by: Gabrielle Welch, Welch Wellness
I came across this article today by Jill Ettinger of Organic Authority.com and wanted to share it with you. This is part of what I teach my clients in my Simple Green Living Program: the importance of greening up not only your household cleaning products but your personal products as well! Cervical cancer is on the rise and considering that most of us menstruate for 40+ years or so, that’s quite a few tampons with chlorine bleach, perfume (phthlates) and pesticides in them (from the high pesticides in cotton) that we are inserting into our bodies in an area where the tissue is the most delicate and permeable. Not to mention the pads that we also have touching our bodies for the same amount of time that are sprayed with perfume and bleached to look and smell “fresh and clean”.
YES! They put BLEACH, PHTHLATES, pesticides and many other undesirable chemicals in the tampons that we use once a month to make our lives easier. Why has no one shared this with us? Who would EVER consider having to read the label of a TAMPON box to make sure it’s safe?
“Pesticide exposure is linked to a number of health problems, including infertility. Pads with plastic adhesives and overlays can contain BPA, a toxin also linked to infertility among a number of serious health issues. And let’s not forget that some of those household feminine hygiene brands are owned by corporations who not only test products on animals, but they are also responsible for damaging environmental practices.
So what natural options are there, and do they work?
First of all, yes, natural products work as well, or even better than conventional options. There are disposable pads and tampons, just like you’re used to, made from organic ingredients, and some are even biodegradable. Look for Naturcare and Seventh Generation brands in your local health food store, especially if you are a tampon user.”
I don’t know about you, but with three girls approaching puberty in the next 5 years, I will definitely be educating them as to the importance of minimizing ALL chemical exposure. This is an easy way to do it, and definitely preferable to giving them an HPV vaccine that may or may not work and for which there are still no long term studies on side effects.
Educating mothers and women every day,
Gabrielle Welch, Welch Wellness
www.welchwellness.com
(Adapted from Organicauthority.com; Jill Ettinger)
