Today I’m talking to a wonderful innovator named JB Owen. JB talked about her background in the male-dominated construction industry and how that shaped her focus on helping other women in business. She has some empowering perspectives for women which I believe will resonate with many of you in my community. During our Couch Talk interview, we also talked about a beautiful product that JB designed for women of ALL ages. I’ll give you a little summary of that conversation but you should really listen to the interview for more of JB’s thoughts. You will love her! And she has a special gift for my community (see below)! No More Toxin-Laden Sanitary Pads And Tampons! An alternative that is non-toxic, environmentally friendly and fun! JB talked to us about a product that you will definitely want to check out. She is the creator of Lotus Liners, a non-toxic and environmentally friendly alternative to the sanitary napkins, tampons, and incontinence panty-liners that you may use today; whether for your period, for break-thru bleeding (that many of you experience in peri-menopause and menopause), everyday vaginal discharge or for small urine leaks. While re-usable pads have been around for a while (certainly cloth pads were the only thing available pre-disposable options!), JB has brought quality materials together in an easy to use the product (that becomes its own discreet carrying case)… that is fashionable, too. As an innovator, she wanted to design something that was going to make a difference: a difference for women…in terms of their feminine health (removing absorbent toxins), being cost-effective and fun. And also, she wanted to make a difference in the world that she is leaving for her children. According to JB, in the US alone, approximately 12 billion pads and 7 million tampons end up in landfill sites EACH YEAR. A woman can throw away 10,000 pads and tampons in her lifetime. She thought about women’s periods and how negatively they are generally perceived…we view the monthly rite of passage as an intruder and buying all of the disposable products is costly and wasteful… not to mention toxic to our vagina and vulva. And the same goes for all of the sanitary products and panty-liners women use for those little urine leaks as they age through menopause and beyond. She wanted to make these rites of passage a little more positive, kind of fun… with a little fashion even thrown in. See this little pouch to the right? How cute (and convenient) is that? Individual (used) pads can be snapped shut and inserted into a waterproof purse… to wash later when it is convenient for you to do so! Low And Behold, When The Chemicals Are Removed Women Can See Great Health Benefits: So what’s really in the materials of these products and what health risk do they pose? JB explains that there are currently no regulations as to the chemicals used in manufacturing disposable napkins, nor are most manufacturers required to disclose the ingredients (pads used in hospitals and institutional settings are regulated). But here is another concern. What are the plastics used in conventional pads? We don’t really know… but we know that BPA and BPS, plasticizing chemicals, have links to endocrine disruption, heart disease, cancer and are known to disrupt embryonic development. Tampons may have gone through bleaching processes (possibly using chlorine!), used to give them and pads their “hygienic” white look. This can create toxic dioxin and other disinfection-by-products (DBPs), of which there is no “safe” level of exposure according to the EPA. Even trace levels of dioxin have been linked to abnormal tissue and cell growth, immune system suppression, and hormonal disruption. Not to mention the fact that some pads are laced with odor neutralizers and fragrances, which can have potentially adverse health effects. This is a high price for the convenience of disposable sanitary napkins, one which women should not be forced to pay. Says JB. “I tell women all t