Menstrual hygiene and personal hygiene are important for girls and women during their periods. It is recommended to take daily baths, brush hair, trim nails, and wash hands before and after changing pads to prevent infections. Sanitary pads should be changed at least every 4 hours and proper disposal methods like newspaper bags should be used. A balanced diet with iron, calcium and water is also important. Light exercise, yoga, meditation and stress management can help with period symptoms.

1. ‘ nLiten yourself ’
Menstrual Health and Hygiene
- Dr. Vikas Chothe
( MD Sch. PGDEMS )

2. Hygiene
From Head to Toe

3. Hygiene
From the Greek
word “hygies”
Meaning
“healthy, sound”

4. MENSTRUAL HYGIENE
 Menstrual hygiene is very
important to prevent infection,
local itching & bad odor.
 “good personal hygiene” will keep
you confident during these days.

5. What is Personal Hygiene?
•Regular Routine of Personal Care
•Washing and Grooming daily

6. Take bath daily

7. Hair
 Brushing your hair cleans
and stimulates hair and
scalp.
 Comb hair daily.
 Shampoo regularly

8. Fingernails and
Toenails
 File fingernails in one
direction
 Cut toenails straight–
never cut into corners
 Protect against
ingrown toenails by
avoiding tight
shoes, very high heels

9. Acne
What makes pimples worse?
 Oil-based makeup, suntan oil, hair jells and spray.
 For girls, menstruation
 Squeezing or picking at blemishes
 Hard scrubbing of the skin

10. Pimples Myths
1: Does chocolate cause acne?
A: NO
2: Does Extra washing help clear
pimples?
A: No, the extra scrubbing
irritates skin and could make
them worse.
3: Does acne leave scars?
A: Yes, you can reduce the
scarring by NOT PICKING
and avoid excessive scrubbing.

11. Change and wash
your sleepwear and
pillowcase regularly.
Change clothes
daily.

12. Wear cotton under
garments
instead of synthetic ones.

13. Sanitary napkins
should be
changed at least
every 4 hours or
every time you
go to the
bathroom.

14. -If cloth is used ,it should be washed
well before reuse, and not used for more
than three months.
-Cloth should be very soft .Rough or
thick cloth can cause irritation & itching.
-Always wipe from front to the back.

15. Wash with soap &
water
before and after changing your pad
and urination.

16. Keep the area
between the legs dry
 To avoid soreness and chaffing

17. Do not hold back urine when you
want to urinate, as it causes stasis
in the bladder and promotes
infection .

19. The three pillars of healthy life
[Charak Samhita, Su, 11:35]:
Ahar
Nidra
(regular sleep)
Brahmacharya
(Abstinence form drugs, alcohol, and
physical relationships)
Healthy parent-daughter relationship.

20. A balanced diet
Adolescent girls have high needs of energy
because their bodies are growing and they are
physically active.

21. Take citrus fruits

22. Then iron rich food
to compensate for the blood loss and prevent anemia.

23. Calcium rich food
To strengthen bones

24. Calcium helps
to alleviate
some of the
symptoms
associated with
PMS

25. Drink plenty of water for good
amount of urine.

26. There are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’
foods – it is the overall balance
of the diet that is important.
herbal teas

27. Dietary Changes
Eat frequent and smaller
portions of foods high in
complex carbohydrates
Johnson SR. Obstet Gynecol. 2004.

28. Warm bath or heating pad helps
in cramps…

29. Manya and kati vasti

30. Stress can affect the length between periods. Hence…
Stress management

31. Yoga
The Science of Life

32. Asanas …

33. Yogasanas for PMS
•Tikonasana
•Sarvangasana
•Halasana
•Virabhadrasana
•Tadasana
•Uttanasana

34. Benefits of yoga…
• develops better
posture
• improve self-esteem
• lower stress
• release muscle tension
• increase flexibility
• to control the vrittis
[propensities]

35. • Myth: Females who are menstruating
cannot exercise (including swimming)
until it is over.
• Fact: False, it is possible to exercise when
menstruating including swimming.
During menstruation, a girl can do any
activities she normally does.
Copyright : Dr. Chothe. V.R

36. Brisk walk and mild exercise

37. Meditation
"Watching your breath"

38. Disposal of napkins …..
We use sanitary napkins for our convenience and dispose them off
randomly in the bin, or in the toilet sparing little thought to what
happens after…..

39. Our rag pickers have to handle badly wrapped or unwrapped
napkins or
the plumber is caught in embarrassing situation when
drainage gets choked.

40. Sanitary Towel Disposal Bags

41. Preparing newspaper bags
with recyclable newspaper, glue, and thread helps in
disposing sanitary napkins in a healthy, environmentally
friendly, wastepicker friendly way

42. Be prepared for menstruation.
 Keep track of your periods on a calendar.
 Carry a pad in purse or backpack a couple days
before you expect your period.
 Change pads every few hours as needed.
 Do NOT flush pads, throw in waste basket after
wrapping in paper bags.

43. nLiten yourself

44. Thank you