Hyderabad: Even though menstruation is an integral part of a woman's life, most people, including women, refrain from discussing the topic openly, and follow many types of restrictions during this period. The most common practice around menstruation is considering women impure while they are menstruating and imposing a list of do's and don't's that they are supposed to follow. Women are restricted from entering the kitchen, temples, worshipping, exercising, sleeping on the bed, eating certain types of foods, etc. during menstruation.
According to doctors and experts, most of the popular misconceptions about menstruation are far from the truth. But there are some facts, which may be presented in the wrong context, and following them can help in reducing the problems women go through during menstruation.
Using the occasion of Women's Day in March, people can be made aware of such myths and superstitions and be better informed and guided towards an educated way of thinking and creating better perceptions in society. Dr Anjana Singh, a gynaecologist from New Delhi, helps us bust some of these myths clouding society. Some of the most common myths about menstruation are as follows:
- A woman becomes impure during menstruation because the blood that comes out during menstruation is dirty. Which is why they should not do any auspicious work during this time.
- During this time women should not go to the kitchen or inside a temple.
- Pickles should not be touched, or they might get spoiled.
- Pickles and spicy foods should not be eaten.
- During this period, women should not bathe with hot water or wash their heads.
- Exercise should not be done during menstruation.
- Women should not sleep on the bed.
- Women should refrain from sex while menstruating.
While explaining how many of these myths are true, Dr Anjana Singh informs that it is not right to associate menstruation with religious beliefs. Menstruation is the most important part of women's reproductive health, so it is not right to call them impure during menstruation. At the same time, the blood that comes out during this time is not dirty or contaminated blood of the body.
Also read: Problems during menstruation that should not be ignored
Every month a layer is formed on the uterus of women due to hormones. As long as the woman does not conceive, this layer breaks down every month during menstruation and comes out of the body in the form of bleeding. This process stops when the woman conceives. In such situations, saying that women are impure during menstruation and preventing them from going to the temple or kitchen is malpractice. She tells that apart from this many such myths are not true:
- Women can exercise even during menstruation. Rather, if a woman does regular exercise, then she can get a lot of relief from the pain during menstruation. This not just keeps the muscles healthy and active, but physical, mental and hormonal health also remains good.
- Not taking a bath or washing their head is also a mere superstition. Bathing with hot water during periods can give immense relief from body discomfort and pain. Also, whether the head should be washed during this time or not depends entirely on the woman.
- Dr Anjana tells that there are many myths about food during this period. But not all of them are lies. It is said that a simple diet should be eaten during menstruation and during this time women should avoid cold water and other cold beverages or foods with cold effects.
Hormonal activity during menstruation also affects our digestive system. During this time, women already suffer from pain or cramps in the stomach due to contractions in the wall of the uterus. In such situations, any kind of rich diet can cause digestive problems like gas or indigestion. Consumption of cold water or beverages can slow down the digestion process or put more emphasis on it. In such situations, the problem of abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, flatulence or excessive gas formation may increase during menstruation.
Apart from this, there is also a common myth that women should refrain from during menstruation. Considering having intercourse during menstruation completely depends on the will of the man or woman. There is no physical harm in it, but many times women can get relief from abdominal pain and discomfort by having sex during menstruation.
Dr Anjana explains that menstruation is an essential and common process in women's life. Most of the women during this time can live a normal routine comfortably even with more or less pain or discomfort. In such situations, it is unfair to discriminate against them or to restrict them due to menstruation.
In today's era, the responsibilities of women are not limited only to their houses. Restricting them from studying or working while they are menstruating is harmful to their progress in society. Instead, there is a need to make people aware of these myths and help women progress in the world.
