Dr. Jolene Brighten is an author, speaker, and women's health naturopathic doctor. In the first of her two-part series on hormonal birth control, Dr. Brighten talks with JJ about the harmful consequences of the birth control pill and what you can do to turn your health around! Listen as Dr. Brighten shares why hormonal birth control is often prescribed to manage symptoms and how it can actually end up making things worse. Dr. Brighten also explains how the pill can contribute to weight gain, as well as the issues with hormonal birth control in perimenopausal women, including an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Plus, Dr. Brighten reveals the top foods you should be adding to your diet to detox from the birth control pill and start feeling better again. And don’t forget to subscribe to the JJ Virgin Lifestyle Show so you can find out when the next episode in the series drops!   Freebies From Today’s Episode Get Dr. Jolene Brighten’s free Detox Diet Quickstart Guide by going to JJVirgin.com/pbcs.   Main Points From Today’s Episode Hormonal birth control shuts down your brain’s ability to communicate to your ovaries. It should come as no surprise that a drug as powerful as that can have long-term effects! More than 60% of women are using hormonal birth control to manage symptoms. While hormonal birth control is often prescribed as a quick-fix, it can result in serious consequences and doesn’t address the root cause of the problem. When you’re coming off of birth control, it’s key to care for your liver! Eating broccoli sprouts is a great way to do that since broccoli sprouts are very high in the constituents that help your liver detoxify all of your hormones.   Episode Play-By-Play [0:55] Introduction to today’s topic [3:03] Dr. Jolene Brighten’s career briefing [5:00] Listener shout-out [6:34] How Dr. Brighten became an expert in issues related to hormonal birth control [8:30] 97% to 99% of women have used hormonal birth control at some point in their lives. [9:20] Birth control pills are often prescribed for non-contraceptive reasons. [11.02] The connection between hormonal birth control and weight gain [12:50] Hormonal birth control is known to deplete nutrients that your mitochondria need. [14:15] Issues with hormonal birth control in perimenopausal women [18:04] Reversing the side effects of the birth control pill  [20:12] How to jumpstart detoxification [21:29] Why you should eat broccoli sprouts and how to enjoy them [23:52] The importance of high-quality protein [25:47] Eat plenty of fiber to feed your gut microbiome. [27:10] If you’re over 35 or under stress, you might not be digesting protein well. Try Metabolic Digestive Balance! [28:01] Listener’s question: When I add a bunch of fiber to my diet, I don’t feel well. What should I do? [29:30] It’s key to add fiber to your diet diet over time, not overnight! [31:02] Microbiome Balance contains 7 strains of probiotics and 4 strains of prebiotics.   Mentioned in this episode: Beyond the Pill: A 30-Day Program to Balance Your Hormones, Reclaim Your Body, and Reverse the Dangerous Side Effects of the Birth Control Pill, by Jolene Brighten Vital Choice Metabolic Digestive Balance Dark Chocolate Coconut Fiber Bar Extra Fiber Microbiome Balance You Are Stronger Than You Think JJ Virgin 7-Day Stop, Drop & Swap Challenge Become part of JJ’s community JJ Virgin Official Facebook page JJ Virgin on Instagram JJ Virgin on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices