Why is it always that we are simmered down by the elders or our society, they usually avoid talking about menstruation and treat it like a Taboo? Girls at a very young age are taught to keep it a secret and are told to talk about it in hushed tones. This day is annually marked to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management at a global level. It is initiated by a German based NGO Wash United in 2014. Menstrual Hygiene Day is an occasion for publicizing information in the media including social media. Menstruation is not just a scientific bodily activity, it is a sign that women are much stronger than they appeared to be. We pass by so many women in a day. Be it a family members or an unknown lady at a bus stop, in a metro or in our office, we never know which women are menstruating the day we see them. Yet, they walk around doing errands and being polite to everyone despite the cramps and immense pain they might be going through on the inside. Women deserve a lot more respect than they get.
World Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed to talk about such topics and discuss them so that the women across the globe can feel comfortable about their bodies. Bleeding throughout the day and walking around like a normal person is not easy at all. Our mothers, sisters and daughters get up every morning, cook for the family and go to their respective schools, colleges and workplaces. Females not only go through such problems during menstruation, they also face all sorts of emotional and physical stress during their PMS which stands for Premenstrual Syndrome. PMS starts happening when a woman is about to start her menstrual cycle. It happens a few days before the cycle starts, women tend to be feeling pain in different parts of the body and they even go through mood swings like anxiety, depression, overthinking and stress. There are many women who experience soreness in the breast as they are near menstruation. Some women also observe a little bit of swelling and itching and tenderness along with the soreness before and during menstruation. Food cravings are just one of many other symptoms seen during menstruation. Back ache and leg cramps are also experienced during this time of the month by females. Many women do not always feel comfortable in talking about the issues they are facing during their cycle, some rather wish to suffer the pain alone than discussing it. Many girls also suffer from PCOS/PCOD. This disorder often leads women to face issues with reproduction, reduced evolution, a regular menstrual cycle and high level of testosterone hormones. Taking proper meals and staying hydrated during the cycle is very important to maintain the basic strength in a human body. During a cycle a woman is often suggested to intake numerous amounts of fruits and lots of water. Eating light food helps in regular and smooth flow of blood. Even after going through so many problems and facing them all by themselves, women are treated in the worst way possible during their periods.
In the ancient times women were asked to take rest during the time of the month while other members of the family took responsibilities of household chores over their shoulders. Whereas in today’s time people sometimes brand women as impure during the time of the month. Priests often advice women from entering the religious places on their menstruation day. Many people believe that it is impure for a woman to enter a place of worship while she is bleeding from her body in the most natural way. It is not accepted by many devotees and believers who visit the places of worship to express their love for God, yet they have to follow such made up rules by the authority who thinks of menstruation as a Taboo.
All religions of the world have placed restrictions on menstruating women. Be it Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism. There are many such stories from women of a family who are not allowed to enter the kitchens during the week they are menstruating. It is high time that we start to banish search norms that disrespect women when all they deserve is affection and care. Women should be comfortable in asking her brother, father or husband to help her with the chores because she is feeling a bit weak as per her menstruation cycle. World Menstruation Hygiene Day is observed to talk about these very issues faced by women in their day to day lives. Emotional wellness is also affected during periods. Inexplicably irritable, stressed, angry, are some of the most common factors in almost every woman who are going through PMS. God gave the ability to bus a new life to women, they push out a baby from their vaginal opening during childbirth and the pain is unimaginable. This is because god knew that no other species or creature on earth can handle this level of pain. Women should be made to believe that menstruating is completely normal and healthy. There is nothing to be ashamed about how a human body works.