The Pill - Friend and Foe?

Can you look after your health using natural remedies and be on medication at the same time?

The simple answer is yes but you have to know what to take and what works with medications and what doesn’t. Many people self help through reading books then try out different products. For maintaining health this is fine but if you have multiple health issues it can be a minefield to know where to start, which is why it is worth working with a professional practitioner.

During recent consultations I have been inundated with requests for information from women on ‘the pill’, wanting to do more for their health naturally. Most women use the pill as a contraceptive but sometimes the pill can be prescribed for other reasons such as depression, headaches and irregular periods. There are varieties of the pill which contain synthetic forms of the hormones oestrogen or progesterone to control the menstrual cycle and these really do disrupt the woman’s natural hormone production. However, for some, this may be preferable to the risk of pregnancy. What also needs to be taken into consideration is research indicating increased risks of some Cancers in women taking the pill, particularly those taking it long term.

So what to do? If you are using the pill as contraception then make sure you have considered all the options that are available to you and the associated risks, because no option is risk free (unless you decide on celibacy!). This makes the decision a conscious one rather than never having thought through other options. If you decide to remain on the pill then you need to consider additional natural support as there are indications women on the pill lack certain vitamins. You will need to consider taking a high strength vitamin B complex, extra essential fatty acid and increasing mineral rich foods in the diet such as organic broccoli, alfalfa, cabbage or any other green leafy vegetables. You also need to ask yourself how long you choose to remain on the pill and you may wish to discuss this with your doctor who will advise you accordingly.

If you choose to look at natural options then I would suggest looking into ‘natural fertility’ which can be 98-99% effective if meticulously followed. www.fertilityuk.org is a website that gives plenty of information on this approach. It would require both you and your partner to learn about it and follow it together but has the advantage of no side effects, as well as allowing a woman to easily monitor her cycle, moods and natural rhythm.

Whilst each case I see is individual, I can’t help but notice most women’s cycles are really out of sync when they are on oral contraceptives (OC). With some pills that stop the menstruation altogether I can’t help but feel we are storing up problems for later. And those who do decide to eventually come off OC’s, then it can take anything from 6 months up to 2 years for a women’s body to rebalance its hormonal cycle. Herbs can be very effective in helping to balance hormones and I will be talking about these in my Natural Woman Workshop in June, visit www.rumanahealth for more details.

Rumana Zahn is a Naturopath and Medical Herbalist and runs clinics in Newcastle (within a GPs practice), Darlington and Seaham Hall’s Serenity Spa. She is a leader within the field of Natural Medicine, writes and speaks extensively on the subject. She can be contacted on 01325 722803 or www.rumanahealth.com

Rumana is a member of the British Register of Complementary Practitioners.

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