• The Allergy Be Gone blog shares with us info on a New Study Finds that Early Menstruation Linked to Greater Asthma Risk.
• One of the the most interesting blogs on the internet, Sociological Images, reports on an artist’s installation on Re-Framing Menstruation through branding (see image to the right).
• Pfizer recalls ThermaCare HeatWraps Menstrual lot.  Check out our microwavable Herbal Comfort pacs instead!
• Check Mommy of 1 and Counting’s review of GladRags pads.

Here we are back from a bit of break to bring you the latest menstrual news, art, and more!

• In Which I Discuss Periods in which one mother/blogger shares her thoughts on the Keeper Cup.
• Interesting take on the attractive male type of advertising campaign– Disposable pad ads featuring shirtless dudes: creepy?  funny?  condescending?  What do you
• Great blog, EmpowHER explores the menstrual cup in this article.
• Easy to read, Fast Facts about alternative menstrual products.  Informative and fun, especially designed for teens!
• GladRags was featured in the Better World Shopping Guide and we got an A! Their highest grade!
• Green Your Period: Menstrual Cup Replaces Disposable Tampons gives some well deserved love to the Lunette Cup.
• On the nature of writing The fantastic, the mundane, and menstruation.
• The new Chinook Books are out!  They have tons of great coupons along with an awesome one from GladRags.  So if you live in the Bay Area, Boulder/Denver, Portland, Seattle, or the Twin Cities pick one up today!

• Green Upgrader sings some praises in Reusable Menstrual Products Help Reduce Waste, Save Money.

• A study finds that the presence of older brothers delays menstruation in girls.  Learn more about why they think that is and how it relates to sexual activity here.

• I’ve always wondered What Causes Digestive Issues During Menstrual Periods.  And now I know!
• Ashley at Domestic Chaos reviews cloth pads and the Instead and rates them according to effectiveness and comfort.
• A new study finds a link between stress and worse PMS symptoms.
• Life on Health brings us many reasons to start using menstrual cups in Wondering How To Forget About Menstrual Pains & Discomfort Of Constant Tampon Or Pad Changing? Menstrual Cups!
• Check out this laughable recent ad for douching How to Ask for a Raise: First, Wash Your Vagina.  If only we could all feel comfortable with our own bodies silly shaming ads like this would not be a problem!
• Reasons to use a menstrual cup, let blogger Delta S count the ways.

About GladRags:

• Thanks to everyone who donated to our campaign for an orphanage in Nepal!  Learn more about the orphanage and our donation campaign here.
• You can see the TigerMama crew sporting their new GladRags pins in the picture to the right! Want one of your own? Sign up to be a GladRags Guerrilla!

Just to shake things up we are going to bring to a back-to-school rave review from one of our happy customers on sharing the joys of reusables with her daughter.

6 years later and I still couldn’t be happier using cloth pads. In fact, my daughter couldn’t be happier. Well–maybe—I just got her a beautiful Green Lunette cup for her 18th Bday!!! She has been using cloth from day 1 of her period—and I would hate to see her leave home and feel the need to switch to disposables or –gasp—tampons because of laundry issues etc. So I am giving her the gift of a lovely green cup to help her along with her ‘green’ and reusable future Gladrags were my very first purchase for myself and my daughter–and I am happy to order again! -K.B.

• Evangelizing about the Menstrual Cup from “Let Me See,” a Christian Feminist blog.  Learn why she loves menstrual cups!
  
• Elephant Journal has a great piece informing and advising you on how to Get Back on the Rag (see photo).
• Don’t forget!  Shop GladRags.com for free shipping on all domestic orders until next Friday (8/6/10).
• Also ending next Friday is your chance to win the Uterine Health Companion book!  Read our review and enter the contest here.

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!

• 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!

Summer is here, and so is our summer fun guide!  We’ll help you meet your menstrual needs for the most comfortable, eco-friendly summer ever!

The first thing I want to do when summer comes is go camping!  There is nothing like cooking over a fire, roasting marshmallows, and sleeping under the stars.  When I still used disposables, I went on a week long camping trip that started the first day of my period.  I didn’t know what to do!  If only I had known about the convenient Moon Cup: along with the Menstrual Cup  Bag, the Moon Cup provides a compact (for easy packing) solution that enables you to “leave no trace” while enjoying nature!

With record-breaking temperatures being reported in many cities this summer, Jade & Pearl Sea Sponge Tampons are perfect for when there is nothing you want more than to take a dip in a cool, refreshing lake. With no tampon string, you can wear any swimsuit you want without worry!  Easy to insert and remove, these comfortable tampon alternatives will win over even the most committed pad user.

 Just because it’s summer, it doesn’t mean that you should put your yoga practice on hold!  Yoga enthusiasts love the Keeper Cup for allowing a free range of motion and keeping your body free from the chemicals and toxins found in many disposable.  Exercise worry-free with this natural gum rubber cup that holds up to an ounce of flow — keeping you safe from leaks longer than any tampon!

Sometimes you just need to take a break, reflect, and enjoy a good book.  GladRags soft Night Pads and Day Pads are perfect for kicking back on a night devoted to taking care of yourself!  Brew a cup of Monthly Comfort Tea, soak in the tub with GladRags Bath Salts, or unwind with an Herbal Comfort Pac.  All three are specially formulated to soothe menstrual cramps, and are just the thing to help your body and mind relax!

• The Moon Cup: for All Your “Feminine Product” Needs is a great article with a helpful list of all the benefits and downsides to using the Moon Cup.
• The Women’s Rights section of change.org has a very interesting article presenting the idea– Subsidised Menstrual Pads: Good for Girls, Bad for the Plant.  What do you think?  Should the India government be supplying cloth pads or menstrual cups or do clean water concerns get in the way?  If you want to help girls in Zambia with their menstrual needs check out our donation partnership with Beth’s Girls.
• Diary of a Mom’s Green Topic #4: Going Paperless has a number a good ideas about different ways to have a paperless household.
•  A design/art student named Hiromi Ozaki invents a Menstruation Machine so that everyone can have the feeling of menstruation! (picture from the Wired article on the subject)