A Realistic Look at the Birth Control Pill & Women’s Health, with Alice Nguyen Artwork

Health Is A Skill with Todd Vande Hei

Welcome to the Health is a Skill podcast with host Todd Vande Hei! Todd is the CEO of Stark, which exists to change the future of health and fitness in the communities they serve. For the last 15 years, Todd has been on a journey to discover what it means to be in a state of peak health. After suffering from a series of seizures and being diagnosed with high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation in his early 30’s, Todd decided it was time to make a change. Those changes fell into one of four categories: lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, and stress management. But the biggest thing Todd learned through it all? Health is a skill. You’re not born with it, like some would like you to believe, and it isn’t acquired by simply buying another product or starting that new diet. Health is something you can create for yourself, and over time it is possible to attain peak health.

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Health Is A Skill with Todd Vande Hei

A Realistic Look at the Birth Control Pill & Women’s Health, with Alice Nguyen

December 12, 2024 • Todd Vande Hei • Season 1 • Episode 21

For decades women have been told that taking the birth control pill is the best approach to controlling their cycle and regulating hormones. But as more research has been done in recent years, it’s become apparent that maybe this isn’t the best choice for all women. On today’s episode of Health is a Skill, Todd sits down with Alice Nguyen—Stark’s head of functional medicine—this time to take a realistic look at the birth control pill and its overall effect on a woman’s health.

Todd begins the episode with a brief overview of the history of the birth control pill and why that matters in light of the way women are using it today. He then invites Alice to share her perspective—both as an expert on the topic and as a woman herself—on some of the common misconceptions surrounding the pill’s impact on a woman’s overall health, natural birth control alternatives, and the sizeable role diet and exercise play in hormone regulation and decreasing menstrual pain.

Whether you’re a woman yourself or simply have women in your life that you care about—this episode is one you can’t miss!

Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com

Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Women's Health and Birth Control
02:52 The Wheel of Health Concept
05:47 Pharmacology and Women's Health
09:10 The Impact of the Pill on Society
11:51 Misconceptions About the Pill
14:55 Negative Side Effects of Hormonal Birth Control
17:46 Acne and Hormonal Imbalances
21:06 Long-term Effects of Birth Control
24:08 Managing Menstrual Symptoms
26:49 Non-Hormonal Approaches to PMS
28:39 Addressing Micronutrient Deficiencies
31:55 The Role of Omega-3s in Hormonal Health
35:43 Natural Alternatives to Birth Control
40:53 Dietary Influences on Menstrual Health
44:32 Environmental Factors Affecting Women's Health
47:47 Stress Management and Hormonal Balance
52:46 Optimizing Hormonal Health Beyond Birth Control