Title : What Are You Putting in Your Vagina? Feminine Hygiene Products Have Cancer-Causing Toxins
link : What Are You Putting in Your Vagina? Feminine Hygiene Products Have Cancer-Causing Toxins
What Are You Putting in Your Vagina? Feminine Hygiene Products Have Cancer-Causing Toxins
It’s estimated that the average woman uses up to 11,800 tampons in her lifetime, which is a lot of exposure to menstrual products. In addition to these items, an estimated 10-40% of women use other feminine hygiene products like douches, wipes, deodorants and creams, that all contain questionable ingredients.
The Complexity of The Female Genitalia
The female genitalia has a very delicate balance of bacteria and yeast, that if disturbed, one can experience painful conditions such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), vaginitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and yeast infections. The best way to safeguard against these common and potentially serious infections, is to prevent them by keeping the bacteria and yeast levels in balance. There are many things you can do to avoid UTIs, yeast infections and other issues
- Urinating before and after sexual intercourse
- Avoiding over-washing the area with harsh soaps
- Wiping front-to-back
- Avoiding bubble baths
- Wearing cotton underwear
- AND to be very cautious about what types of materials you put “down there.”
Toxins & Female Parts
"Women’s Voices for the Environment" released a report called “Chem Fatale” that examined the toxicity of various feminine hygiene products on the market, and found that tampons, pads, douches, cleansers and other items contain a number of unwanted chemicals and pesticides that can be detrimental to women’s health. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and also the thinnest, weighting in at less than 1/10th of an inch separating your body from potential toxins. Further, your skin is highly permeable — especially the skin around your vaginal and the vagina itself, so attention needs to be paid to the ingredients used in tampons, sanitary pads and cleansers.
Most items/products that come in constant contact with your skin will end up in your bloodstream and distributed throughout your body. It may sound unbelievable, but putting chemicals on your skin may actually be worse than eating them. This is because when you eat something, the enzymes in your saliva and stomach help to break it down and flush it out. However, when chemicals come into contact with the skin, they are absorbed right into the bloodstream without filtering of any kind, going directly to the organs. And once these chemicals find their way into your body, they tend to accumulate over time because of the necessary enzymes to break them down. So the thought of women unknowingly putting potentially cancerous materials directly in contact with their vaginas seems appalling, especially when this could be a potential contributor to uterine and/or ovarian cancer.
Why Feminine Hygiene Ingredients Should be Labeled
Most people don't know this, but manufacturers of tampons and sanitary pads are not required to disclose the ingredients used because these products are considered "medical devices." FYI, according to research, each conventional sanitary pad contains the equivalent of about four plastic bags. With everything we now know about the hazardous nature of plastic chemicals, this alone is cause for concern.
Plasticizing chemicals like BPA and BPS disrupt embryonic development and are linked to heart disease and cancer. Phthalates that give paper tampon applicators a smooth feel and finish, are known to impair gene expression, and DEHP can lead to multiple organ damage. Besides crude oil plastics, conventional sanitary pads can also contain a myriad of other potentially hazardous ingredients, such as odor neutralizers and fragrances. Synthetics and plastic also restrict the free flow of air, trapping heat and dampness, potentially promoting the growth of yeast and bacteria.
To give tampons and pads their "clean" white look, the fibers used must be bleached, and chlorine is commonly used, which can create toxic dioxin and other disinfection-by-products (DBPs) such as trihalomethane. Studies show that dioxin collects in our fatty tissues, and according to a report by the EPA, dioxin is a serious public health threat that has no "safe" level of exposure! Published reports show that even low or trace levels of dioxins may be linked to:
- Abnormal tissue growth in the abdomen and reproductive organs
- Abnormal cell growth throughout the body
- Immune system suppression
- Hormonal and endocrine system disruption
Meanwhile, the FDA's official stance regarding trace amounts of dioxins is that there are no expected health risks. Naturally Savvy notes that 10 years ago, House Representative Carolyn Maloney introduced legislation that would have required research into the potential health risks of any ingredient used in feminine hygiene products, including endometriosis, cervical, ovary and breast cancers. Unfortunately, the legislation did not pass.
- Cotton crops make up just 2.4% of the world's land, but each year a whopping $2 billion is spent on pesticides to spray this one crop, so conventional tampons contain pesticides.
- Tampons and pads with odor neutralizers and other artificial fragrances are nothing short of a chemical soup laced with artificial colors, polyester, adhesives, polyethylene (PET), polypropylene, and propylene glycol (PEG), contaminants linked to hormone disruption, cancer, birth defects, dryness, and infertility.
- Conventional tampons most probably contain GMOs, as according to the USDA, 94% of all the cotton planted in the US is genetically engineered.
Is inserting a GMO tampon into your vagina several times every month any different than ingesting GMO food? Well it may be worse, because the vaginal wall is highly permeable, which allows to toxins directly access the bloodstream.
Nasty Substances Found in Feminine Hygiene Products
- Chlorine: Used to bleach cotton menstrual products (tampons and menstrual pads)
- Dioxins & Furans: Carcinogens (by-products of the chlorine used for the bleaching process) that can cause reproductive, developmental and hormonal problems, and can have an effect on the immune system.
- Pesticide Residue: Most cotton used for tampons and pads is made from conventionally-grown cotton, treated with heavy pesticides. Testing on the popular brand o.b. detected the presence of pesticides like pyrethrum, procymidone, mecarbam and fensulfothion. These are possible carcinogens and linked to endocrine disruption. And again some brands use genetically-modified cotton. If you’re avoiding eating GMO foods, you’ll should also reconsider putting GMO products in other areas of your body as well.
- Fragrance: This one simple word can contain multitudes of harmful chemicals. These can include chemical carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, irritants and allergens. Most of these fragrances are found in douches and sanitary wipes, but it’s also common for pads and tampons to come “scented.” Deodorants and perfumes are also well-known to cause irritation and allergic reactions because of the fragrances used.
- Parabens: These are found in vaginal anti-itch creams, feminine wipes and feminine washes, typically as a preservative. Parabens are skin irritants and allergens, and may have damaging estrogenic properties.
- Synthetic Materials: Most tampons and pads are not 100% cotton these days, they are made from synthetic fabrics like rayon, or Super Absorbent Powders. Some of these substances, along with the other chemicals and fragrances, can cause rashes and skin irritation, particularly when used in menstrual pads.
Toxic Shock Syndrome
Because tampons can create the perfect environment for bacteria growth, and create micro tears in the vaginal wall allowing bacteria to enter and accumulate, another risk from tampon use is Toxic Shock Syndrome. This can be a life-threatening condition, so it's important to recognize the signs and symptoms and seek medical help:
- Vomiting
- Sudden high fever
- Diarrhea
- Low blood pressure
- Seizures
- Rash on palms or soles of feet
- Muscle aches
- Redness of your eyes, mouth and/or throat
Cleansing/Douching the Vagina
Douche means "to wash" or "to soak" in French, and refers to washing or rinsing the vagina using water or some other fluid. Douches are available at most drug stores or grocery stores, and are sold in bottles that allow users to squirt the solution into the vagina through a hose or nozzle. Douche solutions most often have a water base and can also contain baking soda, vinegar, iodine, and perfume or fragrance. Researchers believe that 20 to 40% of American women between the ages of 15 and 44 douche on a regular basis. About 50% of these women douche every week.
But this really isn't good a good thing to do, says Beverly Whipple, PhD, RN, professor emerita at Rutgers University and secretary general of the World Association for Sexual Health. According to Whipple and other experts, douching serves no good purpose and can, in fact, create health problems for women. Also, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests women avoid douching completely, because the vagina is actually a self-cleaning organ. The cervix and the walls of the vagina create a small amount of mucus that carries menstrual blood, old cells, and other matter out of the vagina. Special bacteria in the vagina also help to prevent infections caused by other microbes. The normally acidic environment of the vagina is also important for minimizing the risk of infection. The healthy vagina represents a fine-tuned, delicate system that douching can easily throw out of whack, and it flushes out the normal bacteria in the vagina that are there to fight vaginal infections.
That said, there are necessary times and ways to douche that are needed, helpful and healthy for the vagina. If you experience a vaginal infection like bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis (a yeast infection), and Trichomonas vaginalis (trichomoniasis) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a parasite, or even a herpes outbreak which is caused by a virus. Making your own homemade healthy and soothing douche will to speed healing, reduce swelling, relieve pain, itchiness, or discomfort and help diminish if not end the outward signs of these infections. Here's what you need to know about making your own Apple Cider Vinegar Douche:
Easy Vinegar Douche:
- Increases the acidic pH of the vagina.
- Provides Good Bacteria
- Soothes the Fragile Tissues & Stops Itching
- Ingredients: apple cider vinegar and water at room temperature
- Device needed: douche bag or vaginal bulb syringe
- Mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar into two cups of water at room temperature
After douching with this simple solution, it is a good idea to apply coconut oil to the area which is also antibacterial, anti-fungal & antiviral. It will keep the skin soft, help with itching or burning and help heal the delicate tissues.
Safer Alternatives To Pads & Tampons
Fortunately, there are safer alternatives. According to Dr. Philip Tierno, a Clinical Professor of Microbiology and Pathology at NYU Medical Centre, 100% cotton tampons "consistently test under detectable levels for TSS toxins." The recommended brands of tampons and sanitary pads listed below. By clicking on their links you can buy these items safely and securely through Amazon:
- Natracare
- Diva Cup
- Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Organic Cotton Tampons
- Glad Rags Organic Pads
- Organyc 100% Organic Cotton Tampons
Thanks for Reading What Are You Putting in Your Vagina? Feminine Hygiene Products Have Cancer-Causing Toxins
You are now reading the article What Are You Putting in Your Vagina? Feminine Hygiene Products Have Cancer-Causing Toxins Url Address https://healthnbeautyarticles.blogspot.com/2016/01/what-are-you-putting-in-your-vagina.html
0 Response to "What Are You Putting in Your Vagina? Feminine Hygiene Products Have Cancer-Causing Toxins"
Post a Comment