When I got off the pill, I had no idea it would take time for my body to get back into rhythm. I won’t sugarcoat it: my personal experience was rough. Painful cycles, bad acne, anxiety, and digestive issues all hit me like a ton of bricks a few months after I stopped taking it. Looking back, I wish I had known what I know now. However, this exact situation led me to helping women like you avoid problems and heal your body from the inside out (yeeay!).
Rest assured, I've got you with four big areas to focus on to help your body adjust before you officially break up with birth control.
Test, Test, Test
Get information as to what is going on inside your body. This will help you learn how to approach your health and what to prioritize. Your body doesn't work the exact same way as someone else. Knowing your personal data will save you so much money, time, and stress.
An HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) is my absolute favorite way to test before/after coming off birth control. This is a comprehensive hair test that looks into your mineral levels, metabolic health, heavy metals, and shows insights into thyroid health, blood sugar, and adrenal function. Personalized data helps us develop a game plan to bring your body into balance.
When we work together, you receive an HTMA test with continued support and personalized protocols based on your results to lead you to balance. You can get a test here:
Blood Sugar Balance: Your Hormones’ BFF
Blood sugar is really easy to overlook. Stabilizing blood sugar is a habit that will help SOOO much when you get off birth control. Fewer spikes and drops greatly benefit mood, focus, sleep, energy levels, hormones, cravings, and even cramps! Birth control can impact insulin sensitivity, so stabilizing blood sugar is a top priority when transitioning off.
Why blood sugar should matter to you: Big spikes and crashes can throw your hormones out of balance. When blood sugar is unstable, your body pumps out more stress hormones (like cortisol), which can worsen PMS symptoms, cramps, and acne. Stabilizing blood sugar supports happy hormones, reduces inflammation, and makes your cycle smoother overall.
Where to start:
No naked carbs, AKA pair carbohydrates with a source of protein. Carbohydrates cause a bigger spike in blood sugar, while pairing with a protein will help blunt the spike.
Prioritize a protein-dense breakfast within an hour or so of waking. This will help keep blood sugar balanced throughout the day.
As much as you can, don’t skip meals. Eat every 3-4 hours and pack a snack with you on the go!
Nutrient Dense Foods: Replenish What's Been Depleted
There are certain nutrients the pill can deplete like B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin C. These nutrients also happen to be power players of hormone health. Deficiencies in minerals and vitamins lead to (you might have guessed it) symptoms like acne, digestive stress, sleep issues, PMS, and more. The easiest way to support this area of your health is by focusing on loading up your plate with real food.
Foods to consider:
Leafy greens
Low-glycemic fruits like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, papaya
Grass-fed meats and pasture-raised eggs for B vitamins and iron
Fatty fish like salmon for omega-3s
Nuts, seeds, and avocados for hormone-loving fats
Bone broth and fermented foods
Understand the Four Phases of Your Cycle
If you've been on birth control for years, your natural cycle might feel like a mystery. It also takes some time for your body to adjust and begin to make its own hormones again. When I started experiencing strange shifts in my cycle, my only thought was, "I must be dying." (lol). You could save yourself from this dread if you simply know a bit more!
We have four phases of our menstrual cycle AND they likely vary from the next person. For example, your doctor might've told you that you ovulate on day 14. Ovulation day can change monthly (give or take a few days) depending on several factors like stress, nutrition, lifestyle, etc. Our cycle length also varies from person to person.
What you should know:
Menstrual Phase (days of bleeding): Rest and nourish with warming foods and nutrient-dense meals. The quality of your period gives valuable insight as to what's going on in your body. Your period shouldn't be debilitating. Symptoms like excruciating cramps are a sign something deeper is going on. In good news, this can be supported through nutrition and lifestyle.
Follicular Phase (begins the first day of period and ends before ovulation): Energy is rising during this phase. This is a great time for activity like strength training and socializing.
Ovulatory Phase (your cycles main event): Peak energy and confidence! Focus on anti-inflammatory foods and hydration. Ovulation is confirmed through a rise in basal body tempurature and dry cervical fluid.
Luteal Phase (days after ovulation leading to period): This is a time where your body greatly appreciates slowing down, managing stress, and extra TLC. Typically symptoms begin to show up during this phase (like spotting, PMS, sore boobs, etc) and give us clues to imbalances that should be addressed. Our luteal phase is generally 12-14 days in length. Any shorter or longer than this range gives us valuable information about what changes we should be prioritizing.
Final Thoughts
Be patient with yourself, give your body time, and remember that healing isn’t linear. Most importantly, you don't have to do this alone! Real support can make all the difference. Contact me so we can create the perfect plan for you.
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