Years ago a friend told me to switch to an organic cotton tampon. Why? “Because it really reduced the amount of bleeding” she said.
It was true. The next period I had was shorter and lighter. I had changed nothing else and my cycle had always been the same.
Why might this be?
Unfortunately many brands of feminine hygiene products bleach the GM, non-organic cotton and treat them to make the pads and tampons bright , shiny and white.
Sounds nice, but the problem lies within the very delicate nature of our “downstairs area” and it’s highly absorbent nature.
The mucous membranes within the vagina are very absorbent and susceptible to inflammation.. anything that we put on or that comes into contact with our skin can be absorbed straight into our blood stream and into your organs.
What exactly might you be absorbing?
* Dioxin: Many brands use a high percentage of Rayon (a synthetic fibre derived from wood pulp) in their hygiene products, which is chlorine-bleached to increase its absorbency. Chlorine bleaching of the wood pulp produces a chemical compound called dioxin. Research suggests that dioxin is an endocrine disrupting chemical that mimics oestrogen and disrupts hormonal function within the body. It has been linked to immune system suppression, breast cancer, reproductive and developmental problems.
* Synthetic Fragrances : Quite simply these can be irritating, leading to dryness and/or itchiness as they alter the pH level of the vagina and are highly likely to be absorbed within the mucous membranes.
* Pesticides: Non-organic cotton is sprayed with pesticides. The nature of cotton (which nowadays is mostly genetically modified) is that these pesticides become more and more toxic – remember that you will be absorbing these toxins directly into your body.
What I use:
TOMS Organic Tampons. They are the cleanest disposables I can find. The cotton they use is not genetically modified and is not treated with any pesticides. There are no fragrances, dyes, perfumes or bleaches.
Useful resources:
For more on the chemical side of your tampons and pads: www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/feminine-hygiene-products_b_3359581.html
A YouTube channel about reusable menstrual products is this one: http://www.youtube.com/user/preciousstarspads. As a friend of mine said to me as she recommended this site: “It’s heartening to see a community of teenage girls taking back ownership of their bodies!”
An American company that makes reusable pads and does a similar one-for-one thing as TOMS by giving girls pads in Africa is LunaPads: http://lunapads.com – their giving program is called One4Her and there’s a video on their site.
Warmth and Joy
Emma
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