THINX menstrual underwear

It's been almost 6 years since I ditched tampons and decided to use only re-usable menstrual wear. I wish I had the knowledge to start this earlier, but as new "trends" catch on, products become more available, and also more developed.

Starting with reusable pads from Charlie Banana and Lunapads, I instantly fell in love with real cotton. I was tired of noisy plastic wrappers and all the waste. Tampons - although totally convenient - weren't comfortable when they absorbed all the lubricating moisture of those tissues. I also couldn't believe how soft and absorbent cotton pads could be.

Then of course came THINX. A company with a brilliant product that found me on Facebook (damn FB algorithms and cookies... they know what I'm in the market for...). I was a little deterred by the price, but over the years I had already bought three diva cups (lost one during a move, the dog chewed up another - don't ask how she found it... she's a cleaver pup and at the time had an insatiable appetite for socks, underwear, and anything that smelled like dirty socks or underwear.). I also knew that this was something to invest in, for myself and to spread the word to other women.

I bought two pairs of small Hiphuggers and packed them for our trip to Italy when my next period was due to come.
** If you're wondering about size, I'm about 110 lbs, 5'4", the small is a little snug, but it's a good snug!

Well, a few things happened when I wore them:

First, I couldn't believe how comfortable they were! I wished all my underwear were this comfortable and absorbent. Ladies, I'm sure you understand. Sometimes even when we're not menstruating, there are certain days - especially in the time between the end of your period and ovulation - when you feel like you're leaking fluids. It's real and it happens.

Second, I wore a pair during the heaviest day of my period. This wouldn't have been a huge mistake had I timed how long I'd be wearing them for. It turns out, I had a much heavier day that I was expecting. Heavier than I'm used to. I also wanted this to be a true test so I didn't use the Diva Cup this time around.

Thinking about how often I need to change my Diva Cup, I thought I could go 8-10 hours in my THINX or so without needing to worry. I was extremely mistaken. After 4-5 hours I was still completely comfortable. My mistake was thinking I could then go on a 3-4-hour bike ride without the Diva cup or changing my pair of THINX.

The combination of long duration of wear, my heaviest day of flow (and way heavier than usual), and sitting on a bike for 3+ hours was enough for my THINX to leak. I was devastated. It's been a long time since I've felt sad about having my period. But leaking through my Lululemon shorts on a bike ride through the Tuscan countryside with my new husband almost had me in tears.

Luckily my husband works in sports medicine and knows exactly how to get blood stains out of clothing! Seriously... he was a genius. My lulu shorts were saved!

As for my THINX, they are still my most favourite pairs of underwear EVER, and even more great that I can wear them on lighter days with no need for anything else, or as backup with a Diva Cup. They may have leaked, but it was definitely situational.

I've used my THINX since that first cycle and haven't had any issues. They are also fantastic for wearing during sleep when you have your period.

I also want to point out that during this whole experiment, it was rare that I ever felt damp or wet, making THINX not messy at all to use! Washing is also simple. Rinse with cold water right after wear, then throw them in the laundry with your gentles and hang dry. It's amazing how much fluid they actually can hold.

Would I recommend them to other women? Absolutely! But if your periods are heavy, be prepared to change out a pair after 6 hours or so. Get your hands on a zipped water-resistant carrier bag, like this one from Lunapads which has 2 zipped sections, one to keep clean menstrual wear in, and one for dirty. And yes, of course I bought the "Dandy foxes" print... This is "Healthy Fox Adventures" after all!

lunapads.ca

The Many Types of Iron Supplementation

Let's start this post with a little anecdote... one of frustration. I had a patient with a history of low iron who was taking Feramax (a polysaccharide-ion complex form of iron) for several years as instructed by their medical doctor. On this patient's latest blood work it showed that their iron levels (as measured by "ferritin" storage) hadn't budged an inch.

Yes, it's frustrating when a medication or supplement isn't working, but what was more frustrating was that even after seeing these test results, the MD told the patient to keep taking the Feramax.

Now, I have nothing against Feramax, in fact, it can be a fantastic supplemental iron and has been known to be more gentle on the stomach than other forms like ferrous gluconate. I've prescribed it among other iron supplements in the past. But it obviously wasn't helping bring iron levels up in this patient. This often means that there is an issue with bioavailability and absorption.

When left in the hands of patients, it's easy to become confused with several types of iron supplements available. While I was a pharmacy assistant, customers would come in regularly looking for iron as directed by their doctor. Of course, without any actual prescription or direction, customers typically went for the cheapest one on the shelf. But quality matters here and no one was educating these customers (and at the time, legally I wasn't allowed to since I was still a student) on the differences between these supplements.

Some iron supplements like ferrous gluconate and ferrous fumarate can be harsher on the stomach; Some can cause nausea and constipation; Many of them interact with other minerals such as calcium, and not all of them have a stellar absorption rate. In fact, the absorption rate of most iron supplements is less than 5%.

It's also important to note the needs of each individual. For those who are vegan or vegetarian, they may wish to avoid heme iron supplements - heme iron being derived from animal hemoglobin (typically porcine). Heme iron has about 3x more bioavailability to non-heme or elemental iron, making it an excellent treatment for increasing iron levels in those who are anemic.

Another elemental form of iron is iron glycinate or iron bisglycinate chelate. This form of iron is protected by glycine molecules so that it doesn't interact with other minerals in the GI tract; As well, it has better bioavailability than ferrous gluconate. Because of how gentle it is (and cost effective!), this one tends to be a client favourite.

The take home message here is not to be discouraged when one type of supplement isn't working. Even with something like B12... if taking an oral supplement isn't working, there's a better chance at increasing B12 levels via injection as the injected B12 is delivered directly into the muscle and avoids the stomach and GI tract altogether.

The wonderful thing about naturopathic doctors is the abundance of nutrition training we have in comparison to medical doctors. Try not to be discouraged on your path to wellness, but know that there is usually an alternative if something isn't working for you.

ND's Notes: It is not advised to take an iron supplement without the supervision of an MD or ND via blood work. The toxicity associated with excess iron can be extremely dangerous. 

My great Italian bread/pasta experiment

I've been gluten-free for about 8 years now. What that means in reality is that 99% of the time I eat only foods that are gluten-free, with about 1% of the time, having some sort of exposure to wheat-based grains. I don't mean that I have "cheat days" but I'll consume something at a restaurant that may not be completely wheat/gluten-free. Not breads, pastas, nor pastries... those have always been off-limits.

But that all changed when my husband and I decided to honeymoon in Italy. I knew that they used a different species of wheat in Europe, and had heard that those with gluten/wheat sensitivities often can tolerate bread and pasta way better there than in North America.

I was intrigued and excited to eat real bread and pasta for the first time in almost a decade. My goal was to eat and drink my way through Italy and see what happened. I was going to eat real baguette bread; I was going to enjoy a pastry at a cafe; Focaccia in a market. Hell, maybe even pizza!

So I did. I ate it all and for the most part I loved it all, but there were lessons that I learned with each meal:

First, not every restaurant or venue gets their flour from Italy. I made an incorrect assumption that our Mediterranean cruise would be serving local foods. I soon found out that even their beef came from Chicago (which induced a huge "WTF?!?" moment for me). Pasta, I learned, had to be labeled specifically as "durum wheat" pasta. But the breads and pizza still left me bloated, gassy... my insides were not happy even if my taste buds were.

Off the boat, food was much easier. I wasn't having reactions from independent/family run restaurants. Anything that was non-touristy seemed to be fantastic, and my gut agreed. I was able to eat focaccia in Venazza, pasta in Taormina and Genoa, and croissants in Florence with no issues. It was glorious. I was able to enjoy heavy starches that didn't feel so heavy.

I felt like I had an excuse to be indulgent; and perhaps I did. But that feeling wears out after a while. By the end of our 2-week vacation I was craving protein and vegetables. I was craving leafy salads and steamed broccoli drenched in olive oil. Not to mention that my waistline definitely widened being on a predominately carbohydrate-based diet.

They were gloriously happy-making meals for the time being, but it wasn't something that I would be able to continue. The body - my body - can only take so much. The challenge now is switching back. Getting my body back, reducing my carb and sugar cravings, and regulating my blood sugar.

The Aftermath of my Gluten Experiment

The last croissant I had was at the airport before we left Europe. It was everything I had hoped it would be, until I stopped to pay attention to my body. All of a sudden I felt anxious, my heart beating fast. What was going on? I realized it was my blood sugar. Having only had a croissant, my heart was racing and I felt like I needed a run. I knew this was a pattern I'd have to get out of. This spike in blood sugar was uncomfortable, but all too common.

Secondly, the residual carb cravings after having come back. I almost forgot how strong they could be! Telling me to go bake a batch of cookies, or eat more of that sunflower seed bread, or, how about a third serving of rice? It's so hard to battle that voice; even more so when you're feeling exhausted.

Thirdly, by the end of the two weeks, and more so in the two weeks upon our return, my skin broke out like crazy! Not just facial acne, but eczema!

What gets me through this part is knowing how good I can feel on a low-carb diet. My tastebuds and brain were spoiled in Italy. We deserve it! To enjoy the food of another country and culture is an experience not to be taken for granted, but for my own personal health, it's not a lifestyle I can thrive on long-term.

I'm so happy I took a chance (with the help of probiotics and digestive enzymes) eating Italian wheat products, but I'm even happier to be home so that I can stuff my face with veggies and proteins again.