Hormonal health is a hot topic in the health world… for good reason! But, you can’t really have this conversation without breaching the dreaded topic of Birth Control! BC is a touchy subject because females deserve the right to make decisions that affect their bodies, especially when and if they want to have babies. Trust me. I get this. As a female who doesn’t have a deep desire to have children, I am with you. However, I also have a deep desire to heal the body, and for a lot of us that starts with hormonal health and getting deep into the discussion of BC! A ton of you have shown interest in this topic, so I am excited to delve into Non-hormonal Birth Control Options and why they may be the best choice for your beautiful body!
First, let’s talk about some of the side effects of hormonal birth control. I’m not judging on anyone who wants to use hormonal birth control, but if you experience some or a lot of the side effects below, you may be hoping for an alternative. I’ve also included some supplements that you can take to negate some of the effects if you choose to go this route for birth control!
Types of hormonal birth control
Hormonal IUD
Non-Hormonal IUD (Contains copper to create a hostile environment for sperm- still has side effects)
Birth Control Pills
Nuvaring
Depo Shot
BC Implant
BC Patch
Side effects of hormonal birth control
Moodiness
Anxiety
Depression
Nutrient Deficiencies
Headaches/ Migraines
Nausea
Tender Breasts
Irregular Periods
Weight Change
Increased risk for blood clots
Increased risk for some cancers (decreased risk for ovarian and/or endometrial cancer)
Supplements to take if you are on BC
B-Complex : Your liver needs more b vitamins to process hormones, so this is super important! I like this supplement.
Magnesium: I take CogniMag by Pure Encapsulations
Multivitamin: I take this one by Pure Encapsulations
Mineral Supplement: I take Concentrace Minerals
All of our hormonal systems are connected, so messing with one piece of the puzzle, will cause others to change as well. Hence why people start to see issues with their moods as well as physical symptoms. This is the quick and dirty of why I think hormonal birth control isn’t the best for our bodies, without getting too into the nitty gritty details of hormonal balance.
Non-Hormonal Birth Control Options
Now let’s move onto some ways that you can prevent pregnancy with non-hormonal birth control! I am not going to list all of the possibilities here, but the ones that I personally recommend because of their safety and effectiveness.
Condoms: Not only are condoms almost as effective as the pill at preventing pregnancy (98%), they also protect you from STI’s, STD’s, and the AIDS virus! Sustain is the GOAT for condoms because they don’t have chemicals in them and they use fair-trade latex! You can read more about why I’m obsessed with this brand in my post on ‘5 Ways to Honor Your Lady Parts.’
Diaphragms: You may have heard of people using these back in the day, but aren’t quite sure what they are…they are a thin, soft rubber mounted on rings that are inserted into the upper part of the vagina to cover the cervix and act as a barrier to sperm. You can use with or without spermicide and they are 92-98% effective. Your gyno can prescribe and fit you for one. I personally use a Caya diaphragm, which doesn’t have to be fitted, but still has to be prescribed by your doctor.
Calendar/ Temperature/ Mucus Method: You can track your ovulation using all of these methods. Your basal body temperature (taken first thing in the morning) and discharge help you decipher when you are most fertile or ovulating. During ovulation your vaginal mucus becomes clear and stringy, as opposed to a sticky/ cloudy mucus that is present when you are not ovulating. These methods can be as high as 98% effective if used together. The idea is to avoid sex or use other forms of contraception during the days you are ovulating as well as the days surrounding, since sperm can live up to 5 days in the vaginal tract/uterus.
Daysy: Did the above sound confusing? It can be. Now, you can use devices/ apps like Daysy, which track your temperature for you, so you know which days you are most fertile and which days you are in the clear. Daysy is 99.3% accurate and helps you get in tune with your body! This is a game changer for non-hormonal birth control! Buy Daysy here.
Pull out Method: Okay guys, this is only 78% effective when used correctly because pre-ejaculate can contain viable sperm and some men may not be as strong with their pullout game as they think. However, why not use this with the options above!
Takeaways: You can actually only get pregnant on 6 days of your cycle, so you can’t on around 75% of your cycle days. However, most people don’t know which days those are, so get a device like Daysy to help you figure it out!
On the 6 days that you are fertile, make sure to use condoms, a diaphragm, and hey, maybe add the pull out method in there too if you’re really paranoid like me;P! *A diaphragm and condom can be used together!
On the other days, if you know your partner, you could still use a diaphragm and the pullout method for extra protection. If you don’t know your partner, it is always a good idea to use condoms to protect yourself from the AIDS virus, STD’s, and STI’s!
So, what did you guys think? Are you using hormonal birth control or are you using one of the non-hormonal birth control options? I want to hear from you!
**The information provided in this post is not meant to treat or diagnose any medical condition. Always consult with your doctor before changing or stopping prescriptions/supplements.
Blair is a Nutrition Consultant and Natural Chef with a passion for helping others achieve optimal health through a holistic approach that focuses on body, mind, and spirit. 
