131- Your Brain on Birth Control

04/09/20 • 43 min

It is so important for all women to understand the benefits and risks (beyond nutrient deficiencies and blood clots) of the birth control pill. This tiny tablet that has the potential to empower us in many ways is often prescribed without an explanation of the effect on your brain. The research is clear- the pill changes women. Though women go on the pill for a handful of targeted reasons—such as pregnancy prevention and clearer skin—sex hormones don’t work that way. Sex hormones impact the activities of billions of cells in the body at once, many of which are in the brain. As a result, the pill affects sex, hunger, friendships, aggression, learning, and more. Dr. Sarah E. Hill, a leading researcher in evolutionary psychology, provides women with an even-handed, science-based understanding of how their bodies and brains work on and off the pill. She recognizes how instrumental the pill has been in helping women advance in the workplace and society. Dr. Hill credits the pill to her own ability to achieve a doctorate and career success. In turn, she’s not anti-birth control. She’s pro-woman. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss how the pill impacts: - Sexual desire - Stress response - Mental health - Level of achievement

Previous Episode

Seeing Red- What Your Period Is Trying to Tell You About Your Health & Fertility

Kirsten Karchmer is dedicated to helping women improve their health, menstrual cycles, and fertility. Her focus is on integrative medicine, and she visits the PCOS Diva podcast to discuss the power of the menstrual cycle to help women with PCOS understand what is misaligned and how to bring the entire system into balance. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss: - How to integrate the best of Chinese medicine, Western medicine, mindfulness, mindset, diet, and exercise - Impact of diet (vegan, keto, etc.) on menstruation - The specific menstrual cycle presentation for pregnancy success - Signals your period may be sending - Moving beyond mindfulness

Next Episode

132 - A PCOS Diva's Guide to Choosing Wine

Being a PCOS Diva is about creating a sustainable, healthy lifestyle that can help manage symptoms and heal your body long term. If somebody told me that I could never enjoy a glass of wine with a good meal or a special occasion, that just wouldn't be sustainable for me. There must be room in the PCOS Diva lifestyle for an occasional mindful indulgence. So, when PCOS Divas ask me if it is ok to have a glass of wine, my answer is YES, in moderation of course, but we also must be PCOS Divas about the wine we drink. Listen in (or read the transcript) as Todd White, founder of Dry Farms Wine explains how to choose the healthiest possible wine and shares some of the commercial wine industry’s “dirty little secrets.”