‘Increased awareness needed about menstrual health’

Nagpur: From questions on diet during periods to problems due to PCOS to ‘menstrual leaves’ proposed in

Spain

,

Maasika Mahotsav

’s third event of the month-long period awareness programme was a QnA session with renowned gynaecologist Dr

Shantala Bhole

. Organized by Global Shapers Community in association with

Muse Foundation

, the interactive session titled ‘Library on Wheels Townhall’ was held at Institution of Engineers on Sunday.An audience member asked

Dr Bhole

, “There are people from humble backgrounds who don’t have access to information regarding menstrual health. How do we reach the grassroot level?” She replied, “There is a lot of work happening but there’s still more scope to address sanitation issues.”To the question, “What foods should we specifically consume during periods,” she said, “Nothing special needs to be added to your diet when you’re menstruating.”When asked about the measures that can be taken to avoid disorders like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Polycystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOD), Dr Bhole said, “PCOS is a hormonal imbalance. Adopting a healthy lifestyle like proper diet and physical activity can keep these disorders at bay.”“Regularising the menstrual cycle is an individualistic process,” Dr Bhole stated. She added, “One must analyse what recent change has been made to their lifestyle. Weight loss, weight gain, stress etc are causes of erratic cycles. If you are unable to pinpoint the factor causing it, you should consult a doctor.”Full report on www.toi.in