Fertility

The Infertility Movie

Liz James · January 14, 2023 ·

Has anyone else watched this 30 minute documentary?

https://7thchakrafilms.com/infertilitythemovie

xoxo~ liz

#infertility

#vaccinesafetyadvocate

#theapplicationofknowledgeispower

Finding Clues in “The Pill”

Liz James · July 28, 2022 ·

The Southern Side of the Endocrine System: Finding clues in The Pill

“Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history.” ~Abraham Lincoln

The further I get into my life, the more appreciation and value I’ve placed on ferreting out root causes… not only in health matters, but also in the consequences (both good and bad) of relationships, government, … pretty much anything that has made me ask “Why?”. This curiosity has proven to be both a blessing and a curse because I’ve been down some pretty deep and winding rabbit holes, usually coming up for air with a different outlook on what I thought I knew. For those of you who have also engaged in learning in this manner, this will resonate deeply with you. Once you have learned something that is verifiably true but unpopular in media presentation, you have to make a choice: either swim upstream, or swim in the direction of the majority and try to forget what you have learned. In my own personal observation, the latter does not bode well either emotionally or physiologically . A person cannot live a duality (believing one thing yet acting in opposite) for long without negative consequences ultimately manifesting.

I spent decades (both personally and professionally) in educated ignorance, believing that birth control pills were benign “helpers” for preventing pregnancy and calming dragonesque cycle symptoms. Perhaps you do (or did) too. In my defense, it wasn’t my fault. This is what we are taught in pharmacy school as are all health professionals taught within the singularly allopathic education setting.

Hormone based birth control is one of the most common types of prescriptions filled in a retail pharmacy setting. An estimated 14% of women aged 15-49 utilize synthetic hormone based birth control (pills, IUD’s, implants, vaginal rings, and patches). With numbers that high, how could a class of products not be both safe and effective?

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” ~ Upton Sinclair

What he said!

At some point, culturally, we lost the history of birth control pills. Had we known the history, and had we kept up with the outcomes, would we (culturally) still be choosing the perceived easier swim downstream? I don’t have the time within this series to write the pages upon pages that should be devoted to this topic, so I’m leaving breadcrumbs for you to go digging on your own, or at the very least perhaps raise a hairy eyebrow and give the facts some serious thought.

Ethinyl estradiol was studied and used by the Nazi’s in chemical sterilization experiments in the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. Ethinyl estradiol is one of the most common ingredients found in birth control pills today.

The Pill was first tested experimentally in Puerto Rico in 1956. The women involved in the study were not informed that they were participating in a drug trial or of the potential side effects of the trial they were involved in. 11% of the women withdrew from participation because of adverse effects. According to information in the Congressional Nelson Pill Hearings of 1970, 5 participating women died and were buried without an autopsy. The focus of the Puerto Rico study was on efficacy, not safety.

The Pill was introduced in 1960 during a cultural revolution, when all things natural were being shunned in favor of man made…. Tang for orange juice, formica and shag carpet instead of wood or stone, margarine instead of butter. Coincidentally, the incidence of autoimmune disorders began rising rapidly by the early 1970’s, with more than 80% of those cases being found in women. That statistic has not changed. The Pill became a symbol of women’s rights, and in the process, it hormonally defeminized women. In a twist of irony, as birth control pill waste is flushed (literally) into the water supply, it now also plays a role in the demasculinization of men through its contribution to the estrogen dominance phenomenon in males.

It was recommended early on that The Pill be used by a woman for two years or less in order to prevent possible sterilization. Some women take The Pill for 30 years or longer. Meanwhile, infertility rates continue to rise. According to the CDC’s most recent data, approximately 19% of women in the USA ages 15-49 now have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant.

The Pill was approved for use prior to Congress passing the 1962 Kefauver-Harris Drug Efficacy Amendment which requires drug manufacturers to prove both safety and efficacy.

“It would be natural at this point to think, ‘It’s been 50+ years! Surely today’s version of The Pill has been proven safe.’ That’s a reasonable assumption. However, it’s dead wrong. The maker of today’s most popular birth control brands [as of 2019] Yaz and Yasmin, paid out $2.04 BILLION to settle over 10,000 blood clot lawsuits as of 2016, and the number of injuries, deaths, and lawsuits continues to rise.” ~ (

Book: In the Name of The Pill, page 30)

The reality is that sometimes decades go by before a very serious side effect is appreciated, and if there is enough money to be made, “those with the gold ultimately make the rules” (and make digging for truth a little harder).

Birth control pills come with a fine print document thanks to the 1962 Kefhauver-Harris Amendment. In addition to establishing both safety and efficacy, it also introduced the concept of patient informed consent. Allow the patient to make their own decision after weighing the pros and cons. Have you ever read one of these patient package inserts?

I’m including a link here for the popular birth control pill, Yaz, as a real world example. It’s 29 pages long and corroborates what I’m about to share:

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/…/2011/021676s008lbl.pdf

According to FDA access data sheets on birth control pills, there is risk (think clues!) of:

Thromboembolic disorders and other vascular problems (Note: that BCP’s containing drospirenone have been found to cause 2-3x more blood clots than in previous pill generations)

Strokes

Increased copper retention. Symptoms of excess copper include anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, chronic fatigue, inflamed joints, insomnia, infertility, hair loss, headaches, diabetes, endometriosis, recurrent fungal infections, both high and low blood pressure, and increased breast cancer risk. It is also a biomarker for thyroid disease. Note that copper and zinc are closely connected, and their ratio is important for optimal health. BCP’s (including copper IUD’s) also concurrently facilitate zinc depletion, causing further disruption of this ratio. Hair analysis is often the most accurate way to check copper and zinc levels.

Migraines and other headache types

Atherosclerosis (plaque build up and hardening of the arteries). Risk increases with duration of BCP use.

Increase in C-Reactive Protein levels, a marker for inflammation. The longer a body is inflamed, the greater the risk for autoimmune disorders, vascular diseases, and brain disorders.

Diabetes. Synthetic hormones affect the body’s ability to process carbohydrates. Nearly 1 in 5 women taking The Pill develop abnormal glucose tolerance.

Elevated triglyceride levels, affecting nearly ⅓ of BCP users.

Breast Cancer. Note that the American Cancer Society recognized synthetic hormones as a possible risk factor for breast cancer in 1961, and that The Pill ingredients have been found to cause breast cancer in all 5 animal species commonly used in pharmaceutical research and development.

Immune system suppression. Estrogen plays a key role in the immune system. Synthetic estrogen causes the body to cut back on its own production of body made estrogen.

Gallbladder disease (According to the American College of Gastroenterology, women between the ages of 20 and 60 years are three times more likely to develop gallstones than men.)

Bleeding irregularities (In relation to menstruation), including heavy bleeding and pelvic pain that may result in a suggested hysterectomy.

Depression. The American Journal of Psychiatry published a 2016 study by researchers in Denmark who reported that women taking hormonal contraceptives have up to triple the risk of suicide when compared to women who never took hormonal birth control. Another study found that 1 out of every 3 pill users showed depressive personality changes and 1 out of 20 had suicidal ideations.

The possibility of “over suppression syndrome” (Any part of the body which is not used or little used over an extended period of time leads to disuse atrophy: otherwise known as infertility in this case.)

Loss of Libido

Nutritional deficiencies including B1, B2, B6, Folate, B12, Vitamin C, Zinc, Magnesium, Iodine, and many other micronutrients.

Osteopenia and osteoporosis

Increased risk for developing lupus. The incidence of lupus has tripled in the last 40 years, and 90% of those affected are women.

Crohn’s Disease (beneficial bacteria in the gut is adversely affected by BCP’s)

Weight gain (Just prior to the FDA’s endorsement of The Pill, the federal government ordered all poultry producers to stop using synthetic estrogens to fatten chickens because it was known to cause cancer in animals. )

Increased risk of developing cervical cancer by 2-3x. Risk increases with BCP use longer than five years.

An estimated 6-7 out of every 10 Pill users take medication to counteract BCP side effects on a routine basis. Most commonly: diuretics, pain medication for headaches, anti anxiety medications, antidepressants, self medicating for fatigue and lethargy (caffeine etc).

********************

I’ve focused mostly on synthetic estrogen and estrogen dominance up (see previous posts on estrogen dominance and endocrine disruptors) and I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss the distinct differences between natural progesterone and synthetic progestins.

Progesterone is enormously beneficial to a woman’s body. It:

Protects and supports cardiovascular health

Stimulates hair growth

Generally beneficial for mood and a good night’s sleep

Is healing and calming to the body

May reduce the risk of breast cancer

Improves libido

Helps with weight loss

Improves bone formation

Conversely, Progestins (the synthetic version of naturally occurring progesterone) can cause:

Hair loss

High blood pressure

Can cause anxiety and depression

Can increase the risk of breast cancer

Bloating

Loss of libido

Interference with sleep

Itchy eyes

Fatigue

Progestins are believed to cause birth defects and are contraindicated in pregnancy. Conversely, progesterone is an absolute requirement to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

Progestins reduce electrolyte availability within cells ( this may manifest as irregular heartbeat, fast heart rate, fatigue, lethargy, seizures, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramping, irritability, headaches, numbness and tingling)

(Note that many of these are similar in nature to estrogen dominance.)

When you use synthetic progestins, the body quits making its own progesterone (the good stuff!), and the synthetic variety “clogs up” the progesterone receptors in the body. If a woman has been taking progestins for quite some time, it’s likely that her body will have to relearn how to produce progesterone again which may take several months. Herbs that help support the body’s natural progesterone production include chasteberry (also known as vitex), evening primrose oil, rhodiola, ashwagandha (found in Young Living’s EndoGize ), schisandra, and wild yam (found in Young Living’s Progessence Plus serum, Femigen capsules, Regenolone and Prenolone Plus creams). Foods which also support healthy progesterone production include those high in zinc, Omega 3’s, vitamin C, magnesium, and B vitamins. Do your research and eat for your hormones! If obtaining enough in a daily diet is challenging, consider adding Young Living’s Super C chewables, and Super B tablets. Several Young Living supplements (ex: Master Formula & OmegaGize3 respectively) also contain magnesium, zinc and Omega 3’s!

I realize I’ve dropped many bread crumbs for you to follow here. Heck, there are some downright loaves waiting to be picked up and examined should you be so inclined. There is much more to be learned from the story of The Pill.

There are many reasons women use BCP’s outside of preventing unplanned pregnancies, and by using synthetic hormones as a chemical band-aid, the root cause of the issue is being left to fester. Find a holistically minded health care professional who will help you find and address your root cause(s). It literally could be as simple as changing diet, addressing stress, supplementing to prevent a deficiency, using Young Living essential oils strategically, or increasing exercise!

Are there other effective options for preventing unplanned pregnancies? Certainly, there are, and there are emotional, physical, and relational health benefits to be had in utilizing them. There are a variety of cycle “health detective” clues you can come to rely on with remarkable accuracy. Do some digging on the topic “Natural Family Planning Methods”.

Fertility is not a disease and there is a rather steady supply of evidence which indicates that by medicating otherwise healthy women, we have unwittingly done great harm in the process. My job as a pharmacist is to provide the patient package insert as instructed by the Congressional Kefhauver-Harris Amendment, thereby giving the patient the opportunity of informed consent.

Risk versus benefit.

It’s the patient’s right, responsibility, and choice to either consent or deny. Most have never received a thorough explanation allowing for an educated decision.

Lots of clues friends! Embrace the sleuthing process. It will only serve you well. I promise.

xoxo~ liz

#BYOHD

#becomingyourownhealthdetective

#toxinfreeisthewaytobe

#goodmedicine

#ThanksYL

#toxinfreeslifestyle

#endocrinedisruptionhidinginplainsight

#ThePill

Clues to Infertility – Sperm

Liz James · July 7, 2022 ·

The Southern Side of the Endocrine System: “Tell Tail” Sperm

I spent twelve years of my pharmacist career

behind the scenes within the infertility industry. Looking back, I realize now that that timeframe (2000-2012) was the “canary in the coalmine” years for our country’s fertility decline. The infertility industry accelerated at rocket speed

to keep up with the need. Interestingly, the trajectory of infertility and autoimmune disorders share a remarkably similar path and timeline.

As I was accumulating research for this particular topic, I couldn’t help but dig deeply into current information and statistics. When I left the industry in 2012, 10% of women (ages 18 to 44) struggled with fertility and a growing number of men were also being diagnosed with fertility disorders. Sadly, these numbers have only continued to escalate.

Male factor infertility (MFI) currently accounts for 50+% of infertility issues for a couple. Biomechanically, studies have analyzed and found that the most common causes include:

An absence or low levels of sperm (and estimated 10-15% lack sperm entirely)
Abnormal shape of sperm
Abnormal movement of sperm (these swimmers should be swimming fast in one direction!)
Abnormal release of sperm

While this is important information, it does not expose the root of the problem….. Why are sperm count and “swimability” continuing to decline? After all, men are still men all these thousands of years later, determined by the presence of their XY chromosome.

For all of eternity there has been the occasional physical trauma or genetic anomaly affecting the family jewels (or to the pituitary or hypothalamus which participate in the sperm production process). This trauma or anomaly may have long term implications on sperm production, and while damage may be a plausible reason for infertility, this factor has not changed over the years, and therefore has a very small role in the more than 50-60% decline in sperm production since 1973.

Infertility (both male and female) is a massive clue pointing directly towards the presence of toxins in a personal environment. Recall that the endocrine system is an incredibly precise chemical cascade. When that cascade is interrupted by a daily barrage of toxins, the “machinery” ceases to function as it should. Imagine water in a gasoline tank. If that happens, a vehicle simply ceases to work. Water seems innocent enough, until it has polluted that which makes the vehicle go.

What are some of the “water in the gas tank” possibilities when it comes negatively affecting sperm production? Glad you asked! Seemingly innocent lifestyle choices and habits are often overlooked and are generally the predominant culprits.

Processed Foods – Studies have connected eating processed foods (especially those with fats found in margarines and hydrogenated cooking oils) with decreased sperm count and altered sperm motility.
Alcohol – Heavy drinking is connected with reduced sperm quality and decreased testosterone production.
Caffeine – Excessive amounts of caffeine may lower sperm count.
Smoking- Tobacco negatively affects sperm count and quality.
Marijuana and THC
Exposure to mainstream household/ work chemicals or solvents. While some of these product ingredients are outright carcinogenic poison to the body, others are a slow daily drip of kryptonite to our mighty men. This slow drip of “kryptonite” ( aka: BPA and phthalates found in plastic water bottles, bodycare products and epoxy resins, dioxins, herbicides, organophosphate pesticides, flame retardants, lead, arsenic, mercury, and glycol ethers found in household and industrial cleaners, adhesives, and degreasers) erodes masculinity at its very core by raising estrogen levels and simultaneously lowering testosterone levels. Estrogen dominance does not discriminate. Men are prone to this hormonal imbalance too. ED is easily identifiable with lab work (testing testosterone and estrogen levels both), the visual presence of “man boobs”, and the specter of infertility or erectile dysfunction.
Cell phone in the front pocket of pants – Semen quality and quantity has been found to be adversely affected when a cell phone in “talk mode” is carried in the pocket of pants.
Choice of underwear – Tight fitting underwear (or pants) increases testicular temperature which reduces both sperm count and motility.
Chronic stress – The body does not lie, and it will work to protect itself (and its potential offspring) when in chronic fight/flight/ or freeze mode.

Many common medications are often thefts of male fertility too:

SSRI’s – used for mood disorders. An estimated 11% of infertility is caused by this class of medication. These medications affect DNA sperm quality and erectile function. Common culprits include sertraline, fluoxetine, citalopram, lexapro, and paroxetine.
Testosterone replacement therapy (especially when used incorrectly) drastically reduces the level of testosterone in testicles, which in turn lowers sperm production.
Antihistamines (eg: loratadine and cetirizine) and antacids (eg: ranitidine and cimetidine) appear to have long term negative effects on male fertility
Calcium Channel Blockers – This is a class of medications commonly used in the management of high blood pressure, angina, migraines, heart disease, and some heart arrhythmias. (eg: amlodipine, nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem)
Tamsulosin – (used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia)
Cipro and Levaquin – (antibiotics)
Some vaccinations, especially when combined with an existing toxin load in the body, are being studied as possible contributors to infertility

Unlike eggs, sperm are constantly created when conditions are healthy. An entirely new sperm health profile is possible within 2-3 months of consistent positive changes being made:

The Scottish kilted men knew what they were doing, but if wearing a kilt doesn’t appeal to you, consider boxers instead of briefs.
Get an EMF blocker for cell phones, AND remove an active phone from the front pocket of pants.
Watch for endocrine disruptors in your daily life. Reading labels is HARD, even for me. There are hundreds of common chemicals in household and daily use personal care products that fall under the “Endocrine Disruptor” category, and we can’t possibly memorize them all. Keep it simple and worry free by purchasing from Young Living. No label reading required because everything is safe, toxin free and fertility friendly. Clean inside and out with Thieves Household Cleaner and Thieves Kitchen and Bath Scrub. Cologne is another common endocrine disruptor source. Thankfully, Young Living’s essential oil blend Shutran is healthy, hormone supportive, and smells incredible! The Shutran Men’s Care line has body wash, aftershave lotion, bar soap, beard oil and shaving cream. These, in addition to the YL shampoos and conditioners, ensure you’ve cleaned up well, with no endocrine disrupting along the way.
Support healthy male hormones and a more balanced stress response with Young Living’s PowerGize capsules, or consider applying YL’s Idaho Blue Spruce essential oil to inner and outer ankles morning and night.
Work towards correcting lifestyle habits and choices which may be diluting sperm production. Eat, sleep, and manage stress as though a generation is depending on you, because they are! This includes protecting boundaries in all areas of life.
In most instances, pharmaceutical use can also be minimized or avoided entirely with lifestyle changes and the help of your favorite holistically focused healthcare professional. Get to know your Young Living supplements and oils. They are extraordinarily valuable tools that can help you in ways you might not yet imagine. Do some digging and/or ask a savvy friend!

Health is the most valuable possession any of us have, and it’s the one thing we do have full control over unless we abdicate that right by giving it over to someone else to manage. Nobody will care for or know you better than you.

Swim upstream. Future generations will thank you for providing them with a strong foundation of health!

xoxo~ liz

#BYOHD

#becomingyourownhealthdetective

Clues From Our Thyroid – part 1

Liz James · March 22, 2022 ·

Thyroid disorders are like

chameleonic villians. They look different in every person, and their characteristics may change according to their environment. Thyroid disease is a master of disguise! This is important to understand

Two key reasons:

Innocent until proven guilty. It’s estimated that perhaps 18-25% of women have an underlying thyroid disorder (It’s somewhat less common in men). This still means that 75-82% of us (women, for statistical ease) do not. Become well acquainted with your body so that you may better decipher the clues you are being given, and remember that there are many possible causes for almost every clue the body gives. Cluster clues for the win!
Thyroid disease is overwhelmingly mistaken and/or overlooked in favor of other disorders (often mental health related) by the corporate owned medical community. Thyroid diagnosis often requires intuition (Holy Spirit discernment), patience, persistence, and attention to details. If you feel “off”, and yet your doctor tell you “everything looks good”…. Who do you believe? I hope you pointed a finger back at yourself just now. You believe what you know about your body and your refined detective skills!

Function of the Thyroid

While every little organ and gland of the endocrine system is important for stellar body function, very often the trail of tears leads back to the thyroid, the butterfly

shaped gland located just below the Adam’s apple along the front of the windpipe. The thyroid’s function is to regulate all the processes of energy release on microscopic (cellular) and macroscopic (full body) levels. Because hypothyroidism (especially Hashimoto’s) is the predominant thyroid disorder, most of what I write about will be centered upon thyroid deficiency. Grab a mirror (you’ll need it for a few of them!) and your journal and take stock of your own possible crime scene.

Symptoms of thyroid deficiency might include:

Chronic fatigue or tiredness.
Muscular fatigue
Puffiness or evidence of fluid retention
Difficulty regulating body temperature (chronic feelings of being hot or cold. Recall the posts on body temperature)
Development of Reynaud’s Syndrome
Reduced pulse pressure and blood pressure
Heart rate fluctuations
Angina and/or feelings of breathlessness
Higher cholesterol. People with subclinical hypothyroidism often have higher levels of LDL cholesterol. Thyroid disease is a major contributor to cholesterol problems.
Arteriosclerosis (decreased elasticity of arteries)
Changes in bruising or clotting (generally, bruising will become more common)
Depression and/or anxiousness
Difficulty gathering thoughts, memory, focus and concentration
Headaches with unknown origin
Moodiness or lack of enthusiasm in life
Peripheral neuropathy
Carpal tunnel (there is a strong link!)
Random shooting pains in the hands and feet
Osteoporosis (chronic hypothyroidism can be a contributor)
Visual problems: dry eyes, age related macular degeneration, primary open angle glaucoma
Loss of the outer eyebrows
Chronic constipation
Increased incidence of gallstones (thyroid hormones affects the composition of bile and how well it flows)
Poor digestion of fats and proteins
Decreased stomach acid resulting in poorly digested foods (If this clue is on your radar, grab your YL Essentialzyme and give your body digestive support!)
Bloating, gassy
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
Insulin resistance (and therefore) increased risk of developing Type II Diabetes
Thicker tongue, perhaps even with scalloped teeth marks on the sides of the tongue.
Changes in how food tastes.
Periodontal disease
Development of a husky or hoarse voice
Infertility or difficulty maintaining a pregnancy
Heavy periods (There is often a link between hypothyroidism and PCOS)
Sex hormone imbalances (progesterone, estrogen and testosterone in women)
Loss of libido
Postpartum depression (very common)
Premature menopause
Dry skin
Deep cracks and scales on the bottoms of the feet
Deep lines on the palms of hands or soles of feet
Yellowish orange or reddish color on palms of hands or soles of feet
Reddish spots, bumps, or rashes that come and go
Acne (often seen in conjunction with testosterone level disturbances)
Brittle, flaking nails or nails that fail to grow well
Hair loss (on the head) or gaining hair in all the wrong places elsewhere
Getting sick more often, especially upper respiratory tract infections and in women, persistent urinary tract infections.
Bedwetting in kiddos
Delayed wound healing
Gaining or losing weight without trying
Poor sleep
Iron deficiency anemia (roughly 50% of people with thyroid disease struggle with this)

That’s the bulk of this particular crime scene checklist. Thyroid disease is very interesting in that the severity of symptoms often are not reflected in thyroid specific lab work. Lab Work is based on a standardized bell curve and not everyone fits exactly into that bell curve mold. Additionally, many western medicine health professionals only test TSH when first evaluating the competency of the thyroid gland. That alone is insufficient information to determine thyroid function. This list of possible symptoms, while not completely comprehensive, is more valuable in determining the probable health of your thyroid than a single TSH test.

More to come friends.

xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring

#lovingyourthyroidisgoodmedicine

#itsthelittlethings

#becomingyourownhealthdetective

#goodmedicine

The Business of Birth Control

Liz James · February 4, 2022 ·

The best “good medicine” is being a well informed consumer. Roughly one in seven women (age 15-49) currently use “the pill”. Know what it is and what it does before you say yes to it. (trailer here)https://watch.showandtell.film/watch/bobc-2-4-22(full documentary here…and free this weekend!)

https://www.thebusinessof.life/events…

#knowingyourmedicineisgoodmedicine

#theapplicationofknowledgeispower

#truthmatters

#healthyalternatives

#becomingyourownhealthdetective

the business of birth control