Hello Ladies from hive. How are they? I hope all are well.
This topic that I will talk with you, is something that almost all of us feel identified with. And the lack of information is a problem today.
In Latin America we lack education compared to other countries. Learning about our body and the signals it sends us is vitally important to make our daily lives easier.
So today we will talk about it. Without hesitation or shame. We are women. We went through this. It is normal.
I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors. English is not my first language.
What is menstruation?
If we search the internet. The Oxford Languages dictionary defines menstruation this way.
_
"Physiological process by which women and females of certain animal species periodically expel a mature ovum unfertilized with blood and other materials from the uterus through the vagina."_
Is the definition correct? You are right.
What happens in our body is that it prepares for a possible pregnancy every month. As a pregnancy has not been completed, the uterus sheds its lining. So we not only dump blood but part of the uterus as well.
When we are children, at school they teach us about the growth process of both boys and girls. In the case of us, we increase height. Our breasts grow. Hair growth in the armpits, vagina, legs. They also indicate the beginning of the menstrual cycle.
However, they do not teach what that entails. They do not teach:
√Headaches.
√ Pain in the lower back.
√ Belly pain.
√ Stomach pain.
√ Emotional changes.
√ Tiredness.
√ Craving for certain foods.
√ Pain in the breasts.
Did I miss something? Leave a comment.
And so, we have to learn as we go and on our own.
Using pills to hold on and hiding as much as possible that we are in our menstrual cycle. Because if they discover us it is a sign of shame for us. Why do we have to be ashamed of something that is normal? It is a mystery to me.
Then comes another problem. What to use?
Towels or tampons? Neither for me. I explain why.
These are the daily living of women. We all somehow carry an extra in the bag. Just in case. Accidents always happen and we are caught off guard..
Unfortunately we are not aware of the damage that they can cause both to our body and to the environment. In the case of our body, these contain substances that can be harmful to our delicate vaginal area. Towels that come with a smell alter our pH and cause allergies. The material of the pads and tampons can cause irritation and if they are used for a long time they cause infections.
In the case of the environment, they take too long to degrade. And most pads and tampons go directly as waste into the oceans. Get friendly accounts. Imagine how many kg of garbage we are throwing away.
What would I wear? Menstrual cups.
A device that is designed based on surgical silicone and collects menstrual flow. It is hypoallergenic, it is reusable and if you take good care of it, it lasts for 10 years. How much money would we not be saving?
I don't know about you but I've made up my mind. I have not yet been able to buy it. I live in a small town and it is not something that is very common here but as soon as I get it and have the income I try it and tell them.
I invite you to inquire and explore. Take out your curiosity and visit a doctor. Let him guide them and show them the best way to go.
The menstrual cycle is a complex and completely natural process that we go through. Let's not be embarrassed about it.
So far my post today.
I invite you to comment on your anecdotes with the menstrual cycle in the comments. I would love to learn from you too.
All the best.