MENSTURATION IS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE OR STILL A TABOO WE WOULD END UP LIVING WITH (3rd position)

It is a well known fact that “Menstruation cycle is the key to human reproduction”. Menstruation cycle is important in every female’s life as it determines a female’s chance of getting pregnant in future and be a mother. Menstruation though reaps a beautiful baby, it’s not an easy time as every month for years a female’s bodies goes through a lot of hormonal changes which further affects physical, mental, social and emotional health. So, during the periods, it is important to stay in a healthy and hygienic environment, eating a balanced diet and giving it complete nourishment as they need to compensate the average amount of blood lost ie around 50-80 ml. It’s natural to have mood swings and cravings for things like chocolate or ice creams etc. But medically, it’s not a great idea of eating too much of it as it’s not healthy for your already burdened body during the stressful periods. So eating healthy is of utmost importance during those days.

But, it is not something a girl should be ashamed of while discussing it with their friends or partner. Females dealing with mood swings, cramps, and heavy flow is not an ideal way to spend a week. During this menstruation period, females deal with high rate of blood loss which makes them feel weak, so hydrating yourself by drinking sufficient amount of water will keep your body energised. Basically, suffering from extreme pain is not easy. So, during this period or phase we should prefer iron rich food such as green vegetables, pomegranate etc. which provide energy and good amount of nutrition to the body. Menstruation cycle is important as well as stressful, though it’s a blessing of being a mother.

Menstruation cycle makes us deal with many problems but consider it as necessity for a better lifestyle. Therefore, there are many benefits which can be a good for female health and body such as it makes you work out harder. A very well-known physiologist has explained that “the more active you are and more regular with your activity, the better your periods end up being”. During this time, the elders of the family suggest not to do any activities and avoid going to gym and other workout centres but during your these days we should prefer the workout for the better flow and being healthy and fit, both mentally and physically. This is difficult but not impossible. One should forget about pain and do their exercise as per their regular routine, although avoid during excess and unbearable pain. Interestingly, it makes you age slower. During the periodic cycle, women lose good amount of iron from the body and iron is critical to the production that’s why it is rightly said that women live longer than the men. So menstruation makes your age slower. In today’s generation, a group of people deals with depression, stress etc. which makes them feel anxious and tensed which results in altered menstrual cycle. For instance, women who are overweight or having dark complexion maybe suffering from issues related to mental health, so may end with missed or irregular cycles. Regular or continuous flow of cycles is a sign that your hormones are working or functioning as they need to. It’s the ultimate excuse of self-care. During this time a women face laziness and weakness in her body. It is basically the perfect time for the self- care and being self- reliable. Also, not to miss it tells you that you are not pregnant. Stoppage of periods is a sign that you need to consult a doctor for your change in health condition. It is not only about pregnancy but let you know that you are not dealing with such problem like PCOD. Therefore menstruation, although painful, is blessing in disguise.

On contrary, females in some societies are still dealing with orthodox mind-set of their families especially the elderly. They consider menstruation as something impure. According to them, a female having its cycle means that she is impure during that time. This kind of thinking needs to be changed. They impose some barriers on women during their periodic phase such as not going to temples as some women consider it as impurity of temples and say that if you go to temple you will make god impure. So our mothers and grandmothers don’t let us go to temples. Not working in kitchens and not eating foods like pickles is also among one of the many restrictions a female on menses has to face. Our elders say that the women during her periods can’t work in

kitchen as they are unclean and food should not be served by them. Sleeping in separate room is another restriction. Females have their separate rooms during their cycle as family don’t allow them to sit and even touch clothes and utensils and restrict them to a particular room. During festive season, they don’t let us go outside. if you have your periodic cycle during festive season like Diwali they don’t let us go out as they says that it’s a pure and you can’t touch anything regarding it and if you touch it will become impure.

So basically, the mind-set of the families and societies need to be changed as per the generation and time. Imposing such kind of restrictions is not a perfect way to make the girls understand the correct meaning of menstrual cycles who are on their beginnings. So we need to deal with positive atmosphere rather than creating issues for the girls and making them feel that periods is a burden. Menstruation is a blessing in disguise, not a taboo to end up living with.