Here is my soapbox:
I think every woman should use a DivaCup. It is a menstruation cup that catches the flow. It does not absorb it. Here are my reasons why you should use it:
1. Tampons are not good for our bodies.
Viscose-rayon is now the most common fiber used in tampons. Most tampons are treated with a surfactant, called polysorbate or Tween-20, to improve absorbency. A 1981 FDA study found that dozens of elements (such as boron, aluminum, and copper) and compounds -- waxes, surfactants, alcohols, acids, nitrogen compounds, and hydrocarbons could be leached from tampons.
The perfume in "deodorant" tampons can disrupt a woman's microbial balance and cause internal irritation.
The sheer absorbency of tampons can cause unhealthy dryness, cell peeling, and tiny ulcers. Tampons absorb everything, even the fluid your body needs to maintain optimal balance. Shreds of tampon fiber have been found embedded in vaginal ulcers and tissue.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates the annual incidence of TSS is one in 100,000 menstruating women.
Risk associated diseases related to Dioxin exposure and synthetic fibers are: endometriosis, ovarian, cervical, and breast cancers, and more.
2. Pads aren't any better. Many pads are stuffed with fluff pulp that, when bleached with chlorine, can harbor traces of tremendously toxic dioxin and other organochlorines.3. Tampons or pads are not good for the environment.When old sewage systems are flooded by storm water, cascades of raw sewage, street garbage, and tampon applicators that pours into the ocean.Tampons and pad-filling will degenerate into fibers in the river or the ocean, if they make it past sewage-treatment-plant skimmers and strainers. But neither tampons, applicators, nor pads should be flushed. A menstruating woman throws away an average of 250 or 300 pounds of tampons, pads, and applicators in her lifetime. Multiply that by the millions of menstruating women and you get billions of pounds of waste.4. Tampons and pads are not good for your budget.Every woman is different. I used to buy a box of tampons every other month. That equals about $30 to $40 a year. Over ten years, that would cost me $300 to $400. What do you spend?My DivaCup was $25. That will last for 10 years.5. Convenience.Depending on your body, you may only need to empty the DivaCup every 12 hours. That is consistently how my body works. I don't worry about it during the day. I don't even think about it at night. It doesn't matter how heavy or light my day is. I don't think about carrying something with me where ever I go. I am not worried about when my period starts.I purchased a DivaCup, but I have heard of the Moon and the Keeper. I don't care which one you buy, I just think you need to know these are better options for your body, your budget, and the environment.Alright. I'm off my soapbox.
