For many, the words ‘menstruation period’ connotes something unknown and mysterious. You surely know that it is related to some bodily change that the girls have to go through once they attain puberty. But that’s all you know about it. You feel like asking your parents what exactly it is. Yet, you stop and stammer when uttering the words ‘menstruation period’.

Yes, people are normally hesitant to ask about it. This article will hopefully help you know more about this normal bodily change that every woman has to go through.

What is menstruation and menstruation period?

Menstruation usually onsets after the girls attain puberty which is usually at the age of 12 and 13. The initial phase of the ‘menstruation period’ is also known as menarche. This period is usually preceded by the enlargement of breasts. The time period or cycle of menstruation is usually about a month. It is counted from the first day of the bleeding till the commencement of the next period.

Menstruation occurs due to the discharge of the menstrual fluids from the uterus through the vaginal canal. There is heavy bleeding during the initial phase of menstruation which lasts for about two to three days. This is followed by two to four days of lighter bleeding. Blood and uterine tissues usually constitute the menstrual flow. The quantity of the fluid may vary from person to person. But normally it can be from four to twelve teaspoonfuls.

Effects of Menstruation period

Cramping in the abdomen is the common problem associated with menstruation. This commonly occurs some days prior to menstruation and can last for few days after the completion of period. This happens due to the contraction of the muscles in the uterus and the over-production of the prostaglandin hormones.

Bathing in lukewarm water or applying heat on the abdomen through hot water bottle or heating pad relieves cramping. Exercise also helps as it hastens up the blood flow and produces endorphin which is a natural pain killer.

Taking pain killers that you can procure over the counter also ease the cramps by curbing the effects of prostaglandin hormones. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) are some of the drugs used for the purpose.

It is always advisable to consult your physician in order to select the best drug and its dosage. And if the condition is more acute, then it is imperative that you seek the advice of a gynaecologist or a primary health care practitioner.

Some of such conditions are as follows:

• The quantity of bleeding is more.
• The time period of menstruation cycle is irregular occurring at the wrong time frequently.
• The bleeding is prolonged, continuing for more than a week.
• You are yet to have your period even if though you are already fifteen.
• You have missed your period since the last three months.
• You are apprehensive that you might have conceived.
• You fall ill and have fever after using a tampon.

Developing cramps immediately after the menstruation period that lasts for two to three days is normal. It usually goes away with the lowering of the level of prostaglandin in the body. But if the cramps do not go away after three days and continues to bother you even after taking pain killers available over the counter, then it is time to consult your doctor.

The time of menstruation period

The first period of a girl usually continues for two to seven days. This is followed by the second one which could be after thirty to forty days. This can even take longer. The quantity of bleeding may be more or less from the first one.

The menstruation periods do not follow a normal pattern in the initial phase. With time, which may be up to a couple of years, it becomes regular.
The menstruation cycle may be 24 days, 28 days or even 30 to 34 days. While it can be from 21 to 45 days in case of teenage girls, the normal menstruation cycle of grow-up women has a time period of 21 to 35 days. But, if it is shorter than 24 days or longer than 45 days or it doesn’t fall into a set time period even after two years of attaining puberty, then it is better to seek the advice of a doctor.

Missing the menstruation period for a month when you are ill or stressed is normal. (You must consult your doctor if you are having sexual intercourse and miss the period. You may be using the contraceptives to the best of your knowledge and yet can get pregnant.) But once your menstruation is normal and regular, you should consult your doctor if you miss it for a month.

What is ovulation?

Ovulation refers to the release of eggs by the ovary. The release is at its maximum during the mid period of the menstrual cycle (mid-cycle), which is two weeks after the beginning of menstrual period. At times, the ovulation may be associated with temporary pain in the abdominal area. Taking the pain killers meant for cramps usually relieve this pain.

What is PMS?

PMS or the premenstrual syndrome occurs before the beginning of the menstruation period. This is associated with the following symptoms:

• Tenderness in the breast
• Anxiety
• Retention fluid
• Irritability and restlessness
• Dietary cravings
• Difficulty in getting proper sleep

All these symptoms of PMS normally stop once the bleeding starts.

Sometimes, women are prone to show some emotions. They may start crying without any apparent reason. Having a proper understanding of the feeling is important to cope with such emotions. If they are serious and difficult to manage, then take the help of the doctor.

Tampon or pad – which is better?

Both tampons and pads can be used during the menstruation period. Tampons are available is various sizes, with different absorbent capacities. But they should always be changed in every four hours lest there might be bacterial infection, odor or leakage. It is worn inside the vagina.

Pads are worn inside the underwear and they are self-adhesive. Like tampons, they should also be changed every four hour. Different varieties of pads are available that can used depending upon the intensity of bleeding.

The suitability of tampons or pads depends on personal preferences. Girls who indulge in sports activities like swimming find the pads bulky. But many other girls find the pads convenient.
It is always better to keep pads or tampons in the pocket or bag for exigencies.

Sometimes, you may find it difficult to take out the tampon. If such cases, immediately consult your doctor. Unlike pads, tampons have more risks of developing toxic shock syndrome, which results due to bacterial infection. This happens when the tampon is not changed frequently or has a higher absorbent capacity than that is required for you.

Missing periods

Suffering from fever and anxiety can result in missing your menstruation period. Being underweight, doing excessive exercise, illness may be its cause. If the menstruation doesn’t start even after fifteen. If you are already fifteen year of age and yet to have your menstruation period, then consult your doctor.

Separate the myths from the real dangers of driving while you are fatigue or feeling drowsy may save your life or the life of your loved ones.

Myth: You can be drowsy but not drunk.

While everybody knows the implication of drunken driving, many people are not much concerned about sleepiness. But it may prove to be fatal. Researches reveal that as far as driving impairment is concerned, not sleeping for eighteen hours or twenty-four hours at a stretch can affect the body in the same way as being drunk. Drowsiness impairs proper judgment and reaction time.

Myth: Caffeine can perk you up.

Caffeine, taken through soft drink, coffee or gum can induce temporary alertness. But you must know that it takes about half an hour for the effect to set in. But this may not have any effect in case of over-exhaustion or people who are long used to it.

Myth: Drowsy driving takes place only during the night.

Most of the sleep related accidents take place early in the morning (between 4AM to 6AM). The other period is the rush hour between 2PM to 4PM. About twenty-five percent commuters admit that they do indeed feel drowsy during some days.

Myth: Only old and elderly people are prone to fall asleep while driving.

Contrary to popular belief, more then fifty percent of drivers, responsible for crashes with fatigue-related issues, are young people – less than 25 years of age. The people who are prone to fatigue-driving include shift workers, people suffering from sleep disorders and adults with children. The risk increases by six times for night-shift workers. Working for more than sixty hours in a week and disruption of sleep cycle can result in fatigue driving.

Myth: Cool air or music promotes wakefulness.

Remember how well you sleep during winter nights. So, dispel any misgiving that cool air will keep you awake while driving. The AC or music would be of little help to fight exhaustion.

Myth: It is better to avoid food while driving.

It is true that a sumptuous meal would surely make you sleepy. But not eating anything is of little help as driving is also energy-sapping. So, take snacks with carbs and proteins in it.

Myth: You can’t prevent a drowsy person from driving.

The level of drowsiness in a person admittedly, is difficult to judge. Having said that, it is true that keeping a drowsy person away from the wheel, can surely prevent mishaps. So, if you find somebody repeatedly yawning or you are aware that he hasn’t slept for six hours, then talk to him before he hits the road.

Fact: Dangers of driving while you are fatigue is real.

As per the government estimates, as many as 100,000 accidents and over 1,500 deaths are due to driver-fatigue. This could be more if you take into account the fact that thirty three percent of the 103 million of people admit that they have fallen asleep while driving.

Fact: Having a companion during driving helps.

Another person sitting by the side is of immense help, especially during long trips. He can keep an eye on the road and can keep you awake by talking. And it is better if he can drive as well. Both of you can take turns to drive every couple of hours or after each 100 miles.

Fact: Short Naps helps a lot but it does not completely eliminate the dangers of driving while you feel fatigue.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests people to take short naps of 15 to 20 minutes durations. This would instill alertness in you. But the naps should be short. Sleeping for more than 30 minutes would make you feel disoriented. In such cases, it is better to stop driving and take complete rest.

Fact: Some over the counter drugs can induce drowsiness.

Drugs used for the treatment of common ailments like cold, motion sickness and allergy can impair alertness while driving. If the cover of the medicine mentions drowsiness as a side-effect and specifically warns against driving, then it is wise to keep away from the wheels. Even small amount of alcohol can accentuate the effects of these drugs and make the person sleep.

Fact: Five signs that warrant a break from driving and reduce the dangers of driving while fatigue.

• A feeling of irritation and restlessness
• Daydreaming
• Involuntary blinking and yawning due to exhaustion
• Difficulty in keeping the head up
• Ignoring the traffic signals and exits
• Running onto other lanes

Simply take a break if you ever feel too tired or too drowsy while driving, take a short nap and then continue on your journey when you feel refreshed. Do it for your own safety and the safety of other drivers, eliminate the dangers of driving while fatigue.

The human growth hormone has a role in some of the vital functions of the human body like the metabolism and growth. Hence, its availability or the lack of it has a direct bearing on the physical as well as mental condition of the body. It promotes the growth of the bone by adding up the cartilage cells and also develops the muscle tissues. People with scanty or inadequate secretion may suffer improper growth or even from dwarfism. The effect is also dependent upon the age and hereditary factor of the person.

It is not only the inadequate secretion of growth hormone that creates problem for the body; its excess secretion of it may also prove to be harmful. The body goes through a rapid and high growth. Although rare, this effect can be found in some children during their adolescence. In case of adults, there might be the development of an innocuous tumor in the pituitary gland. There can also be unusual growth in some body parts like the breasts.

Due to this, there should be a balance in the secretion of growth hormones in the body.

Human growth hormones and age

The secretion of the human growth hormone wanes with advancing age. While it can be as much as 500 micrograms per day, it goes down to around 50 micrograms per day in case of an octogenarian. But many scientists also opine that the pituitary gland can be kept active even in the late age and hence the reduction the level of growth hormone can be minimized with the help of proper maintenance of the body and medication.

The recombinant growth hormones

With the advancement of scientific research, it has been possible to create the recombinant growth hormone in the laboratory by matching all the 191 different types of amino acids that constitute the human growth hormones. This is being manufactured by different medical companies. The drugs are being used by doctors while treating children, who have a retarded growth. They are also used for the treatment of other growth related problems like development of wrinkles, loss of muscle tissue and aging etc. Due to the inherent desire of men and women to look younger, these drugs have become very popular. This can be administered into the body through injection or oral supplements. You need to have a prescription to procure them. Many herbal products are also available in the markets that claim to be human growth hormones, but using these drugs without proper medical advice is always fraught with danger.

Isn’t it a fact that there are advices in abundance for women about the different supplements? Be it the premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or menopause – each woman has her share of advices.

But it is true that women often are confused about the kind of health food supplement products they should select standing in front of a health food store.

Evangeline Lausier, M.D., assistant clinical professor in medicine for the Duke Integrative Medicine Center in North Carolina sees supplementation to be only part of the holistic approach to self-care but it has to have enough supporting evidence. And before following any new dietary supplement regimen, take the opinion of the health care practitioner for the exact dosage and any drug-nutrients interactions.

Lausier recommends the following supplements and dosage for a healthy woman irrespective of their age:

1. Calcium – Calcium is necessary for women under the age of 35 to keep the bones strong. It also slows down the natural bone loss that occurs in women after the age of 35. Due to this protective quality of calcium over the bone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed this claims on the supplement labels. Calcium is also known to lower blood pressure and mitigate the symptoms of PMS.

   Dosage – The dosage is 1,000 milligram per day for pre-menopausal women and 1,200 1,500 milligrams per day for postmenopausal women. It should be divided into two equal dosages and be taken in the morning and evening.

2. Vitamin D3 – It enhances the body’s absorption capacity of calcium. Studies show that Vitamin D3 taken in higher dosage also helps to prevent problems of osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, type1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS).

   Dosage – In order to enhance the body’s capacity of absorption of calcium, the recommended dose for pre-menopausal women is 500 IU per day, which should be increased to 800 IU Per day in case of elderly and postmenopausal women. It can even be increased to 1000 IU if necessary. Usually 20 minutes of exposure to direct sunlight on the face and arms is enough for the required amount of vitamin D, if the UV (ultraviolet rays) is intense.

3. Iron – Lauser says that the deficiency of iron causes anemia, which affects greatly the metabolism and energy enzyme of the body. Iron is very essential for pre-menopausal and pregnant women. The requirement of iron for pregnant women is twice that of the other women due to increased volume of blood during gestation period and blood loss during delivery.

   Dosage – Lauser recommends 10 to 20 milligram of iron per day, which can be increased to 27 milligram per day in case of pregnant women. But excess iron is also not good for the liver. So, postmenopausal women should take the iron supplements only after consulting the doctor as their requirement is not high.

4. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) – This fatty acid is known to alleviate inflammation. It also helps in reducing the irritable bowl syndrome-type symptoms women generally go through during menstruation. For women with PMS, taking GLA also has a positive affect. You can enhance the level of GLA by taking primrose oil, borage or black currant seed oil.

   Dosage – Lauser and other doctors recommend evening primrose oil as they do not have any side effects. The recommended dosage is 3 to 6 grams of evening primrose oil or 270 to 500 milligrams of GLA.

5. Vitex – Vitex agnus-castus, aka chaste tree berry or monk’s pepper have been used to address many health problems in Rome during ancient periods. Even today, they are used for infertility, PMS symptoms and irregular periods.

   Dosage – Vitex keeps the hormonal balance in order. Luasier suggests that women should take 30 to 40 milligram per day for some months to be effective but pregnant women are forbidden to take it.

6. Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) – Found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflowers, 13C is known to reduce the risks of some cancers.

   Dosage – Early trial reports point that 13C may reverse the symptoms of human apillomavirus (HPV) infection like cervical cell abnormalities. Some study also showed that by taking 200 to 400 milligram of 13C per day fro a period of 12 weeks can reverse cervical cancer in its early stage. Lauser recommends a dose of 200 to 400 milligram per day.

7. Folic acid – Folic acid is essential for cell regeneration and their maintenance. Hence, this vitamin B in sufficient amount is necessary during the time of cell division like the period of pregnancy. Intake of enough folic acid during early pregnancy protects against neural tube effects. Clinical trials show that folic acid supplements reduce the level of homocystiene in the blood, thereby decreasing the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

   Dosage – Lauser recommends 800 milligram per day, which can be increased to 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams per day at the time of pregnancy. Postmenopausal women may take 400 to 8000 micrograms per day for its cardioprotective quality. You should take foliage (green) to get your share of folic acid.

Are these statements “Only women suffer from bouts of depression”; “Once you get it, you are strangled with it for the rest of your life”; or “It is only in the mind” depression myths? These are some of the statements one often comes across. Yes, there are myths abound about clinical depression, and they all make it hard to have the perspective of it both in terms of its nature and treatment.

Probably, this can be attributed to our propensity to club the word depression to a myriad range of moods and mental illnesses, as the case may be. By this, the real sense of clinical depression warranting treatment gets obscured.

Let’s find out some of the common Depression Myths and their truth:

1.  Top depression myths is that depression is not under the sphere of medical illness

Clinical depression is definitely a grave medical issue with biological and genetic roots, affecting both mind and the body. There is an increased level of stress hormones in the body of the people with depression. Their brain scan also reveals decreased activities in some parts of the brain.

2.    Even if it is a medical problem, you can’t help it

Depression can be treated and over 80 percent of patients respond well. With the breakthrough in new medications, this would surely rise.

Ruling out any other causes of depression like thyroid problem should be done first. For this, the doctor should be contacted immediately, who after proper diagnosis of the cause, would prescribe medicines, psychotherapy or both.

3.    Depression is similar to getting the ‘blues’. Hence, it is normal

Viewing depression like blues is like equating common cold with pneumonia. Everybody has his share of blues in the daily life. They can be the result of some disappointing events or even some frivolous ones like a rainy day. Of course they are short-lived and you don’t develop suicidal tendencies because of them. But, depression can last throughout the life. It is also more agonizing and life-threatening.

4.  The other depression myths is that depression is only a manifestation of self-pity

About 19 million people suffer from depression only in the US. The list of people who have been its victim include great names like Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, George Patton, abolitionist John Brown, Robert E. Lee, Florence Nightingale, Sir Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking, Charles Darwin, J.P. Morgan, Barbara Bush, Ludwig von Beethoven and Michelangelo. These great people wouldn’t just while away their time pitying themselves!

5.  The other depression myths include you can override depression through sheer will power

Depression is a pathological condition just like diabetes or heart disease. You can’t will it away. It manifests due to certain chemicals changes in the body and hence you can’t get the better of it just through sheer will power. In fact, taking medical advice tells a lot about your determination and courage to overcome it, as this condition is often stigmatized in the society.

6.  Another popular depression myths is that depression will go away on its own

Some very fortunate people may get cured of depression on their own but for the majority of cases, it lasts for a considerable period of time or even for ever. People, who already have it once, also are at a greater risk to have more bouts of depression. Clinical depression can prove to be fatal and may result in suicide, if left untreated.

7.  Another common depression myths is that depression is part of the aging process

While it is not part of the aging process, it is true that elder people have more of the causes that can trigger it – monetary matters, failing health, loneliness etc. People over the age of sixty, are not tuned to accept depression as a normal medical disorder like the present generation and hence, do not seek medical help.

8.    Women are the only victims of depression

The reported cases of women being affected by depression is twice that of men. But sometimes, cases go unreported as in some societies; men do not come forward to seek medical help. Successful suicide attempts are more prevalent among men compared to women. So, it is imperative that men seek medical advice for the symptoms of depression.

9.  One of the depression myths is that depression is part of the growing up process and hence, teenagers and children do not get it

However we may wish to the contrary, children do become the victim of depression. As per the National Institute of Mental Health, one in 33 children and one in 8 adolescent suffer form depression every year. It is the duty of the adults to mark the symptoms of depression, as children would not able to vent their thoughts properly.

10.  Depression is hereditary

If you have a history of depression in your family, you are genetically predisposed to it just like the diabetes or high blood pressure. It doesn’t mean that you would surely get it though. It is just that you are at a higher risk than other people. So, go for medical treatment immediately, if you find any symptoms.

It is difficult to separate some depression myths from the fact, so if you’re unsure about something, it’s in your best interest to consult a physician.