1. Posted by munir_mohammad63 on Fri, Nov 09, 2007, 4:05 am PST

COULD WE FIND ANY VITAMIN TO FIGHT CFS DISEASE? MUNIR PAKISTAN

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2. Posted by whirlingwhitewind on Fri, Nov 09, 2007, 6:54 am PST

I wouldn't consider diaphrams, condoms and spermicides natural, myself. As to tracking the body's rythms, most people don't have the discipline to get to know their body, take the many months required to be sure of their unique temperature and mucous variations, and will-power to abstain. And even then, it's risky. It has been established that intercourse prior to ovulation results in conception more frequently than after, so if you have sex 2 days before ovulation (and clear mucous and temperature spikes), you can become pregnant! Also, few women have exact cycles and there are often oddball fluctuations - I had intercourse a day after I stopped bleeding and conceived! The reality is, if you don't want to get pregnant, there are NO herbal or natural methods you can really rely on (except abstinence). I wish there were, I prefer herbal and natural medicine and treatments, but...

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3. Posted by No Babies Here! on Fri, Nov 09, 2007, 7:26 am PST

Eh. Charting only works if you have a reliable cycle and ovulate on the same day every cycle. As women usually vary by several days every cycle, you can never know when it's actually "safe" to have sex until after ovulation is confirmed. There's half the month gone! And it's totally useless for those of us with more irregular cycles, or whose cervical mucus is iffy. Charting is for *trying* to conceive, not for avoiding it.

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4. Posted by bald is beautiful on Fri, Nov 09, 2007, 8:39 pm PST

As a mother of a teenage daughter who would rather use more natural choices than heading straight to the Doctor for a cure. I can tell you that I will be the first one to take her to my OBGYN to discuss birthcontol methods that are safe for people to use. I am not condoning sex in young adults but I am also realistic enough to know that if they are going to be sexualy active I would rather put my trust in the Deop-provera shot, which has the almost the same effectiveness as a condom yet it does not help prevent STD's, rather than rely on Queen Ann's Lace, or trying to get her to track her cycle, as most women know it can take years if it ever becomes regular enough for you to know when you will have a less likely chance to become pregnate. There are enough children having children in this world that I feel we need to take a more practical look at the matter. And for more information you can always call your local Planned Parenthood Clinic or go to your local Health Department and receive all the information you want on the best ways to prevent pregnacy in anyone not just teens. There is a saying that goes something like this. 'Doctors have a term for people who use the rhythm method, its called parenthood.'

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5. Posted by desirebystarlight on Sat, Nov 10, 2007, 9:52 am PST

I know it's not a popular choice of birth control but it has always worked for me when I wasn't tryng to conceive. Consume several highly caffeinated drinks right after you have sex. If you do that, then you significantly reduce your chances of ever becoming pregnant. I never once got pregnant doing this. The minute I went decaf, I had no problem conceiving. I went right back to using caffeine as a means of birth control afterwards. Works like a charm.

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6. Posted by whirlingwhitewind on Sat, Nov 10, 2007, 2:37 pm PST

Umm, desire, caffeine does not prevent conception. Sorry. Ask all the Moms who drink coffee and colas, LOL (myself included). In fact, drinking too much caffeine is advised against during pregnancy, so increasing your intake if you might be pregnant could be detrimental to the baby, but definitely won't stop a pregnancy from occurring.

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7. Posted by desirebystarlight on Sat, Nov 10, 2007, 5:34 pm PST

#6: Timing is everything and so is the amount consumed. It also matters how consistent one is doing this under any circumstance. I know it's not a widely known method but it does work. I'm not referring to casual consumption of coffee and colas here.

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8. Posted by Dman on Sat, Nov 10, 2007, 10:57 pm PST

Let's see what our options are for birth control.. . .. smear yam goo on yourself .. containing a plant based estrogen which is used to deter animals from destruction by ingestion.. -or- use a synthetic version of the exact chemcial your own body manufactures in order to , based on 50 years of research, safely regulate your own fertility. Remember... Natural does not mean "safe and efficacious" just as synthetic does not mean "harmful and polluting"

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9. Posted by whirlingwhitewind on Sun, Nov 11, 2007, 6:00 am PST

8 - Dman - you have a good point. "Natural" can also be very dangerous - if it has a drug effect, it must be given the same respect as any other drug. I would like to point out tho that some women cannot use the synthetic versions of birth control because it can promote blood clots, breast cancer, and such. Hormone therapy is still using an artificial, externally produced element to alter our natural cycle. Some people don't want to mess with their body this way, or can't tolerate it.

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10. Posted by whirlingwhitewind on Sun, Nov 11, 2007, 6:03 am PST

Desire, I have never heard of caffeine as a contraceptive. I am not questioning you personally, I am only concerned that younger women might try this, as well as the negative impact of excessive caffeine intake.

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11. Posted by wangyapeng on Sun, Nov 11, 2007, 6:37 am PST

你好 关于避孕，我听说在中国以前妓院有一种药物，为了不让女性怀孕，常给她们喝草药汤，但是现在已失传了。 谢谢 Ya

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12. Posted by julia k on Sun, Nov 11, 2007, 1:01 pm PST

What about black licorice or anise as a method of "morning after?"

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13. Posted by whirlingwhitewind on Mon, Nov 12, 2007, 5:35 am PST

12 - julia, while I am aware of certain herbs having anticonception or abortificant properties, I have not heard of these having those properties. The ones I am aware of can work but may not - it depends on the sensitivity of the individual's system, and determining the right dose can be difficult. As the doctor said, these methods are therefore unreliable. And as with anything, messing with "natural" or herbals can be dangerous when you don't know what you aredoing and what the properties and interactions of it is. Even supplements you can purchase aren't necessarily safe or effective as you have no way of knowing how something has been processed, how much and what filler is included, or if there are adverse qualities, as the supplemet market is unregulated. That is why I only use herbal remedies from plants I grow and harvest myself, or in unprocessed form from a trusted source.

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14. Posted by buteful gift of yah zveedah ben on Sat, Nov 24, 2007, 3:00 pm PST

Thanks

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15. Posted by Kathleen on Sat, Dec 29, 2007, 11:04 am PST

Dear Dr. Weil, I just found this blog, so I haven't had a chance to read a lot of it. I hope my comments are appropriate to the topic and to your mission. I admire your integrative approach for developing healthy lifestyles, but I feel like this entry falls short of that ideology. This seemingly neutral and objective information about contraception, implies that contraception is part of a healthy, holistic lifestyle. I don't believe it is. By separating the procreative aspects of the sexual union from the unitive aspects, it creates a barrier between couples and the true spiritual intimacy that God intends for them. It drastically impairs their ability to communicate on the deeper levels needed for healthy, holistic lifestyles. That impairment then carries over into relationships outside the marriage, leading to our world being impaired when it comes to creating a better one. By denying a woman's fertility cycle, and closing off their hearts to children, a couple is putting their sexual desires ahead of the good of their family and the rest of society. In the case of premarital sex, they are putting their sexual desires ahead of everything. Lifelong chastity, in mind, body and spirit, in and out of marriage, is the only successful holistic lifestyle I know of. Even women with erratic menstrual cycles can succeed with it. Contraception is not needed. Better education is. After all, if we truly believe our children have the willpower to say No to Drugs, we should believe they can also say No to Sex, and No to Self-Centered Gratification, and no to remaining ignorant about holistic chastity. And we should be role models for them, by learning and practicing it ourselves. To recap, I don't believe contracepting is part of a healthy lifestyle, short or long term, individually or collectively. I believe lifelong chastity, in mind, body, and spirit, is the best approach. I would love to see more holistic information provided about it. As a footnote - Natural Family Planning is not intended for contracepting or for denying the gift of children. It is meant for responsible parenthood with an openness to love, life, family and marriage. Peace, Kathleen

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