THE CONTRACEPTIVE PILL

Perhaps the most convenient of all forms of contraception, but also the most harmful, is the Pill.  There are many different preparations available but the most popular consist of a combination of synthetic female sex hormones that block the normal process of ovulation and disrupt the normal menstrual cycle.  I do not intend to go into the different types of oral contraceptive pills available on the market today, but I do want to take the time to point out some of the potential risks and side effects associated with these preparations, many of which manifest in seemingly unrelated symptoms or only surface some years down the line.  If you wish to go into the subject at some depth, I suggest that you read an excellent book written by Barbara Seaman, The Doctor’s Case Against The Pill.

Side Effect # 1 (Blood Clots)

Blood clotting, particularly in the lungs, is considered one of the most frequent and dangerous side effects of the Pill.

The Pill causes veins to dilate abnormally, which slows down the blood flow, and this in turn encourages the formation of clots.  These clots may impair circulation permanently, and when they form in the legs, they may result in varicose veins or they may require surgery (and in extreme cases, amputation). 

Should you experience any leg or chest pains, it would be wise to stop taking the Pill immediately and see a doctor straight away. 

Side Effect # 2 (Strokes)

Neurologists first began reporting strokes, ‘for no apparent reason’ in otherwise healthy young women, shortly after the Pill came into use on a large scale.  The first case was written up officially in the British Medical Journal in 1962.  Since then there have been numerous reports in the same journal as well as in the prestigious Lancet.

Strokes essentially result in death of part of the brain, and cause a host of side effects, including blindness, loss of speech, loss of limb use, cataracts, epilepsy and, of course, death.

Initial symptoms are headaches often accompanied by dizziness, double vision and stiffness in the neck.  See a doctor and stop taking the Pill immediately.

Side Effect # 3 (Reduced Libido)

This has been referred to as the unkindest trick that the Pill can play on women, turning sex into a duty instead of a delight.

Reduced libido has been confirmed in various studies conducted by the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina, Lund University in Sweden and The Council for Investigation of Fertility Control in England.

Initial symptoms here are quite obvious.  But as it can take a few months to correct this after discontinuing the Pill, give your body time to recover.

Side Effect # 4 (Sterility)

Certain women simply do not ovulate or start menstruating again after talking the Pill.  Others have irregular, scanty periods.  In either case these women may find that they are unable to conceive, and sterility must surely be considered the most tragic of all side effects.

It appears that the Pill interferes with the endocrine or hormonal system, and one of the possible disorders resulting from this is infertility.

I do believe, though, that a natural lifestyle and diet will do much to assist your body in recovering, and that in time most women thus affected would stand a good chance of conceiving (see Chapter Three for more on this).

Side Effect # 5 (Cancer)

One in every two to three people following a Westernised lifestyle is likely to develop cancer.  Cancer is most commonly a side effect of the oestrogen-containing pills, and the higher the oestrogen content, the higher the risk of cancer.  Add to that the oestrogen we unwittingly absorb from the animal products in our diet, and from certain plastics in daily use in our homes, and the chances of ‘oestrogen overload’, and therefore of cancer, increase greatly.

The most common forms of cancer attributed to the Pill are breast, ovarian, cervical and uterine cancer.

Side Effect # 6 (Heart Disease)

Heart disease is one of the serious disorders associated with taking oral contraceptives.  According to Dr William Spellacy of the University of Miami Medical School, the Pill produces certain changes in the body’s metabolism, resulting in a significant rise in triglyceride levels in the blood.  This, in turn, is associated with a hardening of the arteries and possible heart disease.

If there is a history of heart disease in your family, the risk would be higher.

Side Effect # 7 (Diabetes and Hypoglycaemia)

Various studies indicate that the Pill affects blood glucose levels and insulin output in many women, contributing to the possible development of diabetes or hypoglycaemia.

As the Pill is made up of unnatural or synthetic hormones, it makes sense that its use can and does upset the body’s endocrine (or hormonal) system.  One of the endocrine system’s many functions is the regulation of blood sugar.  Conditions like hypoglycaemia and diabetes are a direct consequence of an imbalance in the body’s blood sugar levels.

Low blood sugar can frequently lead and at least contribute to the next side effect …

Side Effect # 8 (Depression and Behavioural Problems)

Psychiatrists were apparently among the first to persuade their wives to stop using the Pill.  They noticed several adverse reactions in their family, friends and patients, ranging from suicidal and even murderous tendencies, to irritability and tearfulness.  Other possible behavioural symptoms include hostility, suspiciousness, delusions and even a tendency to being accident-prone.  But the most common of all behavioural symptoms is depression.

Depression manifests itself in a variety of emotional symptoms.  Some women become agitated and disorganised, others have difficulty in sleeping, and some withdraw and become indifferent to their families and surroundings.  Many women suffer from a host of negative emotions experiencing feelings of sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, guilt, unworthiness, shame, enervation or exhaustion.  Some lose their appetites, while others eat compulsively.

Depression is a serious condition and should not be dismissed or taken lightly.

Side Effect # 9  (Foetal Abnormalities)

Chief gynaecologist of the US Air Force, Colonel William Peterson, discovered a significant incidence of miscarriages and foetal abnormalities in a group of women who had used the Pill prior to falling pregnant.  Other scientists have concurred, and it is now accepted that women who have been on the Pill are at risk.

General Side Effects

Apart from the major, potentially dangerous side effects mentioned previously, more than 50 different side effects have been attributed to the Pill.  Some of these are decreased liver function (often resulting in jaundice), thyroid problems, weight gain, urinary tract infection, problems related to the joints (like arthritis), skin problems (the most common being pigmentation), and gum disorders.

Many young girls take the Pill to sort out skin problems, but even though their skin may clear up, there may be many other long-term side effects that are not immediately apparent.  The best way to sort out skin problems is to change your child’s diet (see Chapter Fifteen).

Hair-loss and facial hair are other side effects that indicate that the hormonal system has been tampered with.

Several nutrient deficiencies are linked to taking the Pill, among them the B-complex vitamins, folic acid, zinc and magnesium (a shortage of which will in turn cause an imbalance to your calcium levels).  As the brain requires the B-complex vitamins to function efficiently, a deficiency could well explain the behavioural problems associated with the Pill.  But don’t think that taking vitamin and mineral supplements is the answer.  It has been shown that the absorption rate of such supplements is poor, with 90 to 96 per cent being excreted into the sewerage system!

Women on the Pill find that wounds usually take a lot longer to heal, indicating the immune function has been adversely affected.

Masculinisation of the female foetus may result from taking a progesterone based Pill, and feminisation of the male foetus may result from taking a Pill containing oestrogen.

Taking the mini-Pill is no better, for although there are fewer side effects due to the absence of oestrogen, women experience breakthrough bleeding, irregular or heavy ‘periods’, and other unpleasant side effects like headaches, anxiety and depression, abdominal or breast discomfort, and premenstrual tension.

So what can you do?

Well at last after 25 years of development by scientists and gynecologists a German company has developed a neat (size of a small cell phone) device, called the Pearly and a bigger bed side version called the Lady-Comp that:

Offers 99.3% Reliable Contraception - the same rate as The Pill

No possible side effects

None invasive

No stress on your body or mind (no mood swings from medication)

Contains an integrated pregnancy test

Clinically proven to be more reliable than an IUD or condoms

No hormones or interference with the hormonal system

Tracks your fertility with maximum accuracy

Developed by a team of gynecologists, software specialists, electronic engineers and designers in Germany

25 years of success

Every morning immediately on waking, you place the thermo-sensor under your tongue, the monitor provides you with an immediate, reliable forecast for the next 24 hours , with green meaning fertile, red meaning fertile and yellow means your computer is still learning your cycle. The fertility computer requires no charting and lack of discipline and human error do not affect it.

And what is more you can order on line from www.naturalway.co.za. or http://www.naturalway.co.za/acatalog/contraceprive_equipment.html

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