The Birth Control Pill: skin defender or offender?

The pill: positive & negative effectsThe main function of the birth control pill is to suppress ovulation - the release of an egg from your ovaries. This is done by increasing the levels of estrogen. However, this method is not 100% effective, hence the possibility of becoming pregnant while on the birth control pill... Although don’t get me wrong, it is a good thing that birth control options are available to women. It is just a matter of being informed of the potential risks and side effects. Today, birth control pills have some positive effects on health: it can protect against ovarian and uterine cancer, and can relieve in some cases, symptoms of PMS (bleeding, painful and irregular periods, and acne). Yet, this type of oral contraceptive can also have many negative effects. It does not prevent sexually transmitted diseases and can increase the risk of diseases (breast cancer, heart attack, blood clots). In some cases, people may experience side effects such as fatigue, nausea, cramping, abdominal bloading, headaches, and even acne or other skin problems! So in terms of controlling acne it works for some and it doesn’t for others. Why? Because the oral contraceptive can also deplete your body of essential skin nutrients and increase the risk of yeast infections. Vitamins and minerals deficienciesA long-term use of the birth control pill depletes your body of essential nutrients: mainly vitamin B, folate, zinc, and magnesium. Indeed your skin needs these vitamins and minerals to stay healthy and heal better. Folate is also very important in trying to conceive, and miscarriage can be due to low levels of folate. When you are on the birth control pill, it is advisable to eat even more nutritious foods not only for your skin concerns but also to meet the body’s necessary requirements. Try supplementing your diet with a multivitamin and a B complex and eat foods rich in:

• vitamin B (like whole grains, lentils and leafy greens),
• zinc (like oysters, poultry, fish, whole-grain cereals, and pumpkin seeds),
• magnesium (like spinach, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and whole, unrefined grains)

Candida yeastMineral and vitamin deficiencies are not the only problem caused by the pill. Overgrowth of Candida is another big issue for many skin problems such as hives, athlete’s foot, fungal infections, jock itch, psoriasis, or other skin conditions. Although the biggest cause of Candida infections is lowered immunity, excessive use of antibiotics, cortisone, the birth control pill and other drugs also stimulate yeast growth. So do diets rich in sugar, cheese, mushrooms, vinegar (except apple cider vinegar), baked goods, soy sauce, fermented foods, alcohol, and pickles. As long as you keep on taking such medication mentioned above, or eat foods that feed the yeast, you are prone to an overgrowth of Candida and it is more difficult to get rid of it. It might be worth supplementing your diet with probiotics to rebalance your flora. It is your personal choice to take the pill or not. However, just keep in mind there are many other natural contraceptives that might be better alternatives for you!Link: www.optiderma.com