The holiday season is right around the corner and, boy, do we need it after the year we’ve all had! The holidays are all about family, quality time, happiness and warmth. We are definitely due for some joy and peace this year; however, we still should not ignore the ones who can’t use the holidays as a distraction from the reality of what’s going on in the world. There are plenty of ways you can safely give back during this holiday season with minimal contact. Here are a few examples:
Read MoreMenstrual migraines are more severe headaches that occur between 2 days before your period and in the first three days of your period. These migraines are caused by the decrease in estrogen levels prior to your period. Menstrual migraines can be tricky to treat because the same medicines that work the rest of the month may not work to alleviate the headaches. Here are some ways to alleviate or prevent menstrual migraines other than pain relievers:
Read MoreHave you ever heard of a period party? It might sound familiar because this was a hot topic in the news a couple of years ago. In case you need a refresher, a period party is a celebration of someone getting their period for the first time. The party usually includes red decorations and a red and white cake with icing on top that congratulates the person or a menstrual product decoration. Unfortunately, the reactions that people had about period parties were not all positive. There were people that thought this was a stupid idea and a waste of time, some were disgusted, and others were just confused. I don’t think these people ever realized just how amazing and empowering a period party can be for young ones.
Read MoreMenstruation is a fundamental biological process of the female body, so it’s unfortunate that the education around menstruation is hard to come by. Not many schools teach younger children about the biological process other than just mentioning that it’s something that happens. Most of the time children rely on their parents to teach them about the changes that will soon arrive. However, there are parents that don’t feel comfortable discussing the topic and would rather avoid it, which is its own problem within itself. Also, many young ones keep their first periods a secret to avoid any uncomfortable conversations they think might occur. Since menstruation is such a distinct step into womanhood, it’s important to give a helping hand to those who need it because it truly takes a village. Here are some hygiene tips for a healthier and cleaner menstrual cycle:
Read MoreFor many, menstruation is far from a pleasant experience. Some may feel zero symptoms during their cycle, while others may feel burdened by their PMS symptoms and experience bad menstrual pain or heavy flow. It can be very uncomfortable and inconvenient, which is why many people look for ways to improve their menstruation. A popular solution that gets mentioned is altering your diet during that week. Just like there are foods that can improve your period, which you can read more about here, there are also foods that can worsen your period. Here are five foods to avoid while on your period:
Read MoreTo be honest, I wasn’t very keen on the idea of reusable menstrual products. In the past, I thought that they were unsanitary and that they could cause health risks. Present-day, I have become more aware of global issues and the need to live more sustainably. In my quest to learn about unnecessary waste, I discovered that the average woman uses about 240 each year and 9,600 over a woman’s lifetime. This information was pretty eye-opening for me, so I went ahead and did my own research on reusable menstruation products. Not only did I find out that many of the things I thought I knew about reusable menstrual products were misconceptions, but there are also many advantages from using them. Here are some of the benefits of using reusable menstrual products:
Read MoreHave you noticed any random changes to your menstrual cycle? Maybe you should take into account any recent lifestyle alterations you’ve made. Our periods require so much of our attention and they can be mentally and physically draining, so the last thing we want is for our periods to be out of whack. Here are 5 everyday things that could be affecting your period:
Read MoreFor some reason, there have been so many myths revolving around swimming while on your period. Some people think that periods stop when you get in the water, which is untrue. The blood may not leave the body due to the counter-pressure of the water, but it doesn’t stop. Another myth is that you will turn the pool red, which wouldn’t happen if you put in a tampon to absorb the blood or a menstrual cup. Others believe that swimming will worsen period cramps, which is far from the truth because light exercise has been proven to relieve period pain.
Read MoreHappy Women’s Equality Day to our fellow ladies! Today is the day we celebrate the women before us for their successes and the strides they made to break the glass ceiling for everyone to follow. Today we also celebrate the successes of those amongst us and our youth for the successes they will achieve in the future. This generation is filled with compassion and just enough ambition to make further changes and improvements for women in our society.
Read MoreAlternative pain management has become quite popular in today’s society. Rather than taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, many people opt out for natural remedies. For menstrual-related pain, exercise has become a popular coping tool. A common physical activity that does a great job alleviating menstrual cramps is yoga. Here are 6 yoga poses to try during your next menstrual cycle:
Read MoreIt’s safe to say that almost everyone has heard about premenstrual syndrome (PMS) since it is often a punchline to many jokes. How many times have you been asked if you were PMSing because you did not appear to be in a good mood or seem to be overreacting in the eyes of others? Unfortunately, PMS has become a universal term that downplays the serious symptoms some women face during their period. Due to these common misconceptions, some women may not even realize that they do not have PMS, but rather premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe, sometimes impairing extension of PMS.
Read MoreSociety influences our youth whether we like it or not and that influence has a greater gravitational pull when they don’t have the foundation to plant themselves on. This commonly happens with the topic of menstruation. Due to years of silence about the topic, many misconceptions and myths spread, and it often doesn’t get corrected or clarified. Openly talking to girls at a young age about menstruation can make all of the difference and give them that power to correct others and feel confident in themselves and the natural functions of their bodies. Here are some ways you can empower young girls to eliminate period shame.
Read MoreAccording to a survey of 2,000 American women, commissioned by INTIMINA and conducted by OnePoll, 45% have left work early because of menstruation. Workplace environments (51%) ranked as one of the top five locations women believe there should be access to free sanitary items. In the survey, it was revealed that the average woman spends $13.25 a month on menstrual products. In an average woman’s reproductive timeline (ages 12-52) that’s $6,360. Not everyone can afford to pay for menstrual products. Access to free menstrual products at work will change the game for so many companies and their employees.
Read MoreOne in five of the women were made to feel shamed due to comments made by a male friend. Out of the 500 men that were surveyed 44% have admitted to making jokes about or commenting on a partner’s mood when she was on her period. To make matters worse, 51% of the men studied believe that women openly mentioning their menstrual cycles in the workplace is inappropriate.
Read MoreAs someone who has experienced a mitigated heavy menstrual cycle, I understand just how uncomfortable and inconvenient it can be. I’ve had to change my tampon more frequently than the usual three to four hours. When I was younger, I had to deal with leakage from time to time. It was not a fun time and I can’t imagine how it is like for people with abnormally heavy periods. If you find yourself changing or soaking through a pad or tampon every hour for at least an entire day and getting severe cramps that impede on your usual activities, talk with your doctor. Heavy periods can be caused by subtle health problems that can lead to other health issues.
Read MorePeriod poverty is a global sanitation issue faced by females and males around the world. More than 800 million people menstruate daily, so it’s safe to say that a shortage of period supplies and menstrual hygiene education can be considered a human rights issue. Advocating for menstrual equity is essential in order to support so many people globally and you can help right from the comfort of your own home.
Read MoreA healthy diet can go a long way to ease those cramps. Eating a whole pizza pie and topping it off with some ice cream sounds pretty ideal while on your menstrual cycle, but it’s important to eat minimally processed foods that will help reduce your pain. Here are five foods to eat to combat period cramps:
Read MoreTransitioning from high school to college can be overwhelming in all aspects of your life. From living in a dorm room with new people to juggling difficult college courses, it can be easy to lose track of your personal health. Being organized and taking preventative measures when it comes to your menstrual health can go a long way. Here are a few tips and tricks for maintaining high-quality menstrual health to the best of your ability during your newfound busy, college life:
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