It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver. ~Mohandas Gandhi
This post is for the women. Men, I recommend you stop reading here. Stop. Because we're going to be talking about MENSTRUAL PERIOD stuff.
{Yup, that got rid of the guys.}
So when it comes to that time of the month, how do you handle it? Pads, tampons, organic tampons? I recently found a new feminine hygiene product (hate that term) that isn't a tampon or a pad. Actually, it's not new - it's been around since the 1930's. It's more effective, more comfortable and much more environmental. What is it you ask? It's a menstrual cup, which is basically a bell-shaped cup made from medical grade silicone, polyethylene or other nonlatex materials that is worn inside the vagina to collect menstrual fluid.
I think most women find the product journey to be something like this:
- Conventional Sanitary Pads. They are easy to use and figure out. However, there can be leaking and messiness involved, and it feels like you're sitting on a pillow so some women turn to
- Conventional Tampons. These are so much harder to learn to use than pads, but provide so much more freedom once you get used to them. However, they still require regular purchasing and can be leaky. Wondering about the health effects of them, you might turn to
- Unbleached Organic Tampons. If you have something in you for days, you want to make sure its as toxin- free as possible. Your vagina absorbs well, which is why medicines can be delivered through vaginal suppositories. Using nonchlorinated tampons means less chemicals for you and the environment.
I was at stage 3, and wondering if there was anything better because tampons really aren't all that great. I hate having to remember to buy them, they're drying and they can leak. They also didn't feel green - all the material and energy that went into making them and then they were disposed of. Then one day I read an article about menstrual cups. Soon after that I was at Whole Foods buying some nonchlorinated cotton tampons, and I saw some menstrual cups.
They seemed weird, but in the name of science, I bought one. What happens to the fluid? Isn't it messy?
After three months, I love it. I can't feel it, it doesn't leak, it's not drying, there's no string hanging around, I don't need to remember to bring a tampon to the bathroom (because it's always with you), and I've saved a lot of money. I wish I'd learned about them 10 years ago!
What's the downside? The icky factor (which isn't so icky). So here's the unvarnished scoop:
Menstrual cups come in two types - reusable and disposable. I bought the DivaCup, which is reusable. There's also the Moon Cup, Soft Cup, Glad Rags, and others. Read the box for sizing instructions. Then if you decide to try it, make sure you read all the instructions beforehand.
Learning how to use it was tough. Give yourself some time. I was tense, and had to remember to relax. It was like learning how to use a tampon for the first time. The first cycle it took me a while to insert and remove. Minutes. It took so much time, I didn't think it was sustainable. But I stuck with it, and it got slightly easier. The next month I'd forgotten all over again. But it took me a shorter time to figure it out. Now it just takes seconds to insert and remove. Really.
The hardest part is inserting. I like to use the fold-down method like this. Then instead of spinning it, I pull it in and out a few times to get it to unfold. Taking it out requires using the kegel muscles to push it outward, grabbing the end and pulling. Because you're just touching the bottom of it, it's much less messy than I expected. Again, now that I've gone through it a few times, it's pretty easy. The contents remain in the cup, then you flush it away. Your fingers get dirty, but nothing else.
So why is it so great?
- More comfortable. It's not drying, there's no risk of toxic shock syndrome and it's less leaky. I think the times it has leaked has been due to operator error.
- More freedom. It's the closest to forgetting about having your period. There's no tell-tale string, you can't feel anything, and you don't have to remember to carry sanitary protection around with you because it's always with you. You also don't have to remember to buy products.
- You learn more about your body. I'm as squeamish as anyone, but you learn a lot more about your cycle and how your body works. That's pretty cool. It is your body, after all. You should get to know it.
- It's environmental. If you get the reusable ones, you aren't adding any additional waste.
- It saves money. If you get a reuable one, it pays for itself in a few months. Then you save yourself the cost of buying more tampons. People have used their cups for years, so you figure it's at least $84 a year in savings.
Interested? Want to buy it?
- DivaCup comes in two sizes and are reusable. Model 1 if you have never given birth and are under 30, Model 2 if you have given birth or are over 30.
- Moon Cup also comes in two sizes and are reusable. Size A if you have given birth vaginally. Size B if you have not given birth vaginally.
- Softcups which are disposable.
Want to learn more?
- Practically Green on why nonchlorinated organic tampons are better than conventional
- Mayo Clinic on menstrual cups
- Amazon discussion board on menstrual cups
- Review of the Mooncup
What I ate today: 1 grapefruit, latte, beef stroganoff, 1 apple, Lunar New Year at Red Farm: pastrami egg roll, lots of different dumplings, duck egg noodles, crispy suckling pig bao, 50 oz. water
Exercise: New Year Resolution: 120 situps, 7 pushups, 25 tricep bends, 3 backbends
