Is it good to take a shower during menstruation?

Women always feel unwell for a few days every month. Menstruation is a normal phenomenon. At the same time, they may also experience some stomach pain, back pain, etc. Although it is troublesome, it is very important for women. Women experience many inconveniences during menstruation, including being unable to touch cold water, which makes cleanliness-loving women feel uncomfortable, but they are also afraid that taking a bath will affect their health. So, is it good to take a shower during menstruation? Let’s take a look below.

Can I take a shower during my period?

First, menstruation is a normal physiological function of women, which can expel waste from the body through the blood and the narrow cervix. If there are blood clots or something, the exit will be blocked, and the dirty blood will not be completely discharged and will remain in the uterus. "Blockage causes pain" and the so-called dysmenorrhea will occur. It is for this reason that the elderly warn people not to wash their hair or take a bath. In fact, it is okay to wash your hair and take a bath during menstruation, but you must keep your body in a warm environment and not catch cold.

Second, we know that when a woman has her period, the pelvic cavity is in a state of congestion, so relatively less blood flows to other parts of the body, and naturally less blood flows to the head. If you wash your hair at this time, the cold scalp will cause the blood vessels on the scalp to contract, and the blood will be reduced and less smooth, resulting in weakened blood circulation and poor menstrual blood discharge. Therefore, during menstruation, especially in the first few days when the flow is heavy, it is best to avoid washing your hair. If you really need to wash your hair, use plenty of hot water and dry it immediately with a hair dryer after washing. Don't let your body suffer from the slightest cold.

Third, when it comes to bathing during menstruation, in addition to ensuring the water temperature to avoid catching a cold, vaginal cleanliness is also a concern for many women. To avoid vaginal infection, you should never take a bath in a tub, only a shower. Some people use shower gel or specific lotion to clean their genitals while taking a bath, or wash them repeatedly with hot water. In fact, these will cause genital infection and lead to genital itching. Normally, a woman's vagina has a slightly acidic environment, which can inhibit the growth of bacteria. In addition, the cervix is ​​closed, so it is not easy for bacteria from the outside to enter the vagina. However, during menstruation, the vagina is alkaline, with low resistance to bacteria, and the cervix is ​​dilated, so it is susceptible to infection. From this point of view, during menstruation, no need for any washing liquid, washing with clean water is the best.

What can't you eat during menstruation?

First, tea: Women lose a lot of iron during menstruation, so they should supplement iron. Tea contains more than 30% tannic acid, which easily combines with iron ions in the intestines to produce precipitation, hindering the absorption of iron ions by the intestinal mucosa.

Second, caffeinated beverages: Drinking coffee during menstruation can cause breast pain, anxiety, irritability and mood swings in women, while also consuming vitamin B stored in the body and disrupting carbohydrate metabolism.

Third, alcohol: Alcohol will consume the body's vitamin B and minerals. Excessive drinking will disrupt carbohydrate metabolism and produce too much estrogen, causing early menstruation and excessive menstrual flow.

Fourth, cold drinks: Once you eat cold food during your menstrual period, the menstrual blood will be stimulated by the cold, and it will not flow smoothly, which will easily produce blood clots and cause menstrual pain.

Fifth, soda: soda and other beverages mostly contain phosphates, which react chemically with iron in the body, making it difficult to absorb iron. In addition, drinking too much soda will neutralize the sodium bicarbonate in the soda with gastric juice, reducing the digestive ability and bactericidal effect of gastric acid and affecting appetite.

Sixth, Sichuan pepper, cloves, and pepper: During menstruation, you should eat light, plain, nutritious foods. Avoid eating spicy foods that are highly irritating, so as not to cause early menstruation and excessive menstrual flow.