Menstrual Hygiene Day: Let's Break the Stigma!

This article has been researched and written by Arelang Naturals^® in-house writers.

With the whole debate going on, whether women should get time off work during their periods, and some big personalities making some very provocative statements, belittling the pain and the anguish, leading to many enraged women across India. Some people say it's important to recognize that period pain can be really hard on some women but others brush it off with ‘periods may be painful but women have been dealing with them forever - so why take leave now?’ It's a tricky issue, but one thing's for sure – we need to start talking about it especially when the World Menstrual Hygiene Day is celebrated on 28th May!

First things first - this year's Menstrual Hygiene Day theme: Breaking the Stigma, together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld. It's all about recognizing the challenges that women face during menstruation—think cramps, over-bleeding, mood swings, and that general feeling of blah that comes with Aunt Flo's monthly visit. And let's not forget about those suffering from conditions like PCOD, Perimenopause, Postpartum, which can throw even more curveballs into the mix, dragging the body through irregular periods, acne and mood swings galore.

But Women have been menstruating for centuries, so how come period pain seems more intense these days? It turns out that our modern lifestyles might be a large part of the problem. Stress, not getting enough sleep, eating unhealthy foods, not getting proper nutrition into the body, can all create havoc with the female hormones and make period cycles even more painful for some women.

So in our attempt to erase the stigma and talk about the issue that everyone seems to sweep under the carpet, we invited a few of our ardent customers to come forward with their stories.

Meet Mayuri - a 28 year old executive working in an MNC says, “I don’t know who needs to hear this, but times have changed; women are in the workforce, and yes, we do experience pain. Research says that it's even as bad as a heart attack. Now imagine, if a man had a scheduled heart attack-like pain every single month. Would the rules change? Would he be expected to come into work every single day? I think not!”

She continues, “For me personally, the pain was disabling. There were days where I could just barely get out of my bed. So I would take pain killers, put on a brave face for work and power through the day. But how many painkillers and for how long?”

“And then…. I found Rekindle for Women. It gave me the right ammo to balance my hormones naturally, which was the main reason for my painful cramping. Felt the relief within 2 cycles itself and now Pain? Drastically reduced - hardly even need the pain killers anymore!”

“So whether we win or lose this ‘leave-for-period-pain’ battle, let's at least help ourselves where we can. With Rekindle for Women - the safest and the most natural way to balance your hormones and say bye bye to disabling pain. This way we all win!”

Now here’s Shumaila, a 26 year old homemaker, married a little under 16 months and here is what she had to say: “I always wanted to get married into a family that didn't do all that “jab periods honge, don't enter the mandir or kitchen, idhar mat jao, yeh mat karo” I was very clear about that, right from the beginning. As clear as I was, I still had to go into my monthly cycles.

Maybe it was regular intimacy, but my cycles changed and the cramps and pain became excruciating and I would just want to stay in bed all day.  I needed to change my pad every 2-3 hours for at least the first 2 days of the cycle. I went through this for over 6 months of marriage.

It would have been great if I could stay locked up in my room, not doing anything for the 4 days!

And as woke as I am, I still  couldn't muster up the strength to talk to anyone about periods. But my amazing MIL obviously figured it out! And introduced me to Rekindle For Women. A chocolate that gives the body the nutrients it needs to balance hormones, all sugar free, all 100% plant based and 200% effective.

I now do not even feel like I'm on my period. They are regular and the pain - Gone! And the flow? - normal and regular!!

If only I knew it was cool to talk to my mother in law and had spoken to her or mom in the 1st month itself, I wouldn't have needed to suffer for the 6 months that I did.  I know I made this mistake, but I want to reach out to as many people to help them understand that period pain, monthly cycles are all a natural part of life and there should be no stigma to talk openly about it - whether its your husband, mother, mother-in- law or even your dad.

But wait, there's more! Beyond just addressing the challenges, Rekindle is also about fostering a sense of empowerment and self-confidence. It's about saying "heck yeah!" to your period and owning it like the fierce goddess that you are. Because let's face it—periods are a natural, beautiful part of life, and it's time we started treating them as such.

So, how can we all play a part in creating a #PeriodFriendlyWorld? It starts with breaking the silence and smashing the stigma surrounding menstruation. It's about normalising conversations about periods and ensuring that every woman has access to the resources and support she needs to manage her menstrual cycle with dignity and grace.

And hey, while we're at it, let's share some menstrual hygiene tips to help keep things fresh and fabulous. From using menstrual cups to practising good hygiene habits to staying hydrated and nourished—there are so many simple yet effective ways to maintain menstrual hygiene and feel your best during that time of the month. In conclusion, dear friends, let's use this Menstrual Hygiene Day as a springboard for change. Let's commit to breaking down barriers, raising awareness, and creating a world where every woman can embrace her menstrual cycle with confidence and pride. Together, we can make a difference—one period at a time.