Knowledge Sharings

[Skylah]

Tampons

Please pass this on to as many women as possible. If you are a woman and use pads, but especially if you use tampons, read this and pass it on to your friends. For the men receiving this email, please forward it to your friends, significant others, sisters, mothers, daughters, etc.)

Thanks!

Check the labels of the sanitary pads or tampons that you are going to buy the next time and see whether you spot any of the familiar signs stated in this email.

No wonder so many women in the world suffer from cervical cancer and womb tumours. Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in tampons? Why would they do this? 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, didn't consider them illegal or 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 @ 1-800-765-6491 and Terra Femme @ 1-800-755-0212.

A woman getting her Ph.D at University of Colorado at Boulder sent the following: "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 women, including feminine hygiene.

Recently we have learned that tampons are actually dangerous (for other reasons than TSS! ). 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, which is 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 also been linked to endometriosis and lower sperm counts for men. For both sexes, it breaks down the immune system. Last September, the Environmental Protection Agency EPA (reported that there really is no "acceptable" level of exposure to dioxin given that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate.

The real danger comes from repeated contact (Karen Couppert "Pulling the Plug on the Tampon Industry"). I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days a month, for 38 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 fibres from the tampons are left behind in the vagina as usually occurs), it creates a breeding ground for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer that 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 and that are all cotton. Other feminine hygiene products pads/napkins) contain dioxin as well, but they are not nearly as dangerous. So, what can you do if you can't give up using tampons? Use tampons that are made from 100% UNBLEACHED COTTON.

Unfortunately, there are very few companies that make these safe tampons. (You can get them in Oz - they are called "Cottons"). They are usually only found in health food stores. Countries all over the world (Sweden, Germany, 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 (one of the green methods available) (MS magazine, May/June 1995).

WHAT TO 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. All the 800 numbers are listed on the boxes. Let them know that we demand a safe
product? ALL COTTON UNBLEACHED TAMPONS...

REMINDER: In order not to lose the impact of this email, I suggest that anyone who wants to forward it to your friends, PLEASE copy this mail and paste it to a NEW message. That way it will not distort the whole message with all the forward arrows. Please do this with consideration and seriousness."

Thanks

Olivia Herring
Library Officer 1 Mathematics and Physical Sciences Library M210
University of Western Australia
Tel: (08)9380 2352 Fax: (08)9380 1139

[Shurikane]

If this is so dangerous, why didn't it make it on the headlines?

[Skylah]

well I just checked and find out that there's a debate bout it but there's no harm of cautioness.

http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/feminineproducts/a/tampondebat.htm

[Tenshiai]

Some may be surprise to know what is in sanitary pad...

Some may also be surprise to see how much dangerous think don't do headline.
Some rule are so old that they make us expose on some danger we don't even know.
Who care ?
Some people care only when this affect them in a way that is clear and very obviously dangerous. This is great for the compagny too. What's great for the people that make money and unknow by others is the best.

Yes what you talk about I hear of that in a documentary, but is not all tampon that are like that.

We must be carefull to what we buy. Check some house product for baby...they are nocif and on the bottle they recomand it anyway .... why? because they only are dangerous in long term and often use. And a baby is not a baby all his life so.... that's not dangerous.

If I can i show you a documentary I have here -_-but I can't....
damn.

They are not dangerous in any way but keep in mind that all "chimic" is more dangerous even if you don't "See" how and why.

Some of the biggest damage are not obvious to see and to know.

I'll put myself in a natural compagny product maybe.
I already with a natural one of make up and I find a difference.

But, in this world we must be careful but don't have to become creasy because of that too.

I think you do well to warning us because it's always good to know.

[Excel Zero]

Well thank you Tenshiai. I for one will be more careful about when I pick out my femenine products

Seriously though that would be an interesting thread, sorta like you could post weekly or whatever about dangerous items and prduct recalss and such

Thanks for caring about PO girls' safety

Excel

[Doot]

And I *heart* snopes

[Kiyomi]

Well, at least ONE of this family has to worry about that, Excel!

Thank you for posting this. Even if there is no medical risk at all, in reality, it is never bad to be cautious.

[Tenshiai]

Just want to explain more...

I didn't want to tell that is not dangerous... Skylah is right that it is but it is just like all chimic product are in a way that isn't obvious. Some product may be more obvious then another and even some mark more then another.

They already have great sickness for what Skylah talk about and company use to change some product on sanitary pad because all women that wor this mark seem to share commun sickness and went to the hospital. The company change it quickly when they found out. People have forgotten that and it's now unknow of many. I already know only because I had nothing to do of my sunday and had listening documentary.
This is only an exemple to show that they only act when it's really obvious.


- Others funny exemple: with nail polish you can drug yourself only to smell it in a close area... But everyone event child can buy it...

- Much of deodorizer contain in bigger quantity aluminium....this metal is dangerous to the good health and we mustn't have to much in our body.
Everyone use it.

- Baby towel... are made of chimic too... and it's proven that it kill all bactery but...the chimic product on the towel stay where you have pass it on. So, just where the baby will touch before put is finger in his mouth, put the chimic in his mouth.

- All others chimic product too, like fantastic and all, let chimic in the air after use and we smell it, our baby smell it, our dog smell it.

- Air breese product that make air smell like flower... my mother's one even don't have ANYTHING write to explain wich chimic product is in it. It only have a sign that prevent that it may explode.... But...is a chimical product may explode.... and wy they don't wrote anything on ? We come to think that unless we don't put it near something hot it's not dangerous...
We forgot why it may explode near something hot => the chimic product in it.

In the documentary they said to check out what they take to make the product and if it have some big chimical name that you don't know what it can be.... be more cautious. Don't buy that. You know all chimic is bad so don't go buy something that may be worst.

[Skylah]

BANANA

After reading this, you may never look at the "Banana" in the same way again!

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90 minutworkout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression,many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan,a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt making it theperfect way to beat high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milk shake,sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heart burn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heart burn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.The report concluded that, to avoid panic induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a cooling fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, there by reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that, if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart,with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So you see a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

So maybe its time to change that well known phrase so that we say, "A Banana a day keeps the doctor away."

[Suna-chan]

WOW! that's a lot bananas can do for you!


....too bad i hate bananas. ;-;