- Dr. Vikas Chothe ( MD Sch. PGDEMS )

‘ nLiten yourself ’

Menstrual Health and Hygiene

HygieneFrom Head to Toe

Hygiene

From the Greek word “hygies”

Meaning “healthy, sound”

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE

Menstrual hygiene is very important to prevent infection, local itching & bad odor.

“good personal hygiene” will keep you confident during these days.

What is Personal Hygiene?

•Regular Routine of Personal Care•Washing and Grooming daily

Take bath daily

Hair

Brushing your hair cleans and stimulates hair and scalp.

Comb hair daily.

Shampoo regularly

Fingernails and Toenails

File fingernails in one direction

Cut toenails straight– never cut into corners

Protect against ingrown toenails by avoiding tight shoes, very high heels

Acne

What makes pimples worse?

Oil-based makeup, suntan oil, hair jells and spray.

For girls, menstruation

Squeezing or picking at blemishes

Hard scrubbing of the skin

Pimples Myths

1: Does chocolate cause acne?A: NO

2: Does Extra washing help clear pimples?

A: No, the extra scrubbingirritates skin and could makethem worse.

3: Does acne leave scars? A: Yes, you can reduce thescarring by NOT PICKINGand avoid excessive scrubbing.

Change and wash your sleepwear and pillowcase regularly.

Change clothes daily.

Wear cotton under garments instead of synthetic ones.

Sanitary napkins should be changed at least every 4 hours or every time you go to the bathroom.

-If cloth is used ,it should be washed well before reuse, and not used for more than three months.-Cloth should be very soft .Rough or thick cloth can cause irritation & itching.-Always wipe from front to the back.

Wash with soap & water before and after changing your pad and urination.

Keep the area between the legs dry

To avoid soreness and chaffing

Do not hold back urine when you want to urinate, as it causes stasis in the bladder and promotes infection .

The three pillars of healthy life [Charak

Samhita, Su, 11:35]:

Ahar

Nidra (regular sleep)

Brahmacharya (Abstinence form drugs, alcohol, and

physical relationships)

Healthy parent-daughter relationship.

A balanced dietAdolescent girls have high needs of energy because their bodies are growing and they are physically active.

Take citrus fruits

Then iron rich food to compensate for the blood loss and prevent anemia.

Calcium rich foodTo strengthen bones

Calcium helps to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with PMS

Drink plenty of water for good amount of urine.

herbal teas

There are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods – it is the overall balance of the diet that is important.

Dietary Changes

Eat frequent and smaller portions of foods high in complex carbohydrates

Johnson SR. Obstet Gynecol. 2004.

Warm bath or heating pad helps in cramps…

Manya and kati vasti

Stress can affect the length between periods. Hence…

Stress management

Yoga The Science of Life

Asanas …

Yogasanas for PMS

•Tikonasana•Sarvangasana•Halasana•Virabhadrasana•Tadasana•Uttanasana

Benefits of yoga…• develops better

posture• improve self-esteem• lower stress• release muscle tension • increase flexibility• to control the vrittis

[propensities]

• Myth: Females who are menstruating cannot exercise (including swimming) until it is over.

• Fact: False, it is possible to exercise when menstruating including swimming. During menstruation, a girl can do any activities she normally does.

Copyright : Dr. Chothe. V.R

Brisk walk and mild exercise

Meditation

"Watching your breath"

Disposal of napkins …..

We use sanitary napkins for our convenience and dispose them off randomly in the bin, or in the toilet sparing little thought to what

happens after…..

Our rag pickers have to handle badly wrapped or unwrapped napkins or

the plumber is caught in embarrassing situation when drainage gets choked.

Sanitary Towel Disposal Bags

Preparing newspaper bagswith recyclable newspaper, glue, and thread helps in

disposing sanitary napkins in a healthy, environmentally friendly, wastepicker friendly way

Be prepared for menstruation.

Keep track of your periods on a calendar. Carry a pad in purse or backpack a couple days

before you expect your period. Change pads every few hours as needed. Do NOT flush pads, throw in waste basket after

wrapping in paper bags.

nLiten yourself

Thank you