A viable alternative

Us women have this cross to bear, month after month, year after year and on and on till we get old. Yes, I am talking about periods, menstruation, chums or whatever you want to call it. A girl attains puberty and is quickly handed a pack of pads or tampons and taught by her mother about wearing it, keeping herself clean and how to carry herself. End of good, carefree life. Why, do you ask? Women are more active than ever. The 4-5 days do not mean that she is at home, cloistered and inactive. True. But think of the problems

There is the problem of disposal. Flushing down the toilet is a strict no-no. Wrapping and throwing it in the trash has its own problems. These do not biodegrade. These stay in the environment, rotting in the landfills, seeping into the soil, a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. I saw this first hand during a holiday to Andamans, in which we visited Neil Island. This island is sparsely populated, spic and span, you find entire pristine beaches without a soul in sight. The changing huts in the beach spoke another horror story though. The entire floor of the hut was strewn with used pads, smelling, rotting. They were dropped there by tourists like me. This ONE sight woke me up to the fact that the pads do not vanish. They are around us and the plastics in them are choking the environment slowly.
Something as natural as human blood and tissue logically cannot and should not lead to this much of unsustainable mess.

Second and more private problem is that of the smell. Pads smell awful after a few hours. The foul odor you notice when you change your sanitary pad after several hours is actually the smell of the dying red blood cells that nourish the growth of bacteria. You also develop bad odor during period because pads block the flow of air to your genital area.

What if I tell you there are better options out there to make this monthly experience easier, lesser cramps, and environmental friendly? Menstrual cup is one of the options.

A menstrual cup is a type of feminine hygiene product which is usually made of medical grade silicone, shaped like a bell and is flexible. It is worn inside the vagina during menstruation to catch menstrual fluid (blood). About every 4–12 hours (depending on the amount of flow), the menstruating woman removes the menstrual cup from her vagina, empties the collected menstrual blood into a toilet or sink, washes the cup under running water and inserts it again. At the end of the monthly period, the cup can be sterilized, usually by boiling in water. Unlike tampons and pads, the cup collects menstrual fluid rather than absorbing it.

I have been using menstrual cups for 3 years and

• I have none of the cramps that I did before making the shift. 
• I do have weird PMS and some lethargy during my period, but for the most time, I forget I am on my period. 
• I can sit, stand, walk, sleep however I want. I can turn and sleep however I want. No kidding. Women with heavy flow know what it is like to sleep with this constant prick about staining. None of that now. Really.
• I have nothing to dispose off. Zilch. No trash. No newspaper wrappings along with the trash. You know how liberating that is? You just walk into the loo and walk out. No surreptitious cover hidden in the folds of your clothes.
• No smell to deal with. Since there is no exposure to oxygen, the smell just does not come.
• No chafing and irritation and redness in thighs during the period. Simply because the offending pad does not exist anymore!
• The biggest plus I feel is it is environmental friendly. A cup can last several years if used and cleaned correctly.

So these are the pros. Are there no cons? Yes, there are some challenges, which can be handled.

• How easy is it to adapt? I will be honest here and admit that its not a breeze to getting used to a cup inside your vagina. You will need a lot of patience and some practice. But once you are used to the process, I promise, you will love the change.
• Are cups available in India? Yes of course. Many online sites have the cup and some even have guidance to select the right size.

                Select your cup size

• Are there videos explaining how to use? Yes, some links that I found

                 FAQ videos

                FAQs

• How expensive are the cups? Well, a cup costs several times a pack of pads will cost you, but you will more than compensate that within a year. Lets say your pads cost Rs 100 per month, and a cup costs Rs 800, after 8 months of using the cup, you have made up its cost. And it can last several years!!
• The sight of blood!!How bad will that be? Its not too awful, not anymore than handling the smelly pad during every change.
• Can we bathe, pee and poop with the cup ON? Of course! It does not impact any of the said activities. You can even go swimming!!
• Can young teenagers use the cup? Well, yes. They might have a bit more of a challenge since they are still gaining familiarity with their bodies. Technically the cup cannot tear the hymen if one is worried about this aspect. 
• Is there a support group for sustainable measures? Yes, this FB group 

            FB Support group

• Don't tampons do the same thing? Well tampons are still disposable and you end up contributing to the waste.

So are you willing to go the extra step and do the right thing? Help reduce plastic and needless waste? 

I did and no looking back now. I will never wear a pad again.

PS : The links given above are just those that I found. There are many more sites online. Please read up and choose the best option for you.

Six months on

Those who know me might describe me as short and on the heavier side at their charitable best. And those who don't would see a short and well obese woman. There were quite a few who tried to tell me to take care of my health in subtle and not so subtle means. Well meaning, I am sure, but ineffective because it did not motivate me at all.

And so, here I was, eating much more than what I ever used to, getting heavier and less confident in myself. Stamina was at an all time low. Just going out on an errand for a couple of hours would exhaust me for the whole day. Going for a walk felt miserable as I was low on energy and did not like the way I looked at all. I did not look forward to meeting people and dreaded social occasions. My demeanor had changed from a calm happy person to one who had anger issues. I had weekly headaches which had symptoms of mild migraine.

Till the day I started yoga six months ago. I chanced upon a private trainer who would come home and immediately signed up. And from then on, everything has only gotten better.

Jan 21 - Mar 20 2016
The first two months were tough. She would come 3 days a week and I had lots of aches and pains in the beginning. All I did the first two months were attend the classes. Did not go for walk, did not try to eat less, but automatically started eating less. Slowly I started feeling better, energy levels were up and headaches had vanished. I did not go near the weighing machine the first two months. I was scared there would be no change and I would get badly demotivated.

 Mar 21 - July 20 2016
End of two months(March 21), I felt I had improved somewhat in weight and energy and felt better about myself. I dared to check my weight. I started going for walks in the evening and slowly increased the duration of walks. Started doing yoga on the days my trainer did not come home.
I became more conscious about what I ate. Started a proper teatime snack at 4 pm(dates and rusk or makhana with tea), salad dinner a month back. Breakfast and lunch no change.  I did the 108 suryanamaskaars on June 21 and plan to do it at least once a month. I try and drink more water than I did before. I have incorporated Leslie walks and a few short routines in the evening. And am very happy to see a drop of 8 kg in 4 months. And with it, compliments and wishes to continue.

My major learnings :
1. Yoga really helped in increasing my stamina slowly. The aasans with right breathing do wonders to composure and calm the mind.
2. Clean eating came AFTER I saw results. I could never have started with a diet and yoga at the same time.
3. Hiring a private trainer was the best thing I did.
4. It took time for me to understand my body. I take more time and hence asked my trainer to change aasans once in two months rather than once a month.
5. I see that if I try to push a little, my body is willing to do better.
6. For me, I could not have started with a Leslie walk and continue it. The lack of stamina made it impossible.
7. Salad dinner got my digestive system right and I now have glowing skin!

And here I am, poised and confident about the rest of the journey.