Balancing Hormones, Part 1: Getting Off the Pill
In this four part series, our naturopathic practitioner Dr. Allison Wills discusses getting off the pill and finding hormone balance naturally.
There are a number of reasons why more and more women are inquiring about coming off of birth control. Some are trying to conceive in the near future, while others are concerned about the myriad of health risks associated with using synthetic hormones long-term.
If you went on birth control to manage symptoms such as irregular cycles, painful periods, PCOS, acne or endometriosis, it is important to address your individual hormonal imbalance.
While hormonal birth control may help mask these symptoms, it is not addressing the root cause of the imbalance. My favorite test to identify imbalances is the DUTCH test which will look at sex hormones and their metabolites in addition to organic acids that can identify nutritional deficiencies and detoxification barriers.
Birth control depletes the body of several vitamins and minerals, such as B-Vitamins, magnesium, selenium and zinc, which are crucial cofactors in the body’s ability to produce it’s own hormones.
I will often recommend patients on birth control to supplement with these nutrients. There are several herbs I may use with patients to help restart their natural cycles such as Chasteberry, Maca root, and Dioscorea. Depending on your unique health history, a different combination of these herbs may be recommended. Not everyone will have the same experience coming off of birth control, so it is important to tailor treatment based on your symptoms and in some cases, lab testing.
I recommend working with a practitioner 1-2 months before you plan to come off of birth control. Hormonal birth control has an impact on our ovaries, brain, gut, thyroid, and adrenal glands, which are all part of the intricate hormonal network of the body. It can take some time to establish your own natural hormonal rhythm after the pill, but most women feel much better after they reach a new, healthy hormonal equilibrium.
Stay tuned for next week to learn about pre-conception and priming your hormones for fertility.
Dr. Allison Wills
Dr. Allison Wills is a board certified, California licensed naturopathic doctor, licensed acupuncturist and a certified nutrition specialist®. Dr. Wills completed her doctorate and medical education at National University of Health Sciences in Chicago, Illinois. She also holds a Masters of Science in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, and a Bachelors of Science in kinesiology and nutrition.
Dr. Wills is a member of the Endocrinology Association of Naturopathic Physicians, California Naturopathic Doctors Association and the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She is also a registered yoga teacher.
As a doctor trained in Naturopathic, Eastern and Western medicine, Dr. Wills has the ability to incorporate a variety of effective integrative and holistic therapies to create a plan that is right for you and your individual health goals. Her expertise includes women’s health, fertility, weight management, acne, eczema, diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypothyroidism.