Hello, ladies! While periods can be boring, dreadful, and seemingly useless, they are actually more exciting, fun, and interesting than you expect! I am not going to lie to you and say that they aren't painful, but you may end up loving and understanding your body more after learning more about your period.
Here are 7 facts that you can enjoy for every day that you are on your period!
1. Your nosebleed can actually be your period!
OK... wow! Vicarious menstruation is a rare condition when a woman has a normal period cycle, but your blood capillaries all over your body soften during menstruation. Because all of your blood capillaries soften, your period does not always come out of your uterus. Your period can escape from any blood capillaries, such as your nose, lungs, or eyes! It is a VERY rare condition though. A common cause for vicarious menstruation is hematidrosis, a rare condition that causes you to sweat blood.
2. Vibrators were created to ease PMS symptoms!
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) was originally called "hysteria" in the 1800s. Ladies were coming to doctors with symptoms of anxiety, sleeplessness, irritability, and cramps. Doctors would tell women to have sex with their husbands in order to treat these symptoms. Masturbation and using dildos were looked down upon in the 19th century. Sadly though, most of these women did not feel satisfied because they preferred clitoris pleasure. Doctors would perform "paroxysms" on women, doctors would use their hands to massage a patient's clitoris to relieve them of their PMS symptoms. This was not taboo because it was viewed as treatment. This practice, expectedly, became popular amongst women over time. Doctors though would suffer from aching fingers which caused them to design a "personal massager" to use instead to treat hysteria. Thus, vibrators were created!
3. You become a bloated water balloon!
Believe it or not, your period does not actually cause you to swell up in your tummy. Many girls think that you end up being bloated because your stomach is retaining more food/liquids, or because your uterus expands. None of this is actually true! Bloating is because of water retention, that is caused by hormonal changed from the menstrual cycle. Your whole body swells up, including your face, legs, and boobs. Every spot in your body can whole water, so every place can retain it during your period.
4. You have your period for 38 years!
This one is just simple math! Periods usually start at around the age of 12, and menopause does not happen until you are 50. Periods have actually been occurring early and early in girls. The average age to get your period used to be 16 in the mid-1800s. If your period and menopause age is average, that means that for 38 years, you have your period! That includes 450 periods in a lifetime and over 3,000 days of bleeding in one lifetime. It is crazy to think that we have to shed so much lining during our lives.
5. No, Aunt Flo is not visiting for the week!
Aunt Flo, Crimson Tide, Carrie, and Lady Business are not cute terms for "that time of the month". And who started calling periods "Mother Nature's gifts"? Periods are not a gift at all! Periods are still a nickname for menstruating. Turns out, there are over 5,000 nicknames for periods in the world! While nicknames can make it easier to discuss menstruation in public, I think it is important to break the stigma around periods can to let young girls know that there is no shame in having your period. It should not be something that you need to hide from others.
6. The cold does bother you anyway!
Sorry, Elsa! But periods can last longer and be heavier if you live in cold environments! Shorter and darker days that occur during the winter months can affect your mood, which affects your hormones, which then affects your period! Such a domino effect! Sunlight can also increase dopamine levels, meaning that less sun decreases them. Also, Winter means being inside more which can cause you to eat more, move less, and that can affect your PMS.
7. Your period food cravings are scientifically proven!
The luteal phase of your menstrual cycle is the culprit! The phase begins when your ovulation ends and ends when your period starts. It occurs right after the follicular phase. Think of it as your "off days." During your luteal phase, you are NOT ovulating (fertile) and you are NOT menstruating. The luteal phase sounds like the best days to have your menstrual cycle, right? Wrong! The days right before your period, your hormones fluctuate up and down. This can cause you to develop food cravings and uncontrollable emotions.
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