One important thing girls should remember during their periods is hygiene, says Dr Nafisa Malla, of Public Health Concern Trust (PHECT) Nepal. “Some have the habit of wearing the same sanitary pads for too long, even two to three days. Pads should be changed regularly in order to prevent infections,” she informs. According to Dr Malla, the best way to clean the vaginal area is with clean water and soap, one which you are used to.
When it comes to physical wellbeing during menstruation, Dr Malla pinpoints certain things that should be kept in mind and followed. “Just because one is menstruating doesn’t mean one has to spend those days in bed or with no physical activity. There has to be some form of light exercises that should continue while menstruating,” she advises.
Another emphasis is on diet. “Because there’s loss of blood, one needs to take in food that is rich in iron,” says Dr Malla. Such foods include fruits such as pomegranate, watermelon and dates and other edibles such as liver, leafy greens, egg yolk, beans and pulses.
“During menstruation, one has to be not only physically, but mentally sound as well,” says Dr Malla. “Our culture has many rules that restrict women who are menstruating, to touch certain places and people in the household. This can have a negative effect on them. For example, if they are hungry, they can’t even cook something for themselves on their own, because they are restricted to go into the kitchen area during those days,” she adds.
Forget extreme traditions such as ‘Chaupadi’ that takes place in rural areas of Nepal, customs of restriction and limitations that are still present in urban areas alone can evoke feelings of frustration and sadness, especially during a time when the body is going through many hormonal changes.
Physical pain during periods is also a common reason for absenteeism at school.
“Menstrual pain is mostly common in young and unmarried girls,” says Dr Malla, she explains, “In simple words, this is because the outlet in unmarried girls is very tiny and constricting and hence the blood has to be forced out.” To ensure that there’s easy flow of blood, simple exercises should be done. Walking, cycling or light swimming are good exercises that will help in easing the pain. “Hot compressions can also reduce pain while painkillers can also be taken, after seeing a doctor,” she recommends.
When the pain gets unbearable, it’s best to talk about it to your parent or siblings and then seek help from a doctor. Although this phenomenon is a hush-hush topic in the society and may be made to feel like it’s something a girl should be ashamed of, it really is not.
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