If you have read the blog post Get to Know Keisha , then you know that I am mom/stepmom to 8 wonderful human beings. 5 of those eight are girls. Once they reached the age range of pre-pubescent each child was subjected to the puberty talk. As a science nerd my version involved diagrams and in depth explanation of the female/male body and what makes or sex organs tick. They were none to thrilled about this while they were children. However, as adults, they are appreciative of the level of understandings that they were given.
The Problem
One thing I couldn’t give my girls, well at least not at first, was pain free periods. It was emotionally overwhelming to watch as they suffered through intensive cramping and pain. So severe in fact it was accompanied by vomiting and a minimum of three days home from school. The official diagnosis was dysmenorrhea. There were no signs of a more extensive problem, thankfully. Secondarily since they were teenagers that meant the hormones had not yet reached a standard or normal level. The body was still in the process of regulating them so naturally the physician offered birth control. Birth control in young teenage girls can help to regulate hormone levels and decrease the symptoms of dysmenorrhea.
The Risks
The hormones in birth control pills are synthetic. The most common hormones in the pill are progestin and estradiol which are the synthetic forms of Progesterone and Estrogen. Even though these synthetic materials mimic the actual hormones in your body there are still several risks. The risks include:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Blood clots; ranging from DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) to Pulmonary emboli
- Liver Tumors
- Increased Blood Pressure
Many women are not at risk for, and never experience any form of adverse reaction to birth control. Then there are women like me who develop liver problems as a result of intermittent use. Initially, birth control was the only route that seemed like a viable option to replace all the ibuprofen and Tylenol. At a bare minimum, it did the job.
The Solution
After having successfully created a formula for their great-grandmother, Savannah, I was prepared to take on menstruation. Through some staunch trial and error Code Red™ was born. For the past decade it has had a regular spot in my kitchen cabinet. Nothing has made me happier than watching my girls live fuller lives, with less chemical interference. Available as tea or an herb infused honey, the popularity of code red is rapidly on the rise. Get some today for yourself, or someone else in your life in need of relief.