Babies are a goal of yours or not, your system will always

Women are such amazing creatures that it’s downright mind boggling at times. I know what you’re thinking – you and I are both women, so such self-praise sounds a bit excessive.

But really, think about it for a minute. Our physical makeup is dramatically different from that of our male counterparts. We have to train nearly twice as hard to make any substantial gains in the gym, and we’re genetically preprogrammed to store more fat than men, all because of the differences in our hormonal makeup.

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Let’s face it, ladies, our bodies are built for child rearing, not heavy lifting or figure competitions. Regardless of whether those babies are a goal of yours or not, your system will always do its best to ensure a soft & comfortable atmosphere for that baby’s development during the first nine months of its existence.

Nature’s plan.

What’s even more interesting is the fact that if you’re actively working on preventing pregnancy, you’ll likely have an increased hormonal imbalance and even more pronounced effects of the estrogen hormone doing its job.

Not sure what I’m talking about? There is a phrase that will conjure up memories of bloat, fat gain, nausea, spotting or breakthrough bleeding, mood swings, and even severe headaches. It’s a short phrase with a lot of power. Ready?

“The Pill.”

Most of those who’ve tried birth control pills are well aware of their possible side effects. These are to be expected; anytime hormone levels are changed in any way, the body is bound to let you know of the changes.

Birth control pills are comprised of synthetic estrogen and progesterone (or in some cases, just one of those two). Since the menstrual cycle and ovulation are regulated by these hormones, this increase results in a variety of changes within the reproductive system, which results in pregnancy prevention.

Now, as any woman in the fitness industry knows, we try our very best to decrease the female hormones in our bodies. We all know that increased levels of testosterone, along with decreased estrogen hormones, are essential to the sense of well-being and overall health.

It’s testosterone that helps us gain lean mass, reduce fat storage, increase sexual desire, ward off that “I’m PMS’ing-leave-me-alone” mood, keep our skin healthy, and our minds sharp. Excessive levels of its opposing hormone, estrogen, produce the exact opposite effect on our bodies.

Clearly, increasing your very own estrogen levels by going on the pill sounds more than just a little crazy. It is, however, seen as an absolute necessity by most women. Many of us just accept the unfortunate side effects and learn to deal with the consequences of a less than perfect hormonal balance.

After all, what else is there?

That’s the question we’ll answer in this article. I’ve done some extensive research on the topic, including interviewing numerous fitness and figure competitors regarding their personal experiences with birth control pills. Each of these girls has discovered what works for her; whether it’s a lower dose estrogen pill or a viable alternative that does the job while keeping those hormone levels at least somewhat conducive to her hardcore fitness lifestyle and ultra-lean body goals.

Birth control is widely used in the world these days

There are a lot of options women can choose from now as there has been much advancement in birth control technology. One of the most widely used contraceptive devices in the world today is the IUD contraceptive devices. This is a T shaped device that is inserted inside the uterus. This device was first invented in the 1970’s, and was known to be somewhat infection prone, but advancements in technology and use of new materials have allowed manufactures to transform this device into an effective pregnancy prevention method.

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The biggest breakthrough was made when manufacturers replaced the so called “string” (the longest part of the T) with plastic material. This is one of the biggest advancements as plastic is an infection resistant material. This has made this device one of the most effective pregnancy prevention devices. They usually cost anywhere between $200 to $600 dollars but are worth every penny. You could buy these at any local gynecologist or health care provider. They are known to be very effective and statistics show that if used properly only one in a hundred women will become pregnant using these IUD contraceptive devices. It’s important to remember that these devices are not perfect. They certainly provide excellent protection against pregnancy they do not protect you against any other STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases).

There two main types of IUD’s available in the market today. They are the ParaGard and the Mirena. The ParaGard is a copper version of the device and contains no hormones. This type of device last for up to 12 years which is a very long period. On the other hand the Mirena does release hormones and will do you good for about 5 years. The main reason why most couples opt for IUD contraceptives is because they can have spontaneous intercourse. Since the ParaGard version contains no hormones it does not make any change in hormone levels. The Mirena on the other hand has known to lighten a woman’s period. The benefit of these devices is that both IUD’s allow women to quickly become pregnant after they are removed.

But as mentioned earlier these devices are not perfect. They do have a few minor drawbacks which are quite notable. With the ParaGard, women have been known to have heavier periods. This is even worse for women who already experience heavy periods as this device have a significant impact on your menstrual flow. These devices have also known to cause spotting between periods. Women have also reported menstrual cramps as well as back aches.

Another option you could choose is a birth control patch. These birth control patches are usually placed on a women’s arm, thigh or abdomen. Birth control patches work by releasing hormones that prevent ovulation. The logic’s simple. No egg for the sperm to fertilize, no pregnancy. The application of the patch needs to be synced with the monthly menstrual cycle. The Birth patch needs to be applied on the day after the period or on a particular day of the week (for example Sunday), and then changed on every week on the same day, for 3 weeks. The patch is not applied in the fourth week and the period starts. An additional form of contraception is recommended during the first week to prevent any surprises. The patch should be applied to area of skin that is free of any makeup, creams or lotions. The patch should never be trimmed in any way. Like IUD contraceptives, birth patches do not protect against STDs. This makes them ideal for married couples that are looking to have children yet.