jaye
Full Member
Posts: 165
|
Post by jaye on Sept 9, 2011 7:49:40 GMT -5
Ok. So I just read the information about dioxin levels in tampons and about a woman in my state who had her tampons independently tested for dioxin. I am fuming! My inner eco-feminist is awake and she is pissed! So since I started my periods I've hated pads and used only one brand of tampons, o.b. You know, they were designed by a woman and all that . And my enviro leanings were highly in favor of less applicator to go to landfills. To my surprise, o.b. was one of the names mentioned in these articles about dioxins! So I read their "statement." They must think we are friggin idiots!! Seriously? One of the first things they say is how dioxin is found in nature and is a product of wild fires! Well, I am not in the habit of sticking charred logs up my va-jay-jay so what does that have to do with anything? In case you were wondering if corporations gave a sh*t about us, they don't. Rant over.
|
|
|
Post by 1234 on Sept 9, 2011 8:08:46 GMT -5
I love the diva cup--have you tried that?
but I hate tampons--I'm allergic to them, except for the expensive organic ones at places like wholefoods, and they really hurt me. I'm allergic to pads too, except the expensive organic ones.
|
|
jaye
Full Member
Posts: 165
|
Post by jaye on Sept 9, 2011 9:02:07 GMT -5
I have a Keeper (like the diva cup) and mostly these days I use Glad rags which I really like. I never thought of myself as a pad girl but I've grown attached to them. Have you tried them? They are reusable cotton. I think they even have an organic cotton version. I was still using o.b.s for swimming but I will only use the Keeper for that now. I don't know what to do with the partial boxes I have left. Can I give them to other women in good conscience?
|
|
|
Post by 1234 on Sept 9, 2011 13:44:54 GMT -5
I haven't tried glad rags, but will look into them--thanks!
I guess if someone is going to buy tampons anyway, you're doing her a favor by providing them free. I've learnt that the diva cup and other alternatives aren't for everyone. I keep pushing it among my friends and they all think it's gross, while conceding that it certainly has financial and environmental benefits.
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Sept 9, 2011 14:21:10 GMT -5
So is there any brand that does not contain dioxins? Pads irritate me because they always become unattached/fold in on themselves or whatever, plus it makes me feel like I'm wearing a diaper. And those cup things gross me out. I don't know what it is--normal blood I am fine with, semen, urine, feces, saliva, whatever. Period blood and vomit just turn my stomach. I'm getting better about it, but not quite there yet.
This makes me very angry. What the sh*t @ tampon companies!
|
|
|
Post by JC on Sept 10, 2011 9:55:51 GMT -5
You have to buy the tampons that haven't been bleached white. That's where the dioxins are from. They aren't actually actively putting dioxin chemicals into the tampon. It's the chlorine in bleach that can combine with other compounds to create the dioxin molecule. Usually the "organic" ones sold at Whole Foods are the safer ones. Just look for packages that say "chlorine free." If they don't have chlorine in them, it can't form dioxin. This holds true for just about anything that has chlorine in it; it has the potential to create dioxin. I always buy chlorine free bleach and basically everything I buy is chlorine free.
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Sept 10, 2011 18:12:34 GMT -5
Thanks Jenaya, I will have to look for some.
|
|
|
Post by jessabug on Sept 13, 2011 20:04:22 GMT -5
Ooh, interesting! I read an article about dioxin in tampons too, so it's cool to hear that, Jenaya. I was wondering where it came from.
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Sept 23, 2011 11:35:55 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by painttheseconds on Sept 23, 2011 13:41:05 GMT -5
I know I need to start using Organic tampons. They are just so uncomfortable for me to get in even with an applicator. It really hurts to put them in and I hate pads. Guess I'm just going to have to try again.
|
|
|
Post by Karen on Sept 23, 2011 14:21:25 GMT -5
The endo association has done a LOT of research on dioxins. If I recall, the monkeys that they did the research on came from a university lab just down the street from my office. Scary that we have to prove things are harmful, rather than having companies prove that they are safe.
On another note, one other thing that stuck out to me was this comment: "On a slightly different topic, these hormone problems are exasperated by both the extreme fluoride exposure that most American women get, combined with iodine deficiencies."
I just did some reading last weekend about iodine deficiencies and how prevelant they are. One doctor's practice tested thousands of their patients and despite iodized salt supposedly fixing the iodine deficiency problem, over 90% didn't have nearly enough. The fluoride that's pumped into our drinking waters is moleculary similar to iodine and is hogging the iodine receptors we have. Not cool. Our ovaries (and other critical glands) need iodine, ladies!
|
|