kind classics: pads and tampons oh my!

Here's another one from the archives...enjoy!

[image error]This blog is for the ladies! Men no need to read further. Unless of course I have now grabbed your attention and you are curious. I found this article on EMagazine.com and what it had to say was quite disturbing! "According to waste consultant Franklin Associates 6.5 billion tampons and 13.5 billion sanitary pads plus their packaging ended up in landfills or sewer systems in 1998. And according to the Center for Marine Conservation over 170000 tampon applicators were collected along U.S. coastal areas between 1998 and 1999."  

So what's a girl to do? Well there are a couple really great options like Seventh Generation and Natracare I always go for the ones with wings. Love wings. These products are awesome for a number of reasons. They are whitened without chlorine are dye-free and are made with things like organic cotton and wheat based ingredients. The FDA does not require feminine products to put ingredients on their packaging so we have no idea what we are getting! But with Seventh Generation and Natracare we know exactly what's in store. 

I also like to use the slightly more pain-in-the-butt but oh so better for the environment GladRags washable pads or Lunapads. They are these little fabric pads that you snap into little liners. Personally I find Lunapads to be better for me than GladRags... I have used GladRags for so many years now. But Lunapads are softer and more thin. Yes it feels slightly like wearing a diaper but let's face it... Wearing regular pads do too. What I do is use my cloth pads and then let them soak in the sink and then throw them in the wash. It's super easy. I try to use these the most but if I'm in a hurry or leaving the house for the day I go for the Seventh Gen or Natracare pads so that I can change them. I like seventh gen the best.   

I am so not a tampon girl. Never have been probably never will be. But if you prefer tampons to pads then there are alternatives like the Diva Cup and the Keeper which are reusable cups made from silicone or rubber that you wash out and can reuse for up to ten years. Supposedly popular among European ladies. I haven't tried them but if you have I'd like to hear your thoughts. I love the idea of these but am freaked out by them cause I'm so not into tampons. But I think that if you like tampons you might be into these. Let me know!

There is a lot controversy about feminine protection. Chlorine nasty chemical is used to make pads and tampons ultra white. This creates water waste and there are some studies out there that say chlorine bleaching can cause dioxin bad news to leach into the body at very low levels. According to the EPA there is no safe level of dioxin exposure. It is a carcinogen. Frequent exposure to it using pads/tampons once a month for instance can lead to problems like hormone interruption and immunity issues. There are other bad things in pads and tampons like alcohol dyes some have rayon...but you get the point...they are no good. I don't want that stuff near me.

Bottom line - "regular" pads and tampons and such clog landfills use chemicals and "virgin" paper in their production and are bad for your body. I once heard a rumor that tampon manufacturers were adding asbestos to their products because asbestos makes women bleed more and this made women go out and buy more tampons. No truth has been found in this rumor but can you imagine if that were true!?

Be safer and use natural products that we know are organic and these companies are taking appropriate measures to be kind to the environment and our bodies? And if anyone has any more research on dioxins or asbestos in feminine products please leave your comments. I'd like to know.