Recent research examined the safety of some tampons and pads, so the last thing you need to worry about, is what is hiding in your tampon or your medicine cabinet. In this article, you are going to read 8 toxic mistakes that you may be making throughout your period.

Drinking too much coffee

If we do not have enough sleep, feel tired or have got a headache, we immediately reach for coffee. But, on the other hand, caffeine can dehydrate us and can worsen the symptoms, especially the headache. Cutting back on coffee and tea during your period may help ease tension, insomnia, and anxiety. As many doctors advice limiting caffeine during the month, will prevent breast pain before your period starts.Using pain medications

Do you know that over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen (Advil, Midol, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can cause more problems than they fix?According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen increase your risk of having a sudden heart attack or stroke without warning. They can also be the reason for ulcers, holes, or bleeding in the stomach and intestine, and disrupt or damage the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Additionally, if you frequently use some of the pain medications, they can damage your kidneys and liver.

If you increase your intake of magnesium, calcium, and vitamin B6, that can reduce or stop cramping. According to one study, women who took 1,200 mg of calcium daily cut their PMS symptoms like headaches, cramping, moodiness, and food cravings in half.

As per Fromberg, evening primrose oil will remove excess prostaglandin that can cause cramping, and a heating pad to increase blood flow and relax the nervous system and muscles. The use of evening primrose oil and vitamin E will ease breast tenderness. She also says:"Treat symptoms early if you know that they will get worse. Breaking the pain cycle early helps minimize the amount of medication or intervention necessary."

Changing tampons infrequently

If you wear your tampon or pad for a longer period, thanmore bacteria will grow. Both tampons and pads are the perfect environment for bacteria, including

Staphylococcus aureus.This releases a toxin that is the reason for toxic shock syndrome. You should change your tampon or pad every 4 to 8 hours. You can use a menstrual cup for up to 12 hours before emptying, washing, and reinserting,in case you need long-lasting protection.

Using tampons and pads made with rayon or bleached cotton

Most tampons and pads consist of rayon or cotton, or a mix of both. These conventional pads and tampons include traces of pesticides, residue from bleaching, adhesives such as methyldibromo glutaronitrile, and dioxin, a known endocrine and fertility disruptor. According to many researchers and policy groups, the FDA's statement that dioxin exposure from tampons is too low to be harmful is nearsighted, and fails to include the permeability of vaginal tissues, frequency of exposure, or the long-term impacts of low levels of dioxin. If this is multiplied by 12,000, which is about how many tampons a woman will use in a lifetime, we can come to a conclusion that these barely detectable chemical residues have the potential to be very dangerous. More research should be done in order to know exactly how long-term exposure effects health.

Eden Fromberg, DO, an integrative obstetrician-gynecologist said: "Women absolutely do need to be concerned about pesticides and dioxin exposure from tampons and pads. Numerous medical journals and scientists have called for these substances to be better regulated." According to a report from Women's Voices for the Earth, exposure to these chemicals can be the reason for reproductive harm, endocrine disruption, and cancer.

Women should use organic, unbleached tampons and pads. Other safe and effective alternatives are menstrual cups made out of medical-grade silicone and reusable organic cotton pads/period underwear.