I am passionate about sharing information that can help people stay healthy, and this applies to to everyone. If you’re a man and you have a mom, a sister, a wife, please share this with them.
Tampons are typically made of non-organic cotton, rayon, synthetic fibers added to increase absorbency, dyes, fragrances, super-absorbent chemicals.
SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? The non-organic cotton in tampons have soaked up some of the 55 million pounds of pesticides sprayed on cotton fields in the US each year.
Specifically, Diuron, one of the herbicides used on cotton, has been determined to be a carcinogen AND it’s also linked to birth defects.
WHAT ELSE?
Then there’s the bleaching processes that gives pads and tampons their whiteness.
Rayon and cotton are bleached using chlorine dioxide, which produces a dangerous toxin called dioxin, which is known to increase cancer risk, and also cause reproductive and developmental problems.
Dr. Ilya Sandra Perlingieri, professor at San Diego State University and author of “The Uterine Crisis” says that the research shows a direct connection between uterine problems and bleached tampons.
“In the last 25 years, millions of women—teens through women in elder years—have uterine-related troubles,” she said. “Part of the trouble we know from research is directly related to bleaching of tampons.”
“All tampons are bleached with the exception of two companies,” according to Perlingieri. “Chlorine, whether in laundry, swimming pools, or in tampons, breaks down into a deadly chemical called dioxin. Dioxin is one of the most dangerous chemicals on the planet and literally a tablespoon [of it] would kill everyone on the planet… it is so deadly.”
Although tampon companies claim that the amounts are so small, the problem is that you only need a very small amount for dioxin to do damage. It accumulates in your body over time and is not something the body can truly ever get rid of.
Another problem? Most tampons are made with GMO cotton.
There are some chlorine-free organic cotton tampons and pads made by companies like Seventh Generation. Consider those companies or an alternative to tampons, like the Diva Cup. There are many other options today. Make it a priority, your health is worth it!
