Let’s talk feminine products! (Yes, this post is for men + women... everyone needs to be educated on this!)
You may be mindful of the food you eat and the products you put on your skin, but have you thought about what you put inside your body? This is honestly something I never thought of until about a year ago when I first read about organic tampons. It never occurred to me that feminine products and other reproductive health products would be something I needed to worry about containing chemicals and pesticides.
Did you know the vagina is one of the most absorbent parts of the body? The tissue that makes up the vaginal walls is actually more permeable than the skin and offers direct access to the circulatory system.
Feminine Care Products
Conventional tampons and pads are made of cotton and rayon. Cotton is a genetically modified crop (GMO). Almost all GMOs are designed to tolerate pesticides which means farmers douse GMO crops with pesticides to kill everything but the plant itself. Read this to learn more about the issues with GMOs.
Conventional cotton is sprayed with around nine different pesticides, five of which are known cancer-causing chemicals. These chemicals are bad for our health and they also negatively affect the surrounding ground, water sources, and the air we breathe. Glyphosate is an active ingredient in the weed killer Round Up. In 2015, Researchers found glyphosate in 85% of feminine hygiene products. In the same year, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated glyphosate as a probable carcinogen to humans.
Within the last year, two different individuals won court cases cases against Monsanto claiming glyphosate was a major factor in causing their non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Google "Monsanto cover up" to learn about how they manipulated studies and covered up the toxicity of their products.
Another toxin called dioxin has been found in trace amounts on tampons. Dioxin is a byproduct of the creation of rayon (they bleach wood pulp that is turned into synthetic fibers). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says dioxin is “highly toxic and can cause cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, damage to the immune system, and can interfere with hormones.” The FDA claims that these trace exposures from tampons pose no threat to human health. It’s estimated the average woman uses 11,000-13,000 tampons in a lifetime. I personally think this many exposures to dioxin, along with harmful pesticides and other chemicals, is concerning.
Another issue with conventional feminine products – the FDA has no mandate to include ingredients in the labeling of feminine care products. This means the companies that make these products are not required to list the ingredients on the packaging. Many tampons include added fragrances, additives, and synthetic fibers that are irritating to the body. You won’t find these ingredients listed on your conventional box of tampons so you don’t know exactly what is in them.
Replace your conventional feminine products with %100 organic, unbleached tampons, pads and liners.
There are so many amazing feminine care companies (created by women!) that promote the use of safer products and also give back to women who don’t have access to reproductive healthcare and education. These companies also list the ingredients in their products. Look for companies that are proud to show you what is in the products they sell! These are my favorite brands. You can find them in stores or set up monthly subscriptions to have products shipped to your door.
If you want to be more environmentally friendly and save money, you can learn how to use a period cup. I haven’t been brave enough to try it – it has a bit of a learning curve – but I’ve heard from fellow NTPs and many others that they love it! To learn more about the period cup, read this guide from Lee From America.
Reproductive Health Products
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Condoms and lubricants also contain harmful and carcinogenic chemicals that are not listed on the packaging.
Most condoms contain fragrances, odor masking agents, artificial flavors, and spermicides. Lubricants contain irritating chemicals like propylene glycol, paraben preservatives, fragrance, and polyethylene glycol. Some brands have even been found to contain a class of carcinogenic chemicals called nitrosamines.
"Fragrance" is a general term that companies use on packaging labels in beauty and personal care products. Companies are not required to disclose the mixture of chemicals they use to create "fragrance" or "parfum" so you have no idea what is actually in the product. There are around 1,000 chemicals that could be used under this one ingredient. Many of these chemicals have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system, according to the Environmental Working Group(EWG).
These two companies have safe condoms and lubricant that I personally use and trust:
*Disclaimer - if a conventional condom is all you have on hand, use it. I'm not recommending you never use them if that's all that is available to you.
Reducing your contact with toxins and irritating chemicals will help support your body's natural ability to detoxify. While we can't always avoid the chemicals and pollutants in our air, water, and soil, you can limit your toxic load by choosing safer products that protect your reproductive health and the environment!