Why aren’t we talking about menstruation more? Do you still sneak through your bag, and slide a tampon, or pad up your sleeve, only to walk like a thief to the bathroom? Free the feminine products! Walk with it in your hand! They design them with cute patterns for a reason! Don’t go out of your way to make “that time of your month” a big secret.
Now, I will take the role of Abbie in 20th Century Women, “You need to be comfortable with the fact that the vagina menstruates. It’s not a big deal. So, start saying it now, ‘menstruation.’”
About 70% of women use tampons, but they probably don’t even know what’s in them. I looked through my own stash of feminine products, along with my roommates’, and could only find the ingredients for one package of Tampax Pearls. It said, “Ingredients (may contain): Cotton, rayon, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, fiber finishes.” How did I not ever think to look at what was in something I use every month? The FDA regulates feminine products but doesn’t make these companies tell their customers everything that’s in them. Even though tampons are generally safe, they can cause someone to have “Toxic Shock Syndrome.” Depending on the article you read, you’ll either be rest assured that tampons are safe for you and we may never know why TSS is linked to them, or you will be convinced the traces of rayon in tampons and the crystals in sanitary pads are slowly killing us! Do your research and get familiar with as much as you can with what you’re using – start here and try it with everything!
Here are some alternatives to the average tampon/sanitary pads:
1. Menstrual Cups
You probably have heard of the Diva Cup, and according to their site you can use it for about 12 hours. After that you just wash it, and reuse! Hooray for sustainable living!
2. Period Panties
THINX makes reusable underwear with the ability to backup or eliminate the need of menstrual cups, or tampons.
3. DIY Menstrual Pads
See how to make them here!
4. Organic Tampons
Sounds crazy, but is it? Look into LOLA products, who promises their products are made from organic cotton.
Comment with other suggestions.