Wednesday, May 29, 2013

FEMININE PROTECTION PRODUCTS

 
The tag lines for feminine protection products would have you believe that they are a woman’s best friend: “We always have you covered. Make it easy to stay fresh. For girls who don’t just go with the flow”. Pretty catchy lines, but the sad truth is that these products harbor a very dark side that millions of innocent women do not think twice about.
 
The average North American woman uses over 11,000 tampons or pads. In the US alone, there are over 85 million women of menstruating age, and according to the National Women’s Health Network, they contribute approximately twelve billion pads and 7 million tampons to landfill each year. That is a huge environmental problem.

Feminine protection products are an extremely toxic source of chemicals. Whether you apply these products internally (tampons) or externally (protective pads) you are subjecting your reproductive organs as well as the rest of your body to an onslaught of chemicals.  Your skin is the largest organ in your body and anything that you place on your skin goes directly into your bloodstream.
Here are some of the chemicals that are lurking in your feminine protection:
1.)       Rayon, which is derived from bleached wood pulp
2.)      Viscose and “fluff” pulp which are used as fillers and to give the products a “cotton” feel. But these fillers      break apart and can leave fibers in your vaginal tract. This is a breeding ground for infection.
3.)    Chlorine bleach and dioxin, which is a byproduct of paper bleaching.  Dioxins accumulate in the fatty tissue of the body and pose a threat to human health.
   
The EPA labels dioxins as a carcinogen.
4.)    Dioxins affect the Nerve System, cause thyroid disorders, damage the Immune System and have been shown to cause endometriosis.
5.)    Phthalates which are a form of plastic used in tampon applicators.
So what’s a girl to do? I can personally say that way back in my “hippie Chiropractic College days” I used a vaginal sponge, not something I would recommend to the modern woman.  Embarassed  Fortunately, there are now many resources for organic and natural pads and tampons that don’t leave behind a toxic burden on your body.  
Essential # 2 for Healing and Preventing Breast Cancer is “Reduce Your Toxic Exposure”. If you are on a healing journey with Breast Cancer or if you are wanting to be proactive with prevention, I would seriously think twice about using typical pads and tampons. Eliminating another toxic burden will bring you one step closer to vibrant health.

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