Older generations often say: “When you have your period, you can’t wash your hair, you can’t lift heavy things, and you can’t eat cold food, it’s not good for your body and can leave all kinds of sequelae.” –Is there any scientific basis for this statement? Is menstruation dirty blood? Menstrual blood is not dirty blood, but normal blood of the body. In addition to blood, it contains shed endometrial fragments, cervical mucus and vaginal epithelium. Under the regulation of the hypothalamus, the body’s endocrine center, the estrogen and progesterone in sexually mature women undergo cyclic changes. As the levels of these hormones rise, the endometrium gradually thickens and ovulation occurs, while the hormone levels drop at this time if no sperm is conceived. At the same time, the endometrium destroys, disintegrates and sheds due to the loss of hormonal support, forming menstruation. Can I wash my hair or lift heavy objects during my period? When we were young, our parents often told us at length not to wash our hair during menstruation. This does not mean that you should never wash your hair during menstruation, but try to avoid it, and if you do wash your hair, make sure to use hot water. Because women’s bodies are more fragile during menstruation, and the process of washing hair is easy to get cold; in addition, washing hair will have a strong stimulation of the scalp, which will indirectly stimulate the uterus, and sometimes even produce severe contractions, which can cause dysmenorrhea, low menstrual volume, and delayed symptoms for a long time. There is also a basis for avoiding heavy physical activity and strenuous exercise during menstruation. This is because lifting heavy objects can cause abdominal strain, which in turn can cause uterine contractions and aggravate menstrual discomfort. The heavy activity or heavy physical labor during menstruation can cause excessive and rapid blood flow in the lower body, aggravating the congestion of the pelvic viscera and prolonging the menstrual period, and some of the weaker women, whose bodies are easily fatigued, can easily cause reflux of menstrual blood, and some of the refluxed mucosa stays in the uterus, which can easily form cysts over time, although some small cysts can be absorbed on their own. Can I eat cold food during my period? On a hot summer day, eating cold watermelon is a real treat on earth. However, menstruating friends should be careful. Eating cold drinks, drinking cold water, eating cold fruits and other cold foods when relatives visit can stimulate the sympathetic nerves and lead to contraction of blood vessels and smooth muscles of organs, which may cause transient ischemic or spasmodic pain of organs. The occurrence of dysmenorrhea is related to the increase in endometrial prostaglandin content during menstruation. The high prostaglandin content can cause excessive contraction of the smooth muscle of the uterus and vascular spasm, resulting in ischemia and hypoxia of the uterus and pain, which is similar to the effect of cold, so eating cold drinks during menstruation can lead to lower abdominal pain. If you are having your period, you should hold off on the temptation of food. What should I pay attention to during menstruation? Menstruation is a normal physiological phenomenon for women, but during menstruation, the body’s resistance is weakened, the cervix is slightly open, and the endometrium is shed to form wounds; in addition, the acidic vaginal secretions are diluted by menstrual blood, so bacteria can easily take advantage of the opportunity to invade. Therefore, special attention should be paid to keeping the vulva clean and hygienic during menstruation. You should scrub your vulva with warm water every day, use clean toilet paper and quality brand tampons or sanitary napkins. In addition, you should avoid sexual intercourse during menstruation, try not to take a tub bath and take a shower to clean your body. You should also keep your menstrual period emotionally stable and happy, and avoid mood swings or mega mental stimulation, as these emotional changes can cause menstrual disorders.