hol+ with Dr. Taz MD | The Future of Medicine is Holistic

What if your birth control is affecting more than your cycle? In this episode, Dr. Taz breaks down how birth control pills, hormonal IUDs, copper IUDs, and other forms of contraception may influence inflammation, mood, metabolism, nutrient levels, libido, gut health, and fertility over time.

If you’re navigating hormone symptoms, birth control decisions, or long-term reproductive health and want deeper support, join the Circle here:
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Birth control can affect hormone balance, inflammation, fertility, gut health, mood, and metabolism.
Learn more about related conditions and support here:
Hormone Imbalance: https://holplus.co/conditions/hormone-imbalance/
Fertility Support: https://holplus.co/conditions/fertility-support/
Inflammation: https://holplus.co/conditions/inflammation/

In this episode, Dr. Taz explains the holistic birth control conversation every woman should have before staying on the pill or choosing another contraception option long term. You’ll learn how birth control may affect inflammation markers, nutrient levels, gut health, testosterone, ovarian reserve, and even how you feel and make decisions.
If you’ve been on birth control for years, are considering starting the pill, or are helping a daughter make informed choices, this episode will help you understand what to ask, what to test, and how to support your body.

In this episode, we cover:
  • How birth control may affect inflammation
  • The difference between hormonal and non-hormonal contraception
  • How the pill may influence mood, libido, metabolism, and testosterone
  • Why nutrient testing matters before and during birth control
  • The connection between birth control, gut health, and ovarian reserve
  • What labs to consider before choosing contraception
  • How diet, sleep, stress, and holistic support can protect hormone health
  • This is not about fear. It’s about choosing wisely, understanding your body, and making birth control decisions with the full picture in mind.

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Host & Production Team
Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Chapters
00:00 Can Birth Control Change Your Brain and Hormones?
02:10 Why Long-Term Birth Control Use Needs a Deeper Look
05:25 Birth Control, Inflammation, and Disease Risk
10:20 IUDs, Gut Health, and the Microbiome Connection
13:45 Types of Birth Control: Pills, Patches, Rings, IUDs, and More
18:30 Birth Control Side Effects: Testosterone, Mood, Libido, and Nutrients
25:20 Non-Hormonal Birth Control and Fertility Awareness
29:40 What to Test Before Choosing Birth Control
36:30 Diet, Sleep, Stress, and Nutrient Support for Hormone Health
44:20 Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and the Holistic Approach to Birth Control

Creators and Guests

Host
Dr. Taz Bhatia MD
Dr. Taz Bhatia is a triple-board-certified integrative medicine physician and founder of hol+, where she brings together science, spirit and the human experience to deliver holistic, whole-person care.
Producer
Pat Gostek
Founder of ClipGrowth.com - End-to-End YouTube, Podcast & Clips Management (you just record).

What is hol+ with Dr. Taz MD | The Future of Medicine is Holistic?

hol+ with Dr. Taz MD is redefining modern medicine through a comprehensive, evidence-based holistic approach; integrating functional medicine, integrative medicine, and time-tested healing systems to treat the whole human, not just symptoms.

Hosted by Dr. Tasneem Bhatia (Dr. Taz), triple board-certified physician in integrative, functional, and holistic medicine, bestselling Penguin Random House author, and founder of hol+; a comprehensive evidence-based holistic medicine platform with clinics in Atlanta, New York City, and Los Angeles, and virtual care available nationwide.

At the heart of hol+ is a revolutionary framework: the Five Body Map- physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and social/community bodies that create whole health. This whole-human approach connects hormone imbalances, gut dysfunction, microinflammation, cortisol dysregulation, metabolic disease, autoimmune conditions, perimenopause, and stress-driven illness to the full spectrum of who we are; body, mind, and spirit.

Each episode explores Dr. Taz’s original clinical frameworks ;The Cortisol Loop, Microinflammation, and The Invisible Load alongside conversations with leading experts, celebrities, and thought leaders including Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Cameron Mathison, Carol Alt, Jane Seymour, Tamsen Fadal, and Kris Carr.

Topics include hormone health, gut health, GLP-1 and metabolic therapy, thyroid dysfunction, weight loss, inflammation, autoimmune disease, mental and emotional wellness, energetic health, and the future of holistic medicine.

This is the show where science and spirit converge- driving health, happiness, relationships, and family ecosystems.

Want to go deeper? Join Dr. Taz’s private community, the hol+ Circle ; medicine beyond the exam room. (holplus.co/circle)

A 2025 Webby Award honoree, recognized alongside the Mel Robbins Podcast in the 29th Annual Webby Awards, hol+ is built on the foundation of Super Woman Wellness, which surpassed 1 million downloads over 8 years.

This is medicine beyond the exam room. Welcome to hol+

[00:00:00] Dr. Taz: The birth control pill can change who we're attracted to, who we'll choose as a mate, [00:00:05] and folks on the pill will choose a different person than off the pill. The birth control pill [00:00:10] can actually change your brain. It can change how you think, how you [00:00:15] feel, what choices you'll make. We do see a link between [00:00:20] inflammation and cancer, inflammation and cardiovascular [00:00:25] disease, along with mental health issues.
[00:00:27] Dr. Taz: Ovarian aging is accelerating [00:00:30] at a faster rate than what we are really comfortable with. Today, we're diving into a [00:00:35] topic that has become near and dear to my heart. We're gonna be talking about birth [00:00:40] control, and is it safe? Is it not safe? And what are the [00:00:45] long-term risk of being on birth control for long periods of time?[00:00:50]
[00:00:50] Dr. Taz: This episode is sponsored by HolPlus, a holistic health platform built around [00:00:55] education, personalization, and integrative care. HolPlus blends [00:01:00] holistic, integrative, and functional medicine clinics with learning resources like [00:01:05] blogs, YouTube videos, and of course, this podcast, so you're not just treated, you're [00:01:10] informed.
[00:01:10] Dr. Taz: The platform also includes holistic health quizzes and a curated wellness shop, helping [00:01:15] you make choices that support your body at the root level. HolPlus is [00:01:20] holistic healthcare designed for real life. Visit us at [00:01:25] HolPlus.co to learn more about the
[00:01:26] Dr. Taz: platform. Again, that's H-O-L-P-L-U-S [00:01:30] dot C-O.
[00:01:30] Dr. Taz: I continue to meet women over and over again who've been on the birth control pill for 10 years, [00:01:35] 15 years.
[00:01:36] Dr. Taz: In fact, they use the birth control pill from the time they were [00:01:40] teenagers to regulate their hormones and regulate their cycles, and they've never had an [00:01:45] opportunity to dig deep and understand what's going on with their different hormone levels. [00:01:50] Part of why I'm so interested in this, selfishly, is of course, we've had [00:01:55] patients over the years ask us these questions about the birth control pill and what I think and [00:02:00] what we need to do, but I do have an 18-year-old headed off to college, and I wanna be [00:02:05] prepared for her and for her friends to really talk in a [00:02:10] holistic manner about what it means to be on birth control, because we know you need birth [00:02:15] control, but there's gotta be an in-depth look at what it really [00:02:20] means for our bodies.
[00:02:21] Dr. Taz: Now, the research coming out around the birth control pill [00:02:25] and the impact on our health is evolving, and [00:02:30] daily, I'm seeing a new study, something new talking about how we need to be thinking about [00:02:35] birth control and birth control usage a little bit differently. But I think one of the things we've [00:02:40] known for a very long period of time, this is not new research, this has been there, we're just not [00:02:45] talking about it, is the connection between birth control and [00:02:50] inflammation.
[00:02:50] Dr. Taz: And let me talk to you a little bit about what I mean here. What we are [00:02:55] finding in research over and over again is that there is a link between low-grade [00:03:00] chronic inflammation and being on the birth control pill or even an [00:03:05] IUD. Now, somebody listening to this may push back a little bit and say, "Well, women have [00:03:10] inflammation at varying points of their cycle anyways," and you are [00:03:15] absolutely correct.
[00:03:16] Dr. Taz: The nature of our hormone and our hormone rhythms really [00:03:20] lends itself to having issues with inflammation, and here's why. Any time [00:03:25] we shift our hormone cycle, when progesterone levels go down as they do towards the latter [00:03:30] half of the cycle, or if we have higher than average levels of estrogen, [00:03:35] that ratio, that estrogen to progesterone ratio, when it's not in the right place, [00:03:40] can be a trigger for chronic inflammation.
[00:03:43] Dr. Taz: But here's what's [00:03:45] different when we bring the birth control pill into the picture When we go to [00:03:50] measure inflammation in women at varying points of their cycle, and in our young girls, by the [00:03:55] way, yes, we can find elevated levels of maybe a CRP, which is a [00:04:00] marker of inflammation, a sed rate, or something called IL-6, interleukin-6.
[00:04:04] Dr. Taz: [00:04:05] Interleukin-6 is an inflammatory marker that we don't use [00:04:10] frequently, but it is a better in-depth look at low-grade chronic [00:04:15] inflammation, as is your white count. Just looking at your, uh, W, uh, [00:04:20] WBC or your white blood cell count can be very helpful in understanding where you are with inflammation. [00:04:25] So we've got these issues with inflammation when it comes to women and hormones, which is also [00:04:30] why women are more susceptible to autoimmune disease.
[00:04:33] Dr. Taz: But when we add [00:04:35] in the birth control pill or an IUD, that inflammation [00:04:40] picture changes a little bit. Instead of just being elevated CRPs or a [00:04:45] high IL-6, we actually see elevations in a different kind of [00:04:50] inflammation marker. That one is called TNF alpha, or tumor necrosis factor [00:04:55] alpha, and that one is tied more to mood and to [00:05:00] weight than a traditional IL-6.
[00:05:02] Dr. Taz: So what does this mean for young women and [00:05:05] girls and even women in perimenopause who are managing their symptoms with birth control, [00:05:10] maybe birth control pills or an IUD? Well, it means that we do need to be [00:05:15] tracking inflammation in a more strategic and a consistent way. [00:05:20] Because the downside of this, or sort of if we fast-forward, is that we do [00:05:25] see a link between inflammation and [00:05:30] cancer, inflammation and cardiovascular disease, and definitely [00:05:35] inflammation meta- and metabolic disorders along with mental health issues.
[00:05:39] Dr. Taz: So [00:05:40] if women are already vulnerable on the front end of this before a birth [00:05:45] control option even enters the picture, then we become even more vulnerable [00:05:50] when we start engaging in different forms of birth control. Now, I know a lot of you are [00:05:55] gonna push back and say, "Oh my gosh, the birth control pill stops my pain.
[00:05:59] Dr. Taz: It controlled [00:06:00] my endometriosis, you know, it helped with my bloating," or so many other things that the birth [00:06:05] control pill or birth control in general can actually do. I know that [00:06:10] something like an IUD has stopped super heavy bleeding. Those things are the [00:06:15] benefits, right, of understanding or being able to use some of these different, uh, [00:06:20] methods of contraception.
[00:06:22] Dr. Taz: However, what we have to look at [00:06:25] is weighing the pros against the cons, right? So if you do have horrific [00:06:30] periods and they aren't being controlled by some of the things we're gonna talk about later in the show, [00:06:35] then yes, a birth control pill or an IUD is absolutely an option. [00:06:40] Or if you really need contraception, then yes, these are options.
[00:06:44] Dr. Taz: But what we're [00:06:45] asking for, or what I'm asking for from a holistic standpoint or a whole [00:06:50] body standpoint, is that we actually monitor some of the downside [00:06:55] or some of the side effects that we know of birth control. So inflammation is one of them, and [00:07:00] looking at something like a TNF alpha, your white blood cell count, looking at [00:07:05] IL-6, and then the more traditional sort of, uh, ways of checking inflammation, [00:07:10] which include a CRP And a sed rate are helpful as well.
[00:07:14] Dr. Taz: [00:07:15] Now, the IUD, some of you may say, "Okay, I'm not gonna do the birth control pill. I'm gonna do [00:07:20] like an IUD, a copper IUD, or a non-hormonal IUD." Th- that actually [00:07:25] contributes to inflammation in a slightly different way. What studies are telling us, I'm looking [00:07:30] at this right now as we speak, is that copper IUD, uh, folks [00:07:35] actually experience more issues with bacterial diversity, meaning [00:07:40] their microbiome d- isn't as balanced as someone not on the IUD.[00:07:45]
[00:07:45] Dr. Taz: And the reason for this is because it causes an inflammatory reaction [00:07:50] resulting in a shift towards an anaerobic profile of bacteria [00:07:55] versus having the right amount of Lactobacillus bacteria and Bifidobacteria in your gut that [00:08:00] you need to help mitigate inflammation. So again, whether it's birth control pill or [00:08:05] whether it's your IUD, both of them may be contributing to this inflammatory [00:08:10] response.
[00:08:11] Dr. Taz: So again, screening, checking, [00:08:15] understanding where your gut health fits into the conversation around birth control, understanding the [00:08:20] link between the gut inflammation and birth control, and then making a choice is [00:08:25] probably your best bet. Now, when it comes to [00:08:30] choosing an actual birth control option, let's go through some of what are the [00:08:35] current options are, you know, as we speak.
[00:08:38] Dr. Taz: So we definitely have the pills. So we have the [00:08:40] monophasic pills, which means there's just a fixed amount of hormone coming into your [00:08:45] system, right? These, like all the other pills, suppress ovulation. They thicken your cervical [00:08:50] mucus and your uterine lining. They affect the liver, something called [00:08:55] the sex hormone binding globulin, which impacts how much hormone is circulating [00:09:00] around, bound or unbound, your nutrient loads, and then of course, the [00:09:05] inflammation markers that we just talked about.
[00:09:07] Dr. Taz: So the monophasic pills mean [00:09:10] same dose all throughout the month. These are things like Yaz, Yasmin, Sprintec is one, [00:09:15] Junel, uh, Loestrin, Loloestrin, Microgestin. Those are examples of your [00:09:20] monophasic pills. Your multiphasic pills will vary throughout the month. [00:09:25] There's some variability in the dosing. So orthotricyclene is one that's [00:09:30] very common.
[00:09:30] Dr. Taz: Npress is another one. And then you have your extended continuous [00:09:35] cycle pills, which means that they're sort of maybe going over the course of three [00:09:40] cycles or four cycles. Those are things like Seasonique, um, Amethyst, Ravessa is [00:09:45] another one. We have our patches, which are Xulane. Uh, Twirla is another [00:09:50] example of that.
[00:09:50] Dr. Taz: And then of course, we have our vaginal rings like the NuvaRing Or, [00:09:55] um, a newer one called like Annovera, which is actually a one-year ring. So when we [00:10:00] have these combined, and by the way, these are all estrogen and progesterone [00:10:05] combined options, right? They're not progesterone alone or progestin alone, [00:10:10] but they're combined.
[00:10:11] Dr. Taz: So when we've got some of these combined hormones, some of the [00:10:15] concerns are we see an elevation, again, as we talked about in TNF alpha and [00:10:20] CRP, your inflammation markers. We see an increase in something called [00:10:25] SHBG, which is your sex hormone binding globulin. We check these routinely at HolPlus. [00:10:30] But that in turn is impacting testosterone levels and can in turn [00:10:35] bring your free testosterone down, which is gonna affect your mood, your libido, and your overall [00:10:40] metabolic health.
[00:10:41] Dr. Taz: In addition to that, these combined sort of hormone [00:10:45] regimens will impact nutrient and nutrient loading. If you're listening to this [00:10:50] and thinking, "I know something is off in my body, but I don't know where to [00:10:55] start," this is for you That's why I created the Circle. The [00:11:00] Circle is my private community where I and my team focus on understanding your body [00:11:05] from hormones and stress to metabolic health and longevity with real-life [00:11:10] guidance that you can actually use.
[00:11:11] Dr. Taz: This is about clarity and consistency and [00:11:15] support beyond the exam room, and maybe outside of all the different appointments and [00:11:20] experts that you've been running around to. You can try the Circle with a one-month trial [00:11:25] using the promo code podcast at [00:11:30] HolPlus.co/circle. Again, that's HolPlus, [00:11:35] HolPlus.co/circle.
[00:11:35] Dr. Taz: All right, let's jump back into the episode. We know and we see this in [00:11:40] research that the birth control pill and some of these, uh, uh, hormonal [00:11:45] options will impact your load of B vitamins, magnesium, [00:11:50] zinc, and selenium, which if we tie all those nutrients to so many different other [00:11:55] processes in the body, we understand that that in turn is affecting your thyroid, your [00:12:00] insulin, you know, uh, your ability to build muscle, your energy, your focus and [00:12:05] concentration, and so much more.
[00:12:07] Dr. Taz: We also know that this impacts [00:12:10] glucose and the way your body uses blood sugar and glucose, uh, and insulin. And [00:12:15] then lastly, it suppresses something called the AMH, which is a very important [00:12:20] marker to talk about. But when you test an AMH for somebody that is [00:12:25] on birth control of some kind, it's going to test out low because you're [00:12:30] artificially suppressing their ovarian reserve.
[00:12:33] Dr. Taz: So again, these are [00:12:35] some of the, some of the things we need to be thinking about. I'm not trying to pin birth control as being bad, [00:12:40] but just saying we need to be thinking about some of this stuff as we move forward. Now, there [00:12:45] are progestin-only options for birth control. These thicken up the [00:12:50] cervical mucus, and they suppress ovulation depending on the formulation.
[00:12:54] Dr. Taz: [00:12:55] Now, some folks don't metabolize progestin very well, so these are the [00:13:00] patients that I see that will often have a lot of breast tenderness with the progestin-only [00:13:05] sort of, uh, option, or they'll start to gain a lot of weight. Your hormonal IUDs are an [00:13:10] example of this, like the Mirena, uh, Kyleena. These are some that...
[00:13:14] Dr. Taz: Skyla is [00:13:15] another one, that are progestin only. Your subdermal implants, like your [00:13:20] Nexplanon is another one. And then of course, we have the injectable options, which are a little bit older, [00:13:25] like Depo-Provera or Depo-SubQ, which again are progesterone [00:13:30] Only. So the issue with progestin only is there are some concerns around [00:13:35] bone loss, again, around lowering testosterone, and remember, progestin is an [00:13:40] androgen.
[00:13:40] Dr. Taz: So if you're someone already dealing with high androgen [00:13:45] symptoms like hair loss and acne and oily skin and some of those type of [00:13:50] things, then a progestin-only solution may not be right for you 'cause there is an androgenic [00:13:55] component to that. So again, we have to think through, if you're somebody [00:14:00] with PCOS, or now called PMOS, and you're having those particular issues, [00:14:05] and you start, you know, a progestin-only form of [00:14:10] contraception, well then we may be increasing your androgenic load, and you may...
[00:14:14] Dr. Taz: There's the [00:14:15] potential to have more issues with some of those high androgen symptoms. So what's [00:14:20] the answer? The answer is if that is the option you choose, then we need to track, and we need [00:14:25] to test what's going on there. All right. Aside from the combination of [00:14:30] estrogen and progesterone to progestin only, there are also non-hormonal [00:14:35] versions of contraception.
[00:14:37] Dr. Taz: These include, again, the copper IUD, which is the [00:14:40] Paragard, barrier devices like the condom, um, spermicide gels, [00:14:45] diaphragmatic caps, and again, natural cycles, right? Where you are aware of your [00:14:50] fertility window. You are tracking it. You know when ovulation occurs. On [00:14:55] a traditional 28-day cycle, most, for most, and everyone's different, this is why you have [00:15:00] to check, ovulation is usually somewhere between days 12 to 14 or [00:15:05] so, and that way you can track and see sort of what's going on there.
[00:15:09] Dr. Taz: And of course, there's the [00:15:10] permanent options like tubal ligation and of course, you know, having your partner [00:15:15] get a vasectomy. So bottom line, we've got many different [00:15:20] options on the menu when it comes to contraception, but the nuances [00:15:25] there are understanding what your body may need and what it may do better [00:15:30] with and then what needs to be tracked as we move forward, everything from inflammation to [00:15:35] nutrient load to your androgen index to testosterone [00:15:40] to even the markers of your mental health Now let's revisit the nutrient [00:15:45] component for just a minute, and this is where I think we really get women [00:15:50] into trouble, because we put them on any of these things, but we don't do [00:15:55] nutrient testing.
[00:15:56] Dr. Taz: We don't talk about or do any kind of nutrition counseling with [00:16:00] them, right? Where- whereas we know or we have the evidence, so to speak, [00:16:05] that many of these forms of contraception, like I said, drop B vitamin loads, um, [00:16:10] magnesium loads, zinc, selenium, and even CoQ10. So what does this [00:16:15] mean for you? So when B vitamins are falling, and, you know, if you've been [00:16:20] listening or following me for a while, you know I talk a lot about, like, these bookends, right, [00:16:25] of hormone and hormone health that are B- B vitamins sort of in the morning [00:16:30] and magnesium at night.
[00:16:31] Dr. Taz: B is, of course, helping with the mitochondria, helping with energy, [00:16:35] magnesium helping with cortisol and sleep and even hormones like progesterone and [00:16:40] thyroid. But as we deplete these hormones, women and girls [00:16:45] start to experience more issues with anxiety, with, uh, focus and [00:16:50] concentration, sleep disruption for sure, and then a lot of issues with their stress [00:16:55] response.
[00:16:55] Dr. Taz: So this is why we say that the birth control pill can actually [00:17:00] change your brain. It can change how you think, how you feel, what [00:17:05] choices you'll make, you know, and even your ability and bandwidth to [00:17:10] take on risk and to try new challenges. Now, that's pretty [00:17:15] profound, because if you're a young woman, maybe anywhere from 16 to [00:17:20] 25 or even 30, and you're on a form of contraception, and [00:17:25] you're stuck at a place in your life where you're not sure what the next step is, [00:17:30] just realize that your contraception could be influencing your decision-making.[00:17:35]
[00:17:35] Dr. Taz: And I had on a researcher, uh, I think it was about a [00:17:40] season or two ago, Dr. Sarah Hill, you guys could probably look that episode back up, [00:17:45] but she talked very clearly about how, you know, the birth control pill [00:17:50] can change who we're attracted to, who we'll choose as a mate. And folks on the [00:17:55] pill would choose a different person than off the pill.
[00:17:57] Dr. Taz: And it was very fascinating [00:18:00] research, but at the end of the day, I think the take-home message and what we know even from the nutrient component of [00:18:05] this is that the birth control pill can indeed change your brain. [00:18:10] So it's important to do nutrient testing alongside [00:18:15] whatever you're choosing from a contraception standpoint So let's get [00:18:20] into what we can do, right?
[00:18:21] Dr. Taz: I don't wanna be all doom and gloom. Gotta tell my daughter something, [00:18:25] gotta tell her friends something. What can you do to s- kinda take advantage [00:18:30] of choosing the right contraception and understanding that the [00:18:35] emerging research is advising you to do two things in particular? One, to choose [00:18:40] wisely, and two, to not assume you should be on birth control, A, for [00:18:45] control of your hormones, and B, just to be on it for extended periods of time without really digging [00:18:50] in to how it's impacting your overall health.
[00:18:54] Dr. Taz: So first things [00:18:55] first, here's what I wanna do We can't get away from this. Please don't roll your eyes, [00:19:00] but you cannot get away from the importance of a healthy diet, even [00:19:05] when you're choosing a birth control pill, especially if you understand [00:19:10] and adhere to the premise that as a young girl or a woman, we are more prone to inflammation [00:19:15] anyways.
[00:19:16] Dr. Taz: So an anti-inflammatory diet, minimizing processed [00:19:20] foods and junk foods, minimizing alcohol, high sugar, and high yeast [00:19:25] foods is critical. We wanna keep alcohol maybe under about four to [00:19:30] six drinks a week, and if you are going to drink more than that, college [00:19:35] kids, high school kids that should not be drinking, and everybody else older than that, then [00:19:40] you do need to have a plan to minimize inflammation [00:19:45] post one of those episodes, whether that is going on a three-day cleanup, doing things [00:19:50] like glutathione or NAD to help mitigate that inflammation, but you have to be [00:19:55] thinking about this.
[00:19:56] Dr. Taz: So an anti-inflammatory diet, reducing processed foods, [00:20:00] critical even as a starting step to contraception. Next, [00:20:05] start to support your nutrients. You can do this in two ways. You can nutrient test, where you [00:20:10] can come into one of our clinics and start to understand what the levels are of [00:20:15] B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, selenium, CoQ10, or you can [00:20:20] start to do some supplementation, at least with a B and magnesium, to help [00:20:25] those bookends of healthy hormones and healthy hormone balance that in turn [00:20:30] help your brain, help your mood, help your energy, and help your metabolism as well.
[00:20:34] Dr. Taz: [00:20:35] So those are some of the ways to get started in this conversation. If you are ready for deeper [00:20:40] testing, here are the things, if you wanna write them down, that I would recommend that [00:20:45] you check before you choose a method of contraception. Look at your [00:20:50] pre-birth control, pre-contraception AMH levels.
[00:20:54] Dr. Taz: [00:20:55] Understand where your ovarian reserve is before we start to tamper with it. [00:21:00] Understand where all the B vitamins are, magnesium, zinc, copper, vitamin D, your [00:21:05] inflammation markers like a CRP, TNF alpha, and even an [00:21:10] IL-6, and a free testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin, along with a fasting [00:21:15] glucose and fasting insulin level.
[00:21:17] Dr. Taz: These are all critical to [00:21:20] understanding where you are versus your best friend, versus somebody else you know in your family, in terms [00:21:25] of where you need to land with your overall nutrient profile. [00:21:30] Next, I would say really start to look at sleep and stress because those will directly impact [00:21:35] what your levels of hormones are, what your ovarian reserve will do, and [00:21:40] where you will land in this conversation.
[00:21:42] Dr. Taz: Chinese medicine talks a lot about chi, or [00:21:45] energy that we're gifted with, right? And one of the things they talk about is when [00:21:50] you apply that concept of qi to even something like ovarian reserve, [00:21:55] right, which is a, a sign they say of your kidney qi, then it is your [00:22:00] responsibility to preserve and protect it, or are you gonna drain it rapidly and [00:22:05] in turn accelerate something like ovarian aging, impacting your [00:22:10] fertility in the years to come?
[00:22:11] Dr. Taz: So again, these are things that you have to be [00:22:15] conscious of. You know, if you have a rough week or exams [00:22:20] or something that has kept you up and prevented you from sleeping, well, then we have to [00:22:25] do the recovery work, which is where your self-care doubles or even triples, whether [00:22:30] that is acupuncture or massage or getting out in nature or getting morning sunlight.
[00:22:34] Dr. Taz: All [00:22:35] of these things are resetting that cortisol axis so that you in turn won't [00:22:40] fall victim to cortisol and hormone disruption and inflammation down the [00:22:45] road. We can't have a conversation around birth control without bringing in kind of the [00:22:50] east-west Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine perspective.
[00:22:53] Dr. Taz: They approach this [00:22:55] concept or this topic by saying women needed to supplement their qi or their [00:23:00] energy or their life force, and their toolbox usually turned [00:23:05] to herbal medicine and herbal remedies. These were in Chinese medicine rooted in something called [00:23:10] kidney jing. That's how they talked about it, which was directly tied to reproductive [00:23:15] vitality.
[00:23:15] Dr. Taz: Jing, they said, could be depleted by stress, by overwork, by [00:23:20] years of suppressing the natural cycle. Downstream is what we call [00:23:25] ovarian aging in Western medicine. So here are some of the herbs. Again, I don't want you just to [00:23:30] run out and start these. You have to ideally, you know, do it with some advice, but dong quai is one [00:23:35] that we talk about all the time.
[00:23:36] Dr. Taz: It supports estrogen balance. It's an anti-inflammatory [00:23:40] herb. Bai shao is another one, again, nourishes the blood, helps with the LH and [00:23:45] FSH ratios, really does help to reduce PCOS symptoms. There's [00:23:50] rehmannia, which is again a kidney tonic. It improves AMH as well. Uh, dang [00:23:55] shen is one that we've used before.
[00:23:56] Dr. Taz: It's a qi tonic. It supports the gut. So all of these are some [00:24:00] of the traditional Chinese medicine herbs that were in their formulary to improve this [00:24:05] idea of kidney jing because again, it was about providing energy and then [00:24:10] moving energy. So you provide energy with food and rest and herbs, and you [00:24:15] move energy with acupuncture, moxibustion, or cupping Now in [00:24:20] Ayurvedic medicine, very similar idea, very similar concept, except they used [00:24:25] different words.
[00:24:25] Dr. Taz: They talked more about something called ojas and [00:24:30] pranas, prana being your energy, ojas being sort of your dosha or where you landed. [00:24:35] They also turned to herbs, although the herbs were a little bit different. They talked about shatavari, [00:24:40] which was sort of the queen of herb for... or the queen bee herb, I should say, for reproduction [00:24:45] and for vitality.
[00:24:46] Dr. Taz: It was a reproductive tonic. It helped the hypothalamic [00:24:50] pituitary axis and helped follicular maturation. So that was a big one. The other one was [00:24:55] ashwagandha, which you guys have all heard before, but helps with stress resilience, helps the HPA [00:25:00] axis for sure, helps with cortisol, and then amla, which I personally love and is in a [00:25:05] lot of my formulas, which is an antioxidant, supports the immune system, [00:25:10] nourishes the tissue, really high in vitamin C, and supports, um, kinda egg [00:25:15] quality and oxidative stress.
[00:25:17] Dr. Taz: So shatavari, ashwagandha, amla, [00:25:20] uh, another one called tribulus, these were all herbs used in the Ayurvedic [00:25:25] toolbox when it came to protecting reproductive health. So long story [00:25:30] short, what do you do when you're thinking about birth control, and what do you [00:25:35] do when you're thinking about how to use contraception effectively?
[00:25:39] Dr. Taz: The pill [00:25:40] should be a helper. It shouldn't be something that's sabotaging your overall [00:25:45] health, and the way to move forward and do this is to, of course, put the fundamental pillars [00:25:50] of holistic health into place, right? Diet, sleep, stress management, [00:25:55] herbal remedies. But more importantly, understand where your starting point [00:26:00] may be.
[00:26:00] Dr. Taz: Where's your nutrient load? Where's your gut health? Where's inflammation? Where's [00:26:05] your AMH? Where are you in the conversation around ovarian [00:26:10] aging? And I'm actually reaching out to everyone 12 years old [00:26:15] and above because in the environment that we live in today, we understand that [00:26:20] ovarian aging is accelerating at a faster rate than what we are [00:26:25] really comfortable with.
[00:26:26] Dr. Taz: And women, when they hit 25, 26, and [00:26:30] 27, are having to make choices and decisions not just about their hormone health, but also about [00:26:35] fertility that may not serve them well as they move into their 40s, 50s, [00:26:40] and beyond. So this is a conversation for all women, for moms like me with young [00:26:45] daughters, for teenagers that wanna get educated, and to understand [00:26:50] that birth control exists and may be necessary for a season of your life, [00:26:55] but it should be short-term, well thought through, with a full understanding [00:27:00] of your personal chemistry and your overall health All right, that is the [00:27:05] holistic approach to birth control and thinking through it.
[00:27:07] Dr. Taz: I could probably go on forever and [00:27:10] talk more about Ayurveda and Chinese medicine and so many other thoughts there. But I [00:27:15] wanted you guys to at least have a starting point, or at least start to stir something in your brain if [00:27:20] you have never thought about this before. Remember, the future of your health is [00:27:25] holistic, where you put all the pieces together.
[00:27:27] Dr. Taz: You take the time and energy to wind [00:27:30] your story into a beautiful sort of roadmap that you can follow no [00:27:35] matter how old you are, and no matter the twists and turns that your life has to [00:27:40] offer you. All right, I hope you enjoyed this episode of the show. Don't forget, we post [00:27:45] new episodes every week. Please subscribe and share this with a woman [00:27:50] who needs to hear this if they are thinking about a birth control or hormone [00:27:55] journey in their future.
[00:27:56] Dr. Taz: I'll see you guys next time. Before you go, take a second to [00:28:00] reflect on what stood out for you today. Then if you can, leave a quick review [00:28:05] wherever you're listening. It really helps other people discover HolPlus and start [00:28:10] their own healing journey. And don't forget to follow me on Instagram @drtazmd. [00:28:15] I love hearing how these episodes are supporting you