Tag Archives: body

Nov20

Tips For Your Healthiest New Year Yet

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Tips For Your Healthiest New Year Yet

It’s usually around this time of the year that we realize that the months have flown by. Christmas is right around the corner and the end of the year is fast approaching. And with that, we tend to think ahead to what the new year will bring. Some of us will do this in good faith, hoping for a vast improvement on the current year, while others will be a little more pessimistic, thinking that most years are the same. Regardless of which camp you fall into, you may be thinking about making a commitment to be healthier next year. If that’s the case, then good for you – but be sure to read the do’s and don’ts of how to do it first:

Don’t Go Cold Turkey:

For most people, when they think about making healthy changes to their diet and lifestyle, they tend to think that going cold turkey is the answer. From cutting out sugar, coffee, and fatty foods to trying to take up an intense exercise regime, they tend to go from a somewhat unhealthy lifestyle to one that’s super strict. And guess what? It doesn’t last! Mainly because it’s too much of a change and it’s not realistic. When you make unrealistic changes like this, you’re going to find them too hard to stick to. When you want to commit to a healthy change, you need to know that it’s going to last. So, in this case, gradual changes are often best.

Do Read Reviews:

Whatever it is that you’re thinking of doing, be sure that you read up on it first. When you find detailed information like the AlgaeCal reviews, you’re going to find that you get all of the background information that you need. Then, you can make a call on whether that change or product, in particular, is good for you.

Do Talk To Your Doctor:

It’s also always a smart idea to talk to your doctor about any changes that you’re thinking of making. Firstly, this is so that they can be aware of what you’re doing. But it’s also so that they can be sure that you’re not making any rapid changes that could damage your health. At the same time, they will advise you on what’s best to do, as well as carry out key health checks to make sure that you start off on the right track.

Don’t Do Anything Drastic:

Even though it can be tempting, you really do have to make sure that you don’t do anything drastic. Anything dangerous or unhealthy, like over-exercising or restricting yourself with food, can seriously damage your health, and this will counteract what your initial commitment is trying to achieve. So be sure to relax, enjoy it, and be patient for your health to improve.

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Smoothies are a great in between meals snack!

Do Focus On The Change:

Above all else, be sure to focus on the change that you’ve committed to make. It’s easy to convince yourself that you need to cut back, but remember that this is a lifestyle change and not a diet. You need to focus on the change of being healthier, and nothing else!

Start out your new year with a bang, and be sure to follow these tips for your healthiest year yet!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov16

Why It’s Never Too Late To Learn How To Play An Instrument

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Why It’s Never Too Late To Learn How To Play An Instrument

“I should have learned to play the guitar, should’ve learned to play them drums”, so sang Dire Straits in 1985. While a total lack of musical knowledge or awareness hasn’t been an impediment to many people working in the music industry today, many of us regret either not having learned or abandoning the learning of a musical instrument. Today, we’ll look at why it’s never too late to pick up an instrument, the pedagogic and psychological benefits, as well as looking over some great instruments for neophyte musicians. Learning a musical instrument is more than just a fun hobby, it’s a valuable skill that has numerous cerebral benefits as well as being a cool trick to bust out a parties!

It’s literally never too late:

Virtually everyone benefits from some sort of creative outlet and while we’re all just sort of expected to find the right one in our teens or early twenties, many of us don’t find the right mode of self-expression until they get into middle or even old age. There are few subsets of people for whom the dexterity and mental faculties to play an instrument are prohibitive. If, for example, your arthritic hands make playing the guitar or piano problematic you may benefit just as much from learning the harmonica or the panpipes.

Getting over the learning curve:

The landfills are littered with guitars that were discarded because their owners deemed it “too hard”. Most of them were impatient children or teenagers (We all knew someone at school who quit their guitar lessons because they didn’t become a virtuoso within a month.). As an adult, you may surprise yourself with how well you navigate the learning curve. While your older mind may be set in its ways, you will have learned the value in persistence elsewhere in life.

For most instruments, unlocking the fundamentals is a huge step in smoothing out the steep learning curve. In guitar playing, for example, much of your musical vocabulary is formed by mastering the ‘barre chords’ – moveable chords. When one has the measure of these, they can play any minor or major chord from a good root position. It takes time to master, but it unlocks so much of the instrument’s potential when you do. When this obstacle is hurdled, a player has the inside scoop in learning to cover their favorite music and even learning to write their own.

Cerebral and psychological benefits:

When playing (or even listening) to music, multiple areas of the brain become active. Musicians may look calm and composed but there are firework displays in their neurons. Processing music is actually an incredibly complex mental process, giving our brains a great workout that most of the time we’re not even aware of. It keeps our brains young and aids cognitive dexterity.

Finding the right instrument:

Hopefully, you’ve been moved to consider taking up a musical instrument, but you may wonder which are the best or most accessible ‘starter instruments’. String instruments such as guitar, violin, piano, cello, and bass are fairly accessible for new learners, as are the flute and clarinet. The saxophone presents a slightly steeper learning curve but it’s so ubiquitous in so many forms of music, that learning to master it opens up a lot of doors. Once you have met the basics, it will be exciting to experiment with your sound and additional equipment. For example, you might want to buy premium guitar accessories like pedals to introduce a whole new style to your playing.

There’s no such thing as the wrong instrument. Even learning an instrument that you don’t stick with tends to be a gateway to learning more. And isn’t it always fun to try new things?!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Nov15

The Model Body

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The Model Body

Hey everyone and happy Hump Day! Okay, so I came to a shocking revelation over the weekend when I saw my fourteen year old cousin at a family get together. This young woman is tall (5’7 or 5’8, easily), thin as a rail, and probably one hundred and five pounds soaking wet. She has what I would call a “model” body. Literally. She is the most modelesque person I know and she could send pictures to Teen Vogue and they would call her for a photo shoot immediately. So imagine my surprise when she told me that the skirt that she had on was

A SIZE 6!!

She told me that the size two was too tight and the store didn’t have a four, so she went with the six. My mouth probably hung open for an uncomfortable amount of time, because I wear a four. Me. Sarah. The 5’1 1/4 (Because the quarter counts!), muscular thighs and booty from figure skating, never going to be a model twenty-something. And my baby cousin who looks like she could be in a double zero was wearing a size bigger than me? It just didn’t make sense.

Now, I get that all stores have slightly different sizing. I wear a two at Express, but am generally a solid four. But I was so baffled by what my cousin told me, because she looks like a model. And if this young lady wears a four usually, like me, then what in the hell are the models on the runway and in Vogue wearing?

I can’t wrap my mind around it. If my cousin who could be on a runway right now wears a four, then could the models be wearing sizes other than the double zero, zero, and size two, which seems standard in the fashion industry? Obviously these sizes exist and they’re beautiful. But how can those sizes be so different from my equally model sized cousin?

I don’t really know where I’m going with this but I just thought it was interesting, albeit a little mind blowing. Have you ever met someone whose body type doesn’t match their clothing size? What are your thoughts on the infamous fashion industry size standards? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Biz Journal

Nov9

The End Of Insomnia: Putting A Stop To Sleepless Nights

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The End Of Insomnia: Putting A Stop To Sleepless Nights

It is estimated that up to 60 million Americans experience insomnia each year. If you’re familiar with lying awake watching the clock tick by painfully slowly in the early hours, you’re not alone. Although insomnia is a common problem, this doesn’t make it any less serious. The reality is, that we need sleep. Without it, there’s a risk of physical and mental health complications. If you can’t sleep and you long to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and invigorated, hopefully this guide will prove helpful:

Setting Your Body Clock:

Many of us make the mistake of trying to catch up on sleep by napping during the day or getting up later the morning after. While this may provide temporary relief, in the long-term, it can actually exacerbate the symptoms of insomnia. Your body has an internal clock, and if you’re sleeping at all hours of the day, that clock is going to be off kilter. Try and establish a routine, which means that you go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on the weekends. Your body will get used to this new pattern, and hopefully, you’ll find that it is easier to doze off and get up in the morning. If you lose track of time very easily and you tend to fall asleep on the sofa, set an alarm or use an app to remind you to go to bed.

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 Sleepy time!

Seeing Your Doctor:

If you can’t sleep on a regular basis and you can’t even remember when you last had a good night’s sleep, consider making an appointment with your doctor. If you miss out on sleep, it can have a negative impact on your health and your mental well being. People who sleep well are proven to have a lower risk of stress, anxiety, and depression and they tend to have better immunity and higher energy levels. When you see your doctor, they may recommend making some changes to your lifestyle and also your sleeping environment.

In more severe cases, they may advise you to take medication. When you pick up your prescription, read the instructions carefully. If you develop side-effects, this may be a result of taking the wrong dosage, or it may be your body’s reaction to a new medication. If you’re worried about the dosage, speak to your doctor. If you have been advised incorrectly, you may wish to consider taking legal action and seek an expert for your malpractice claim. In many cases, side-effects occur as a natural response to medication, and it is sometimes possible to switch to other drugs that may not have the same impact.

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 #earlytobed #earlytorise

Exercising:

Exercising has multiple benefits for people who struggle to sleep. Exercise tires the body out, but it also has powerful stress and anxiety relieving properties. When you’re worried about something or you feel like you’re under pressure, this can make it really difficult to switch off at night. If you can clear your mind and relax before you get into bed, this is going to improve your sleep quality enormously. Activities that are particularly beneficial for relaxation include yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, swimming, walking, team sports, and kickboxing. insom2.png

 Get your yoga on before bed!

Leaving Work At The Office:

Do you check emails in bed or spend hours thinking about what you’ve got to do tomorrow? It’s easier said than done, but leaving work at the office is so important. Nobody is capable of working twenty-four hours a day, and it’s vital to have a healthy work/life balance. You need downtime to recover, rest, and relax. When you get home, don’t start looking at your inbox and focus on enjoying the evening. If you get a good night’s sleep, you’ll work much more efficiently the next day. Read a book, chat with your friends, watch TV, and just chill out.

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No more checking your phone before bed!

Are sleepless nights taking their toll on you? If you’re not getting enough sleep, the sooner you make changes, the better. Try and adapt your routine to ensure that you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day and aim to incorporate exercise sessions and time to wind down and relax into your daily regime. If you’ve made changes, but you still can’t sleep, don’t hesitate to see your doctor. There are treatments out there that can help you tackle insomnia and get the rest you need.

Oct10

Building Up Your Health From The Inside Out

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Building Up Your Health From The Inside Out

We all know that being the right weight, eating well, and exercising is good for our bodies. But did you know that your body might still be suffering on the inside, even though you’ve managed to get the outside of your body looking at it’s best? Unfortunately, a part of life includes suffering with ailments. This all depends on your family history, what you’ve done in the past (like smoking), and also what you’re exposed to during current life that could affect your health. Here’s how you can build up your inner health to get yourself back at peak condition from the inside out:

Stomach:

Our stomach puts up with a lot of unfortunate issues, regardless of what you have put in it. We’ve all had stomach bugs where it has caused us to have major yuck sessions, so over time there is bound to be some damage done to our tummy that might even make us suffer as we get older. It’s also likely that you’ve enjoyed some alcohol in the past, alongside rich and spicy foods – all of which will damage your insides.

Making sure that you’re eating food that’s not going to do your stomach any harm a majority of the time will help you out in the long run. Many people experience ailments like heartburn or acid reflux. If this is you, consider changing your diet to something less acidic and also head to your pharmacy for some OTC medication to relieve your symptoms. You can also achieve heartburn relief through methods like chewing gum, eating bananas, and introducing probiotics into your healthcare routine.

Bones:

Your bones are literally what holds you together. However, many of us forget to look after them and end up with conditions like osteoporosis, which is weakened bones that are more likely to fracture and crumble. There are supplements available like AlgaeCal which relieves the symptoms of osteoporosis because of the AlgaeCal plant calcium, which is what our bones need to stay strong and healthy.

If you are worried about the wellness of your bones, be sure to visit your doctor who can arrange necessary tests and scans to check if you have any underlying conditions and to discuss the treatment of your discomfort.

Lungs:

Our lungs are vital in how we breathe, and they send oxygen to the heart so that it can pump blood around our bodies and keep us alive. Make sure that you’re not exposed to things that could be damaging to your lungs like asbestos or anything where you’re frequently exposed to small particles in the air. If you’re worried about asbestos in your home, you should call a professional in Asbestos Removal immediately to get their opinion. Having a specialist remove this, with the right equipment is important as doing this yourself could cause a significant amount of harm. Of course, you should also avoid smoking as this will also help you to protect your lungs and their health.

Give your inner self a fighting chance to get stronger quickly and try these bits of advice today. Remember to speak to your GP before self medicating, even if it’s a supplement. Stay healthy and happy!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct2

Why You Can’t Get To Sleep At Night

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Why You Can’t Get To Sleep At Night

Sleep is incredibly important for your mental and physical well-being. Some health professionals have even gone so far as to say that getting an adequate night’s sleep is as important as a well-balanced diet. For this reason, if you are struggling to get a decent night’s sleep, you need to come up with some ideas as to why, and try to combat them. Here are some of the most common:

You’ve Slept In: Lots of people stay up late one night and then sleep in the morning after to make up for it. It makes sense to do this, but unfortunately, it’s the reason why you can’t sleep now. Doing this throws off your body clock, and makes it harder to fall asleep again at night, as your body is now programmed to go to sleep at a later time. The most obvious remedy to this is to not have late nights, but I know that isn’t always possible. Instead, ensure that you don’t sleep in more than an hour later than you usually do, and have a short 20 to 30 minute nap in the afternoon if you start to feel tired. Just make sure that it’s no more than 20 to 30 minutes, otherwise, you will still be wide awake in the evening, and be back to your original issue.

You Need A New Mattress: If your mattress is lumpy and uncomfortable, then it’s understandable that you can’t fall asleep on it. You should aim to replace your mattress every 8 to 10 years, depending on how comfortable and supportive it is, but you can replace it sooner or later than that depending on its state. Even if you only got a new mattress a few years ago, you might still need to get a new one, depending on your own preference. If you have back pain, for example, you might want to invest in a specialty back pain mattress to help you sleep more soundly at night.

A mattress is an important purchase – you’re going to be sleeping on it every night! Definitely shop around and gather more information as needed when considering your options. When shopping for a mattress, think about what you need to get a good night’s sleep. Do you prefer something with cooling properties? An extra firm mattress? Or maybe something that works better for your body type, whether that’s exploring the best mattresses and the best beds for heavy people or seeking options tailored to those with back pain to find your ideal fit. Everyone has different preferences so a mattress a friend recommends might not work for you.

You’re Worried About Something: If you’ve had a particularly tricky day at work or have had an argument with a loved one, it’s often when you’re trying to sleep that these thoughts creep up on you. It may be hard to control our thoughts when we’re wide awake and alert, but it’s even harder when we’re slowly drifting in and out of consciousness. Although you can drift in and out of sleep while worried, it certainly doesn’t feel like you’re sleeping, so you wake up feeling as if you haven’t slept at all. If you’re feeling worried or anxious while you’re trying to sleep, you should keep the lights off, but go to another place in your house for a little while. This stops you from associating your bed with your anxieties and difficulty sleeping.

You’re Hungry: If you go to bed while you’re still hungry, you are never going to have a decent night’s sleep. Hunger pangs are sure to wake you up, that’s if the sound of your stomach growling doesn’t first. To avoid this, you should have a snack before you go to bed. You should opt for something high in protein, as this often makes us feel fuller than fat or carbohydrates. Something like a hard-boiled egg will do the trick and keep you from going to bed growling.

You Can See Light: Although some children, and even adults, struggle to sleep without some sort of light on, whether this is a small night light, a lamp, or the main light in your bedroom, it’s unlikely that they have a fulfilling sleep. This is because even the smallest amounts of light can pierce your retina, and send signals to your brain to keep you awake. Even the tiny light on your TV or DVD player can cause issues. The easiest way to combat this is to make sure that there is no light on in your room. Even the streetlights outside could be keeping you awake, so be sure to buy blackout curtains or blinds. You could even buy an eye mask to block out any light sources that you can’t control so that your brain knows that it really is night time.

There is a whole variety of reasons that you may not be able to sleep at night, so if none of these are right, then there is always something else that you can try. Sleep deprivation is a serious issue, so if you’re not getting any sleep for days in a row, be sure to visit your doctor and ask for some advice. sleepyy1

Zzzzzzz

Featured Image By: Flickr

Sep25

Warding Off Fresher’s Flu: Making It Through Your First Weeks Of College

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Warding Off Fresher’s Flu: Making It Through Your First Weeks Of College

Every year, hundreds of thousands of young people head away from home to study at a college of their choice. This is a brilliant opportunity. If you are heading away soon, you will have all sorts of wonderful things to look forward to: meeting new people, settling into new surroundings, and boosting your social life as you search for new friends. However, there’s one less positive thing that most students have to face: fresher’s flu. Here are a few pieces of information and knowledge that will allow you to deal with fresher’s flu in the best way possible:

What Is Fresher’s Flu?

So, what actually is fresher’s flu? While the term may not be medically recognized, the condition and symptoms are far from a myth. Essentially, “fresher’s flu” is the batch of illnesses that students are exposed to during the first few weeks of university. Symptoms can include shivering, dry fever, coughs, sneezes, headaches, grogginess, and blocked sinuses. This is obviously a less than ideal experience when you find that you are far from home and the comfort of your mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup. So what causes this mysterious condition? When a new term starts at university, people from all over the world arrive with pathogens to which they are immune, but others may not be. Unsurprisingly, the poor diet and alcohol consumption often associated with the first few weeks of college doesn’t help this situation, either.

Treatments:

Don’t worry if you do contract fresher’s flu. It’s not the end of the world. Most symptoms will fade out by themselves over time, but you can make things more comfortable and bearable for yourself in the meantime. Use a sinus treatment such as a nasal decongestant, have plenty of soft tissues at hand, take painkillers for headaches or discomfort, and take things easy until you’re feeling rearing and ready to go again.

Precautions:

While it’s highly likely that you’ll get a little ill at some point or another, you want to minimize your chances of getting and spreading the flu. You definitely don’t want to miss out on any of the exciting events or important lectures going on when you first arrive. A good start is to drink responsibly. Excessive drinking is never a good move, regardless of where you are. Remember to eat a healthy diet. Even if you aren’t used to preparing meals for yourself, you can still easily consume your recommended fruits and veggies a day at the salad bar in your student center.

Another tip that you might also want to opt for is shaking hands when greeting new people rather than hugging. This contact is less direct, and you are less likely to pick up germs or illnesses this way, especially if you carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you and clean your hands regularly. This may also be a good time to set down the ground rules of a shared kitchen or shared bathrooms. Request that people stick to their own crockery, cutlery, and glasses to reduce the spread of the flu blues.

Being aware of potential causes of sickness, how to avoid illness, and how to treat symptoms will ensure that your first few weeks at college are the best and healthiest possible!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Sep25

Protecting Your Nearest And Dearest From The Pitfalls Of Ageing

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Protecting Your Nearest And Dearest From The Pitfalls Of Ageing

When we were young and vulnerable, our adult loved ones cared for us, fed us, and clothed us, and it is the way of life that we look after them as they proceed through the aging process. However, caring for an ageing relative can be something riddled with pitfalls and difficulties. To find out more about these and how to avoid them, read on:

Declining Health: Declining health is the most obvious pitfall that you want to protect your ageing loved ones from. So what can you actually do to help them stay in tip-top condition in their twilight years? It’s going to take a partnership between the both of you for the best results.

First, you will need them to take as much responsibility for their health as possible by eating well, exercising sensibly, and keeping up with medical appointments. You can help by being there to support and educate, if necessary, when they need it.

Something else that you can do to have a more direct role in helping is to look at websites like medicalert.systems with them. This is where you can get some information on medical alarms. These can really assist in keeping your loved ones safe if they have a medical emergency and you are not able to be there immediately to help.

Declining Mental State: Unfortunately, it’s not just physical health that can decline during your nearest and dearest’s twilight years. It’s also their mental health. This can be in terms of things like Alzheimer’s and dementia, which you can find out more about at webmd.com. As well as more general mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, which are sometimes brought on by isolated living conditions and going through the aging process.

Remember, as their physical health declines and people around them are passing away or moving into sheltered accommodation it can be very easy for your older relatives to become more isolated in their own home.  Seeing fewer people as time goes on can make it more likely that they will struggle with mental health issues as discussed at onlinelibrary.wiley.

To help in this situation, you can provide a regular schedule of contact for your ageing relatives, so they know that they will get to go out and see people that are important to them at least once a week. You can also encourage them to get involved in community programs, which will help to minimize isolation and allow them to make new friends.

Dementia isn’t quite such as easy of an issue to deal with, though. The best course of action here is to seek medical assessment and get some specialist help as soon as possible. As a residential setting may be the safest option.

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❤

Those Seeking To Take Advantage: Sadly, there are those in the world that seek to take advantage of the frailties of your loved ones as they age. This means that protecting them is a vital part of helping them to work through the pitfalls of ageing.

Help them keep up to date with the latest scam techniques, such as the ones mentioned on itv.com, both in the real world and online. Do be sure to do it in a sensible way that doesn’t scare them and feed into the isolation that is mentioned above. Offer too, to be around whenever they have consultations for work on the home done or a sale’s pitch so that you can help protect them against unscrupulous salespeople or con artists.

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Pixabay Image

Aging can be a sad and difficult process, but the above tips can help ease some of those hardships to make it all around more enjoyable for you and your loved one.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Sep6

Getting Strong Quickly (Without The Bulk)

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Getting Strong Quickly (Without The Bulk)

It’s the most common question people ask in relation to exercise, can you get fit or ripped in a short period of time? The short answer is no, but the way to build strength is something that can be done in a short period of time. It just requires a suitable exercise regime, as well as understanding the best approaches to exercise. A lot of women like to get stronger, but think that in order to do this, they would have to bulk up to the size of a small house, but this isn’t true at all. And here is how you can do it:

Lift Heavier Weights: We all tend to think that light dumbbells will do the job but, unfortunately, the only way to gain strength is to lift heavier weights. It’s going to be tiring to lift up to double your body weight so, instead of struggling, start off with body weight exercises. Strength training is going to look different for everyone and that is why it is best to research Effective strength training equipment for all levels. Using equipment that is outside of your current level can be dangerous and cause more harm to your body than good. Remember that the name of the game is starting out small and working yourself up and that is okay!

Fuel Your Body: You wouldn’t put the wrong fuel in your car, so why would you fill your body with the wrong nutrients? The fact is, that strength and power are all made with an excellent diet rich in the key nutrients, such as magnesium, calcium, and protein. If you are serious about embarking on an exercise regime that is going to help improve your strength, you need to make sure that you have the best nutrients in your body. Putting yourself under sudden physical pressure like lifting weights can be a strain to begin with, especially if you are weak in your bones. However, resistance training has been shown to increase bone density, but it’s always worth supplementing yourself with the right nutrients to increase your bone strength and overall physical strength. There are supplements like AlgaeCal that are good for overall bone health, but some people are concerned with the side effects of supplements, especially if you haven’t taken them before. You can look up the AlgaeCal side effects online and make a decision for yourself, but if you aren’t fueling yourself with the adequate diet, then you need to have supplements, as well, to make sure that you are recovering properly.

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 Yummmm

Rest And Recovery: A common problem that people have when it comes to starting an exercise routine is that they go 9000% and burn out quickly. People will work out every morning, afternoon, and night, and this will only make you weaker over time, so make sure that you get enough sleep and take days off. When you rest, it gives your muscles time to recover and to rebuild, so, therefore, you rebuild strength.

It is possible to gain strength without gaining size, but the important thing is to lift heavy weights for a short period of time. This is where a move like a deadlift or power clean (shown in the Featured Image picture) will come in handy, because it’s an explosive move where you have to generate the most amount of strength in your body for the shortest period of time, and this is the key to gaining strength. Combining this with a great diet and additional supplements is the best way to get strong quickly. Hello, beach bod!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Aug1

4 Surprising Truths About Coming Off Of Birth Control

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4 Surprising Truths About Coming Off Of Birth Control

Birth control has offered women more freedom than our forebears would have ever been able to imagine. Not only does it give us the chance to take full control over our reproductive choices, but it can also be used to ease the suffering that painful periods can cause.

However, with every up there tends to be a down – and birth control has its downsides. For some women, the side effects can be severe. Rather annoyingly, those side effects can be similar to the hormonal problems that they were hoping birth control would help – there’s never any predicting with synthetic hormones! The much-vaunted male contraceptive injection actually had its trial stopped as the subjects were struggling so much with the same side effects that female birth control can produce (Boohoo!)

Side effects aside, there are other reasons for coming off of birth control. The most obvious, of course, is in an attempt to get pregnant.

Whatever your reason for ditching the birth control, it’s not as simple as letting it run out and going back to normal. While using the medication, having the injection, or implant – your female hormones have been being controlled in a synthetic manner. Your body is thus going to need a little time to adjust back to normal – which can be quite the shock if you’re not expecting it. So in an effort to ensure that no one comes off of birth control uninformed, here are a few of the problems that you might find yourself experiencing:

#1 – It’ll Take a While to Become Fertile Again

If you have come off of birth control in pursuit of pregnancy, then you’re going to have to be patient. It can take up to six months for your body to regulate itself and settle into a reliable menstrual cycle. Only at this point can you begin to think of conceiving. The clock doesn’t start the moment you get rid of your birth control, it starts six months down the line.

This is important to bear in mind when it comes to worrying about a perceived failure to conceive. What seems like seven months of trying without success can actually be only a month. There is still plenty of time before you need to think about delving into resources about fertility medications and taking medical advice. It’s advisable to wait at least a year after you have ceased using birth control before worrying about a lack of conception. While 20% of women are able to fall pregnant within a month of stopping birth control, medical professionals are unlikely to want to investigate too far until the oft-quoted six months has passed.

#2 – Hormonal Acne Makes a Comeback

One of the more pleasant side effects of birth control is that it can help reduce acne, especially if you’re taking the so-called “mini pill”. Of course, the moment that you stop using the medication, there’s a chance that your acne will return.

Hormonal acne is one of the more stubborn forms of acne. If you have more than a few zits per month or the ones that you do have are deep, cystic, and cause a lot of pain – then there’s no point continuing to suffer through it. Speak to your doctor about your options for managing the condition and start a skincare regime, with a specific focus on using BHA, a form of acid found in skin, to help get to the root of the problem.

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Whomp whomp

#3 – Be Aware of Your Need for Vitamin D

Rather surprisingly, scientific evidence has shown that women who stop using birth control are liable to see depletions in their Vitamin D levels. It’s important that you get to know the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency, so that you can be ready for action should you begin to display any signs of them.

Of course, you can also just skip right to the obvious and begin taking a Vitamin D supplement when you finish your last round of birth control. If you decide to go the natural route, then Vitamin D is primarily derived from sunlight – but make sure that you keep exposure short, and continue to use an SPF when out in the sunshine for long periods.

#4 – You Might Experience Some Emotional Upset

Most of us are well aware of what hormonal changes can do to our moods. When you stop using birth control, you may find that you have a couple of weeks where you feel like you’re in permanent PMS. It sounds miserable, but it will pass. You just need to ride it out; eventually your natural hormonal rhythms will take over and you’ll return to feeling like your usual self.

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There’s no doubt that coming off of birth control can mean changes for your body – but it’s definitely a storm that you’re going to be able to weather!

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