(no subject)
so yeah... my friends know that i swear by tampax tampons, but after reading
No wonder so many women in the world suffer from cervical cancer and womb tumors. Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in tampons? Why would they do this? Because asbestos makes you bleed more, if you bleed more, you're going to need to use more. Why isn't this against the law since asbestos is so dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all their wisdom, did not consider tampons as being ingested and, therefore, did not consider them illegal or dangerous. This month's Essence magazine mentions 2 manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative. The companies are: Organic Essentials @ 1-800-765-6491 and Terra Femme @ 1-800-755-0212.
HERE IS THE SCOOP: Tampons contain two things that are potentially harmful: >Rayon (for absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in bleaching). The tampon industry is convinced that we, as women, need bleached white products in order to view the product as pure and clean. The problem here is that the dioxin, can lead to very harmful problems for a woman. Dioxin is potentially carcinogenic (cancer-associated) and is toxic to the immune and reproductive systems. It has also been linked to endometriosis and lower sperm counts for men. For both sexes, it breaks down the immune system. Last September, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that there really is no "acceptable" level of exposure to dioxin given that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate. The real danger comes from repeated contact (Karen Couppert "Pulling the Plug on the Tampon Industry"). I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days a month, for 38 years is repeated contact", wouldn't you? Rayon contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin because it is a highly absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibers from the tampons are left behind in the vagina (as usually occurs), it creates a breeding ground for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer than it would with just cotton tampons. This is also the reason why TSS (toxic shock syndrome) occurs.
WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? Using feminine hygiene products that aren't bleached and that are all cotton. Other feminine hygiene products(pads/napkins) contain dioxin as well, but they are not nearly as dangerous. So, what can you do if you can't give up using tampons? Use tampons that are made from 100% UNBLEACHED cotton. Unfortunately, there are very few companies that make these safe tampons. They are usually only found in health food stores. (the best that i found were here http://www.pandorapads.com/organic_cotton_tampons.htm) Countries all over the world (Sweden, Germany,British Columbia, etc.) have demanded a switch to this safer tampon, while the US has decided to keep us in the dark about it. In 1989, activists in England mounted a campaign against chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000 letters later, the makers of sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching (one of the green methods available) (MS magazine, May/June 1995).
and doing research, reading the fine print on the box, and just thinking about it, ive decided to order organic tampons (or get organic pads)... this isnt just about TSS anymore, and the tampons of today arent the ones mom has used all of her life either... i completely disagree with the methods used in the manufacture of feminine hygiene products... read on behind the cut if you want to find out more...
No wonder so many women in the world suffer from cervical cancer and womb tumors. Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in tampons? Why would they do this? Because asbestos makes you bleed more, if you bleed more, you're going to need to use more. Why isn't this against the law since asbestos is so dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all their wisdom, did not consider tampons as being ingested and, therefore, did not consider them illegal or dangerous. This month's Essence magazine mentions 2 manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative. The companies are: Organic Essentials @ 1-800-765-6491 and Terra Femme @ 1-800-755-0212.
HERE IS THE SCOOP: Tampons contain two things that are potentially harmful: >Rayon (for absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in bleaching). The tampon industry is convinced that we, as women, need bleached white products in order to view the product as pure and clean. The problem here is that the dioxin, can lead to very harmful problems for a woman. Dioxin is potentially carcinogenic (cancer-associated) and is toxic to the immune and reproductive systems. It has also been linked to endometriosis and lower sperm counts for men. For both sexes, it breaks down the immune system. Last September, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that there really is no "acceptable" level of exposure to dioxin given that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate. The real danger comes from repeated contact (Karen Couppert "Pulling the Plug on the Tampon Industry"). I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days a month, for 38 years is repeated contact", wouldn't you? Rayon contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin because it is a highly absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibers from the tampons are left behind in the vagina (as usually occurs), it creates a breeding ground for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer than it would with just cotton tampons. This is also the reason why TSS (toxic shock syndrome) occurs.
WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? Using feminine hygiene products that aren't bleached and that are all cotton. Other feminine hygiene products(pads/napkins) contain dioxin as well, but they are not nearly as dangerous. So, what can you do if you can't give up using tampons? Use tampons that are made from 100% UNBLEACHED cotton. Unfortunately, there are very few companies that make these safe tampons. They are usually only found in health food stores. (the best that i found were here http://www.pandorapads.com/organic_cotton_tampons.htm) Countries all over the world (Sweden, Germany,British Columbia, etc.) have demanded a switch to this safer tampon, while the US has decided to keep us in the dark about it. In 1989, activists in England mounted a campaign against chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000 letters later, the makers of sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching (one of the green methods available) (MS magazine, May/June 1995).
and doing research, reading the fine print on the box, and just thinking about it, ive decided to order organic tampons (or get organic pads)... this isnt just about TSS anymore, and the tampons of today arent the ones mom has used all of her life either... i completely disagree with the methods used in the manufacture of feminine hygiene products... read on behind the cut if you want to find out more...