Have you been paying attention to your menstrual health/cycle?
The easiest way to get started is to track your menstrual cycle.
Begin by tracking your start date every month for several months in a row to identify the regularity of your periods.
Some areas you could pay more attention to would include:
Pain
The duration
The flow
Abnormal bleeding
Any blood clots/clumps
Other changes eg: mood, behaviour
The menstrual cycle is a monthly cycle with an period of 21–35 days, which goes through 4 different phases in preparation for the possibility of pregnancy.
During each menstrual cycle, it starts with the development of an egg which is then released from the ovaries. Thereafter, the lining of the uterus builds up. If a pregnancy doesn’t happen, the uterine lining sheds during a menstrual period, restarting the cycle.
Many women are embarrassed with the funky smell during the menstrual period. Period blood contains three things — the shedding of an unfertilised egg, blood and uterine lining tissues.
If it smells "rotten": This smell shows up when bacteria mixes with menstrual flow and could be a sign of a problem. It could also be due to wearing the pad/tampon for too long.
You can try to control this 'rotten' smell by changing your period protection frequently, especially during heavy-flow days.
If it smells "fishy": Bacterial vaginosis often causes this, a common infection that can cause periods to smell stronger than normal. Bacterial vaginosis is caused by too much bacteria in the vagina, and your chances of getting BV can be increased by things like new or multiple sex partners and douching.
If it smells "metallic": This is usually due to the iron in the blood, and is normally not a cause for concern.
If it smells "sweet": This could be due to the acidic environment and bacteria in your vagina.
Here's some tips to help with reducing the smell of your period blood. Here are a few tips:
Change your period protection frequently. Depending on your flow, how often you need to change will be different, but you can experiment and see what works for you.
Stay well hydrated and eat a balanced diet can also help to reduce the smell.
Making sure you keep on top of your hygiene by using our Cleansing & Moisturising Oils to cleanse the intimate area once a day. Our all-natural formula includes an exclusive oil extract that helps to preserve the microbiota of healthy skin, which benefits the good and protective bacteria and prevents the overgrowth of the bad ones that can cause discomfort.
If you have questions or concerns about your menstrual cycle, such as heavy menstrual bleeding, severe cramps, frequent spotting, nausea or vomiting during your period, irregular periods and lack of energy or weakness during your period talk to your gynae or health care provider.
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