Are you ready for a little riddle; okay, here goes: What takes 500 years to break down in a landfill and the average woman uses between 10 and 15 THOUSAND in a lifetime…OH..and they may be hazardous to our health and reproductivity?  PERIOD.  While “period” isn’t the answer to the riddle, it is the reason we use feminine hygiene products which create those stats.

I’ll be honest, I knew little (okay nothing) about these stats before this post.  I never questioned my monthly routine (monthly except for those 22 months after the birth of both children when I didn’t have to worry…YAY!)  But… talk about a wake-up when I started researching and reading.  I’m not your crunchiest crunchy…never did cloth diapers, never made my own soap or detergent; I suppose I’m a mainstream crunchy :o)  I actually didn’t know Luna Pads existed before a year ago; cloth pads and a “cup” you insert instead of the gold-standard tampons..No thank you! 

Ignorance can be bliss; but NOT in this situation. I hope I haven’t lost you…you might relate, hang tight!  Just like some women make the decision to breastfeed, first for the cost-savings and not necessarily for the health benefits (while obviously an awesome “bonus”) and other women choose cloth diapering for the lessened impact on our Earth and aren’t making their decision to switch based on the long-term cost savings; YOU will make the change to a healthier alternative to your current monthly routine for your own reason(s) and that’s cool…and how it should be!  I would just love the opportunity to make the case for the other options that aren’t so mainstream (okay, in my world they aren’t mainstream at all…so I feel like I can really be helpful from both perspectives!)

Here’s the quick and simple case for why Luna Pads and/or a Diva Cup might be a better and safer alternative to your current routine:

Your Health and Reproductivity => “Feminine hygiene products may contain deodorants and absorbency enhancers, as well as artificial fragrances that can irritate…” “The exact components of tampons and pads are trade secrets.” (Ugh…in other words they don’t have to disclose what they are ACTUALLY putting in these products that reside in such a sensitive and important place of ours) “Bleaching processes have also improved, but bleached cotton and rayon in pads and tampons can still be contaminated with traces of dioxin, a carcinogen created during the bleaching process” (Sure, give me the cancer stick please; I’d like to insert it into my vagina every month for the next, oh, I don’t know, 40 years!!!) The Guide to Less Toxic Products (the quotes are from The Guide; not my sarcasm!)

The Environment => “American women throw away 60 million disposable feminine hygiene products each year. The average American women will use between 10,000 and 15,000 disposable pads, tampons and applicators in a lifetime. Tampon applicators make up 2.2 percent of trash collected between 2001 and 2006 by The Ocean Conservancy—more than syringes, condoms and plastic six-pack rings combined.”  EcoStiletto

Cash Flow => Whole Foods Magazine suggests “…while the initial investment may be more than disposables, quite a bit of money is saved in time. One manufacturer estimates a cost-savings of $200 per year.”  And Luna Pads has a very good chart breaking down costs/savings as well!

Can I be honest, you wanna know when my AHA moment was…I watched this YouTube Video one day and it sold it for me; I had to make a change.

So whether you are a tampon, pad, hybrid (or panty liner) girl…there IS a better alternative.  It just comes down to when you are ready to make the change; and hey, maybe now is the time! 

Thanks to Luna Pads we have THREE Starter Packs to give away!!  You can enter via the tab on Facebook or on the blog! Oh…and there is a Hot Mama Gown giveaway going on too..see..it’s ALWAYS good to read to the end!! Good Luck Mamas..on all FOUR prizes (3 Starter Kits from Luna Pads and a Hot Mama Gown of choice!!)