Menstruation can be a difficult time for many women every month.
It comes with cramps, mood swings, pimples, and in severe cases, vomiting, diarrhoea, extreme backache….need I go on?
Periods come with so much stress and negativity that often, women and girls absolutely hate it when that time of the month comes.
But there is much reason to actually love appreciate period.
1. Your period is a sign of good health.
Menstrual health activist Mary Nyaruai once said in a conversation that your period is like your fifth vital sign when you go to the doctor.
Usually, when you visit your doctor, she or he checks your blood pressure, your pulse, your temperature and your respiration.
A good doctor will also ask you when your last period was because, in the absence of pregnancy, no period could mean that you may be sick.
2. It also helps you be alert to future diseases.
Since women often know when their periods will occur and how their cycle operates, any changes can alert them to serious problems in their reproductive system.
For example, your period can help a doctor diagnose potential menstrual health-related illnesses such as Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) early enough to get treatment.
3. It tells you when you are pregnant, or not.
A reality today is that many young women and girls are sexually active and sometimes, accidents may occur.
Unless you were trying for a baby, your period is a sign that you are not pregnant.
Be careful though, make sure you are being safe.
4. It is a form of detox.
Menstruation is a way for women’s bodies to flush out any excess iron in the body, which may lead to cardiovascular diseases, according to WebMD.
It can also be viewed as a kind of cleansing that you go through every month, getting rid of the bad and welcoming the good.
5. It could be what slows down women’s ageing.
US-based doctor and longevity expert, Thomas Perls, says that women age more slowly than men because of menstruation.
According to an article on the Cosmopolitan, Perls said that menstruation causes loss of excess iron which reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Perhaps we live longer than men because of our periods.
Edited by D Tarus
