Luna Pads: Yes, your period CAN be fun

(if you don't care to read my post, I won't resent you... just scroll down to the end of the post for a Luna Pad 15% off discount code! And please share it with friends and family!)

If you're a girl over the age of 12 (or however young girls are getting their periods these days) I know you must be having an impossibly hard time believing my title, but seriously, it's true! For a few years now, I've been on the hunt for the most environmentally friendly, comfortable, and healthy way to experience my menses, and have I ever found it!

To give you a little bit of history on my hunt, after I moved away from those nasty plasticized pads you always get taught to use in the beginning, I moved one notch up the environmental scale by using O.B. tampons because they didn't have unnecessary applicators. When I realized how bad non-organic cotton is for the environment (and that's not even considering the toxins being leaked into my body through my very precious uterine wall), I attempted the Diva Cup option, but it just wasn't for me. Since then, I've settled on Natracare products (organic but still disposable) and Sea Sponges (reusable but not that comfy)... Despite that, I've still always secretly felt bad that I was still pumping out lots of trash every month, and cumulated over my life time, that was still a lot... But then, Luna Pads came into my life and saved the day:

yep, that's how happy my uterus is right now.

Everything I've ever heard about Luna Pads has always sparkling reviews and happy customers. Nevertheless, I wondered if I wanted to make yet another financial leap of faith to try to green my period. So many things hadn't worked 100% in the past, so why bother trying again? Here are some of the statistics that I just couldn't get out of my head and ultimately justified my decision to go re-usable route:

• In North America, 60 million women use disposable feminine hygiene products
• There are some 14 billion non-recyclable pads, tampons, and applicators making their way to landfills annually.
• Disposable products will probably take about 500+ years to decompose.
• Every woman will dispose of about 125 to 150kg of disposable plastic and cotton crap in her lifetime resulting only from her period

Scary... If you're not an environmentalist, then consider this:

• You'll have your period for about 40 years of your life, if you add up the products you'll need over that span of time, that's about $2,500 or more
• Assuming that you have a 5-7 day cycle, that's about $300 on pads and tampons a year
• Luna Pads can last for years (5+ they say), while I'm working perfectly well off of three different kinds of pads (and an extra set of liners for each), the most you can choose to spend is on their Deluxe Kit which has enough pads and liners to accommodate a full cycle for only $130 (that's about $1,000-1,500 in savings!)
• Not convinced? Check out their cost saving scheme!

So when my period came around this month, I couldn't justify buying another whole pack of disposable products both financially and environmentally. I took that leap, and contacted Luna Pads. After a couple emails, one of their fabulous reps said she would send me some samples. When I received a package filled with brighly coloured pads and liners... I swear it felt like Christmas! The first thing I told Andrew was "I can't wait to have my period!" Seriously, those words have never past my lips in my life. Look what a little colour can do to a girl's life.

One word: AMAZING.

Luna Pads has pads and pantyliners for every flow, every size, and every type of panty you can imagine. One pad will easily get you through the whole day (or night). You just have to change the liners as often as you would any other menstrual product. For now, I've used them overnight, during days at home, on heavy days, during quick outings, on light days, and they've been beyond fantastic. No mess, no leakages, perfect coverage. Also, because they're 100% cotton, they're super comfy, breathable, and don't feel like you're wearing anything out of the ordinary at all.

Once you've finished using them, just rinse them out with warm water, and throw them in the wash. It's that easy. In fact, it becomes something of a fun ritual every time you have to change. I was a little skeptical at first when I read off of their website that the experience "helps you love and understand your body" more, but I actually understand that now. Plus, every morning, I get to wake up and pick what pattern or colour I get to wear... I take joy in the little things, I know.

I give these an A+++. I love these so much, I actually went out and bought another set. Of all the menstrual products I have ever tried, these are a Godsend... or a Goddess-send? Seriously, I can't rave about these enough. I'm so completely sold.

If you want to know how they work, here's how simple it can be:

Nowadays, I think I may actually look forward to my period. It's like a new and strange way to express my girly-ness. Give me bright coloured panties and my special bar of Lunatic Chocolate, and I'm good to go!

Want in? Luna Pads was wonderfully generous enough to offer Eat Dance Live readers a special 15% discount on any order over $50 until April 30th! Just type in: EATDANCELIVE in the discount code box as you check out. So get excited about your period, and go shopping! Pads aside, their website also has tons of neat stuff (including my infamous period chocolate). That's hundreds of dollars saved for you, and less crap going into the environment for everybody. Like I mentioned, given the fun colours their pads come in (I mean, come on, they have a cupcake print option!), their amazing comfort and convenience, you'll never have been more excited to get a period in your life until now. Spread the word :)