One thing we can all agree on is that all women, ok MOST women, hate when it’s that time of the month. Our menstrual cycle always shows up at the wrong time (although we know there is never a right time hahah). There’s the cramping, bloody mess, breaking out, being bloated and hormonal- I could go on and on and on.  I’ve been wearing tampons since my track and field days in high school. Over the years, I’ve heard and read about the dangers of using them, although it made me nervous, it never stopped me. Last year while talking with my sis in-law and one of our friends, the topic came back up and she told me about organic pads and tampons. This blew my mind because at that point, I’d never heard of them. Fast forward to early this year, I decided to finally try them out. In true ‘Nife fashion’, I ordered about five to six.

To be honest, I didn’t expect much to change, I only wanted to try them out and see what the hype was about. Fortunately, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in regards to personal hygiene. I immediately felt a difference, I’m not sure how to explain it but it’s true. I thought maybe it was psychological at first but turns out it wasn’t. One of the major things that has happened is that I started experiencing less cramps. I’ve not had crazy cramps in many years but I typically experience it during my period. Since I’ve switched to natural pads, my periods have been great coupled with the fact that I’ve been eating healthier – that also helps a great deal. I’ve listed below what to eat/ stay away from while you’re on your period.

What I love about using natural pads

  1. Natural: The older I get, the most concerned and aware I am about what goes in my body. Since the pads are natural, it goes with my healthy lifestyle and not only helps my body but also the environment.
  2. Less Odor/Cramping:  I spoke about the cramping  in the second paragraph of this post. For the odor, Honey Pot has herbal infusions that are meant to assist with not only comfort but also control odor.
  3. Comfortability: They’re all very light and not bulky. To be honest, I thought this would mean that I would have to change hourly but that has never been the case.
  4. No Irritation: The pads are soft and comfortable and from what I read there is less irritation because the pads doesn’t contain plastic- making it breathable.
  5. Extra Wings: All the overnight pads that I’ve tried has extra length and wings which I love. I must say I have never woken up with any blood stains on my panties or bed sheets.

The Four Companies I’ve tried

  1. The HoneyPot Company (women owned black business)
  2. Rael Organic
  3. This Is L
  4. Cora Organics

What to eat when your period is near

  1. Stay away from salt and sugar
  2. Try not to indulge in all your cravings (ex. substitute chocolate with dark chocolate)
  3. Increase water intake
  4. Stay away from red meat (definitely need to follow my own advice on this)
  5. Eat more fruits and vegetables
  6. Eat food that are rich in iron such as beans, nuts and leafy greens such a spinach and kale.