Birth Control Side Effects Truth
WARNING: BIRTH CONTROL SIDE EFFECTS YOU PROBABLY WEREN'T TOLD ABOUT
1 / MARCH / 2023
SHEREE'S HEALTH DIARIES
Co-author: Nicky Skinner
There should be a warning when this medication is handed out like candy that there's a whole host of other side effects that can quite literally make you feel like a completely different person
"a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association of over one million women showed that women who began the pill were more likely to be prescribed an antidepressant"
- Dr Jolene Brighten - Beyond the Pill
This highlights that the pill contributes to far more than just mood swings when it comes to our mental health…
OTHER SIDE EFFECTS
However this isn’t the only side effect/symptom(s) that aren't made abundantly clear (that should be), others include:
- anxiety
- increased incidence of depression
- weight gain
- insomnia
- low mood/mood swings
- migraines/headaches
- painful sex, vaginal dryness
- thyroid imbalances
- low libido
- nutrient depletion; vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
- clitoral shrinkage
- skin issues
- hair loss
- leaky gut
- intensifies blood clot risks
- increases risk of breast, cervical and liver cancers
- triggers autoimmune disease
- increase risk of diabetes
... even partner attraction can be altered!
The pill is also associated in decreased stress response, particularly with cortisol imbalances making women less able to cope with stress, decreasing memory function and increasing brain fog
"...should be warning women that they could get depressed on the pill"
- Sarah Hill pHD from her book This Is Your Brain On Birth Control
The pill tends to be handed out to women with symptoms or conditions such as breakthrough bleeding, dysmenorrhoea, poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, acne and ovarian cysts as a ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION
When in reality, it shuts down your natural hormone production and the communication between your brain and ovaries - which actually makes matters worse!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Women shouldn't have to change who they are to protect against pregnancy 🙅🏼♀️, and we should be told this is a possibility when we are offered this medication! 🚨
Research shows that over 58% of women go on the pill for reasons other than birth control! 😳 Most probably because they were told this will 'balance your hormones' or 'fix your periods' 🤦🏼♀️
This is what we like to call 'the BANDAID 🩹 effect' ... where unlike FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE where the ROOT CAUSE is address, we just slap a bandaid over something that needs stitches!
When we really should be asking the question WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?! 🧐
Why are my periods 🩸 heavy?
Why am I getting breakthrough bleeding?
Why are my cycles irregular?
Why am I tired 😴 all the time?
Why do I get mood 🙃 swings?
This is where it can be easy to blame your doctor, but most often they are just taught that this pill is the solution for any kind of hormonal problem in women 😅
Please see a qualified practitioner if you are wanting to come off the pill, if you are not sure where to look feel free to comment or DM me for support and guidance in the right direction! 💕
Yours in Health & Happiness,
Sheree xo
SHEREE BEAUMONT
Holistic Nutritionist, Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach I empower women like you to transform their lives, understand their bodies and feel their best from the inside out!
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Top 5 Tips For Your Fertility Journey
TOP 5 TIPS FOR SUPPORTING YOUR FERTILITY JOURNEY
26 / OCTOBER / 2022
SHEREE'S HEALTH DIARIES
Fertility issues are rapidly increasing, and in all honesty it breaks my heart… I know this can be a really triggering subject for some. So I just want to keep this part brief, and let you know that if you are reading this and struggling with conception or your fertility journey my heart goes out to you.
I really hope that the things you learn about in this blog support you. Sending love and hugs xo
When it comes to fertility, balanced hormones are the key… and this is where I (and these tips come in). Whilst I cannot speak from experience in terms of falling pregnant, I have helped numerous clients in this part of their journey which is one of the biggest blessings of being a wellness coach.
The following tips do not replace medical advice, and do come from a holistic and natural route to falling pregnant. I truly hope they support :)
MY FERTILITY TIPS
Tip #1: Track Your Ovulation
Now this is going to sound ridiculously obvious to some (if you are already doing this, feel free to skip ahead), but I mention it here because you may just be starting out on your journey, or not even sure where to begin.
Also, as much as I hate to say this, it isn’t really taught or talked about anywhere so I thought I’d give you the Ovulation 101 you should’ve got at school.
Tracking ovulation for a few months prior to conception is one of the best ways to get to know your body and your fertility window. There is actually only a very small phase during your cycle (you only ovulate on ONE day), but the sperm can survive for around 5 days which increases chances of conception.
If you start tracking a few months in advance, you get to know your body, what signs you personally get around ovulation, which helps you plan accordingly. You will also get an idea if you are ovulating consistently or if you need to do some work on your hormones so your body does ovulate - No ovulation, no pregnancy.
So where do you start? Your first day of your bleed is your first day of your cycle, and then most apps will tell you that on day 14 you ovulate. This isn’t always the case. Ovulation varies from person to person, this is why an APP will not confirm ovulation.
In order to track ovulation the best methods IMO are temperature tracking and cervical mucus tracking. You can also track your cervix position, but I find most women aren’t overly into this one, so I’ll just let you know it’s an option.
Temperature tracking is great if you do start a few months in advance, because then you will get an idea of the day you do ovulate and can make sure you try on the days around that. The issue with temperature tracking is that it confirms ovulation, so it isn’t going to tell you you’ve ovulated, until after it has happened, and then you’ve kinda missed your window. This is why getting to know your body in advance helps. The way to know if you have ovulated is if you have a rise in temperature over 2 tenths of a degree for 3 days in a row.
Cervical mucus on the other hand, can be a great indicator in the lead up, as to when you should try. Your mucus will get wetter and form an egg white like consistency around ovulation. This is your most fertile window. The best way I have found for women is to wear dark underwear and notice the changes on that or when they wipe.
This is your best starting point when it comes to tracking ovulation :)
Tip #2: Ensure You’re Thriving Not Just Surviving
What on earth do I mean by that? Well, let’s put it this way, if your body thinks that you are in constant danger (you know tigers chasing you, faminine, etc) then it isn’t going to trust that it is safe enough to bring a baby into the world. Therefore it will actually down regulate your sex hormones, in favour of your survival vs. falling pregnant.
This is why STRESS is one of the biggest things I focus on with my fertility clients. You will have probably heard this time and time again, but I mention it because I have witnessed this being the biggest reason my clients have struggled to conceive in the first place (or even potentially a reason they struggle to stay pregnant).
Your body’s first needs to feel safe enough to ovulate… which requires a lot of energy, so running a high stress lifestyle (hello 21st century, I get it, it’s hard), is going to need to be scaled back a bit.
Once the body feels safe (not in fight or flight), and it ovulates, you also produce a lot of your key hormones to help you stay pregnant. Hello progesterone aka pro-gestation. If you have a healthy ovulation, you should produce enough of this to help support the fertilised eggs implantation in the uterus and help continue the foetus's growth.
This is why ovulation is super important. However, we also know that too high levels of cortisol, your stress hormone diminishes the amount of progesterone production which is why belly breathing, yoga, meditation, journaling and/or self-love practices are part of the stress management tools I give my clients.
Tip #3: Eat Enough Food
Again this may sound ridiculous, or blatantly obvious, but again… if your body doesn’t think there is enough food for you in the world, it certainly is concerned there won’t be enough food for the baby, so it won’t help you conceive one.
I have worked with a number of clients who have been underweight and struggled to conceive, I have also worked with a number of women who were at a ‘healthy weight’ (I hate that term), but they had enough body fat on them for their body to feel safe, but they still struggled to conceive.
This is why eating enough food is important. You can barely survive on 1200 - 1400 calories per day, so if you are trying to grow and nourish a new life, you’re going to need to eat a little more. This really is a case by case basis, but something worth considering if you are struggling to conceive.
Tip #4: Natural Herbs - Through Tea or Supplementation
This has to be one of my favourite ways to support fertility because they make such a difference. Not only can these herbs help the body fall pregnant, but feel safe, calmer and support balanced hormones (all of which obviously help with pregnancy)
My favourite herbs include:
- Vitex/chaste tree - proven to help with ovulation and progesterone production
- Ashwagandha - calming effect on the nervous system and balancing cortisol levels
Other ingredients to look out for that can support fertility include; cinnamon, liquorice root, nettle, peppermint and raspberry leaf which alongside vitex can be found in @glowbodyteanz fertility tea, a natural supplementary tea that I often recommend to my clients to support conception.
Tip #5: Acupuncture
This practice is so common in the Eastern world, but somewhat new in the Western. It is something that Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners have been doing for decades (if not centuries), it can not only help with conception, but also pregnancy and a more easeful delivery.
My beautiful friend and personal acupuncturist from @glowbodynz Hannah Johnstone shares this on her website about fertility acupuncture:
“It is scientifically proven that Acupuncture improves the blood flow to the uterus and ovaries. It increases blood flow to the follicles which results in healthier eggs and embryos. Furthermore, acupuncture has been shown to improve the quality of follicular fluid.
SO, if you’re TTC, it is important to focus on improving your menstrual cycle, so you know you’re building a healthy endometrium, which ultimately sets the stage for a healthy pregnancy.
And guess what's proven to be great at improving the blood flow to the uterus & the health of the uterine lining (the Stener Victorin research protocol) ...ACUPUNCTURE! As well as other diet and lifestyle strategies that I will discuss with you throughout your fertility treatments here at GLOWbody.”
Hannah has had the most glowing reviews from her patients and had incredible success with helping her clients (and assisting with some of mine) to fall pregnant. So if you are in Auckland, NZ I suggest checking her out.
I hope this has helped and if you have any questions at all feel free to comment below, I am here to support!
Yours in Health & Happiness,
Sheree xo
SHEREE BEAUMONT
Holistic Nutritionist, Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach I empower women like you to transform their lives, understand their bodies and feel their best from the inside out!
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5 Reasons You're Getting Period Pain
5 REASONS YOU’RE GETTING PERIOD PAIN
14 / SEPTEMBER / 2022
SHEREE'S HEALTH DIARIES
THESE 5 THINGS CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO PERIOD PAIN! Lemme explain how to reduce it!
First of all, let me start off by saying that period pain is COMMON but NOT NORMAL, and you don’t have to live with it, eliminating the following will help you alleviate the pain massively!
5 REASONS FOR PERIOD PAIN
1. Eating pro-inflammatory oils like canola oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil and other vegetable oils for example are all pro-inflammatory (and in a lot more foods than you’d think)
They contribute to period pain by increasing the omega 6 content in the body, which when out of ratio with omega 3 leads to increased inflammation and inflammation leads to period pain
2. Stress - if you’ve been with me awhile now you’ll know this is HUGE for any kind of issue in the body, but particularly for period pain
The more stressed you are, the more inflammation it causes, it can then decrease magnesium levels which helps with cramping (think when your calf wakes you up in the middle of the night with a cramp)...
The uterus is a muscle so too much stress = more cramping
3. Drinking cold water, this might sound strange but I got a very big telling off from one of my Chinese clients who educated me (and then I did more research into Traditional Chinese Medicine on this)...
That one shouldn’t drink cold water on or around their period
Think about it this way, we are warm blooded animals, and the period is about blood flow, our blood flow decreases when we are cold and drinking cold water cools the body down.
For my clients I recommend for the second half of their cycle they drink warm water (except when exercising because that sucks), and they have seen massive differences in their menstrual health
4. Hormonal imbalance, now this can show up in a number of ways from high oestrogen, low progesterone, high androgens, you name it, but ultimately if you experience any PMS symptoms it’s worth digging a little deeper
Work with a functional medicine practitioner or health coach like myself to figure out what hormones are out of balance and start to remedy them with food, exercise and lifestyle changes.
5. Endometriosis/PCOS, these two conditions are hugely responsible for period pain and are often undiagnosed for so long!
If you’ve been struggling with chronic period pain, please go see a doctor and have yourself diagnosed or have these ruled out, there is so much we can do to help with both conditions once we know what we are dealing with!
Was this helpful? Share this with a friend that needs to see this!
Yours in Health & Happiness,
Sheree xo
SHEREE BEAUMONT
Holistic Nutritionist, Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach I empower women like you to transform their lives, understand their bodies and feel their best from the inside out!
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Ovulation Bowl Recipe
OVULATION BOWL RECIPE
13 / JULY / 2022
SHEREE'S HEALTH DIARIES
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yields: 1 serving
What on earth is an ovulation bowl? (I hear you ask), well it’s a recipe designed to incorporate a variety of the nutrients your body needs to support ovulation, the epitome of your menstrual cycle as a female.
When it comes to looking after our bodies, and nourishing our hormones, ovulation is the key player as it helps us as females produce the essential hormones we need to have a problem free period!
Eating in alignment with your cycle can have amazing benefits for your health, and is part of what’s now known as ‘cycle syncing’, where you nourish your body with foods that are supportive at each specific phase of your cycle.
This recipe was taken directly from my Cycle Syncing Crash Course Bundle Ovulation Recipe Book, if you want to check out more recipes and ways to live, eat and exercise in sync with your cycle check it out here!
In the meantime, give this recipe a try!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 small eggplant, sliced into circles
- ½ cup quinoa, precooked
- ½ red capsicum, sliced lengthwise
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1 tbsp. slivered almonds
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 100g salmon fillet, skin removed
- Juice of one lemon
- ½ tsp. oregano
- ½ tsp. basil
- 1 tbsp. honey mustard dressing
- Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
- Line an oven tray with baking paper and set to 180 degrees Celsius, fan grill.
- Chop raw salmon fillet into even chunks, squeeze lemon juice over them and put to the side.
- Chop eggplant into thin circles (around 1 - 2 cm in thickness) and place on the oven tray, coat with olive oil, oregano, and basil, place on oven tray and let cook for 10 minutes
- Add pre cooked quinoa to a bowl, along with the sliced capsicum, spinach, and toss through.
- Remove eggplant from the oven and add to the bowl, then add the salmon, squeezing remaining lemon juice over, salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with slivered almonds and enjoy!
*N.B. You can double the recipe to have for leftovers the next day.
As always, if you do make this, be sure to tag me on social media @shereehannahwellness and let me know what you think :)
ENJOY!
Yours in Health,
Sheree xo
SHEREE BEAUMONT
Holistic Nutritionist, Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach I empower women like you to transform their lives, understand their bodies and feel their best from the inside out!
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