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Still wondering what to do with the bloody panties? Here are 5 period hygiene tips and health tips that I wish I had known, sooner!
Still, wondering what to do with the bloody panties? Here are 5 period hygiene tips and health tips that I wish I had known sooner!
Periods, periods and periods, half my life has been spent noting down my cycle dates, clean underwear with cold water, and curling up in bed in abdominal pain!
Did I say clean my blood-soaked underwear with cold water? YES! I thought it was a piece of common knowledge, but talking with my best-friend, I realized, not everything we take for granted is actually common knowledge. So anytime blood touches your clothes; be it period or murder, clean them with cold water! Even better if you rub it with a block of ice.
Growing up when in Biology class, teachers would teach us about the 28-day cycle this body has to go through, but my teachers and school authorities never bothered to teach us about the period hygiene tips!
Now at almost 30, I have accumulated enough period experience to know, that some tips need to be shared! Especially when it comes to matters of the crime scene between our legs.
Yes, some of us have a heavy flow, so by default, we have to change it! But some of us have light flows, and during those days, when we don’t see bloody dripping pad, we don’t change. Change it, because your sweat and blood will mix, and it will be a perfect breeding ground for infections— like UTIs!
And if you use tampons, change them too, even if only the tip has been soaked in red liquid! Toxic shock syndrome, known as TSS, a bacterial infection, is very common.
On the days you bleed, wear cotton underwear with good elastic bands. This is an embarrassing lesson learned the hard way— ill-fitted underwear can shift and disturb the position of the pads. If it’s too tight, you will suffer from discomfort and if it’s too loose, your blood will have a happy flooding day!
Cotton is a breathable material, and it also helps dry sweat faster, and reduces the chances of skin irritation or rashes! So always invest in fitted cotton underwear.
No, this is more serious than we think! Just cleaning your hands with water is not enough! Use soap and water! Our nails are creepy little places where germs and bacteria can have a picnic! So always wash your hands after handling used products.
If soap is not available, use hand sanitizer after washing your hands. And it is advisable for everyone to keep their nails clean and dry after they dispose of their soiled products.
Many of us face dizziness! More than often it is caused because of loss of water, fatigue and pain; making us unable to move. So drink water, juices, and soups to keep your water levels in sync with your body.
If you feel like trash in your belly, drink a cup of water. Many of my friends don’t drink water to avoid peeing because of, well, staring at the bloody pads or pulling out the tampons or the cups. Dear all menstruators: DON’T DO THIS! Water is the reason we are alive, don’t do this to yourself. Dehydration can make your periods more painful.
When I was younger and had horrible pains, my mother refused to give me painkillers, fearing kidney damage and our course her mind was trained to believe the pain was part of the period of life. Then my university doctor gave me painkillers. And my life changed!
No, pain is not part of the period experience! I repeat, it is not! Enduring pain is not our destiny if we have unbearable pangs of pain and the doctor is refusing to address it. Go to the pharmacy and get yourself a non-prescriptive pain suppressant.
Yes, do check the chemicals and components some people have an allergy to sulphur, and many medicines use it. But don’t tolerate the pain because you think it is your biology! Always keep hot and cold heating pads for the belly. But if it hurts you, that means it is not natural.
So go to the doctor and ask for help! And if they don’t listen, go to another doctor. Don’t stop until your pain has been addressed!
Remember, periods are a biological phenomenon, but it doesn’t have to be treated with disgust and disdain. If we can’t undo the curse, we have to make sure to live with it without aggravating our pains. And read here to know more about your clitoris and vagina health!
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Editor at Women's Web. She/They. 30. Bi. Bookworm. Comic book connoisseur. read more...
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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