Menstrual cycle is a part of every female, it is a natural process. However, the stigma and taboo that had come with menstruation, still continue to be a part of our society. It is one of those times in which all women and girls should be given proper attention and care.
Menstruation - commonly known as periods, is the process in which blood is discharged through the vagina and other materials from the lining of the uterus at about one monthly interval except when any woman is pregnant. The cycle starts after females hit puberty and this process is natural and common among women of age age group of 14 to 50 years.
The days when a cycle starts and ends are different from woman to woman and the usual discharging lasts from 3 to 5 days. There are so many changes that a womans’ body goes through these days and hence is considered to be the most precautionary.
No matter how natural this process is, it is still something that we are not taking proper care of. We as a country have developed immensely in the last few decades and have come up to a point where every part of the society is contributing. No more we live in a country where talking about a female and their menstrual cycle in public is not allowed. We have seen huge campaigns and celebrities promoting menstrual hygiene products to make the society more aware. However, in between, there are places where a basic knowledge of menstruation, menstrual hygiene is still considered to a topic that cannot be discussed.
What menstrual hygiene and care is all about?
Menstrual hygiene practices are affected by cultural norms, parental influence, personal preferences, economic status, and socioeconomic pressures. It is important to understand the importance of personal hygiene. A normal routine of a female life should be understood, discussed, and explored. With the globalization and growth in different parts of society, particularly the urban section is open to various options available for personal use in the market.
It is also very important that a woman is given both physical and mental comfort when she is going through her menstrual cycle, to be at ease. The more ways in which we can keep a woman happy in the house is to keep the surroundings happy and comforting. Merrier the mood, lesser the pain goes in a usual period cycle. It does sound cliché, but the female menstrual cycle kind of revolves around the moods.
Sanitary pads are the necessity; but nowadays, along with regular sanitary pads, several other options are also available designed keeping in mind the complete perspective of women, such as tampons, menstrual cups, bamboo pads, banana fiber pads, water hyacinth pads, etc.
According to a survey held in October 2019, it has been identified that the use of different kinds of pads is still not an acceptable practice to people. Approximately 76 percent of the females who took part in the survey did not share details of different options available for females during periods.
Regular sanitary pads made up of plastic and the absorbent material are the most commonly pads used women across the globe. Using pads during the menstrual cycle helps women to stay comfortable in all conditions and does not restrict the movement of the body in any aspect, be it running, jumping, working out, dancing. However, the most commonly used sanitary pad might not the best and only option available. There are problems with regular sanitary pads. Most of the pads used are approximately ninety percent plastic and the plastic is non-biodegradable, which means after using the pads the plastic in the pads does not dissolve in the soil. In this scenario, the pain during the menstrual cycle is not only being faced by the women but is also a triggering factor in the deteriorating levels of the quality of land as the land filling sites expand. Plastic, which take several hundred years to decompose, kills the land with its components and all the waste that goes with it. It also affects the microorganisms and other underground organisms, since polluted land is not a natural environment for them to sustain in.
There are many reasons reusable pads are trending these days, out of which being environment friendly is the most concerning. On one hand, plastic pads consist of plastics, artificial fragrances, adhesives, and chemical gels. On the other hand, by making use of reusable pads made of natural materials such as water hyacinth, hemp, bamboo; women get a clearer and more comfortable feeling knowing that their sensitive parts are not exposed to allergens. On an average, a woman uses around ten thousand to fourteen thousand sanitary pads in her lifetimes, and by switching from plastic to reusable cloth pads, a large portion of the damage can be taken care of in terms of both environment and health. Since cloth pads are in contact with the most sensitive part of the female body, the selection of fabric becomes extremely important. It is to be selected in a way that provides comfort, safety, and durability with a single product. In addition to this ecological damage, there are also personal dangers caused by using sanitary products. We have already talked about the serious health hazards plastic pads can cause to you in our previous blog. Click this link to find out. https://www.himalayanhemp.in/post/why-do-women-menstruate
Hemp has a multitude of uses, and throughout the history, can be seen all across the world. It was and still is used for medicinal and dietary purposes. But hemp is so much more than just a dietary supplement. There really are thousands of uses of the mighty hemp plant. From providing nutrition to creating clothes, there is not much hemp cannot do. With recent advancements, hemp has been identified as one of the safest and durable sanitary pad fabric. There are many benefits related to the fabric and being the strongest fiber is one of them. Hemp has been underrated for years for its exceptional abilities such as immunity booster, painkiller, and medicine for anxiety and depression. Another benefit that should be acknowledged is the use of hemp in sanitary pads. Various countries have been using the hemp industry as top most fabric industry.
Using hemp in sanitary pads is a revolutionary change especially in India wherein man-made irrational laws have out cast the benefits of hemp. For changing the current scenario and increasing the level of awareness for menstrual hygiene, we have developed reusable and biodegradable hemp sanitary pads in line with the Swachha Bharat Abhiyan initiative from the Government of India.We have come up with this initiative and pads have been approved by the Indian Textile Industry standards after conducting a series of experiments on some of their employees.
Hemp is also an anti-microbial; anti-fungal makes it even better to be used in sanitary pads. Also, the absorbency of the hemp fibre is three times more than cotton, which makes it longer staying, more comfortable during the prolonged hours. It is one of the best ways to ensure more safety to the environment as hemp sanitary pads are biodegradable. These pads are also known to be extremely resistant to rashes and UV rays. If you go through heavy blood flow in your menstrual cycle, this will be the right product for you. So the fabric that comes into contact with the skin is of Hemp fibre, unbleached and undyed. Therefore, the risks of irritations, infections, and allergy are reduced. If you want to have a look how a small change can bring a big difference, visit https://www.himalayanhemp.in/hempsanitarypads.
The quality and quantity of the hemp products can be an advantage even to the rural people where the accessibility is less. The best part is that for a country like India where most of the rural women don’t even get the chance to take care of their hygiene and proper menstrual care, or a choice to product of their comfort, hemp pads can bring a big chance because of its affordability and quality benefits. Himalayan hemp sanitary pads provide the users with an environmentally conscious alternative, leak-proof, discreet protection, and comfortable slim-line design.Due to these properties, hemp pads are very comfortable for women travellers and also for postpartum periods in order to maintain menstrual hygiene.
Sanitary pad comfort is largely a matter of peace of mind, meaning that one feels good about the environmental effect of the product, fluid impervious nature, and its overall comfort-ability. Using hemp as a major product in the making of a sanitary pad is one big initiative and will definitely be beneficial in the long run and can help in changing the monotony. We, at Himalayan hemp are working towards making this attempt even more worthy by creating products that can be beneficial to women and society. Apart from creating a menstrual boon for the women, it is a source of income for the local women(who would be making the pads) and farmers. Our vision is to improve the basic feminine sanitation and promote menstrual hygiene by using healthy and organic Himalayan Hemp sanitary pads.
There have been so many changes that have come in recent times and this is exactly the time when menstrual hygiene is taken to the next level. And the required attention should be given both in rural and urban sectors to avoid major health issues as well as waste management crisis in the near future.