Kathartica
Cancer
Posted Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:02 am...
I just wanted to tell you all about a wonderful invention that I haven't heard mention of on this site, so I'm gonna tell you all a little about it!
Tampons and pads are really bad for the environment... and your body! they are all bleached with and contain chlorine, which dumps dioxins directly into a very absorbant part of your body... those stay with you and build up over time. and not only in your body, when we flush tampons, or dispose of pads, those dioxins eventually make it to the ocean where they build up in fish and other aquatic life. most pads have a plastic top layer now, and they all have the sticky side... those either end up flushed directly out to the ocean, or get incinerated and have their fumes and toxic gasses land, once again, in our oceans. Not to mention that you can get toxic shock! not a thing to joke about at all... Organic cotton pads and tampons are better, but they're still wasteful- they get are made from labour, water, and energy intensive cotton, which gets used once then disposed of. even if they're bio degradable, it still generates polution simply shipping them to landfills, or makes it more energy intensive to clean our sewage.
SO... (drumroll please)
MENSTRUAL CUPS!!
they come in lots of varieties, with some slightly different shapes, under a couple of different brand names now, but basically, they're a soft reusable rubber or silicone cup that gets inserted vaginally and catches rather than absorbs your flow. this means that the natural ph balance and normal moisture of your deep south isn't adversely affected! (warning a little graphic from here on out) When you insert one of these things, it forms a seal against your vaginal wall, preventing any leaks. because it seals so well it also keeps water out... you can wear it swimming, in the bath... and it won't get supersaturated then leak watery blood down your leg like a tampon would. It's great for sports, or travelling or camping... you don't need to pack bulky monthly supplies just in case when you go away, just one tiny 2.5 inch long cup. To remove it you simply grab it with your finger tip and thumb and pull it out when it's full, then dump it in the toilet, if you want, rinse or wipe it, then reinsert. that easy! with a good cleaning (ie vineagar and water solution... or bring it in the shower with you, wash it with the same mild soaps you'd use on your body) at the end of every cycle, it'll last... infinately! the websites offer a guaranteed lifespan of x number of years, but really what are they gonna do, crack!? these things are practically indestructable... though watch it around pets... they like to chew on them, that's about the only way you can get a leak in one of these suckers
I bought a brand called a DivaCup almost 3 yrs ago now, it's no better probably than any other, but hey, it's made in canada, let's keep it local! It's made out of surgical grade silicone, and has a shorter stem than most models, though you can trim the little stem to whatever length you want. the stem is provided like the string on a tampon to help you retrieve the cup if it's gone too far, but I don't find it migrates much, so ultimately I cut the stem right off. It's a little odd at first, getting used to the idea of this "gross" reusable product, but now I truly believe that disposables are much grosser!! It took some adjusting too, to get used to smooth and quick emptying and replacing, but once you've got how to insert it down pat, it's so soft and comfortable, and not scratchy and dry like a tampon... I don't feel that it's there, honestly. My first DivaCup lasted over a year, and met a sad demise only at the mouth of my unsupervised puppy, the second one I've had ever since.
Honestly ladies, I can't force you to try it, but please at least do a little research? consider it? it's one of the cleanest easiest, most eco friendly, and self friendly things I've ever heard of!
Tampons and pads are really bad for the environment... and your body! they are all bleached with and contain chlorine, which dumps dioxins directly into a very absorbant part of your body... those stay with you and build up over time. and not only in your body, when we flush tampons, or dispose of pads, those dioxins eventually make it to the ocean where they build up in fish and other aquatic life. most pads have a plastic top layer now, and they all have the sticky side... those either end up flushed directly out to the ocean, or get incinerated and have their fumes and toxic gasses land, once again, in our oceans. Not to mention that you can get toxic shock! not a thing to joke about at all... Organic cotton pads and tampons are better, but they're still wasteful- they get are made from labour, water, and energy intensive cotton, which gets used once then disposed of. even if they're bio degradable, it still generates polution simply shipping them to landfills, or makes it more energy intensive to clean our sewage.
SO... (drumroll please)
MENSTRUAL CUPS!!
they come in lots of varieties, with some slightly different shapes, under a couple of different brand names now, but basically, they're a soft reusable rubber or silicone cup that gets inserted vaginally and catches rather than absorbs your flow. this means that the natural ph balance and normal moisture of your deep south isn't adversely affected! (warning a little graphic from here on out) When you insert one of these things, it forms a seal against your vaginal wall, preventing any leaks. because it seals so well it also keeps water out... you can wear it swimming, in the bath... and it won't get supersaturated then leak watery blood down your leg like a tampon would. It's great for sports, or travelling or camping... you don't need to pack bulky monthly supplies just in case when you go away, just one tiny 2.5 inch long cup. To remove it you simply grab it with your finger tip and thumb and pull it out when it's full, then dump it in the toilet, if you want, rinse or wipe it, then reinsert. that easy! with a good cleaning (ie vineagar and water solution... or bring it in the shower with you, wash it with the same mild soaps you'd use on your body) at the end of every cycle, it'll last... infinately! the websites offer a guaranteed lifespan of x number of years, but really what are they gonna do, crack!? these things are practically indestructable... though watch it around pets... they like to chew on them, that's about the only way you can get a leak in one of these suckers
I bought a brand called a DivaCup almost 3 yrs ago now, it's no better probably than any other, but hey, it's made in canada, let's keep it local! It's made out of surgical grade silicone, and has a shorter stem than most models, though you can trim the little stem to whatever length you want. the stem is provided like the string on a tampon to help you retrieve the cup if it's gone too far, but I don't find it migrates much, so ultimately I cut the stem right off. It's a little odd at first, getting used to the idea of this "gross" reusable product, but now I truly believe that disposables are much grosser!! It took some adjusting too, to get used to smooth and quick emptying and replacing, but once you've got how to insert it down pat, it's so soft and comfortable, and not scratchy and dry like a tampon... I don't feel that it's there, honestly. My first DivaCup lasted over a year, and met a sad demise only at the mouth of my unsupervised puppy, the second one I've had ever since.
Honestly ladies, I can't force you to try it, but please at least do a little research? consider it? it's one of the cleanest easiest, most eco friendly, and self friendly things I've ever heard of!
I'm not crazy, it's just that I enjoy talking to the trees and singing to the moon...
)O(