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During our growing years, we’ve all had an aging grandmother, a miss-know-it-all aunt or the neighboring wise lady in our lives who’ve time and again shared their wisdom with us. From practical advice on relationships, motherhood, health and hygiene, they pretty much covered an entire gamut of life experiences. Some of their words of wisdom were from experience, while others were legendary tales, passed on from older generations. Just like pregnancy or motherhood, a woman’s menstrual cycle is also replete with such old wives’ tales. Here are 6 of them which may sound absurd, but may actually be true:
1. You Cannot Conceive During Your Menstrual Cycles
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It’s simple biology that a menstrual cycle is actually the breakdown of the egg in the ovaries. With no egg around to be fertilized by the sperm, chances of conception are low. However, women also experience spotting, or slight bleeding, around the time they are ovulating. And if they have irregular pattern of menstrual cycle and indulge in unprotected lovemaking during this time, which they may have falsely assumed to be menstrual cycle, they may conceive. Otherwise, it’s a biological fact that you cannot conceive during your menstrual cycles.
2. Auto-Sync of Menstrual Cycles
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Another tale that is widely reported is that women who live together, or at least around each other, will eventually end up syncing their menstrual cycles. Despite the fact that there is no scientific proof, or any research done in this area, there have been scores of women who vouch for this truth. Many women, like roommates, mothers and daughters, or even a group of women colleagues at workplace end up having their menstrual cycles naturally syncing after the first 2-3 months together.
3. The ‘Start’ Signals
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And by that we don’t mean PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome), though it does qualify as one. It’s not mandatory, but many women experience tell-tale signs that signal the start of menstrual cycles, at least 2 to 3 days in advance. From cramps in calf muscles, sudden low back pains to stomach pains or headaches, each woman has a signal unique to her body, which lets her know that her monthly cycles are just round the corner.
4. Don’t Pick Those Pickles!
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How often we’ve been smacked on our palms just when we were about to put that delicious looking piece of pickle in our mouths. It was a total no-no during that time of the month and we were often chided by the elderly ladies for breaking that ‘rule’. As it turns out, they may have actually had a point. It is common to experience bloating during menses, which is due to water retention in the body. This condition gets aggravated with high sodium (salty) diet. With pickles being extremely high on sodium, it was only prudent to avoid them.
5. Exercise Or Heavy Workouts Should Be Avoided
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The current generation of women lead an extremely active life and may find it hard to adhere to. However, women experience heavy bleeding during the first 2 to 3 days of their menstrual cycle, and exercising at this time may not cause excess bleeding, but may result in early fatigue. Also, if women are experiencing menorrhagia, then heavy workouts could also result in anemia.
6. Avoid Swimming
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Again, for women, especially sportsperson, it may sound absurd. If you are using a tampon or menstrual cup, it may be safe to venture into water. However, if you are on sanitary pads, it is advisable to avoid stepping into the pool. For one, the pads may not be sufficient to prevent a leakage, and thereby contaminate the pool water. Secondly, you may also be at a risk of picking up an infection from others who may be using the pool.
In today’s times, where every information is just a click away, it is hard to sort what information is correct and what is not. Whether you choose to agree or disagree with the old wives’ tales, it’s a fact that some of them may be true as they speak from experience.
