We recently received this email from Leslie, a GladRags customer, who reminded us that choosing reusable products now will save you money later on!

Disposable pads have been a necessary evil most of my life. I cannot use tampons yet the pads cause irritation and even rawness. When I learned of GladRags several months ago, I scoured the site. I read every page top to bottom. I admit to snickering when I read a testimony, “How did I live without these”? Well, I am here to say that I agree with that lady. My life has changed for the better since I started using them. A few months ago, my husband (the sole provider) lost his job. I soon had a new appreciation for the GladRags realizing that buying pads would have added a financial burden that we just could not have overcome. So, with renewed joy in my previous purchase of GladRags, I send my testimony and thanks for a wonderful product that has served well in multiple situations.

How have GladRags changed your life?  Let us know; we love to hear from you!

August’s Monthly Friend is Eve Agee, author of The Uterine Health Companion.
Read our review of her book and enter to win a free copy here!

Name:  Eve Agee
Age: 42
Hometown: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Current Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Occupation: Author of The Uterine Health Companion, Life Coach, and Medical Anthropologist

Interests: Yoga, traveling, cooking, and spending time with my son, husband and friends.
Dreams:  For us to create a beautiful future for the entire planet–for all humans, animals and the Earth.

How long have you used reusable menstrual products: About nine years.
Reason for making the switch to reusables: I started using GladRags because they are good for the environment and wonderful for my health.  They feel good on my skin and help me achieve my goal of eliminating as much single use plastic as possible from my life.  When I switched to GladRags, I had been researching menstruation in other cultures and was so delighted to find GladRags which offer healthy, more traditional ways of honoring the menstrual process.

Funny anecdotes, deep thoughts, or anything else you’d like to share:   Menstruation is a beautiful, natural part of our health, that helps us connect to our creativity, power and vision.  I’m so grateful to GladRags for providing women with reusable products that celebrate our uterine processes.  We as women have tremendous power to choose products that will help improve our world and nourish our bodies.  Using GladRags is a fantastic way to do just that.

Did you knows you could use solar power without spending a dime?  It is as easy as hanging your clothes outside to dry after washing.  And air drying your clothes is easier than you think!

Letting your clothing hang dry is actually doubly beneficial: not only do you avoid the energy use of the dryer, but your clothes will last longer.  Dryers are responsible for many of the reasons we replace our clothing, like pilling, lost elasticity, and of course shrinkage.  You can save money in electricity, repair costs, and/or quarters.  Additionally, I think clothes smell better when they are let out hung out to dry.

There is more than one way to dry clothes.  If you have a clothing line or can easily hang one up in your yard, go for it!  If not, a drying rack is a great tool and can come pretty cheap.  You can also hang them on a clothing rod or a few items in your closet if you make sure there is enough space for it to dry.  When I lived in a house with a very small backyard (about 4 feet wide) I would hang my clothes with hangers on the chain link fence.  Check out Air Drying Without A Clothes Line for more tips and tricks and Laundry Drying Dilemas? Pull a Solution Out of Thin Air!

And people say solar power is expensive!

Do you air dry your clothes or do you want to?  What are your experiences?

Author: Eve Agee, PhD

What it’s all about: The uterus!  In many cultures it’s considered the center of the body and a source of power, but in Western medicine the uterus is often ignored or considered a “polluting factor for women’s health” (remember hysteria?).  The author, a medical anthropologist and holistic healer, encourages you to celebrate your uterus and offers in-depth guidance for optimal uterine health.

Who it’s for: If you have a uterus, this book is for you!  You’ll learn how to maintain uterine health through cognitive restructuring and visualization, nutrition, posture, and bodywork.  Women with uterine health conditions such as menstrual cramps, endometriosis, and fibroids, will find detailed chapters on holistic approaches to improving their well-being.  Each section is chock-full of useful information presented in a positive, empowering way.

Why you should check it out: With full chapters on menstruation, fertility, and menopause, this book makes a great reference for all stages of life.  Plus, the author draws from a unique base of experience and knowledge: she was born in the Ozarks, conducted women’s health research in the United States and Africa, served in the Clinton Administration, and is a certified Spiritual Life Coach.

Take a look:  Alex recently attended a discussion led by the author at In Other Words, a feminist bookstore just down the block from GladRags HQ.  The reading and discussion were great!  Agee lead the all-woman group in an open and honest way, and created a safe conversation space where we could say what was on our minds.  The ease of the discussion really mirrored the book’s friendly and informative approach.

We’re giving away a copy of The Uterine Health Companion to one lucky blog reader!  To enter, leave a comment on this entry by August 6th at 12 pm.  We’ll pick a winner using a random number generator. Make sure to include your email address so we can contact you if you win!

The Uterine Health Companion: A Holistic Guide to Lifelong Wellness by Eve Agee

• Toni Weschler, author of Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement and Reproductive Health, answers a few questions about menstruation on Scarleteen in Talking Menstruation with Toni.
• Lani Beloso, an artist with menorrhagia paints canvases with her own menstrual blood (see photo).  Read more about how she sees her work as catharsis and art in this article on Jezebel.
• The Huffington writes about reusables in How to Green Your Period!  Negative comments ensue.  Be sure to change that by posting about how much you love GladRags or your menstrual cup!
• The Diva Cup, Race, and Blood by Nuñez Daughter brings up some thought-provoking ideas about race, feminism, and alternative menstrual products.

Giveaways:

Win a 3-pack of the Color Cotton GladRags from the Rent Tent Movie!  Also check out their site; we can’t wait to see this film!

One of the easiest ways to eat local in the winter is to prepare in summer.  During this season’s bounty, it’s hard for me to remember that in winter the farmer’s market stocks only kale, onions, and mushrooms.

Fortunately, taking advantage of summer’s abundance is both fun and rewarding.  What’s better than a peach pie in February or strawberry preserves in November?  And buying fruit in season is often far cheaper than buying out-of-season produce at the supermarket.

For many, canning is the first thing that comes to mind when you talk about preserving food for the winter.  But canning isn’t the only way to save your favorite treat for the colder months!  Drying, freezing, or simply keeping items in a cool cellar are all equally great ways to preserve foods.

Your Green Goal this week is to try at least one of the tips below.  Have a better way?  Leave us a comment and share your knowledge!

• Prepare and freeze fruit pie fillings.  For an even easier pie, freeze your filling in the shape of the pie pan, so all you have to do is prepare the crust and pop the frozen fruit inside before baking!

• Use this handy drying guide to find out the best way to dry produce from your garden.  Dried cherry tomatoes make a yummy, summery addition to soups and pastas!
• Try your hand at freezer jam!  A quick and easy alternative to canning, you can use almost any kind of fruit you have available.

• Store your root vegetables in a cellar, basement, or create an insulated storage box with these guidelines from the National Gardening Association.

• Did you end up with more cucumbers than you can eat? Try this recipe for Bread-and-butter pickles to create a snack that will last you through the year.

• For even more ideas and detailed information on home canning, visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s website.

• Naked Faery shares her thoughts on why using a menstrual cup is one way that she can feel feminist in every day life on her tumblr.
• Blogger, Raising My Boychick, brings us a great review about Sea Pearls (menstrual sponges)!
• An interesting take on the Do Bears Love Your Menstrual Blood? urban legend that explores male fear of the unknown in a lighthearted manner from The Faster Times.
• Accidentally Mommy shares an honest, interesting blog entry about her thoughts and feelings regarding her period in That Cup Isn’t for Drinking, My Dearest.
• GladRags for Postpartum explains why and how GladRags are perfect during a time when you need some extra comfort and care.
  

Reviews and Giveaways!

• You have one more day to enter to win GladRags nursing pads and Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter from the Mommy Business blog on her Nursing Pad Review and Giveaway!

• An interesting new study finds support for the the idea that Ovulation Gives Woman’s Brains a Boost.
• Menstrual Cups have gained attention from those trying to help girls and women in Sub-Saharan Africa find a more permanent and healthy solution to menstrual care.  Researchers try out Another Sanitary Application (photo to the right).

Giveaways:
Check out Huppie Mama for a GladRags Nursing Pads Review and Giveaway.
Fun and Funky Mommy hosts a review and giveaway for GladRags Pads.

As temperatures rise, so does the temptation to do anything to cool off!  With the current East Coast heat wave, there is no better time to think about ways to cool down without cranking up the air and wasting energy.

• When you’re home, why conform to social dress codes?  Break out the hot pants and tank tops!  Don’t be overdressed inside your own home.

• Prepare!  Open your windows at night to let the cool air in.  Keep your curtains drawn during the day so the sunlight doesn’t heat up your house.

• Turn on a fan before the AC, as a fan will circulate the air and use less energy than an air conditioning unit.

• Relax!  Moving less will make your body produce less heat and keep you cool.

• Put a damp washcloth in the freezer for a bit to wear on your head or neck.

• Enjoy spicy foods!  While it may seem counter-intuitive, there is a reason Mexican, Thai, and Indian foods are so spicy — the spicy food makes you sweat!  When the sweat evaporates, you cool down.

• Try going to a communal place that will have air conditioning such as a movie theater –just like the old days– or a library.  Make sure you turn the fans or air conditioning in your house down or off when you leave.

• When you do need the air conditioning, keep it at a higher temperature.  Even if you set it at 75 or 80, you’ll still feel cooler and less humid when you come in from the sweltering outdoors.

A note about car air conditioning: When you are driving in the city (slower than about 45 mph), save energy by rolling your windows down instead of turning on the air conditioning.  When you reach highway speeds, roll up the windows and turn on that AC!  As explained in this Slate article, the drag created by keeping the windows down while driving at high speeds may use more energy than turning on the air conditioning.  Or take public transit!  Buses and trains are usually air conditioned.

What do you do to keep cool?  Anyone have any special recommendation for different climates?

Image: Hal Brindley / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Hannah is one of two interns who will be joining the GladRags Team for the summer.  We’re super excited to have her on board! 

Name: Hannah Forman
Age: 20
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Current location: Portland, Oregon
Occupation: GladRags Intern! almost college graduate, life-long student

Interests: Nutrition, Yoga, German, French, Feminism, French feminism, Performance Arts, Traveling, Photo Taking, Bicycling and the Sun.

How long have you used reusable menstrual products?: Haven’t started yet but I am looking forward to it!
Reason for making the switch to reusables: Well, GladRags makes a pretty clever case for it – I’m concerned about the well-being of the earth, especially in this near-apocalyptic age (2012). I’m also concerned about the well-being of my body and would like to remain toxin free as much as possible.

Funny anecdotes, deep thoughts, or anything else you’d like to share: I used to  try to hide the fact that I was on my period at all costs. (similar to June friend) Now, I think that’s a misuse of time that could be spent not only feeling great instead of feeling ashamed, but also talking openly about what alternatives are out there to support us.