Period myths: Don’t enter the kitchen when you have periods. Don’t touch puja items when you are chumming. If you are a woman, you would have surely heard such advices in your life. Period is one of the most significant biological processes in the life of a woman. A period is that part of the menstrual cycle when a woman bleeds for a few day and for most women, this happens every 28 days. While it is the most normal thing in a female’s life cycle, culturally, there has been a lot of shame and tabboo associated with it. And with it comes myths and superstitions that in turn make a woman’s life difficult. Here are 5 popular period myths that need to be busted:
1) Myth: Girls should not cook or enter sacred places during periods, they are impure then.
Truth: Nothing can be a bigger nonsense. At no stage is a woman “impure”. Periods is a biological process that has many significant impact on a woman’s health and is nature’s way of saying, that one is grown up.
2) Myth: Curd, tamarind, pickle consumption affect period flow.
Truth: What you eat do not impact the flow of your period.
3) Myth: Avoid physical activities during periods
Truth: Sometimes, women feel acute pain or tiredness or both and therefore avoid physical activities. While there’s no harm in that, it doesn’t mean that you are banned from exercising during periods. Sports and exercise, in fact, can help relieve pain.
4) Myth: Sanitary napkins, tampons, should be wrapped in paper when they are being bouth; it’s private
Truth: Just like any other personal hygiene product, sanitary pads, menstrual cups or tampons are essential for a woman’s hygiene and health. There’s nothing shameful about them that you need to hide.
5) Myth: You can’t or should not have sex during your period
Truth: Even when you are on your period, you can have sex. Periods are normal and so is sex! However, certain hygiene factors have to be followed when you are having sex during periods. Talk to your gynaecologist about it.
Overall, one must remember that there’s NOTHING unusual about a woman having peoriods, and there’s no shame talking about it. A woman can do anything when she’s having periods that she does when she’s not. It’s all about your physical comfort level.
(Disclaimer: The article is based on general information and is not a substitute for a medical expert’s advice.)