Perio…SSSHHH..

Periods! Oh no, that’s not how you speak about the topic of this blog!

I got ‘it’, that time of the month, women’s problem begins the game of taboo, followed by dumb charades – gestures with your eyes, rectangular symbols, a sad expression and movement of the hands indicating ‘I’m done with for the month’!

Yes, you guessed it right – its p******.

I studied in a co-ed school, and it was during grade 7 that we had a class on what menstruation was about. The boys of the class were sent down for sports and a free hour while we were educated on it. I remember times when a spot on the salwar of a friend would send us rushing and gushing on washing it, covering it with our uniform dupatta, and any other solution we could find. At home too, we speak only to ‘other women family members’ about periods in general. I guess it is just a part of how we were brought up.

A few recent movies, hashtags and other social media awareness have triggered a lot of thinking - why do we actually NOT speak about it?

• Is it for the reason that that’s how our previous generations were brought up by their foremothers (sarcasm intended) and so on, or because it’s a part of our ‘culture’ (and I have no idea what culture that refers to).
• Maybe as it’s an open disclosure that the girl is now biologically ready for giving birth, or because it involves blood flow from a private organ.
• Or since it is a woman’s problem and hence men do not need to deal with it, or the society perceives that it is a woman’s role to silently endure her problems (including periods) and sacrifice for others.

It would have been a superman’s status if a man had to undergo periods every month of the year – for society and for the man himself; oh come on, accept it, continuous blood flow for 3 days to a week every month and coming out alive, and gratefully healthy, is not normal! A cycle given by nature to women, such a beautiful way to a start of her journey that could lead her to motherhood – something men truly miss out on, and it shouldn’t be spoken or seen! We do carry the sanitary napkins in opaque bags back home, don’t we!

I asked my husband “Would you talk to our daughter when she grows up about periods?” Out came the genuine reply “I’m not sure if I can converse with her about menstruation in general, as that’s not something I’ve spoken about to anyone except you from the Eve family, but yes, I will not shy away if she wants me to buy her napkins, or make her the kaadas (ayurvedic drinks made at home during illness) you make for yourself during your periods, or buy her anything that would make her comfortable and feel at ease and healthy during those days!”

So well said! Men out there, don’t just speak about it if not yet comfortable, but do:

• Accept it to be a natural process,
• Stop treating women of the family like aliens during those days, and
• Give them the ample amount of rest and nutrition their body needs to cope up with the blood loss and to feel energetic and rejuvenated.

Don’t yet speak about it, its okay for now, but do not shy away from it too!!

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Check out our Rhythm drinks which been designed keeping the female body cycle in our focus. We made the drink to match the exact taste preferences of women during their periods to cure the most certain premenstrual symptoms.