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Revolution Of Sanitary Napkins In India

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       Innovations change the way we live our lives. We use hundreds of products but the story behind their invention is often unknown. Sanitary Pad is an essential item for all people.  In rural parts of developing countries, 95% of households cannot afford this essential item and switch to unhygienic alternatives such as old rags, newspapers, banana leaves, dust, etc.  Not only is this a very impractical and uncomfortable alternative but puts their health in serious danger. “Women who do use cloths are often too embarrassed to dry them in the sun, which means they don’t get disinfected. Approximately 70% of all reproductive diseases in India are caused by poor menstrual hygiene – it can also affect maternal mortality.” However, these cultural norms did not stop technological innovation: the  first  disposable  pads  hit the market in 1896.   By the turn of the century, concerns about bacterial growth from inadequate clean...

IMPORTANCE OF MENSTRUAL HYGIENE

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  Menstruation or Maashik or Mahawari all of these commonly known and referred to as Periods. Period is onset of bleeding when the walls of uterus of female breaks leading to bleeding which lasts for 5-6 days every month.   So far we all know about periods , cause of periods but what we don't know till now is how to keep personal hygiene at the times of periods. It's strange that how well our economy is developing,   how fast our country is growing, how aware people are about various issues concerning the country and society but the issue which is visible to people with their naked eyes but still not talked is Menstrual Hygiene.   Often when it comes to talking about Menstrual or Menstrual hygiene it becomes a taboo subject which should not be discussed publicly.   Menstrual hygiene means use of sanitary pads,   proper disposal of sanitary pads privacy to change sanitary pads with access to good sanitation facility .   It is   an important gen...

How to Dispose Sanitary Pads

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  Inappropriate disposal of menstrual waste is problematic for several reasons. The first reason arise from the fact that plastic sanitary napkins have replaced cloth napkins to a large extent.  Why should sanitary pads be disposed of properly? Disposing of sanitary napkins can be a difficult job. Not only is there a lack of proper arrangements in public toilets but this is considered a taboo altogether, which is why most women refrain from discussing appropriate ways of disposal. There are few reasons to ensure that used sanitary napkins are discarded properly. On an individual level, soiled sanitary pads can be smelly and attract flies. The exposed blood also becomes a suitable environment for germs. Ways of disposing sanitary pads! 1- At home, let’s make sure that your menstrual waste is not a part of your regular domestic waste. It can be kept separately as a bio/wet waste. Follow the red dot campaign, where you can mark your sanitary waste with a red dot fo...

Menstrual Hygiene and Waste Disposal

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  Menstruation is a normal biological process which maintains the female reproductive cycle. Without this process, there would be no ovulation and hence, no reproduction. Menstruation and menstrual practices still face many social, cultural, and religious restrictions which are a big barrier in the path of menstrual hygiene management.    This topic remains elusive and is even considered taboo in different parts of the world. In developing countries like India, women have to deal with menstruation secretly. It has been found that little, inaccurate, or incomplete knowledge about menstruation is a great hindrance in the path of personal and menstrual hygiene management. Girls and women have very less or no knowledge about reproductive tract infections caused due to ignorance of personal hygiene during menstruation time. In rural areas, women do not have access to sanitary products or they know very little about the types and method of using them or are unable to afford s...

Get access to sanitary pads easily.

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  Poor women, especially in rural areas, struggle to get a clean piece of cloth to manage their period every month. There is a lack of awareness about menstrual health and hygiene. Living in a culture of shame and silence, they end up using poor substitutes like rags and ash, or worse they use NOTHING. This aggravates their day to day misery around this basic need. In a society which usually treats issues surrounding menstruation as a stigma and a taboo, be the one to aware women about the need to use sanitary pads. Millions of women in India and in many other parts of the world still struggle for basic clothes to cover their body. For them this struggle becomes bigger as they also struggle for a basic piece of cloth for their menstruation every month in an environment of strong silence and shame around this issue. In such a scenario they end up using rags, ash, newspapers, jute bags, used pads, sand in dire compulsion or worse they using NOTHING. This all pervasive taboo ...

PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS

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  Since time immemorial, menstruation has been considered as a social stigma -No Temples -No Kitchen -Unspeakable -Untouchable   Because of the surrounding cultural taboos, periods have always been perceived as dirty and unpleasant. ALARMING STATISTICS Here are some old taboos and statistics that further highlight the ground realities women face with regard to menstruation. 28% 28 percent of Indian school girls avoid going to school during their period owing to lack of affordable menstrual hygiene products   20% 20 percent of Indian girls drop out of school after reaching puberty   500 YEARS Disposable pads or tampons take 500 years to biodegrade     150KG An average woman disposes of around 150 kg of non-biodegradable waste in a lifetime.   14% 14 percent of Indian girls reportedly suffer from menstrual infections owing to lack of hygienic sanitary products Solution A modern alternative to disposable ...

Can women exercise on their period?

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  Going to the gym during a painful period might be a tall order, of course, but there are plenty of other alternatives. A long walk, a gentle swim or some yoga stretches can ease discomfort and help you feel a lot more positive.  A workout or physical activity will also make you feel better overall, as exercise stimulates endorphin production in your body. Some myths: Myth 1 : It’s not safe to exercise during your period. Truth : Providing you don’t overdo it, exercising during your period is not only safe, it’s encouraged by experts.   Myth 2 : You gain weight just before your period. Truth : It’s actually just water retention, which disappears by the time your period starts.   Myth 3 : You burn more calories if you exercise when menstruating. Truth : Nope. But you do if you exercise in the luteal phase of your cycle, just before your period.   How To You Choose Your Workout? Being realistic and listening to your body goes a long way ...