Lybrel by Wyeth is short-sighted "medicine"

Naturopathic doctors believe that doing no harm is the best way to go. This may be why licensed NDs have such a good, safe track record. Due to NDs' dedication to this first principle of naturopathic medicine, short-term symptom management at the expense of long-term well being is not an option for treatment. This is frightningly not so for the pharmaceutical-managed medical system.

Most quick fixes, such as the new birth control drug Lybrel, approved this week for indefinitely delaying menstruation for the sake of contraception provide a convenience for unknowing consumers but inevitably cause harm. I predict that we will eventually learn over time that estrogenic pharmaceuticals prescribed, not for medical necessity, for the sake of convenience will suppress the fertility of the unknowing female consumer into a long-term stupor.

The fertility of the North American woman is at risk more now than it has ever been as our environment becomes increasingly estrogenic. In addition to the compounding effects of pesticides, bovine growth hormone and old-age putting women at risk of weaker fertility, the continual suppression of our body’s natural ovulatory cycle in exchange for over-consumption of growth-promoting estradiols and synthetic mimickers found in drugs for birth control and hormone replacement is downright dangerous.

I say “women, rebel!” Determine fertility based on simple symptoms such as cervical changes, fluid, basal body temperature and cycle length. Do not need to feed your daughters and selves estrogens to suppress natural hormonal rhythms. This inevitably has disastrous effects on the health of the ovaries, endocrine system and the ability of our bodies to conceive and carry to term when ready. Think twice spending a young lifetime suppressing fertility if pregnancy is desired in the future.

Learn to become more aware of your cycle at www.justisse.com and download a chart to help you learn your cycle. Here. fertility awareness chart

xox dr millie lytle nd

Suppression is Inferior Medicine

Naturopathic medicine follows the wise health traditions from Asia to North America with its practice of Chinese medicine, acupuncture, Ayurvedic, homeopathy, water cure-hydrotherapy, physical medicines, clinical nutrition, botanical medicines and western physiology, pathology and nutritional biochemistry.

NDs recognize the subtle and not-so-subtle medicinal properties in these modalities in order to stop signs of illness before a disease develops and relieve chronic pain and suffering. We say that for every year a condition has existed within a body, it takes a month to see its reversal. We believe that the body shows signs of superficial illness on the skin, mucous membranes, bronchial and sinuses. The more progressed an illness is, the further into the body, the symptoms are found. Suppressing a disease condition in a superficial local will only drive the condition further into the organ, tissues and cells causing potentially incurable or chronic illness down the line.

Instead of suppressing eczema, a sign of immune insufficiency reaction, for example with tar, petroleum and steroids, it's preferable to find the source of the skin condition- topical, environmental, nutritional- allergen. By removing as many allergic agents as possible and strengthening the immune system with good nutrition and other modalities, we see the condition resolving on its own, proof that the body has an ability to heal itself under the right conditions. This is superior medicine as it does not cause further harm in its methods and therefore will ultimately improve the quality of the life of the individual's body, mind, soul.

The individual is a wholistic being that must be respected in its entirety.