cause.
I was prescribed the pill when I was 16 due to period pain and heavy bleeding which gave me controlled cycles but it also gave me chronic headaches, so I went off it at 19 to discover my pre pill symptoms back with vengeance as well as erratic cycles. Fortunately I was able to seek natural support to reset my hormones which is what I want to share with you today. There are many natural ways that you can help to heal your body after using the oral contraceptive pill in order to replace missing nutrients, detoxify and balance your hormones. These include:
- Detoxify Excess Estrogen - This is important for anyone on hormonal medications including the pill but also fertility drugs as they contribute to excess estrogen and can cause hormonal imbalances. Different ways to detoxify estrogen include taking liver herbs such as Milk Thistle, Turmeric, Dandelion Root, Rosemary and Schisandra as well as foods that enhance liver detoxification including cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale and cabbage. Minimising alcohol and sugar to give your liver a break can also helps as well as avoiding dairy as it often contains excess hormones and environmental toxins, especially non organic dairy.
- Restore Nutrients - As mentioned above, the pill can deplete certrain nutrients such as B Vitamins, Vitamins C and E, Magnesium, Selenium and Zinc, so it is important to replace these and ensure levels are adequate with a good quality multivitamin formula and by consuming lots of nutrient dense foods daily such as green leafy vegetables, fruits and berries, nuts, seeds and good quality protein. Taking a probiotic can also help to restore hormonal balance and nutritional stores faster too because it aids in digestion and absorption of nutrients in the gut and enhances estrogen metabolism.
- Enhance Your Fiber Intake - Although it's your liver that breaks down excess hormones and toxins it's your bowels that help eliminate them from your body. Fiber enhances this elimination process to ensure that you are getting enough through vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and wholegrains. You can also use Slippery Elm or Psyllium Husk if your bowels are a bit sluggish. Exercise and plenty of water also helps to get things moving!
- Herbs and Supplements - You can support hormone balance with herbs such as Vitex (also know as Chaste Tree or Chaste Berry) which helps to boost progesterone, regulate ovulation and increase fertility. Other herbs for balancing hormones include Black Cohosh and Dong Quai as well as Peony and Licorice in combination which help to regulate ovulation and your cycle length. Vitamin B3 is useful for boosting progesterone and Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Magnesium and Zinc are essential for hormone production and regulation.
Implementing these tips can help your body to reset it's self faster and reduce unwated symptoms post pill use. If you would like additional customised support on helping to reset your hormones post OCP then please email me at kate@littleyarrow.com to book a Naturopathic Session.