Ashley, the problem with bc pills is not just nutrient depletion, though it's important to address that. You're subjecting yourself daily to synthetic estrogen, which is also present in pesticides, plastics, even in our water. There's virtually no way to completely avoid this. Synthetic estrogens are molecularly close enough to that which we produce, that our body recognizes them as estrogen. But it's utilized differently, meaning that our bodies are unable to perfectly perform all the functions mediated by natural estrogen. This onslaught of estrogen predisposes us to the problems of estrogen dominance: uterine fibroids, cystic breasts and ovaries, mood disturbances, lowered thyroid function, and possibly cancers. Exercise and diet helps, but are they enough?
And you're probably well aware that many women encounter mood shifts and weight gain, and sometimes infertility, when they go off the pill.
I fully understand convenience, but it's important to weigh the long term health effects against the ability to not have to deal with thinking about contraception each time you need it. Who said this was supposed to be easy?
