The Menstrual Cycle is the most common and natural process in a woman’s life during which experiences utter discomfort. It is highly important to maintain a certain level of service to your body to keep it happy during this phase.
There are multiple things that you can do during your menstrual period and we will discuss them all in the following article. Read this article thoroughly to understand how to love your body during your periods: A Complete Guide to your Menstrual Hygiene on the Tough Days.
Things you Should Do during your Menstrual Cycle
- Wash your vagina with warm water and mild soap meant for it every day to keep it clean and odor-free.
- Change your pads and tampons as directed on their packet to keep yourself fresh and away from bacteria buildup.
- Wear underwear made of breathable fabric like cotton or other natural fibers to ensure proper air circulation.
- Drink a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day.
- Eat a balanced diet which shall include a lot of fruits and vegetables.
- Take a shower or bath every day followed by changing your clothes every day.
- Keep a light exercise regime on an everyday basis.
- Take proper 8 hours of sleep every night to ensure waking up fresh.
Things you Should Avoid during your Menstrual Cycle
- Do not douche your vagina (cleanse it from the inside with water or other fluids) as it can affect the pH balance leading to infections.
- Do not use scented products around the vaginal area as they can cause irritation and allergic reactions.
- Do not use pads or tampons more than the directed time as it can lead to bacteria and odor growth.
- Do not wear uncomfortable, tight-fitting clothing or synthetic underwear as it can trap moisture resulting in bacteria and yeast growth.
- Do not use products past their expiration date as they can be ineffective or harmful too.
- Do not ignore any major discomfort and consult a doctor if you find anything unusual.
- Do not be lazy when it comes to menstrual hygiene and cleanliness.
- Do not drink alcohol during or before your periods as it may worsen your premenstrual symptoms and cramps during periods.
- Do not skip your meals and always stay on schedule throughout the month to ensure easy periods. Also, do not fast during your periods.
- Do not use a hot water bottle as it hardens your fascia which makes your body want more heat next time.
- Do not go upside down and support your body by going with gravity.
- Do not drink caffeine as it can constrict your blood vessels resulting in more pain and cramps.
- Do not have unprotected sex if you are not trying to get pregnant.
- Do not consume too much salty or sweet food as they increase water retention and pain receptors in your body respectively.
What are the different Menstrual Hygiene Materials?
If you have not figured out your best friend during your menstruation, then I suggest you go through the available options that I have mentioned below. Please go through every available option before you pick your choice:
1. Menstrual Cloth
Menstrual cloth is the oldest method of dealing with periods’ blood. Women either keep it on their underwear or tie it to their waist to prevent the blood from seeping out. It is supposed to be washed after use and can be reused for a year.
2. Reusable Pads
If you want something reusable but a better option than a menstrual cloth, then I suggest you use Reusable Pads. They are also used externally and we keep them on our underwear. These are designed to give you complete protection against stains as they have multiple layers for protection. Just like the first option, you can wash and reuse them again.
3. Disposable Sanitary Pads
The most common thing that is used in our country for menstrual hygiene is disposable sanitary pads. We use the pad only once by sticking it to our panty and then replacing it with a fresh one after 4 hours. Please ensure that you do not keep a pad for more than 4 hours as it invites bacteria and odour.
4. Tampon
Tampons are used internally as we stick them in our vagina and they can be kept there for up to 8 hours. Just like disposable pads, we replace tampons with a fresh ones after every 8 hours. Ensure to not use it for more than the recommended time as it invites Toxic shock syndrome (TSS).
5. Menstrual Cup
The menstrual Cup is made out of silicon and looks like a cup that is again inserted inside the vagina where it collects blood for the next 5 to 10 years of your life. We empty the cup after every 12 hours or whatever the requirement is according to our flow and reuse it. It is the best thing to use during menstruation as it keeps you protected against bacteria growth, bad odour, and more.
5 Reasons Why Should Worry When Your Period Is Late (Apart From Pregnancy)
In case you are waiting for your periods and haven’t got them, the first thing you should do is take a pregnancy test. If that is negative, then you need to learn about the other reasons contributing to delayed periods which are mentioned below:
1. Weight
If you have lost weight due to any reason and become underweight, then you can expect your periods to get delayed. Loss of weight can mess up your reproductive system leading to late or missed periods.
Our body requires a certain level of fat content to produce the right amount of estrogen in our body. When our body’s BMI falls below that, we tend to miss or delay our periods.
2. Birth Control Pills
Birth Control Pills like emergency contraceptive pills, abortion pills, or 21 days contraceptive pills mess up our periods on an ultimate level. If you are trying any of the mentioned drugs to avoid pregnancy, then I suggest you keep the patience for the effect of the pill to fade away returning your menstrual cycle back to normal.
3. Infections and diseases
Underlying health conditions like infections and diseases including basic illnesses like cold and flu, strep infections, and mononucleosis can easily affect our menstrual cycle. It is believed that such illnesses imbalance our hormonal level in the body resulting in delays in the period.
4. Chronic conditions
Chronic conditions like thyroid and PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome) can also be a huge reason for disrupting your regular menstrual cycle. Ensure to get yourself checked for such diseases when your periods are late.
5. Stress
The invisible demon called stress is a very common reason for women to miss or delay their periods. These stressors causing the period cycle to get imbalanced include an unhealthy lifestyle, less sleep, and prolonged stress.
What to do when the period is late?
If your periods are late, then I suggest you follow the below-mentioned process that will help you gain back your natural menstrual cycle. First of all, understand that it is okay for you to not get periods at the right time, and do not panic in such situations. The next thing to do is to find the core reason behind this delay so that you can fix it.
- First of all, take a pregnancy test to confirm the first and the most vital reason behind missed or delayed periods. In case you need assistance in checking your pregnancy result, stick with this article until the end.
- Once your result is negative, take a consultation with your gynecologist to understand the situation thoroughly. Together with your doctor, you can point out the right reason behind this disrupted cycle and set the right solution in action in time.
- Meanwhile, you should ensure that you are eating healthy, and exercising every day while taking a complete 8 hours of sleep.
How to Check Pregnancy at Home?
If you are new to it and you have no idea how you can check for pregnancy results at home, then please follow the simple steps that I have mentioned below:
- Take a deep breath and relax before you do anything.
- Go out and buy an hCG testing kit which is locally known as Prega News or Pregnancy Test kit.
- Such kits are easily available at any Pharmacist or Chemist store.
- Once you get it home, place it in your bathroom and go to sleep.
- Use the first urine of the morning to take the pregnancy test.
Note: It is important to take the pregnancy test in the morning as that gives the most accurate results possible.
Conclusion
In this article, we saw the complete guide to menstrual hygiene which will help us on our toughest days. I hope you can find everything you need in this article to aid you with the knowledge you need to get through a hard time. Please let me know if you have any doubts or questions which remain unanswered.
Also, share this article with people who need to learn about menstrual hygiene in detail.
