Allow me to introduce myself…
A couple years ago, my girl gang got together for a friendsgiving (as one will do), and we started drinking, eating, and talking.
For reference, the two things I find so fascinating and absolutely appreciate about my girl gang is that they’re very welcoming/open, and also that they’re willing to share their stories and be vulnerable and honest with one another. Not one of us has a similar background or upbringing, but we’re all respectful of where we’re each at, and more than willing to meet halfway. Some of us are in serious relationships, some of us are single, some of us are mothers, some of us are living up the weekend. All of us care for each other.
This particular friendsgiving, one of us was trying to get pregnant. She started sharing about all the bloodwork she was getting done, all the testing for ovulation and egg viability. Scheduling sex with her partner and conversations with her OBGYN and fertility specialists about uterine health…
Up until this conversation started, I naively thought it was super easy to get pregnant.
No.
She went on to mention some of the habits that are detrimental to women’s hormones, that could potentially cause trouble when trying to get pregnant; like being on hormonal birth control for too long, chronic stress, eating disorders, exercise addiction, endurance athletics.
Well. At the time, I was an avid hormonal birth control taker (9pm alarm errday for over 2 decades), and I was convinced that I needed that pill until (if) I wanted to become a mother. And I was also fitting into *every* single bucket that she brought up for potential hormone health issues.
I also immediately realized that I had absolutely NO idea about how healthy MY uterus was, how viable MY eggs were, or even if reproducing was a thing I wanted to do. BUT all of a sudden I was acutely aware of my own lack of knowledge and extremely embarrassed at my previous assumption. No one had ever talked to me about this. Not my primary care physician. Not my OBGYN. No one.
Needless to say, I silently took in as much information as I could from the girls while they continued the mom-to-be conversation. After I calmed the negative thoughts in my head and made a mental note to call my doctors the next day, I jumped in with about a thousand questions (which of course they patiently and kindly answered).
Over the course of the next three months, I was INSATIABLE. I became the HUNGRIEST women’s hormone health student. I asked for second opinions, I did my own extensive research, I even bought courses to become a health coach so that I could learn about women’s hormones first hand.
What I learned was absolutely astounding.
The good news was: my eggs were viable, healthy, and my reproductive system and hormones were relatively well balanced for my age. No causes for concern.
The bad news was: holy f*cK!ng h-e-double-hockey-sticks it must have been a freaking MIRACLE. A straight act of God.
I was on hormonal birth control for over two decades. BAD. I had an eating disorder for almost as long. BAD. I had been actively restricting nutrients that my body needed. BAD. I hadn’t had a normal period or cycle in… I couldn’t even remember how long. BAD. The way I was waking up led to high cortisol levels. The exercise routine that I had cultivated led to a stressed out nervous system and a hormonal network that couldn’t keep up. The foods I was eating and the pans I was cooking them in were poisoning my system. The clothes I was wearing and what I washed them with were toxic. The Febreeze and candles in my house that I thought were calming me down were sending my body distress signals. Even my DEODORANT was sabotaging me…
What I had done to my body? Without even KNOWING it was bad? How does no one tell you this? Why is no one talking about it?!
SO, let’s talk about it 🙂