Why I Became a Diva Cup Diva

Guest Post by Katherine Kartis

I am a newly converted Diva cup diva. I refuse to use tampons. Period (pun intended!) It all began a few months ago when I was shopping at Whole Foods in the toiletries aisle with a girlfriend. While I consider myself to be a naturalist, this particular friend takes the all-natural movement to a new level and makes her own lotions, potions and homeopathic medicine. She told me she only uses the diva cup. My initial reaction was, “What about organic tampons?” She explained how tampons absorb the natural fluids and bacterias that the vagina produces to stay clean and healthy. I did some research and found this was true.

For some reason it occurred to me only recently how hypocritical of me it was to abide by an all-natural philosophy in some aspects of my life, like the food I eat and the soap I use, and not others. It seems obvious in hindsight that we women should of course treat our every part of our body with the same all-natural respect that we do our hair, skin, nails and digestive tracts!

For the past decade I’ve sworn by Tampax pearl tampons by day and the cheapest drugstore brand-name pads brand by night. My only concerns at the time were convenience and comfort. I never took into consideration the detrimental effects that the toxic chemicals in commercial feminine hygiene products have on my body and the environment.

Organic, chlorine-free tampons are of course better than the chemically bleached ones, but tampons are still not an optimal choice because of the health side effects mentioned above. Commercial pads and tampons may seem harmless, but they’re made from an array of toxic chemicals that are not even listed on the packaging. These toxins include chlorine, polypropylene, polyethylene film, rayon, polyester, and several other ingredients that have no place inside our bodies. Did you know that if you’re wearing non-organic tampons and pads that you’re essentially inserting cotton that has been sprayed by pesticides and herbicides in your body?

My friends who know about my Diva Cup advocacy may think I’m nuts, but I know I’ve made one of the best health decisions by switching to the Diva Cup. Not only am is the biodegradable silicone insert better for the environment and my body, but I’m also saving tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime by not purchasing tampons. The Diva Cup is a one-time $40 investment that lasts years if cleaned and maintained properly.

I live by the motto “collect, don’t absorb.” The Diva Cup looks daunting, and I will not lie; it took me several periods to familiarize myself proper insertion and removal. However, think of the time you will spend learning how to insert and remove it properly as one of the best investments for your health. Although it’s recommended you remove it after several hours (every body type and flow is different), hypothetically if you left it in for “too long” nothing toxic would happen to your body. Gravity will cause the Diva Cup to come out naturally from the weight of the excess blood it has collected. Another cool perk: if inserted correctly, which is easy to do with patience and by following the instructions, it’s impossible to leak. I’ve worn mine to bed before with no qualms, but if I don’t feel like wearing it I switch to an organic pad.

Switch to the Diva Cup and your body, bank account and the environment will thank you.

Update: We now have menstrual cups available at Package Free!