Paleo Women/Diet and Menstruation

Thank you for the replies. :)

My periods have readjusted and are around the same time each month!

Nearly 2 months into Ketosis now (feeling physically fabulous), taking 400mg of magnesium, 1 zinc, Vit C, 1 pottasium and Agnus Castus a day (to help the production of Progesterone and you can't just buy it over the counter here, it needs to be prescribed.)

The only carbs I have are the ones in the Xylitol from the custard recipes!

Comments were much appreciated :)
 
Hi all!

I was searching a bit of information on why could PMS get worse after doing the keto diet for a while and I've found some things that I thought were interesting to discuss... mostly because maybe the ones who are more knowledgeable can chime in and spread some light on it.

So, the first thing I've found is that some people don't recommend an extremely low carb diet for a long time, especially for women. I know there's a lot of fear of low carbs diets everywhere and that we have discussed here that early humans could survive without many carbs for millions of years, and so on... but we've also found out that some people need a little more carbs...

So here's some of what I've been reading:

From: Carbohydrates For Fertility And Health > Paleo for Women

I spend a disproportionate amount of my time telling women to eat carbohydrates. The thing is, a low carbohydrate diet (<50g/day) can do wonderful things for people. This we all know well. It’s a quick way to lose weight, to sharpen insulin sensitivity, and to reduce appetite in the short term, and it can be hugely therapeutic for people with cancer, migraines,and chronic infections or psychological disorders.

On the other hand, low carbohydrate diets can be a significant tax on people, women especially.

Because low carbohydrate diets are so popular for weight loss, it is common for women trying to lose weight and to “look good” to exercise often, eat very few carbohydrates, fast, and restrict food intake. The more of these restrictions a woman undertakes at once, the more and more her body reads this as living in a starved, stressed state. The results are significant. Her adrenals fire heavily, her liver gets tired from performing so much gluconeogenesis, her insulin sensitivity drops, her body fat levels fluctuate, her leptin signalling gets off, she stops sleeping soundly, and she stops menstruating regularly.

I cannot say that this applies to everyone. Many women undertake low-carb diets–Peggy the Primal Parent comes to mind as a fierce advocate (recently, however, she has, in her own words “scrutinized” and weighed evidence against the diet)–and feel great energy, life, and liberation from symptoms of their previous lifestyles. But women who are experiencing low-thyroid symptoms, menstrual dysregulation, sleep and or mood and mental health related issues may find significant relief from adding carbohydrates back into their diets.

Here’s why carbohydrates are beneficial for fertility and health:

-Glucose is necessary for the conversion of T4 to T3 in the liver. Certainly, the liver is capable of producing its own glucose with gluconeogenesis, but that process can become taxed over time, particularly if the woman’s liver is already taxed from poor eating habits in the past, mineral deficiencies, stress, or caloric restriction. Instead, when a woman ingests glucose, she assures that her liver does not have to work overtime. She provides the glucose that her brain needs, rather than forcing her body to make its on its own. This helps the body function more efficiently and with less stress in general, but it also specifically optimizes thyroid activity. Hypothyroidism is implicated in mood disorders, reproductive irregularities such as PCOS and amenorrhea, in skin conditions, and in weight gain, among other things.

Many women, contrary to popular paleo belief, in fact lose weight once they add carbohydrates back into their diets.

This is true of clinical hypothyroidism, as well as sub-clinical hypothyroidism. Note that in many studies, women with cystic ovaries and subclinical hypothyroidism see the resumption of regular ovulation when they correct their thyroid issues.

-Glucose elicits an insulin response, which in turn spikes leptin levels in the blood. This is a short-term spike, so eating carbohydrates should not be used as a replacement for body fat, which is the primary long-term secretor of leptin. However, moderate, regular consumption of carbohydrate spikes leptin frequently enough to help signal to the hypothalamus that the body is being fed. Recall that leptin is absolutely crucial for reproductive function. Without leptin, the hypothalamus does not tell the pituitary to produce sex hormones. At all.

-Moderate carbohydrate intake is associated with better mood, stress-reduction, and sleep, pretty well across the board. I see this in my work and in anecdotes, as well as in many controlled studies. The carbohydrate-well-being connection also plays out decently in biochemical theory. Carbohydrate intake (via insulin and albumin) boosts tryptophan levels in the brain, and tryptophan is the protein precursor to serotonin. Presumably, then, carbohydrate intake helps with the vast array of issues associated with serotonin deficiency which include moodiness, stress, and insomnia. For a look at the details and complexities of the issue, see Emily Deans here and here. The primary takeaway of this point being that while the exact mechanism of carbohydrates boosting mood and sleep quality is unknown, carbohydrates still appear to be a healthy, and in many cases necessary, macronutrient.

—————————————————————–

The whole point being that carbohydrates are not just okay but important. For women who have appetite control problems, sugar addictions, and a lot of weight to lose, absolutely I believe a low-carbohydrate diet can do them wonders. For women who struggle with menstruation, fertility, stress, exercise performance, or stress, along with any other hormonal oddities, carbohydrates help assure the woman’s body that she is healthy and fed. This is crucial for reproductive health.

In all cases, diet is a matter of personal physiology and experimentation. If a woman’s body works better on carbs, she should eat them, and delight in those joys rather than worry needlessly. At the very least, they are not harmful, and at their best, they are life saving.

And another one:

From: Paleo And Amenorrhea: How Extremity Can Make Even The Best Diet Fail > Paleo for women

The volume of emails I receive from women who start having menstrual problems on a paleo diet is staggering. It is not an enormous volume, no. But it is enough to give a woman pause. What gives? Aren’t we supposed to be healthier on a paleo diet?

Yes, we are, and really, we are. In the vast majority of women who eat a Standard American Diet, specifically those who are overweight, a paleo diet does wonders for balancing hormone levels. It is usually only when a paleo/whole-foods diet is coupled with restrictive norms that women start running into problems. Too little food, too much exercise, and too much stress are really what it all boils down to. The whole foods are not to blame– not in the slightest. What are to blame, instead, are the obsessive ways in which people interact with these foods.

There are several mechanisms that may be at play in the physiology, depending on each woman’s genetics and how each woman undertakes her paleo diet and lifestyle.

What happens in the body when it stops menstruating

The female reproductive system runs off of a sensitive fleet of circulating hormones. When one or several of them is disrupted, many of the others fail at their jobs, too.

During the menstrual cycle, hormone levels in the blood signal to the hypothalamus to signal to the pituitary to release FSH and LH, two hormones that in turn tell the ovaries what to do. FSH–follicle-stimulating hormone– is released in the first part of the menstrual cycle to incite egg development. LH–luteinizing hormone–is released in the second part of the cycle and prepares the endometrium to be shed. Without proper FSH and LH levels, the female body can never convince the ovaries to do their job. FSH and LH are crucial, and they rely on proper functioning of the HPA axis.

This job of the ovaries is to produce the follicles and the eggs, but in doing so it also produces estrogen and progesterone. This fact is important for signalling menstruation, because it is partly the rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone levels throughout the month that signal to the hypothalamus to release FSH and LH at different times. This is, in essence, a circle of signalling. LH and FSH from the hypothalamus to the ovaries, estrogen and progesterone back to the hypothalamus, and so forth.

Hormone malfunctions that cause amenorrhea

–Decreasing estrogen levels stop the pituitary from being able to send out FSH and LH.

–Decreasing leptin levels stop the pituitary from being able to send out FSH and LH. This is because decreased leptin levels signal to the hypothalamus that the woman is lacking energy stores and is, in essence, starving. When the hypothalamus thinks the woman is starving, it puts a halt to normal reproductive functioning. Leptin levels decrease proportionally with fat mass decreases. On the other hand, leptin can also go undetected when an individual is leptin insensitive. Insensitivity is in general a larger problem for overweight women, and low absolute leptin levels are in general a greater problem for thin women.

–Increased testosterone production interferes with estrogen levels.

–Increased stress and cortisol levels put a halt to hypothalamic and pituitary function.

Cause 1: Weight loss

Both estrogen and leptin are produced in fat cells. These are the two blood serum hormone levels necessary to signal to the hypothalamus that a woman is fed and happy, and that it should go ahead with normal reproduction. Without these two hormones, reproduction ceases. It is well known in the medical literature that the low body fat of anorexic women, models and athletes is what accounts for their amenorrhea. Without fat, a woman simply cannot menstruate.

What is discussed less often in the literature, but is still true (see Wenda Trevathan’s Ancient Bodies Modern Lives) is the fact that a woman’s reproductive system is set up to run on the nutrient basis she has as a young girl. Throughout puberty, if a girl has a higher-than-average or higher-than-healthy body fat percentage, her ovary to hypothalamus signalling may develop as ‘handicapped’ by these fat stores. Because fat cell estrogen is so high, the ovaries do not have to produce as much. For example: If the body’s estrogen set point is 100 units, and fat cells produce 80 units, then the ovaries only need to produce 20 units. Then, if the woman loses weight, the set point remains around 100 or falls a bit to a healthier level (unique to each circumstance), and the fat cells production falls to around 30 units, such that estrogen from the ovaries is then expected to make up for the rest of the estrogen deficit. Many women have no problem with this. Their ovaries jump into higher gear. Many others, on the other hand, do struggle. Their ovaries never end up rising to fill that gap. The thing is– the set point is not stuck precisely at 100. It will decrease to a healthy level. But it might not decrease as far as a woman bent on meeting social expectations of body image is hoping.

The alignment of a woman’s sex hormone levels with the amount of nourishment she has during puberty accounts for why women who live their whole lives on the edge of starvation can still have babies, but women whose body fat percentage decrease from 28 to 21 cannot.

This is not to say that an overweight woman will stop menstruating when she loses weight. Each body is capable of menstruating within the healthiest range of body fat percentages, from around 20 percent to 30 percent. But a woman who has always erred on the side of heavier might find that she cannot dip below 23 or 24 percent body fat without losing her period. 23 or 24 percent body fat is healthy, so this is fine. It might not fly is the woman is trying to meet ridiculous standards of Western body image, but it is optimal for her to have the appropriate serum hormone levels.

Other factors that can hurt estrogen and leptin signalling may also play a role. If a woman can correct those, then she may be able to decrease her body fat levels without hurting her reproductive system. For example, chronic stress hurts hypothalamic signalling. So a stressed out overweight woman is going to have a harder time with reproductive fitness while losing weight than a totally relaxed overweight woman. This is a fact. For menstruation to take place, estrogen and leptin levels must be high enough. Body fat plays a significant role. There are some other factors that can be addresssed and help as well.

Cause 2: Exercise

Weight loss can cause decreased leptin signalling, but exercise can, too. Body fat is the major player in leptin levels, but energy deficiency in general hinders leptin. When a woman is burning more calories than she is consuming–or when she is burning a high quantity of calories while under emotional and physical stress–her body calls it quits. Instead of directing energy towards reproduction, it conserves it for other functions. [Maybe we don't mind this since some of us might not be interested in reproduction, but could it cause damage to hormone balance overall?]

Cause 3: Low Calorie Diet

A low calorie diet performs the same function as both weight loss and exercise. It stresses the body and puts the woman in a state of energy deficit. The hypothalamus does not like being in energy deficit, so it tells the ovaries to stop working until it can get itself out of the energy deficit.

A low calorie diet is more of a problem for thin women than it is for women trying to lose weight. Leptin levels first and foremost are reliant on fat stores. The body can eat it’s own fat. That is in fact how weight loss occurs. So if a woman is eating her own fat, she is not starving. Once her body fat levels dip too low, however, and if she is maintaining a low-calorie, starvation-type diet, then she may stop menstruating.

Cause 4: Low Carbohydrate Diet

Many, if not most, women have a real need for carbohydrates. This cause is the most common cause of amenorrhea in the paleo world next to weight loss, in my experience.

Carbohydrates are necessary for the conversion of T4 into T3 (the active form of thyroid hormone) in the liver. The liver is capable of producing its own glycogen when it’s not being fed sugar, but this process can become fatigued over time, especially if the woman is under any kind of stress, or restricting calories, too.

Hypothyroidism, or sub-clinical hypothyroidism, is one of the primary causes of ovarian malfunction. Without sufficient levels of T3, organs shut down, and the reproductive organs are the first ones hit. Without T3, estrogen cannot be produced, and follicles cannot develop. Without T3, a woman cannot menstruate.

For this reason, many paleo women supplement their diets with iodine and find that their amenorrheic symptoms ease. However, many others do not. Instead, they have to add carbohydrates back in to their diets.

Another role that carbohydrates play is spiking leptin levels. Whenever insulin spikes in response to blood glucose, leptin levels rise, too. This means that carbohdyrates help signal to the hypothalamus that the woman is fed. However, this is a short-term elevation. It only spikes in bursts and with meals, so it cannot be used as a long-term solution to health. It is important to note, however, that a high fat, low carbohydrate diet is consistently associated with the lowest leptin levels possible.

Cause 5: High-Dairy Diet (an influence, at least)

Dairy is full of hormones. Even cows raised on pasture cannot help but produce certain hormones that influence a woman’s reproductive system. Dairy is the most androgenic food. It contains a protein that inhibits normal inhibition of testosterone in an individual’s body, such that when someone ingests dairy their testosterone levels can rise unchecked. This is in fact why so many people experience acne when they eat dairy. Even men. It really can increase testosterone levels that much.

Moreover, much of the dairy consumed in today’s world is not organic and grass-fed but is instead choc-full of unnaturally injected hormones. Farms and the US government are touchy about telling the public what goes into their animals, and they claim that these hormone profiles are insignificant. However, anecdotally, myself and with some other women, it seems as though these hormones really can influence women who already have compromised reproductive function. Conventionally raised animals can cause real problems. This goes for dairy, and this goes for eggs and meat products as well.

Cause 6: Altered Phytoestrogen and Hormone-Ingestion Profile

This cause is related to the cause above. We ingest hormones on a regular basis. With a healthy reproductive system, this is not a problem. Hormones from food are far less potent than hormones from the ovaries. Please keep that fact in mind. A healthy reproductive system has very little problem with phytoestrogens in foods. But some women have struggling reproductive systems for one reason or another, and they need to be aware of what hormones they have been and what they are now consuming.

Phytoestrogens are plant estrogens. They look a lot like estrogen, but are not identical. This is why phytoestrogens should never be consumed as a replacement for estrogen. Sometimes they relieve certain symptoms of estrogen-deficiency such as hot flashes, but they also fail to act exactly like estrogen does in the body. This means that other signals and connections are not being made, potentially crucial ones. Hot flashes may cease, but acne may continue to run on unchecked. And other problems can ensue. For example, breast cancer.

Phytoestrogens are primarily in legumes, nuts, and seeds. Soy is the most potent phytoestrogen, and should be avoided at all costs.

There are other sneaky ways in which hormones can infiltrate a woman’s diet, especially if a woman undertakes a paleo diet with compromised reproductive function and inattention to the quality of her food. For example, if a woman goes on an egg-heavy diet when starting paleo, but the chickens are fed a soy rich diet, she is actually eating a soy-rich diet. This is not normally a danger, but with a compromised reproductive system and a soy- or hormonal- influence from poorly treated animal products, it is worth taking into consideration.

These effects, I need to emphasize again, are not usually relevant for women with healthy reproductive systems, and should only be considered in severe cases. Only when hormone levels have dipped so low or have skyrocketed so high that the body becomes sensitive to these normally tolerable and easily managed fluctuations from food. Certainly, conventionally-raised cows are not optimal, but I would not discourage anyone from eating them (in terms of their health) at all if they have no other options. Sincerely. Far, far more important is the quality of hormones being sent through leptin and estrogen signalling within the body.

Cause 7: Stress

The final cause should come as no surprise to anyone. Stress halts reproduction: stress from toxic foods, stress from eating disorders, stress from social life, stress from exercise, stress from work, stress from existential despair… the list is vast. The physiological result of all of the possible stressors is roughly the same, however. Cortisol levels rise and these levels prevent the hypothalamus from sending the appropriate reproductive signals to the ovaries. This may, in fact, be the most important of all the factors I’ve discussed. There is no way to quantify it, and it burns ubiquitously throughout the Western world. What if all of us calmed down? What if we all lived in harmony, and peace, and did not fret? Stress is significant, and stress is real. Hundreds of thousands of American women do not menstruate because they are stressed. How many more experience hindered reproductive function because of stress? I suspect the number lies in tens of millions.

Another interesting article: Females, Carbohydrates, and Hormones > Rob Wolff blog

Well, I'm sorry for the length of this post, I think it's relevant to the discussion in this thread.

FWIW...

EDIT: Spelling
 
Thank you very much Yas for those very interesting inputs. It might be important for many women, or at least, not taking it into account could be damaging for some of us. I increased a bit my carbohydrates lately but as it is very recent, I should wait a bit to report here the results.

What I am experimenting might show that, while we might need more carbs for a while, it could not be the same for each day, for each month: also depending on what is happening in our "environmental area" as psychology and emotions... Some powerful events in our lifes might mean we need more carb instead than less, but maybe not day by day. As women are specifically ruled by cycles (more than men), it could be the case for carb too. Just a thought.
 
MK Scarlett said:
Thank you very much Yas for those very interesting inputs. It might be important for many women, or at least, not taking it into account could be damaging for some of us. I increased a bit my carbohydrates lately but as it is very recent, I should wait a bit to report here the results.

What I am experimenting might show that, while we might need more carbs for a while, it could not be the same for each day, for each month: also depending on what is happening in our "environmental area" as psychology and emotions... Some powerful events in our lifes might mean we need more carb instead than less, but maybe not day by day. As women are specifically ruled by cycles (more than men), it could be the case for carb too. Just a thought.

Yeah thanks Yas! it's very interesting info... I never thought Keto could make PMS worse, but my PMS symptoms are pretty bad, especially my hormone and emotional changes 2 weeks prior.

he C's mentioned that the diet is individualistic, some might still need to eat berries etc... I've started having green beans every day with meals, and it seems to be going OK - but I don't think being completely in keto with 0 carbs is helping my candida and bloating.

MK, you might be right.... but then we have to think of all the times it's been said that we don't need any forms of carbohydrates for vitamins or minerals, yet it is individualistic.
 
Hi everyone I just wanted to tell you my experiences with keto and menstruation-

When I started keto about 18months ago I was taking lots of supplements, my periods were the least painful they had ever been. Previously I used to get really bad abdominal cramps on the first and sometimes second day of menstruation.

After a year on keto I started getting lazy with the supplements and for about a month I didn't take magnesium, that month I had a very very painful period, as bad as when I was a gluten, carb monster!

After that I started taking magnesium again, the following months's period was fine, no pain!


I also notice I crave carbs around my period like veg/ chocolate/ snacks. Sometimes I crave to just eat more in general whether it be fat or protein. I put this down to hormones, but I could be wrong and just deficient in something or too much protein or have a slightly unhealthy liking for food!
 
Thorn said:
I also notice I crave carbs around my period like veg/ chocolate/ snacks. Sometimes I crave to just eat more in general whether it be fat or protein. I put this down to hormones, but I could be wrong and just deficient in something or too much protein or have a slightly unhealthy liking for food!

Hi Thorn :) interesting that the magnesium deficiency seemed to be what was causing the pain!

The food cravings are hormonal related, extra progesterone and all kinds cause many effects. I definitely want to eat more in PMS, sometimes it's just for comfort too. I'm not too sure if the food cravings can be avoided, maybe there is a way to avoid it. I know taking b6 helped my symptoms (more so the emotional sides)
 
Gaby said:
In regards to menstrual problems, I was also thinking that the detox process would be facilitated if all women got rid of the constant glyphosate exposure. According to this SOTT article, menstrual problems are relieved when other options are used:

What all women need to know about tampons & maxipads
http://www.sott.net/article/314655-What-all-women-need-to-know-about-tampons-maxipads

For those of us who have yet to make the switch, the article will help to do precisely that :)

I do not have menstruation any more. But once or twice since I started with iodine, I had the stretching feeling in my lower belly feeling I used to have before my menstruation.

I used different products for menstruation. I began with pads and then used tampons - both were not ideal in hindsight. The last few year, during which I had menstruation, I used a menstrual cup with cloth pads to absorb the bit of blood, which was leaking. During this time my menstruation cramps got much less and I got to know my body better. I can recommend the cups. They are costly in the beginning but worth the money in the long run IMO.
 
Dirgni said:
I used different products for menstruation. I began with pads and then used tampons - both were not ideal in hindsight. The last few year, during which I had menstruation, I used a menstrual cup with cloth pads to absorb the bit of blood, which was leaking. During this time my menstruation cramps got much less and I got to know my body better. I can recommend the cups. They are costly in the beginning but worth the money in the long run IMO.

Yeah, I saw the article Gaby linked to and also thought about the constant toxicity, especially since I also use daily pads. But organic tampons and pads are so expensive! And that is also considering the fact that I am currently in the country where I can buy them easily at the store. We don't have those in Belarus. But I did find a site that can send a menstrual cup by mail. It is pricey - 15 euros. But sounds worth it, if it will stop the constant toxic exposure. As for daily pads, will need to think about some other solution too. After all, women were able to survive for thousands of years without any pads. ;)
 
Keit said:
Dirgni said:
I used different products for menstruation. I began with pads and then used tampons - both were not ideal in hindsight. The last few year, during which I had menstruation, I used a menstrual cup with cloth pads to absorb the bit of blood, which was leaking. During this time my menstruation cramps got much less and I got to know my body better. I can recommend the cups. They are costly in the beginning but worth the money in the long run IMO.

Yeah, I saw the article Gaby linked to and also thought about the constant toxicity, especially since I also use daily pads. But organic tampons and pads are so expensive! And that is also considering the fact that I am currently in the country where I can buy them easily at the store. We don't have those in Belarus. But I did find a site that can send a menstrual cup by mail. It is pricey - 15 euros. But sounds worth it, if it will stop the constant toxic exposure. As for daily pads, will need to think about some other solution too. After all, women were able to survive for thousands of years without any pads. ;)

The cups seems the best option yes, but there's just something about it that really makes me cringe. I think I have a phobia of some kind from having the Copper coil and having so many problems with it. :/
 
Lilyalic said:
Keit said:
Dirgni said:
I used different products for menstruation. I began with pads and then used tampons - both were not ideal in hindsight. The last few year, during which I had menstruation, I used a menstrual cup with cloth pads to absorb the bit of blood, which was leaking. During this time my menstruation cramps got much less and I got to know my body better. I can recommend the cups. They are costly in the beginning but worth the money in the long run IMO.

Yeah, I saw the article Gaby linked to and also thought about the constant toxicity, especially since I also use daily pads. But organic tampons and pads are so expensive! And that is also considering the fact that I am currently in the country where I can buy them easily at the store. We don't have those in Belarus. But I did find a site that can send a menstrual cup by mail. It is pricey - 15 euros. But sounds worth it, if it will stop the constant toxic exposure. As for daily pads, will need to think about some other solution too. After all, women were able to survive for thousands of years without any pads. ;)

The cups seems the best option yes, but there's just something about it that really makes me cringe. I think I have a phobia of some kind from having the Copper coil and having so many problems with it. :/

I can heartily recommend the cups. I didn't start using one until I hit perimenopause, and my periods got ridiculously heavy. They worked so much better, I was kicking myself for not getting them when they first came out. The cups are a little tricky at first (use a pad as backup), but once you get the hang of them, you'll never look back. Get two if you can afford it, so one can be sanitized while using the other.
 
Lilyalic said:
The cups seems the best option yes, but there's just something about it that really makes me cringe. I think I have a phobia of some kind from having the Copper coil and having so many problems with it. :/

What's Copper Coil Lilyalic? I mean in reference to this? And if you're worried about sanitary issues, menstrual cups are actually more sanitary then Pads, as they don't cause TSS.

Either way, there is actually plenty of options out there that don't have to necessarily be menstrual cups. They also have reusable menstrual underwear, which I've personally have been looking into, although they're a bit pricey.

I haven't done the transition myself to either or, but after this discussion I'm definitely going to make it a priority for the next cycle.

(On a side note... I think we hijacked this thread - us girls XD)
 
Keit said:
Dirgni said:
I used different products for menstruation. I began with pads and then used tampons - both were not ideal in hindsight. The last few year, during which I had menstruation, I used a menstrual cup with cloth pads to absorb the bit of blood, which was leaking. During this time my menstruation cramps got much less and I got to know my body better. I can recommend the cups. They are costly in the beginning but worth the money in the long run IMO.

Yeah, I saw the article Gaby linked to and also thought about the constant toxicity, especially since I also use daily pads. But organic tampons and pads are so expensive! And that is also considering the fact that I am currently in the country where I can buy them easily at the store. We don't have those in Belarus. But I did find a site that can send a menstrual cup by mail. It is pricey - 15 euros. But sounds worth it, if it will stop the constant toxic exposure. As for daily pads, will need to think about some other solution too. After all, women were able to survive for thousands of years without any pads. ;)

Yes 15 Euros for a cup is pricey. But this is a one-time cost compared with the continuing costs for the single-use tampons. You will have the break even after a couple of months. And you can still use them if the supply situation gets unreliable when some s... hits the fan.

I am using daily pads myself. I made about 15 washable daily pads a couple of years ago. I used flannel fabric. I took 2 layers of flannel fabric in the form of rhombus with rounded corners. Between them I put a strip along the middle to make it thicker there. I took one rhombus layer, put the strip layer in the middle, put the second rhombus layer on top and sewed the 3 layers together with my sewing machine. Then I sewed around the pads a bit away from the edges of the fabric. I embroidered them around the edges with buttonhole stitch, so they could not fray. I put in a button and button hole in each as the snap fastener, which I used first tended to open. Mine are quite similar to these described here:
_http://www.downsizer.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=128
You may find other descriptions how to make your own, when you google for e.g. Washable sanitary pad making.
 
This is the brand that I use which I don't find too expensive at around £2.99 every month.
http://www.realfoods.co.uk/mobile/product/5376/organic-super-tampons-with-applicators
Although I agree a cup would be more cost effective in the long run.
 
Keit said:
Solie said:
(On a side note... I think we hijacked this thread - us girls XD)

Yeah, perhaps we better ask a moderator to create a new thread or move the conversation to this thread, for example. :)

:lol: Yeah, I guess we better move to the paleo women's cycles health thread. But I just want to add that I've been using reusable organic cotton pads for a while now and I really like them. They are pricey but you save a lot in the long term and they're healthy so that's important. There are many sites that sell them but I got mine from a friend who makes them herself (something that I want to learn too :) )

The cup is very uncomfortable for me, so I don't use it, but I think is because of my body's constitution. Most women I know who have tried it say they really like it.
 
lainey said:
This is the brand that I use which I don't find too expensive at around £2.99 every month.
http://www.realfoods.co.uk/mobile/product/5376/organic-super-tampons-with-applicators
Although I agree a cup would be more cost effective in the long run.

I used to use these tampons when I had menstruation (sight), and I saw a big difference with the amount of blood and time of of the duration of my menstruation. With the regular tampons "tampax" my days of menstruation would lapse maybe around 6 days. But with this organic brand 2 or 3 days. Amazing.

About the cups I never ever hear about this method. I saw a video about it, it is a very strange method and I ask myself: is it confortable? It seems natural, better to put cotton inside you. I would like to try this method but it is too late now. Too bad! ;)
 
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