As I mentioned previously, I recently went to see an Ayurvedic doctor for the purpose of referring my clients to her, if need be. Ayurveda originated in India, and is essentially a dietary and lifestyle theory that promotes living in accordance with the rhythms of nature. The doctor allowed me to sit in with her patients for the morning and she did an assessment on me as well. As is the case with most healthcare practitioners, I first filled out a form detailing my state of wellness. The form asked for information on current ailments, medications, etc.
My digestion was a little off. It started slowly and had been getting progressively worse; however, I left this piece of information off the form. Her methods were alternative to say the least, and I wanted to see what she would come up with, if I didn’t give her a starting point. Under current ailments, I put “none;” however, where it asked for a list of supplements and medications, I answered truthfully, “birth control.”
When the doctor read birth control on my form she immediately went into lecture mode. Now, I know that birth control isn’t the best thing in the world to be taking; however, like most things in life I am making what I see as the best choice between two undesirables. Birth control has been linked to an increased risk for breast cancer, and I have a family history of breast cancer; both grandmothers had the disease and my father’s mother had it in both breasts. Strike one for birth control. However, I am not ready to start a family, and that being the case, I see birth control as a necessary evil.
What I didn’t know, but had begun to suspect over the previous couple of weeks, was that birth control also disrupts intestinal flora. The doctor confirmed my suspicion and noted that she detected some dysfunction in my digestive system, despite the fact that I had not told her about my recent tummy trouble. I had begun to wonder if birth control could be the culprit behind my troubled digestion because it’s onset and worsening coincided with a switch I made to a new pill back in mid-August. I began using a form of birth control that allowed the user to reduce their periods from 12 down to 4 times per year. Great, right? I mean who really wants to get their period? Initially, I saw it as a god send; however, I did begin to think it was a little strange that my digestion, which had been perfect for months, began to slip roughly two weeks after I started to take the pill and had become progressively worse over the past 2-3 months.
The doctor and some Internet research after I returned home that day confirmed my supposition; the pill disrupts the balance of bacteria in our digestive tract. So what now? As I was leaving the doctor’s office, I was very upset. I had chosen to ignore up until now the link between breast cancer and birth control, and my digestion was becoming more cumbersome by the day. My first reaction usually tends to be one of overreaction, especially where my health is concerned. I am very cognizant of making good choices with respect to food, exercise, self-care, etc. and the possibility that I could be doing something to negate it all was very alarming.
I was beginning to come to the conclusion that I should go off the pill. There are other options. I could get a kit that would tell me when I was ovulating and abstain during those times, my husband and I could start using condoms again (which I am unfortunately allergic to, but perhaps I could find a less irritating brand), and there was always spermicidal inserts or diaphragms. The unfortunate truth is that none of these methods, save maybe condoms, are nearly as effective as oral contraception.
Later in the day, I had a conversation with my husband, which didn’t go over so well. I don’t think that he initially understood the implications of what I was talking about. From his perspective, birth control gave us piece of mind, case closed. He was blissfully unaware of the side effects and the impact that my birth control was currently having on my life. After I communicated my concerns both immediate and long-term, he conceded that I should do whatever I thought was best.
I really thought about it. I really thought about going off the pill and trying a different method. And then I really thought about the implications if that different method failed. The conclusion I ultimately came to was, that the emotional stress associated with having a child before I am ready and the resulting impact on my health far outweighed the modest increase in breast cancer risk.
My digestion was another matter entirely. I needed to find a solution. I have no room in my life for constipation or constant stomach aches. From my research, it seems that the higher the dose of hormones in the pill, the more likely it is to disrupt the natural functioning of one’s body. The pill I was taking was low-dose, but for some reason, it didn’t agree with me. So I have since switched to a different low dose form of oral contraception.
I’ve also been using several alternative treatments to mitigate the effects of the birth control and get my digestion back on track. Before leaving her office, the doctor recommended a probiotic, which I am now taking. Probiotics contain the friendly bacteria that naturally occurs in our digestive tract. The formulation that she gave me contains three strains of bacteria. The most well known, lactobacillus acidophilus, can be found in many types of yogurt containing live active cultures. I cannot eat yogurt because dairy, milk and yogurt in particular give me migraines, but yogurt would be a good source of the lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria for someone who can handle dairy. The supplement also contains, bifidobacterium bifidum, and lactobacillus bulgaricus. It really seems to be helping.
I also visited an acupuncturist sometime before I went to see the Ayurvedic doctor. I went to see him because my immune system was not functioning properly. I’m very interested in exploring alternative methods, as I feel our current medical system is a failure. I don’t think I’m alone. Also, the more I read about isolated vitamin supplements, the more it seems that these may not be the most healthful alternatives either. I like both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine because both seem to focus on living life as close to the way nature intended as possible. What I thought was so interesting, was that both practitioners noticed the same imbalance in me, completely independent of one another.
Even though, I am cold all of the time, my liver is producing too much heat, which is causing inflammation in my body. In addition, my digestion is upset and that is linked to a suppressed immune system, which explains the two successive colds I came down with in late-September / early-October. The acupuncturist recommended some Chinese herbs, which I am also taking in the form of a tea.
Something is working. My stomach has not hurt recently and I am regular again. Thank goodness.
