Overshare: An Update on Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding & Naturopathic Medicine

Today is the end of the third month where my uterus has been magically fixed.

What the traditional western medical system had no way to solve, no answers, absolutely no hope- sending me along my way with no more than a "well- I guess you'll just have to live with it"- a Naturopathic Doctor was able to fix with a natural, vitamin tincture, some supplements and whole vegetables.

I am at a complete loss.

Honestly, I don't *really* believe in Naturopathic Medicine. Shocking, I know- since this site is all about the "Granola", the natural, with a good dose of Yogic fouffy. Sure, I can easily accept the mind-body connection- our brains are connected to our bodies after all. I use yoga, pranayama, every day to manage my IBS and stress. But an actual, medical issue that Western Medicine has no alternatives?

What can I say? I must be a skeptic at heart. That and it irks me when vulnerable people are taken advantage of... and often Naturopathic Medicine costs a lot of money and isn't covered. Sick people would count as "vulnerable".

However, I need to swallow the pill and admit that, whether it's the placebo affect or not, the tincture is working. After six years of having only 1-2 weeks of period-free followed by 12-14 days of moon time, these past three months have been scary amazing. (for a bit more background on this moon story).

If you haven't experienced dysfunctional uterine bleeding, than you have no idea what being on your period for 75% of your life for years on end will do to your emotional well being... to your relationships... and how utterly amazing it feels to have the freedom of 3 entire weeks without one tiny drop of period.

(this moment, dancing in my galaxy leggings on NYE is how it feels)

This entire story-line is a massive, personal overshare on my part that I've considered keeping to myself. Mostly because- after the bullying post (which you may noticed has been removed, as I was actually threatened to the point that I had to do so), I don't feel as safe in sharing online like I had been.

After some careful thought, however, I felt it would be useful to share my story and my success with Naturopathic Medicine in case there is another "me" out there, feeling hopeless and desperate. Having gone through years of medical doctors and painful tests to be told to "live with it".

To the other "me"s- I wish to share two things:
- the DivaCup will save your sanity.
- if you have coverage for Naturopathic Medicine- look into it.

Moon Cup vs Tampon: Ultimate Rap Off

Reason five hundred and seventy-two why menstrual cups rock.

In case you haven't the time to read my handy dandy posts on how awesome my Diva Cup is, the little ditty spells it all out in a pleasant rap. Maybe I should just rap all my blog posts...

Thanks Tara for sharing this on my facebook!

The DivaCup Expert: Dispelling Fears

Not to sound all pretentious but I figure I have a right to feel a bit like a DivaCup expert... For currently unknown reasons, the past 4-5 years I've had to use the DivaCup for about 50-60% of my daily living. Yep, that means every two weeks, minimum 10-12 days a stretch. 

(Image from DivaCup.ca)

I am very close with my DivaCup.

There are a lot of reasons why women are nervous about using the DivaCup (or some other form of menstrual cup). I asked on twitter and facebook what some of those reasons were. 

Here are a few:

1. It looks strange and complicated to care for; too overwhelming!

It may look complicated but the DivaCup isn't difficult to care for and is much less of a hassle than constantly remembering to buy and bring tampons.

To clean: Empty your moontime in the toilet, rinse it out with warm or hot water. With a cleaning solution (I know it's probably just  marketing, but I use the DivaCup wash), use your fingers or a (new!) toothbrush to scrub it out. Re-insert. You can also boil it for 10min after each cycle.

I only do a thorough cleaning twice a day. Honestly, if my hands are clean the cup isn't touching any bacteria in between empties it should be fine. 

2. It looks kinda big... does it feel weird?

In order for the DivaCup to work, it needs to be open and catch anything coming down. It also comes in two sizes, one for under 30yrs no children and one for over 30yrs or with children. Because it's silicone, it's very soft and flexible. Once you have it in, you really can't feel a thing. Of course, you need to work out a system for insertion that works for you, which is usually the biggest adjustment. I wrote a couple blog posts on that topic though, if you wanna go take a peak :)

3. How the heck are you supposed to get it IN THERE?

Fold, insert and twist. It's not difficult once you get the hang of it, but you have to be sure that it opens. 

A few tips:

- the first time; try it while you're not on your period. Although it might be trickier because there's less liquid to help it in, this way you can 'test run' it without the stress of absolutely NEEDING it to work. 

- it cannot get lost in there. No really, there's an end to that tunnel- it's called the cervix. You are ok. 

STEP BY STEP (lol NKOTB):

Step one: rinse it out with VERY hot water. It helps warm up the silicone so it will open more easily.

Step two: fold in half, but lightly- not a crazy full half fold (you can try the fancy fold, but it's never really worked better for me). Insert

Step three: Holding on to the bottom, give it a little twist. Overshare- I usually end up wiggling around a bit to help it open. 

Step Four: this is key- using a finger, check to make sure it's opened. Since you can't feel it you might not know if it's opened or not. Which can result in leaking. Just a quick check and you're good to go!

4. How the heck are you supposed to get it OUT?

Another weird adjustment, but it's not difficult. You just give it a push. If you've never had children (like me), it was a weird learning what muscles to push with. But as long as you don't have to pee, just hold the little bit on the end, push with your muscles (mula banda!) until it's out enough for you to pinch the bottom of the cup and remove (usually with a twist). Tadah!

5. What about public washrooms? 

The DivaCup holds WAY more than tampons: that  means you don't have to change it as often. I only change it every 3-4 hours on my heaviest day. You will be very surprised when you see how little your moontime creates. For 10 of the days I need to use the DivaCup I empty every 7-12hrs. You can usually find a private bathroom during that time frame. 

However I have had to empty it in public washrooms. It's actually not that complicated:

• I wash my hands before entering the stall (using toilet paper to open and shut the door). 
• Remove cup, empty into toilet. If you have to pee, place on toilet paper on top of toilet. Reinsert. 

If you have clean hands, the only thing the DivaCup is touching is air between insertions- so no place for it to get contaminated. It's just a bit more awkward that's all. 

This has only had to happen about a handful of times in the 4-5 years I've been using the DivaCup.

6. What about leaking?

If you insert it properly and have the right size, you should be good to go. :) Checking really is the best way to make sure you got it open.

7. What about the price? It's kinda expensive.

In about 6 months the DivaCup will pay for itself and then it will save you  money. I have saved over 500$ at this point!

What does the DivaCup give you?

1. An entire moontime free of bringing your purse to the bathroom with you.
2. No more worrying about having enough menstrual products each month.
3. No more worrying about a string during swimming for the summer.
4. No more leaking at all, even while practicing yoga.
5. Thousands of menstrual products kept from the landfill.
6. Money saved each month (hundreds of dollars over a few years).
7. No more chemicals and bleach exposure to your most sensitive inner regions.
8. Actually, you barely have to think about your moontime AT ALL for the entire day.

You couldn't PAY me to go back to tampons. 

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

The DivaCup Adventures: The Replacement.

In the past two months I've done a lot of traveling for work...which meant a lot of moving stuff around. Including the migration of my Diva Cup.

Now, many of you know how I adore this doodad, best invention EVER for women who are menstruating. It's been 3 years since my conversion and recently while out shopping for "feminine products" with a friend I realized that I can't even begin to imagine life back in the tampon trenches. Seriously, how did I even manage myself once a month?? Let's just recap the wonderfulness of the DivaCup:

• Since switching over I have saved over 300$ in tampons and about 720 tampons from going in the landfill. Woot!
• I never, EVER have to worry about being prepared for my moon time (except for this unforeseen circumstance, which I will explain shortly).
• No more leakages, uncomfortableness, needing to "change" something during the day. The DivaCup lasts throughout 90% of my work days and all night. 
• No uncomfortable strings or movement during yoga. EVER. LOVE!
• Weirdly, I feel much much more connected to my moontime now that I can see it. I know, strange.
• DivaCups are excellent for traveling; 7ish hours at a time mean less need to change during driving or flights. 
• No more worrying about swimming... :)
• General overall awesomeness. All around.

Ok, recap over. So back to traveling. Obviously if I'm wondering when I will start, all I need is one small little purple bag and we're good to go. Unfortunately... I honestly don't worry about anything between moontimes, not whether I have enough supplies or whatever. Which means that yesterday when I realized it was upon me (umm, just in time for Ostara, woo!) my search revealed NO DIVACUP!

Ummmm.... Uncomfortable moment. After searching every.single.place.ever I had to admit that I must have left my DC in a hotel somewhere. Awkward silence.

OMGoddess, poor poor soul who found that.

In any case, this also resulted in a "Well, now what am I supposed to do?". It has been over three years since I've had to worry about supplies. Ever. You can imagine I was a little panicked.

Sadly, I had to buy a new one. Which I canceled friend yoga today in order to accomplish.

I thought, since it is brand spanking new, that I could actually take pictures and perhaps display them here for all you Yoginis out there who were thinking of buying but maybe a bit nervous.

There are two boxes available: 1. Under 30yrs and no children- the pink box   2. Over 30yrs or have had children- blue box.

In the box you get these four things: A clear silicone Diva Cup, a handy dandy purple flowery lame bag (I mean, just cuz I have a vagina does not mean I like purple and/or flowers...), a weird flower pin and some pretty intense instructions. After opening the package, I promptly stabbed myself with the useless pin and dropped the DivaCup on the floor. Awesome.

I would also like to point out that the instructions actually have a section that states "Do NOT panic if you can't reach the stem and remove the cup..." This is essential to remember. As it happened to me the first time and Andrew was outside the door shouting: "The instructions say DO NOT PANIC! So don't panic, it is OKAY". (I never read instructions... Andrew loves instructions. As a result, he was the one who read up on the DivaCup that first time lol).

Even though I said the purple flowery bag was lame (which it is), I will admit that it can be handy to actually have a bag to store the cup in. Sadly, it doesn't stay all nice and clear (ew, sorry!). So the bag is useful. I just wish it wasn't so stereotypical.

Anyhoo, that is it. My new DivaCup. It has been sterilized in boiling water and will make my moontime so much easier for the next three/four years, while saving me money and the environment pollution.

If you're not a DivaCup yogini yet and still have questions (or are a newbie with some FAQs) check out the following posts:

1. DivaCup: An Overshare: my first overshare with a few tips and suggestions on insertion, removal and cleaning.
2. DivaCup: An Update! Info (partway through) on how DivaCup recommends replacing it every two years (which I think is utter crap).
3.  DivaCup: A Love-Annoyance Relationship of Three Years and Counting: some ranting on some aspects of the DivaCup.

Also check out the DivaCup website FAQs!

What about it? Any tips, suggestions, thoughts fellow Yoginis? :)

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Yulemas: Eco-Stocking Favourites

This is our first Christmas-Yule together (Yulemas?) and although it will be sad to miss my family's celebration, I'm kinda excited to be creating our own traditions.

Now, I might believe that buying a zillion new things is not that great- but do I adore my Christmas stocking. It's one of my favourite part of the morning- opening our stockings (my other favourite parts of the season include decorating the tree and Christmas Eve with family).

My stocking was handmade by my late Tante Virginia, who passed away from breast cancer when I was 14 years old. It's red and white and says my name... I heart it very much.

We're working through ways to have a meaningful Yulemas without a ridiculous amount of waste while still retaining the fun of opening and surprise. In another post we'll chat about new traditions that Andrew and I are considering for our first eco-Yulemas. But for now.... eco-gifts for the stocking (or holiday sock thingy... :) ).

1. Consumables. Sounds sexy no? Hah, consumables are gifts that your gift receiver can use. Things like gift certificates for a restaurant, theatre outing, spa experience or yoga class. In Halifax:
- Morris East- yummy locally sourced food with the most delicious brunch cocktails. Fresh and different, we adore this eco-resto.
- Netflix subscription: doesn't use the ridiculous amount of energy required to run like movie theatres and you can watch what you want from home!
- Rachel's yoga podcasts subscriptions!
- Be Well Spa on Robie: located in a beautiful old home with natural and sustainable products. They even have their own urban garden in the back yard!

2. Chocolate.... yummy fair trade organic chocolate. A consumable that you can enjoy right away. My favs? Local JustUs! spicy chocolate powder that I can use in my coffee every morning. A nice kick...

3. Handmade baubles. I love sparkly jewelery. The more shiny and handcrafted the better. They fit perfectly in a stocking and are a nice surprise when nestled amongst yummy chocolate. There are lots of handmade places to find these pretties... at the Farmer's Market, local crafter's fair or etsy. My favourite places in Halifax:
- Love Me Boutique. The owner, Chara, always has amazing Canadian handcrafted sparklies that are unique and definitely amazing.
- The Halifax Crafter's Fair that happens every year. Fantabulous stuff and you get to meet the artist right there! This year: December 4th and 5th at the Olympic Centre. Woo!
- Bhavana Yoga Boutique: The epitomy of yoga bling, Krista Watters owner of this lovely spot, carefully chooses her pieces for handcraftedness and meaningfulness. (She also has the best yoga-gear in the city, Canadian and USA made!).

4. Necessaries... ya know. Stuff you need. Like a toothbrush. And soap that smells yummy. And deodorant, floss and socks. Some eco-options:
- preserve toothbrushes. Made from recycled plastic and you can send them back to be recycled!
- the rock- salt deodorant stone. Amazing thing.... although wasn't successful for us, we know the thing works.
- Birch Bark Soap. Amazing. Of course, you could check out a local soap maker near you on etsy!
- Five Seed amazing lip balms, scents and other goodness. PERFECT size for stockings.
- And if you wanted to be REALLY awesome- A new Diva Cup. Yep- the bestest stocking gift EVER. Seriously. Haven't tried it???? What's wrong with you?! Go read this post. And put a Diva Cup on your list.

5. Makeup-y stuff. I like painting... and that includes my face. Girly? Yep. Do I care? Nope. My feminist self and makeup loving self have been friends for a while.
- Dr. Hauschka- has a whole line of less-synthetic makeup options. It's pretty darn difficult to be completely non-synthetic with regards to makeup, but they do a good job. Halifax: Planet Organic.
- Stript- new to me, this stuff is M.A.C. equivalent but less chemicalled. Halifax: Pretty Things Boutique (awesome store for fun girly clothing for real women).

Things your stocking does not need:
- any sort of yoga mat spray. I mean, since when do you need prepackaged synthetic chemicals to clean something your face and body are in close contact with? Vinegar and water (and tea tree oil) will do just fine thank you.
- packaged a zillion times wasteful trinkets that you'll just through out in two seconds. Who needs a weird plastic tree ornament anyways?
- Yoga sox thingys. Really? Your toes can grip the mat just fine...

How to wrap up your beautiful little eco-stocking treasures? With newspaper or pretty magazine ads of course! That way you can still enjoy the surprise without using extra trees and resources! Remember to recycle all the paper though :)

Have any eco-stocking ideas out there?


article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

DivaCup; A Love-Annoyance Relationship of 3 years and counting

Alright-y.... it is time for another Overshare- so if you have issues with menstrual periods or ahem- 'moontimes', simply come visit another day :)

As we know, the absolute best Yogini companion is the DivaCup (or any other menstrual cup available out there). My first leap of faith in announcing my DivaCup cheerleading self resulted in some pretty awesome tips and discussion. We covered why using a menstrual cup will save you money and the environment (think 12 billion tampons in the landfill per year-ick!). The last post- sharing stories of how we've converted people over to the 'dark-side' of eco-menstruation. 

Although I still think the DivaCup is fantastically awesome, it's not all fluffy bunnies and happy asana-ing. In case there are others out there who have some similar thoughts pop up during moontime, I thought I'd put mine out there.

 DivaCup Eccentricities:

• The gross disgusting squish noise it makes when I try to quietly and surreptitiously remove it. Seriously, I know this is TMI, but we don't have a fan in our current apt and in 540sq ft it's really not hard to hear what goes in there (ahem, we usually have music for serious bathroom business...). Could my body make a grosser sound?
• The fact that I have to clean it, with an old toothbrush. And that I hide it WAY far back in a drawer to make sure I don't accidentally try to brush my teeth (UGH Goddess forbit) with it. Vomit, just a little in my mouth there.
• Since I am no longer on the estrogen-pill schedule, *knowing* when I start my moontime has become a intuitive 'recognize the symptoms' game. Which means this month I had to run over to Pete's and purchase some gross organic cotton tampons. My DivaCup was hanging out in my bathroom at home.
• Trying to remove the DivaCup when you have to pee is NOT fun. That is all I will say on the matter.
• The beautiful 'rustic' colour transformation. Now boiling is done in secret, cuz there is no way Andrew will witness what has become of the cup.
• When friends come over and need 'emergency' supplies... I no longer have any to share, which although leads to a 'join the DivaCup club' convo, doesn't solve their immediate problem.

Despite it's oddities, why I still adore my Cup:

• In three years of use I have only bought tampons once (this month).
• I *never* worry about leaking or anything at all for the entire day (I know some ladies do change a few times in a day, but I'm fortunate that my flow is medium).
• I can practice Yoga, go swimming, anything I want without any worry whatsoever.
• No little string as a telltale reminder for significant other ('nuff said).
• No more chemicals or dyes are in close contact with my beautiful Vagina.
• Because I have been using the DivaCup I have, to this date, prevented approximately 900 tampons from entering the landfill and saved over 400$.

Dear readers, I am sorry if this was a bit much for an Overshare. Maybe you also have some eccentricities to share?


Happy Beltane!


article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Eco-Menses Club!

After the several posts on the DivaCup, including the awesome tips and advice from the comment section of the "Overshare" post, I vowed I would not become obsessed. However (lol), recent conversations with friends have led me to believe that we perhaps have formed some sort of cult of the DivaCup. (photo source)

Weird, but the topic of menstruation and how to deal with it actually has come up fairly often in random conversations with friends and family. Who knew that I'd actually be ok with talking about my period?? My friend H. and I were chatting last night about how we're slowly amassing a gaggle of DivaCup converts... Like a strange eco-mense club. I'm pretty sure not one of these women made the switch because of the environmental impact, but because of the convenience and superior... umm... performance (hah!).

My friend M. however, completely surprised me when she called to say she didn't make it through her first day of DivaCup awesomeness. She was so utterly disgusted by her cycle that she actually googled it to make sure it was normal. I find it sad that as women we are so socialized at such a young age to be ashamed of our cycle and to think of it as "gross" that most of us have no idea what it actually looks like in a little cup. I gave her a pep talk about how we all adjust and I'm hoping for the best.

I even converted my Tante (Aunt). Such a strange moment; I called my mom a few weeks ago and the first thing she said was that I had to talk to Tante D., who was visiting, about the DivaCup. Supposedly she had stopped by my mom's cottage to see if she had any tampons. Since mom is wonderfully paused, she only kept some for me, and she announced that I no longer use them. Tante D. was completely amazed that such a thing even existed and the conversation was pretty darn awkward, filled with her cautious questions of "I came over to ask your mother about.... feminine products" and my blunt answers of "tampons? You mean for your period?"... lol. Trying to explain what it looked like and how it worked over the phone was interesting (I'm a hand talker, so I was gesturing to the phone quite a bit... which looked awkward as I was gesturing about vaginas lol). She was pumped and said that she was going to the health food store "tomorrow" to pick up a blue cup ("Why haven't I seen this on billboards or something???").

YES! This is a quiet little revolution, kinda like a grassroots deal. I feel like such a REBEL! This morning I wondered just how much money and tampons I have saved over the past year and a half. I can calculate this, no problem. Except.... I'm having a hard time remembering just what it was LIKE using tampons. Ok, think- I probably used around 5 a day (wow, SO MUCH), so say 30 in a cycle. I bought Tampax, so average price was around 12$ CAD a month.

Over 18 months that's 216$ saved and 540 tampons prevented from the landfill. Holy poop Batman! Seriously, as a total prude when it comes to personal space and matters, I cannot believe how fantastic and easy this whole DivaCup process has been. I would never in a million years go back.

A little tidbit of info I just learned: if you have a yeast infection DivaCup indicates that you should NOT use your cup. If you do use your cup, you should replace it as they cannot guarantee that the candida bacteria can be killed by boiling, or whether a regular gal could with certainty create the right conditions (i.e. saline solution boiling). Also, if you are using topical medications you should never use your cup as it can degrade the silicone. I had no idea!

Do you have any DivaCup "Join the Cult/Club" success stories or info? Or if you'd love to try it, but are too weirded out, unsure, nervous- check out my Overshare post and the fantastic comments that ensued!

Blessings!

DivaCup: an Update!

The other week I was listening to the cbc and heard a strange new radio advert... this sing-songey voice telling us what not to flush down the toilet: diapers, q-tips, floss, condoms, tampons... People FLUSH those??? In any case, the idea being that since the city sewage processing plant flooded and has been pumping "floatables" into the harbour I guess HRM's approach is to blame it on the people...

In any case, the "tampon" comment reminded just how happy I was that my monthly gift wasn't contributing to the landfills any longer (cuz who actually flushes them? no really... people DO that?). Out of all the weird, green, small or big eco-changes that I've made over the past few years the DivaCup has been THE best! I've talked about it a few times here on the EcoYogini blog (ps- if you're reading this and can't see my new summer banner, then it's been posted without my permission, come on over and join in on the conversation!), and I was surprised just how many other fantastic eco-yoginis out there also LOVE their cup! I've learned a few new issues on the topic and thought I'd share them :)

Quick intro for those that might be new to this awesomely fantastic cup:

For such an integral part of most women's lives, who KNEW it caused SO much waste: an estimated 12 BILLION tampons in American landfills yearly (and I guess in the harbour too!). Our messy, used feminine products, made of plastic and absorption chemicals (placed in such an intimate area, why did I expose my vagina to that?) are never just thrown "away", but are hanging out for years to come. In enters the DivaCup for myself, or one of the other eight or so menstrual cups out there.

Trust me, it took TWO years for me to gather the courage to give it a try and the first few times were a bit entertaining... to say the least (really when the instructions say "DO NOT PANIC" they mean it!! lol). If you're reading this and are nervous about the whole thing, you are not alone! It was weird, but SO worth it! After a few months of interesting experiences and revelations (please check out my "Overshare" post for details) I was STILL struggling with the random "POP" opening surprising me in the most inopportune moments. Andrew thought it was hilarious... but really it was getting off-putting after a year and a half.

Thanks to the wonderful sharing and comments left on my "overshare" post, that no longer happens! Still haven't mastered the "push down" fold (just resulted in more crazy dancing in the bathroom hoping it will open!) and no turning at all was accomplished (Andrew kept asking if I was ok after some banging and swearing like a trucker... hah). The Most Fantastic Tip: HOT WATER. OMG, warming it up prior to doing the crazy, ridiculous wiggle dance to get it in has resulted in no more surprise openings! WOOT!

Seriously, even my yoga practice has changed as a result of wearing the DivaCup. I no longer worry about random leaking, pulling or uncomfortable-ness. After a few weird thoughts of: "ew, during shoulderstand it's just... you know... going around in there!", with no disaster occuring, my moontime no longer affects how I choose to practice yoga. I can travel for 12 hours without worrying about needing a bathroom nearby, or having my purse with me to the bathroom (like no one notices that!). The best: I NEVER have to buy more tampons AGAIN. I've never had an overflow, and didn't think it was possible, but I have friends who do need to empty their cup every few hours and still swear it's fantastic.

Unfortunately, just like the whole "yoga machine" awakening, I recently was made aware through Crunchy Chicken's blog that the DivaCup peeps aren't all out to save women's menstrual cycles. As I'm not an instruction reader (Andrew read out the "DO NOT PANIC" from outside the bathroom for me that very first time) I had no idea that DivaCup recommends that we replace our cup every.single.year. Ahem. Their reason: supposedly Health Canada requires this for safety regulations. According to this article, Health Canada denies any such statements... and that they have no concerns regarding safety of prolonged use. If I have to replace my cup yearly that would be an extra 30-40$ to the DivaCup company per year... and wouldn't make sense economically OR ecologically (as you can't return the cups for recycling) for myself. I'll just continue brushing and boiling away until I hear something a bit more definitive. (A DivaCup knitted case!! SO FUN! Taking from here)

Also, I had NO IDEA that there were other alternatives like "the Keeper" (latex- which has been documented to degrade in contact with biological fluids, unlike silicone) or "The Fleurcup" (France) and have a sneaking suspicion that the ridiculous certification allowing the DivaCup to assure medical grade safety in Canada also means they may be the ONLY menstrual cup allowed to sell in Canada. That's pretty handy for them to have a huge monopoly on price (hence the 40$ price tag) and regulations.

Regardless of the drama, I do continue to HEART my DivaCup!

DivaCup; an Overshare

After taking in  a deep, centered breath and just blurping my DivaCup practices out there I was confronted with the real possibility that people were actually reading my blog... and GASP, now know some private info about my *period* (shhh!). That was a little strange, but then I did want to share this awesome dealy out there that truly has changed how I live and practice yoga!

Then I thought, well really I should probably ALSO share these little insights that I have learned along the way and didn't quite expect when I first purchased the DivaCup.... sigh. Deeeeep breath. 

So I bought the DivaCup and waved it around in the air for The Fiancé (who requested I put this in caps so he's more than a definite article- lol) shouting: "I got a DivaCup!" and doing a little dance. I gotta say, he was quite excited and thought it was a hilarious idea to read the instructions while I just decided to give it a try. He always reads the instructions and I always just throw them aside... I guess I wasn't really supposed to try it when I wasn't on my moontime, but whatever. There was no way I was going to rely on my ability under pressure.

As I stood there in the bathroom, with The Fiancé listing off strategies on how to get this thing working I realized that my life was a little strange. Also, I giggled when he read: "If you are unable to remove the cup, DO NOT PANIC- Lisa it really says that in caps LOL". They actually have an emergency phone service to call in case... well in case it gets lost... haha. I have no idea. I did a little victory dance because I managed to get it working and then: I tried to get it out. For twenty minutes. OMG- they were SO right about the DO NOT PANIC. I panicked a little. I gotta say. I really just needed to figure out this "push" concept. I was fine! I can't believe I'm sharing this. lol.

For all you yogini's new to the DivaCup here a few things I've noticed along my journey of cupness:

- DO NOT PANIC. When it says "push" to get the cup out, they REALLY mean PUSH. With your, you know, beautiful feminine muscles. Which I did not know I had truly until that moment.

- Sometimes the cup will open belatedly.. perhaps while you are walking down the hall, or while you're having a conversation. This feeling is very off-putting and disconcerting. You are not alone.

- You don't actually have to buy the Diva Wash to clean the cup. Just make sure that whatever product you are using to clean it out doesn't have any nasty chemicals or additives. Messing with the delicate chemical balance in your vagina really isn't a good idea.

- Using an old toothbrush to scrub the cup is a great idea!

- The DivaCup really can be boiled in a pot of water. Although, I prefer to do this when no one else is home... just to avoid the awkward- "whatcha cooking??" moments.

- There is some "magical" fold that is supposed to decrease moments of random "popping" or the cup just not fully opening. It didn't work for me. Neither does trying to "turn" the cup around... how am I supposed to do THAT? Know that you are not the only one who jumps up and down and wiggles to get it to open for sure. At least I hope I'm not the only person to do that...

That was a little weird. I hope it was helpful for some of you new DivaCup Yoginis out there!

Blessings!

The Diva Cup- An Eco-Yogini's Friend!

I was reminded of this post idea by Down2Earth, who commented on my Bamboo post. :) This is actually a bit out of my comfort zone when it comes to sharing via blogger, but I am thinking of this as part of my personal practice of giving.

Moon-time, the rag, that time of the month; however you'd like to phrase it menstruating is a reality for the majority of women between puberty and the wondrous phase of menopause. Whether you choose to view menstruation as a beautiful monthly cleansing or as something to dread, women use a ridiculous amount of ways to contain this monthly flow. An estimated 12 billion disposable sanitary pads and 7 billion tampons are dumped into American landfills each year. Billions??? OMG. 

I first heard of the Diva Cup about four years ago during my grad studies in Montreal. I had a friend who made her own menstral pads (another popular eco-option!) and yet another who used the Diva Cup. I'm the type of person who only thinks to buy Toilet Paper when we actually run out. So the real reason that I decided to give the Diva Cup a try had more to do with my annoyance with constantly having to run out to Shoppers in a panic to buy tampons than for the environment. That and I thought it was ridiculous that I was spending around 15.00$ a month on these things. 

After a few interesting episodes regarding perfecting the "mode d'emploie" (while remembering the "DO NOT PANIC" instruction in the booklet LOL) I marveled at what I had been missing all these years of horrible tampon use! Eco-benefits aside (although 7 BILLION tampons a year is disgusting), the Diva Cup was five hundred times better at being a feminine hygiene product than any tampon ever invented. You can leave it in for 12 hours straight- no matter HOW flowing your cycle can be. Really. You never have to worry about carrying an extra with you discreetly hidden in your purse. Actually, you never have to excuse yourself to the bathroom WITH your purse. And my favourite: you never have to rush out and buy tampons again. Ever. 

As a non-active person, yoga being my only physical activity really, I was surprised with the Yoga benefit. The Diva Cup was by far the most comfortable monthly product I had ever used. I can forget it's there- even while I'm doing shoulderstand or Triangle- you name the pose! No worries about any sort of surprises. 

The Diva Cup comes in two sizes for those yet to experience the beauty of childbirth, and those who have. It's made with silicone which has been tested and FDA approved as safe. Most tampons and pads have chemical additives that are there to improve absorbtion and are bleached... Bleach on my vagina???? hah- right. The Diva Cup is made from medical grade silicone (not what is in breast implants) and does not contain latex, phtalates or BPA.

I am a fan and thought I'd share this with other Eco minded Yogini's out there. Seriously, it has been one of my favourite eco-transitions... 

Namaste!