I was talking to a friend last night about tampons and how it could effect your Fertility, so I chose to do some research, and have been researching this for the last 4 hours, haha! Did you know not only can tampons cause Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) but possibly be associated with everything from Endometriosis to Infertility. And even potential to cause female cancers. Ok, let's rewind. Dioxins are chemicals which are toxic and are usually a by-product of plastics and chlorinated products. Dioxin is the most deadly man made chemical, a second in line to radioactive waste. Dioxin is found in items which have been bleached, including paper (which is made from wood pulp and chlorine) Unfortunately tampons are also made from wood pulp and chlorine and called rayon. In 1994, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a report that states that dioxins are known to cause cancer in animals, and probably cause cancer in people. The EPA also has determined that people exposed to high levels of dioxins may be at risk for a damaged immune system, increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and reduced fertility. Recent research on monkeys has linked dioxin exposure with an increased risk to develop Endometriosis. One study found that 80% of the monkeys exposed to dioxin developed Endometriosis, and the higher levels of exposure caused the development of more severe forms of the disease. Tampons contain low levels of dioxins so the FDA satys it is fine. But, according to the EPA, there really is no "acceptable" level of exposure to dioxin.
Many people are unaware that cotton plants are one of the most heavily sprayed crops- sprayed with chemical herbicides and pesticides. Both of these substances contain known carcinogens (cancer causing substances like dioxin) as well as hormone disruptors. The effect of pesticides on the unborn child and its link with miscarriage has also been well documented. Tampons derived from these 'conventional' cotton fields are then bleached with chlorine gas to change the cotton from its natural cream colour to make them white - which we apparently find more 'aesthetically pleasing' as consumers. Some companies have also sneakily started using the sythetic fibres rayon and polyester in tampons as they are cheaper to manufacture than natural cotton. When inserted into the most delicate part of our bodies- the birth canal, not only do these chemicals significantly increase our risk of cervical cancer, but they also change the natural Ph balance of our cervical mucous (a primary factor for natural conception) as well as effectively kill sperm. I didn't know any of this and I'm not sure if any of ya'll do so I wanted to share what I have learned. I am throwing away all the tampons and using pads! I don't need to risk getting anything else because of tampons. For those who don't want to wear pads (I know they are just beyond nasty) find some Organic tampons. I just wanted to share what I have learned and boy did this take me forever! ;)
Ok, so the organic tampons are ok?? I didn't know ANY of this stuff!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know any of this either. Thank you so much for sharing! I'm going to need to look for those organic tampons, for some reason I can't do pads.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know this either. But it really does make a lot of sense when you think about it.
ReplyDeleteSo the big question is: where do I find organic tampons?? Maybe the tampon makers should switch to using bamboo - it's more absorbent and is environmentally friendly too.
ReplyDeleteI had my period for two years straight- every single day without stopping. I used tampons the entire time. I am not saying that's why I got cancer, but it definitely was not good for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this information with everyone. It's important to think about this stuff. Not just with tampons, but with every product we use.
This is great information! I had heard about the link between tampons and endo from my previous gyn and switched to pads, but I didn't know there were organic tampons. I'll have to look into those.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good bit of information I didn't know. I knew about the TSS, but the rest of it, wow. I am getting rid of my stash ASAP. I think if I use tampons at all, I will be using the little bit pricier organic ones, heck I might even invest in one of these: http://www.divacup.com better alternative to pads in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteGreat info to share! Unfortunately tampons are just so common, no one thinks twice about using them.
ReplyDeleteHave you looked into the diva cups at all? I haven't had the chance to use one yet, but they are basically a cup that fits over your cervix and holds the menstrual blood until you take it out. There are a few different brands and I think you can find them made out of different materials too.
Whoa... thats insane!! Thank you sooo much for sharing... Good Bye Tampons!!!! BTW- Whole Foods Market (National Chain) carries organic tampons! ;o)
ReplyDeleteI knew I hated tampons for some reason! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteFYI: www.seventhgeneration.com sells them and organic pads.
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Thanks for this post - I'll be checking Whole Foods for my organic tampons!
ReplyDeletewow! i had no idea! Thanks so much for sharing this info. I have thought about instead cups, Ive used them for ttc but not AF maybe time to give it a shot!
ReplyDeleteWOW. THANK YOU THANK YOU! I am going to get rid of all my tampons too. I can't bare to use pads but I will def pick up some of these organic ones. What a shame. And to think I might have caused some of my own problems this way. Ugh. And yeah, looks like Whole Foods carries them according to the 7th Gen website.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.seventhgeneration.com/Organic-Tampons
Oh wow. I had no idea! I don't use tampons either way. They are rather uncomfortable for me cause I could never get how exactly to insert. And I was always too paranoid because of Toxic Shock. Yeah, pads are like diapers, but you're not sticking anything harmful inside of you. Yikes! I love ya girl!
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting!! I never thought about that before, but you really should be thinking about what's inside of anything you put up your lady business, right?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post!
Disposable pads are still not a great option because they are full of the same plastic, chemicals, and bleached paper as tampons, plus the absorbent gel in some of them is NOT good for your system. Cloth pads made from organic cotton avoid those problems, but of course they have to be washed and are not as convenient on-the-go.
ReplyDeleteI just skimmed the other comments and saw that someone else recommended the Diva Cup -- please check it out! I know a lot of people get squeamish about it, but it's no worse than pulling out a tampon, seriously. Not to mention it pays for itself in just a few months (from $$ saved not buying disposable pads or tampons), no environmental waste, it can be sterilized, and NO chemicals anywhere near your lady parts! I've had one for 3 years (granted, I went 20 months without a period while pregnant/breastfeeding) and I *love* it. I'll never go back to tampons or disposable pads again!
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Anion pads. Negative ion strips have healing properties. The owner of the company and his wife went over a decade without being able to conceive their 2nd child. After the wife wore Anion she got pregnant. Now their new baby's picture is on their environmentally friendly diaper. Contact me at facefair@nanonow.ca for more info.
ReplyDelete