Check Yourself

Check out your Breasts
Every month, you should do a breast self-exam. Need to know how to do one? Take a look at this helpful page at the American Cancer Association.

Should you find an unusual lump, see your doctor or gynecologist.

Check out your Genitals
Ingrown hairs and pimples are generally pretty easy to identify. They either have a small white head, or are just a tiny bump, slightly red, that may smart a little bit, but should not itch or develop a raw, open or crusty top.

If when examining your genitals, you have open, raw or red sores, hard lumps inside the outer labia or on the mons, small white cauliflower-like growths or warts, or if you itch or scratch regularly, again, see your gynecologist.
Menstrual Care

For your optimum health, during your menses it is ideal to use organic, 100% cotton and unbleached menstrual pads or tampons, at the lowest absorbency you need. Washable cotton pads or The Keeper or Divacup are also healthy and ecologically-happy methods of managing menstrual flow.

High-absorbency pads or tampons with rayon fibers, which use bleaches (most commercial brands use both) are not advised, as they can contribute to Toxic Shock Syndrome, and can also upset the acid and bacterial balance of the vagina, or irritate the tissue. Are they patently unsafe? No, but you could do better by your body, your wallet and the environment by switching to washables or reuseable menstrual cups.