Thinx panties

period talk: why you want to go all natural

So today I wanted to talk about something personal. Your period. I know we never go there, it’s hush-hush and you want it to be over before it even begins. But here’s something I started that I know can benefit A LOT of mommas, girls and women out there.

When I first got my period many moons ago, my mom handed me a pack of Always pads and told me to use them every month. She said all girls get this and here you go. She alluded to things about why, but there was never a heart to heart on the process, why a woman’s body changes, the power of the feminine, or anything more. As forward and empowering as my mother was, the period and sex conversation was off-limits. I mean why would we talk about menstruation? The period is dirty, you want it over, you can’t do anything and no one can go near you. It was how it has been done in India for generations…right?

Wrong.

When I looked into it, thousands of years ago in my motherland, women were actually given time to rest since their energy was so powerful. It was regarded as a time of creation linked to the moon.

It sounds all new age-y, but in the ancient Indian texts of the science of Ayurveda, menstruation is regarded as a time of purification – a time for the woman’s body and mind to purify and rejuvenate each month as nature’s gift to women.

A gift?! Seems crazy with all the cramping and nonsense we go through.

In Women’s Power To Heal Through Inner Medicine by Maya Tiwari, she writes, “The ancients claimed that all substance of life is created from the dust of Mother Moon, the cosmic source. The moon’s perpetual cycle determines all rhythms, desires and possibilities on the earth. The moon significantly influences a woman’s biorhythms and her body, mind and spirit are intricately connected to her cycles. Her ovum is artava, from the Sanskrit root rtu meaning 6 season. Rtu also implies ritual suggesting that the rhythm of life comes from the ritual dance of the seasons, and in particular the lunar season. We can learn the healing secrets of the cosmic pulse by paying attention to our own cycles and rhythms…From the ancient times, the new moon was associated with menstruation; at this time of rebirth, women would gather together and offer their life-generating material to the Earth. The waxing moon (new moon to full) is associated with the proliferative phase and the waning moon with the luteal phase – cleansing…Native women faithfully observed seasonal rhythms to ensure the earth’s sustenance and nourishment, and recognized that the cycles of the seasons, like the rhythms of the womb, were created from the moon’s phases. At the opposite spectrum of the dark days of the new moon is the light period of hope and rejuvenation celebrated at the time of the full moon. ‘The full moon marks the time of beautification, abundance and fertility, the result of transformation and purification of the primordial blood into the translucent essence of Ojas.”

Ojas another word for the most sacred energy in Ayurveda. Misinterpretations in modern-day are why some women feel like hiding when they are on their period.

So as sacred as this process is, I decided I wanted to go even deeper in how I “get through it.” I meditate to calm my mind, changed my yoga practice to be more gentle and even eat more nourishing foods.

But the biggest change I made was what I was using.

A number of years ago, I made the switch from regular tampons to organic tampons simply because it felt better. I noticed less cramping and I had read about all the disgusting dyes and ways they made tampons. Not to mention it was bad for the earth. If I ate organic and felt that was important to my overall health and nature for countless reasons, why wouldn’t I use something else organic that was being inserted into my body for hours at a time? Feminine health is important for all women to know about and follow, finding trusted feminine health support from certified and reliable sources will further your knowledge for the better.

Did you know that most tampons and pads are bleached with chlorine which leads to a toxic byproduct called dioxin, which is linked to endometriosis and cancer, as it’s a known carcinogen?

But even when I went organic with tampons, I was still looking for something I didn’t always have to insert into my body, especially with all the news on toxic shock syndrome. I understood that this was constricting for the flow and natural process of “purifying” yet I was also not into the feel of pads, (although I used all natural panty liners towards the end of my cycle without tampons and was fine with that).

My friend used the Diva Cup, but that seemed to cumbersome for me, especially as a working mom on the go. Then after giving birth recently, I came across THINX panties. At first I was skeptical. How could a panty hold a tampon or two’s worth of blood and not feel weird? Here’s how they say they work:

“THINX is made up of four bits of tech that makes ‘em anti-microbial, moisture-wicking, absorbent, and leak-resistant.The top layer fights bacteria and absorbs any liquid into the thin layer right beneath it, so you always stay dry.”

So did I stay dry?

Yes, but I learned that with my recent flow, I needed to opt for organic tampons the first day, (my heaviest) and then can do THINX the next 2 days (or more but really since I only own a few right now and therefore wear panty liners the last 2 days which are my lightest). My girlfriend can do THINX her whole period cycle so it really depends on your flow. If we were talking pre-second baby, I could do what she does also, however I think after the extended breastfeeding, I am still getting regulated cycle-wise so it’s a bit heavy right now.

But be prepared to change undies if you are like me.

One pair of THINX, at least for me, doesn’t last the whole day… unless it’s my light day. (I learned the hard way and it leaked the first time I tried until I figured out how to use them with my flow). I had to change in between so if you wear them to work, carry a pair and bring a little diaper bag for those cloth diapers like this one to stick them in until you get home. Or you can do what I do on days I cannot change: wear organic cotton tampons all day then wear the THINX at night before bed. I have not had any leaks at night but think it’s since your body doesn’t bleed as much when you are resting. You can also just wear THINX on your light days the whole time with no problem.

It’s kind of amazing how it doesn’t feel wet and works. It doesn’t feel like you are wearing a diaper like a pad does and it doesn’t feel like you are sitting on blood either, they really absorb. I bought the hip hugger as it felt like the “strongest” and my advice is to be sure you invest in more than 1 and also wash them out, (in the sink/ring out with water and hang to dry) before you stick them in the hamper. You can run them in the wash and let them air dry after.

I also bought a few cheaper pairs too off Amazon here that are organic and work well especially on light days, but I feel not as nice as THINX.

Of course organic tampons are more expensive, like organic food, and the THINX are pricey (but then you don’t use tampons those days so you save in the long run). I remember talking to a friend about how people always spend more money on their phones, TV’s cars and even gas they use for their cars thinking these things will last longer this way. To me, spending more money on food and what I out into my body, according to countless studies and scientific research, makes me know my body will last longer and healthier this way 🙂 Plus, I feel so much better each month and to me, that’s worth it.

What’s awesome is THINX just came out with organic tampons too, probably for people like me who do both, so I may give those a whirl too.

Here’s a $10 off coupon if you do try them out!

Have you gone all natural for your cycle? Would love to hear below if so!

p.s. for transparency, I am not affiliated with THINX, but I do personally get points towards panties when you use the $10 coupon. I really just wanted to share my experience here for the ladies who wanted to go all natural like I did!

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