Even though this isn't about food, I thought it would of interest to the
many women and health practioners on this list.

Janis Bell <[log in to unmask]>

>>PLEASE READ AND FORWARD TO ANY FEMALE YOU KNOW!!! THIS IS VERY
>>IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!
>>
>>Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in tampons?  Because
>>asbestos makes you bleed  more...if you bleed more, you're going to need
>to
>>use
>>more. Why wasn'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 @ 800-765-6491 and the Black-owned terra femme @
>>800-755-0212.
>>
>>A woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado @ Boulder sent this.
>>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'm
>>taking a class this month and I have been learning a lot about biology and
>the
>>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 e-mail
>is the
>>fastest way that I know how. HERE'S 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 (Karen Houppert "Pulling the Plug on the
>Tampon
>>Industry"). I'd say using about 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
>>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, 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 bleaching (one of the green methods available) (Ms. magazine,
>May/June 1995).
>Personally I think it'stime that the U.S. switches, and we need to make our
>voices heard.
>
>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! Tell everyone to write to the companies - Tampax (Tambrands), Playtex,
>>O.B., Kotex.  Call the 1-800 numbers on the
>>boxes.  LET THEM KNOW THAT WE DEMAND A SAFE PRODUCT---ALL-COTTON,
>>UNBLEACHED
>>TAMPONS.
>Donna C. Boisseau
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