The most important thing to remember about hormonal birth control methods such as the pill is that they are synthetic hormones. It isn't healthy for a woman to be exposed to them.

In fact, their long-term use will invariably increase a woman's risk of developing serious chronic illness. In addition to increasing health risks as dangerous as cancer and blood clots, birth control pills also deplete important nutrients, including vitamins B2, B6 and B12.

Side effects of birth control pills can include:

• Increased risk of breast and cervical cancers
• Increased risk of blood clotting, heart attack and stroke
• Migraines
• Gall bladder disease
• Increased blood pressure
• Weight gain
• Mood changes
• Nausea
• Irregular bleeding or spotting
• Benign liver tumors
• Breast tenderness
• Yeast overgrowth and infection

The use of birth control pills or synthetic hormones is actually rarely justified. If you're using birth control pills to control menstrual cycles, irregular bleeding, cysts or endometriosis, you are not treating the underlying dysfunction. Instead, you are simply increasing the risks to your health.

It is essential to balance the adrenal glands in these situations, as cortisol levels modulate and control the female hormones, especially progesterone. The pill only treats the symptoms instead of the disease, and causes its own side effects as your body continues to remain in an unhealthy state.

If you are using birth control pills solely as a contraceptive, there are a number of safe, alternative methods you can use instead, such as:

·         Male condoms: Condoms have a 98 percent effectiveness rate when used correctly, which is very nearly as effective as the birth control pill. A water-based lubricant will increase the effectiveness; do not use an oil-based lubricant, however, as they break the latex.

·         Female condoms: These thin, soft polyurethane pouches fitted inside the vagina before sex are 95 percent effective. Female condoms are less likely to tear than male condoms.

·         Diaphragm: Diaphragms, which must be fitted by a doctor, act as a barrier to sperm. When used correctly with spermicidal jellies, they are 92 to 98 percent effective.

·         Cervical cap: This heavy rubber cap fits tightly against the cervix and can be left in place for 48 hours. Like the diaphragm, a doctor must fit the cap. Proper fitting enhances the effectiveness above 91 percent.

·         Spermicides: Creams, jellies and suppositories contain chemicals that kill sperm. While they can increase the effectiveness of other forms of contraception listed here, I don't recommend using them alone.

·         Other natural methods to scientifically check your fertility.

Addtionally, any of the above methods can be combined with natural family planning where the woman accurately charts her cycle by regularly monitoring her first morning oral temperatures with an accurate thermometer, and also monitoring her cervical mucous for appearance and "ferning" patterns. If the two methods are combined then the effectiveness of the combined programs approaches that of birth contrrol pills in their ability to prevent pregnancy.