Menstrual Cups vs. Tampons: It’s a Deeper Issue Than You Think
Oh, it is about to get real in here. I’m mad. And you should be too.
These things not only contain surfactants, adhesives and additives (which are horrible for your body) but they also have dioxin in them, which is a known carcinogen (aka can cause cancer).
They are also made up of synthetic fiber rayon, which has been known to leave residue in the body and can cause infection.
American women alone use seven billion of these each year and once they end up in landfills their toxic substances can leak into water causing major pollution and serious health concerns.
The average American woman will spend over $200 dollars each year just to put these harmful things in their bodies.
Can you guess what I’m talking about?
Yup, tampons.
If you’re anything like me, you probably didn’t realize how toxic tampons are and how much their use is adding to the detriment of our environment. And you also probably didn’t know that there is an incredible, life-changing alternative that is not only better for our bodies, but will also help drastically cut down on waste.
What I’m talking about is the menstrual cup.
You may be thinking “the what?”
That was my mom’s reaction when I told her about it because she had no idea this lovely little cup existed. And she’s been on this earth much longer than I have (no offense, mama!).
A menstrual cup is just that: a small rubbery cup that is inserted into the vagina when you’re menstruating and it collects the blood just the same as a tampon would absorb it.
Now, I know you probably have a lot of questions already. Does it hurt? How do you get it up there and then back out? Do you have to empty it out?
You can learn all about how menstrual cups work here.
I’ll be honest, there’s a bit of a learning curve, but it’s the same with tampons right?
Tip: When you first start using a menstrual cup just make sure you give yourself some time in the morning to practice getting it in and making sure it won’t leak. I still wore panty liners the first few times just to make sure there weren’t any accidents so I recommend doing the same if you’re unsure. After some practice it becomes a piece of cake and makes life so much easier! It’s definitely worth learning.
Here are some benefits of using a menstrual cup:
Benefits:
- Low cost ($30 — $40)
- Lasts up to 10 years
- Cuts down significantly on pollution and landfill waste
- Vaginal pH stays at its natural level — learn more here
- It can be changed every 12 hours as opposed to every 3 or 4 with tampons/pads
- No toxic chemicals
- Can still do all your usual activities
- Easy to use once you get the hang of it
- Provides a chance to get really comfortable with your body and period.
There are plenty of great resources online (like this and this) to teach you how to use a menstrual cup and give more information about them. That’s not exactly why I’m writing this.
As I said before, I’m mad.
I’m mad because so many women, myself included just a few months ago, have never even heard of this alternative. In fact, there are even doctors out there who don’t know about menstrual cups. And these things have been around just as long as tampons have.
How can this be?
Well, let’s do some basic math…
If a pack of 34 tampons is about $7 then that means each tampon is valued at about .21 cents.
If seven billion tampons are used each year in the United States alone then that means the tampon industry is a $1,400,000,000 dollar business annually.
A menstrual cup is typically a $30 — $40 purchase every ten years. It’s a no brainer that menstrual cups are not quite as lucrative as tampons.
So that’s why I’m mad.
Our health and environment is being put at risk so that these companies can make more money. This information has been kept quiet so that we spend more and more each year to put toxic chemicals into our body and aid in pollution.
As a female that makes me furious and disgusted.
This was a wake up call for me and I hope it is for all my ladies out there.
It’s our responsibility to educate ourselves and question the status quo. It’s up to us to take back our health and search for better alternatives when we know something isn’t good for our bodies and the environment. We must look at what we’re consuming and how it’s impacting us and the world.
Let’s take the power away from these huge corporations and choose to make decisions for ourselves rather than being spoon fed information.
As women we are fierce, compassionate beings and it’s time we step into that. We bring life into this world for god sakes. We build successful businesses, raise families, spread knowledge, share joy and create positive global change every day. We can do anything.
So, it’s time to start acting like the women that we truly are and insist our health is taken seriously.
The menstrual cup versus tampon situation is just an example of how we need to wake up, take our power back and stop being afraid to demand more.
Change needs to happen.
Ladies, we have work to do.
It starts with us.
Please share this with your tribe so that we can begin to educate everyone and start making changes.
Namaste!
