On the wrong side of 45, I can safely say my perspective on life is turning a new leaf. I am more at ease with myself, care less about judgements, don’t feel the pressure to prove anything to anyone and… generally… things don’t affect me as much as they used to. If that is coming of age, I definitely have. I have come of age, where letting go and welcoming is natural and unexciting for me.
Talking of letting go, I am letting go of a very good chum, has been with me my whole life. Checked on me regularly (monthly to be exact), we had a love-hate relationship. Yes, periods (we used to call them CHUMs in school, literally translating to ‘best friend’) have given me 2 beautiful kids, along with numerous acne, breakouts, mood swings, bloating, embarrassing leakages moments (I started with thick cotton biodegradable disposable sanitary pads hanging of strings inside my underwear)
Since we were girls, vaginal health, period comfort and safety has come a long way with research and technology. The plethora of products available is long overdue and well deserved to 50% of the entire humanity.
Environmentally friendly period products like Menstrual Cups, Reusable Pads, Period Undies, Tampons, and of course good old Period Pads all have a place and fan following amongst us. There is a place and stage in life for each of these, cliched but I wish we had them when we were young.
It is not just periods themselves but… between the periods, vaginal health is critical (like any other part of the body). Maintaining the pH of the area is important.
Many natural healers specialize in helping girls and women realize their energies at different times of the cycle to recognize and explore the best of their potential. So, you are not fighting yourself but using the strengths to know when to go full out, bang-on and when to slow down, hibernate, collect for next gush in the cycle How good is that…Again, I wish I had this when I was young.
Brand new spotlight on women’s health is arrived well after the deadline. It should have been recognized in workplaces, sporting activities, educational institutions long…long time ago. This is to jack up women participation but WITHOUT the added pressure. ‘Look you have all the tools so you can’t slow down’ should not be the mantra. It is also important to rest as our grandmothers and great grandmothers would often advise. The 5 days, take things slow, if that’s what your body wants, take few days off, skip the gym, work from home, finish the assignment beforehand (in the high energy days), get food delivered or whatever. Remember, it is important to lean back to jump further.
I leave you with my life mantra of ‘You Do You’ sisterhood.
ONLY GOD WILL JUDGE.