My All Natural, Hormone-Free Birth Control Method
A few years ago, I made the decision to get off birth control pills. I had taken them on and off since I was a teenager, but I wanted to try not putting hormones into my body. I was always very lucky not to suffer from noticeable side effects or cycle issues, but as I came to find out in my practice, many women are not as lucky.
I never really saw the negative side of birth control pills until I started working as a holistic practitioner. Some women take birth control pills in effort to clear acne, which sometimes works temporarily. But as soon as they come off of them to get pregnant, I have seen some of the worst acne from the hormone fluctuations that could have been prevented if they were able to get clear beforehand. Either way, taking birth control to clear acne is not addressing the true source of hormonal imbalance in one's life. In my opinion, there are safe alternatives to the roller coaster ride of birth control pills can bring.
Say hello to the Lady Comp. For the last year and a half, I have been using this device as my natural form of family planning. This German engineered computer analyzes your day-to-day possibility of avoiding pregnancy with a red (not safe), yellow (caution/not safe), or green (ok!). And the Lady's effectiveness rate is an astounding 99.3%! P.S. You can also use it to plan when you DO want to get pregnant as well.
Here's how it works:
A woman can only get pregnant about 6 days out of the month - the day she ovulates and the 5 days prior to that (lifespan of sperm). Every morning upon waking, you take your temperature, also known as your basal body temperature. It is scientifically known that a woman's basal body temperature raises just after ovulation. The Lady Comp reads your temperature against all other readings and that of over 900,000 other women to predict with 99.3% accuracy whether or not a you can get pregnant that day. There are some very important factors to review when considering an investment in the Lady-Comp:
You and your partner must be responsible.
Roughly 10 days out of the month (plus or minus a few), the Lady-Comp will give you a red or yellow light, during which unprotected sex is to be avoided if you don't want to get pregnant. If you and your partner are not responsible, the Lady-Comp may not be for you. I have been using the Lady-Comp for over a year and a half with no issues and I have not found a single person who has gotten pregnant on a green light day. But you have to listen to the Lady.
You must be able to take your tempurature nearly everyday.
Missing a day here and there in a month is not going to affect the Lady so much, but if you already had trouble remembering to take the pill, brush your teeth, wash your face, etc. etc., then the Lady will likely end up giving you more red days than you want.
You should not take your temperature after a night of drinking or doing drugs.
A night of partying will not give you an accurate reading in the mornings, so it is advised that you skip in the AM if you do have a lot to drink or have had any drugs. If this is a part of your regular lifestyle (ahem, my college self :) ), the Lady Comp may not be the right choice.
If you feel you fall into any of these categories, the Lady may not be realistic for you. Another great option to consider with your doctor is the Paragard - the non-hormonal IUD. Otherwise if you are responsible, have a partner to back you up, and can remember to take your temperature most of the days of the week, the Lady-Comp is an absolute godsend to those of us wanting a hormone-free form of family planning. I for one am extremely happy to have it and will never let it leave my side!
Find out more here: https://www.lady-comp.com
NOTE: I am not an affiliate for Lady-Comp, I just love their product (and their customer service is pretty great too).
Bonus recommended reading: Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler. Empower yourself, ladies!!
Elise May, CN + LE, is the owner and practitioner behind SKINutritious. She has helped over 1,000 clients clear acne with detoxing treatments, clear skin coaching, and holistic skincare.
Work with Elise. Book online here.
