Menstrual health is a basic and fundamental right to every woman who bleeds. Access plays a huge role but so does hygiene, diet and other aspects of health!
So we spoke to Sreedevi, a Nushu customer, to understand how she approaches her menstrual health 🩸
Architect & Nushu-Community Member: Sreedevi Vishnu, Coimbatore
👉🏼Nushu: What is menstrual health to you?
Sreedevi: I think having access to the right menstrual products is a huge part of menstrual health. I used to use regular pads & a lot of my friends were trying other options - cups & tampons, but that’s not something I found comfortable. For me it's also about hygiene. I found Nushu & the period underwear was extremely comfortable too. I don’t need to use anything else with it now - no pads, no tampons, no cups!
It's also a lot of self care - when I’m bleeding I just take that one day off and rest it out. And a lot of me-time!
👉🏼Nushu: How do you go about your day when your flow starts?
Sreedevi: I just ease the day out, and don’t step out much. I’m an architect and my job requires me to be on-field a lot, so on my first day I take that time for myself and don’t put strenuous pressure on myself. I also get a lot of cramps with my period, so my husband takes care of the kids so I can just rest.
👉🏼Nushu: Do you make any changes in your diet to manage PMS symptoms?
Sreedevi: Not really, but of course I do have cravings so I try to order something sweet! I do maintain a healthy lifestyle in general so I consume a lot of nuts, veggies and fruits. There are certain nuts you can have at different phases in your cycle, so I maintain that throughout the month.
I consume a lot of dry fruits leading up to my period too. I also drink fenugreek-seed warm water for my cramps, that really helps!
👉🏼Nushu: How does period underwear fit into your menstrual care routine?
Sreedevi: I wanted to stop using pads, because we’re throwing away so much unnecessary waste. But I was also scared of using a cup, so I tried period underwear. I was a bit sceptical about it initially, but I heard stories from my grandmother about how they would use cloth. So I was curious to try it out. I ordered one first and tried it out, and I found it so comfortable, I didn’t feel any wetness. It was extremely comfy! I really like the fact that I didn’t feel any wetness. Even the washing - It felt icky at first, but it's actually really easy and quick. It takes the same amount of time to wrap and throw a pad and you’re coming in contact with your menstrual blood anyway!
👉🏼Nushu: Do you track your menstrual cycle? How has tracking your cycle helped you manage your menstrual health?
Sreedevi: That’s not really a problem for me since my cycle is quite regular, so I know when my period is around!
👉🏼Nushu: How do you feel we as a society can better support menstrual health, conversations around it and reduce stigma?
Sreedevi: So I’ve personally never had an issue discussing my menstrual health with family and friends, we talk about it quite openly, it's not taboo. I’ve also recommended Nushu to quite a few friends.
But generally I think the ‘ick’ around washing is what deters quite a few people - so normalising that would really help. Honestly, the washing is not even as bad as it sounds!
Menstrual Health can be a matter of access and personal health. While majority women in India do not have access to the right menstrual health products, it becomes our shared responsibility to make menstrual hygiene more accessible, but also ensure we do everything in our power to maintain prime menstrual health 💜
Try what Sreedevi tried, right here
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