FW: [Fwd: FWD: Fwd: women's products]

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

This is circulating around work today. Since it concerns women's

health/products I thought I'd forward it to the list. I can't vouch for the

accuracy of the contents of the message but it makes me glad that I no

longer use tampons . . . .

Hope you're all having a pain free day.

Robin

>

>> Subject: URGENT: Issues with Sanitary Products for Womens' Health -

>>

>> :> You may want to pass this along. i found it interesting and not

>> :> surprising based on all the other harmful products our world produces.

>

>> :>

>> :> >> This is pretty interesting and somewhat shocking...

>> :> >if you use pads, but especially if you use tampons read this and pass

>> :> on to >your friends,sisters, mothers, daughters, etc.)thanks!

>> :> >

>> :> >Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in tampons? Why?

>> :> >

>> :> >Because asbestos makes you bleed more . . . if you bleed more,you're

>> :> going >to need to use more. Why isn't this against the law since

>> :> asbestos is so >dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all their

>> :> wisdom(not),did not >consider tampons as being ingested, and therefore

>> :> >wasn't illegal or considered dangerous.

>> :> >

>> :> >> This month's Essence magazine has a small article about this and

>they

>> :> >mention two manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative. The

>companies

>> :> >are Organic Essentials @ and Terra Femme @

>(800)755-0212.

>> :> >

>> :> >> A woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado @ Boulder sent

>the

>> :> >following:

>> :> >> Read on if you value your health. " I am writing this because women

>> :> are >not being informed about the dangers of something most of us use

-

>> :> tampons. >I am taking a class this month and I have been learning a

lot

>> :> >about biology and woman, including much about feminine

>> :> >hygiene. Recently we have learned that tampons are actually

dangerous

>> :> (for >other reasons than TSS).

>> :> >

>> :> >> I'll tell you this, after learning about this in our class,most of

>the

>> :> >females wound up feeling angry and upset with the tampon industry,

and

>I

>> :> >for one, am going to do something about it. To start, I want to

>inform

>> :> >everyone I can, and email is the fastest way that I know how.

>> :> >Here is the scoop: Tampons contain two things that are potentially

>> :> >harmful: Rayon (for absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in

>> :> bleaching >the products).

>> :> >

>> :> >> The tampon industry is convinced that we, as women, need

>> :> >bleached white products - in order to view the product as pure and

>> :> clean. >The problem here is that the dioxin produced in this bleaching

>> :> process can >lead to very harmful problems for a woman. Dioxin is

>> :> potentially >carcinogenic(cancer-associated) and is toxic to the

immune

>> :> and reproductive >systems.

>> :> >It has been linked to endometriosis as well as lower sperm

>> :> >counts for men for both, it breaks down the immune system.

>> :> >

>> :> >> Last September the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

>> :> >reported that there really is no set " acceptable " level of exposure

to

>> :> >dioxin - given that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate. The

>real

>> :> >danger comes from repeated contact ( Houppert " Pulling the Plug

>on

>> :> the >Tampon

>> :> >

>> :> >> Industry " ). I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days a

>month,

>> :> >for 38 menstruating years is " repeated contact " , wouldn't' you?

>> :> >> Rayon contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin because it is

>a

>> :> >highly absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibers from the tampons

>are

>> :> >left behind in the vagina (as it usually occurs), it creates a

>breeding

>> :> >ground for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer than it

>> :> >would with just cotton tampons. This is also the reason why TSS

>(toxic

>> :> >shock syndrome) occurs.

>> :> >

>> :> >> WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? Using feminine hygiene products that

>> :> aren't >bleached (which causes the dioxin) and that are all cotton(the

>> :> rayon will >leave fibers and " breeding grounds " in the vagina). Other

>> :> feminine >hygiene products (pads/napkins) contain dioxin as well, but

>> :> >they are not nearly as dangerous since they are not in direct contact

>> :> with >the vagina.

>> :> >

>> :> >> The pads/napkins need to stop being bleached, but obviously tampons

>> :> are >the most dangerous. So, what can you do if you can't give up

>using

>> :> >tampons?

>> :> >

>> :> >> Use tampons, that are made from 100% cotton, and that are

>> :> >UNBLEACHED.

>> :> >> Unfortunately, there are very, very few companies that make these

>safe

>> :> >tampons. They are usually only found in health food stores.

>Countries

>> :> all >over the world (Sweden, German, British Columbia, etc.)have

>> :> demanded a >switch to this safer tampon, while the U.S. has decided to

>> :> >keep us in the dark about it. In 1989, activists in England mounted

a

>> :> >campaign against chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000 letters

>> :> later, >the makers of sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching

>> :> (one of the >green

>> :> >methods available. (MS magazine, May/June 1995).

>> :> >

>> :> >> WHAT DO NOW: Tell people. Everyone. Inform them. We are

>> :> >being manipulated by this industry and the government, let's do

>> :> something >about it! Please write to the companies: Tampax

>> :> (Tambrands),Playtex, >O.B.,

>> :> >

>> :> >> Kotex. Call the 800 numbers listed on the boxes. Let them know

>that

>> :> we >demand a safe product - ALL COTTON UNBLEACHED TAMPONS.

>> :> > > Thank you.

>> :> > > Donna C. Boisseau

>> :> > > C. Baker; Assistant to Dr. B.S. Katzenellenbogen,

>> :> >Professor

>> :> > > University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Department of

>> :> >Molecular and

>> :> > > Integrative Physiology; >>

>

>--

>

[Guest guest]

This story about asbestos is a hoax. See

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ocd/tamponsabs.html

and

http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa111898.htm

However bear in mind that many women have trouble with cotton products.

Try to find organic cotton menstrual supplies. Some people on the list use

them and can probably help you. I am allergic to cotton and cannot wear it

next to my body.

Ora

>

>

> Hi all,

>

> This is circulating around work today. Since it concerns women's

> health/products I thought I'd forward it to the list. I can't vouch

for the

> accuracy of the contents of the message but it makes me glad that I no

> longer use tampons . . . .

>

> Hope you're all having a pain free day.

>

> Robin

>

> >

> >> Subject: URGENT: Issues with Sanitary Products for Womens' Health -

> >>

> >> :> You may want to pass this along. i found it interesting and not

> >> :> surprising based on all the other harmful products our world

produces.

>

> >

> >> :>

> >> :> >> This is pretty interesting and somewhat shocking...

> >> :> >if you use pads, but especially if you use tampons read this

and pass

> >> :> on to >your friends,sisters, mothers, daughters, etc.)thanks!

> >> :> >

> >> :> >Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in tampons?

Why?

> >> :> >

> >> :> >Because asbestos makes you bleed more . . . if you bleed

more,you're

> >> :> going >to need to use more. Why isn't this against the law

since

> >> :> asbestos is so >dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all

their

> >> :> wisdom(not),did not >consider tampons as being ingested, and

therefore

> >> :> >wasn't illegal or considered dangerous.

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> This month's Essence magazine has a small article about this

and

> >they

> >> :> >mention two manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative. The

> >companies

> >> :> >are Organic Essentials @ and Terra Femme @

> >(800)755-0212.

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> A woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado @ Boulder

sent

> >the

> >> :> >following:

> >> :> >> Read on if you value your health. " I am writing this because

women

> >> :> are >not being informed about the dangers of something most of

us use

> -

> >> :> tampons. >I am taking a class this month and I have been

learning a

> lot

> >> :> >about biology and woman, including much about feminine

> >> :> >hygiene. Recently we have learned that tampons are actually

> dangerous

> >> :> (for >other reasons than TSS).

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> I'll tell you this, after learning about this in our

class,most of

> >the

> >> :> >females wound up feeling angry and upset with the tampon

industry,

> and

> >I

> >> :> >for one, am going to do something about it. To start, I want

to

> >inform

> >> :> >everyone I can, and email is the fastest way that I know how.

> >> :> >Here is the scoop: Tampons contain two things that are

potentially

> >> :> >harmful: Rayon (for absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in

> >> :> bleaching >the products).

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> The tampon industry is convinced that we, as women, need

> >> :> >bleached white products - in order to view the product as pure

and

> >> :> clean. >The problem here is that the dioxin produced in this

bleaching

> >> :> process can >lead to very harmful problems for a woman. Dioxin

is

> >> :> potentially >carcinogenic(cancer-associated) and is toxic to the

> immune

> >> :> and reproductive >systems.

> >> :> >It has been linked to endometriosis as well as lower sperm

> >> :> >counts for men for both, it breaks down the immune system.

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> Last September the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

> >> :> >reported that there really is no set " acceptable " level of

exposure

> to

> >> :> >dioxin - given that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate.

The

> >real

> >> :> >danger comes from repeated contact ( Houppert " Pulling the

Plug

> >on

> >> :> the >Tampon

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> Industry " ). I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days

a

> >month,

> >> :> >for 38 menstruating years is " repeated contact " , wouldn't' you?

> >> :> >> Rayon contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin because

it is

> >a

> >> :> >highly absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibers from the

tampons

> >are

> >> :> >left behind in the vagina (as it usually occurs), it creates a

> >breeding

> >> :> >ground for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer than it

> >> :> >would with just cotton tampons. This is also the reason why

TSS

> >(toxic

> >> :> >shock syndrome) occurs.

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? Using feminine hygiene products

that

> >> :> aren't >bleached (which causes the dioxin) and that are all

cotton(the

> >> :> rayon will >leave fibers and " breeding grounds " in the vagina).

Other

> >> :> feminine >hygiene products (pads/napkins) contain dioxin as

well, but

> >> :> >they are not nearly as dangerous since they are not in direct

contact

> >> :> with >the vagina.

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> The pads/napkins need to stop being bleached, but obviously

tampons

> >> :> are >the most dangerous. So, what can you do if you can't give

up

> >using

> >> :> >tampons?

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> Use tampons, that are made from 100% cotton, and that are

> >> :> >UNBLEACHED.

> >> :> >> Unfortunately, there are very, very few companies that make

these

> >safe

> >> :> >tampons. They are usually only found in health food stores.

> >Countries

> >> :> all >over the world (Sweden, German, British Columbia, etc.)have

> >> :> demanded a >switch to this safer tampon, while the U.S. has

decided to

> >> :> >keep us in the dark about it. In 1989, activists in England

mounted

> a

> >> :> >campaign against chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000

letters

> >> :> later, >the makers of sanitary products switched to oxygen

bleaching

> >> :> (one of the >green

> >> :> >methods available. (MS magazine, May/June 1995).

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> WHAT DO NOW: Tell people. Everyone. Inform them. We are

> >> :> >being manipulated by this industry and the government, let's do

> >> :> something >about it! Please write to the companies: Tampax

> >> :> (Tambrands),Playtex, >O.B.,

> >> :> >

> >> :> >> Kotex. Call the 800 numbers listed on the boxes. Let them

know

> >that

> >> :> we >demand a safe product - ALL COTTON UNBLEACHED TAMPONS.

> >> :> > > Thank you.

> >> :> > > Donna C. Boisseau

> >> :> > > C. Baker; Assistant to Dr. B.S.

Katzenellenbogen,

> >> :> >Professor

> >> :> > > University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Department

of

> >> :> >Molecular and

> >> :> > > Integrative Physiology; >>

> >

> >--

> >

>

>

>

>

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