A Bunch Of Young Minds Are Changing Perception Around Menstruation

Highlights

Paddling Foundation is a non-profit organization and a menstrual hygiene initiative based out of Mumbai, India. They work towards creating awareness about menstruation and menstrual hygiene as it is one of the most incognizant issues India faces today.

The team, along with volunteers, does on-ground campaigning, distribution of menstrual products and spreads awareness about menstrual health and hygiene to women and girls in remote areas.

Paddling foundation aims to empower menstruators on menstrual hygiene and menstrual health through education and awareness. They have a volunteer setup where one can join their cause by registering on their site through the form.

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Paddling Foundation is a non-profit organization and a menstrual hygiene initiative based out of Mumbai. They work towards creating awareness about menstruation and menstrual hygiene as it is one of the most incognizant issues India faces today. Founded by Dipika Daga in December 2018, who set up her team and departments by February 2019. Paddling Foundation got registered in 2019.

“Personally struggling with the menstrual taboos engraved in the society inspired me to gather like-minded individuals to fight against the menstrual taboo, while also making menstrual hygiene and menstrual education a right of every woman and not a luxury”, adds Dipika.

If menstrual hygiene is not taken into consideration and no effective measures are taken, the taboo surrounding menstruation will persist. Periods, a biological function of the body, will continue to be misunderstood causing diseases and infections, as well as psychological impacts on mental health. Paddling is devoted to cultivating a healthy and informative discussion around menstruation.

“Paddling Foundation is led by some very courageous women and men who have the power to speak their mind”, says Riddhi Sharma, CEO & Founder. “Being a woman, I have often been at the receiving end of the ‘taboos’ and ‘stigma’ associated with the period. And hence, when I met these young driven minds, with clarity of thought and passion for the cause, I found myself effortlessly joining the movement.”

Nandina Ramchandran, CEO has been mentoring the team of ten young women and men. “They wish to change attitudes on menstruation and bring in a revolution in menstrual practices, habits and behaviours in India. This will go a long way in restoring gender parity and empowerment for women – both in urban and rural India”, she feels.

Their plan and work involves looking after school sanitation project in remote areas, imparting workshops and health camp on Menstrual health and education, free distribution of sanitary napkins in areas that lack access, availability, or awareness of menstrual products, setting up Menstrual shops selling menstrual products at a subsidized rate, thus providing them a source of income while also catering to the community at large.

They also encourage use of sustainable menstrual products and eco-friendly ways of disposal of sanitary napkins.

“Our mission is simple”, says Dipika. “ We want to create a healthy and destigmatized environment and generate awareness about menstrual health and hygiene in communities across India”.

Breaking The Taboo

Paddling Foundation is also working hard to eradicate social myths & taboos that have revolved around menstruation for generations and create an environment for a healthy discussion and understanding of it.

The team, along with volunteers, does on-ground campaigning, distribution of menstrual products and spreads awareness about menstrual health and hygiene to women and girls in remote areas.

Their recent campaign was a collaboration with Kathaa India for a donation of 1500 pads to New Delhi. In its collaboration with Youngistaan Army, Paddling distributed 800 pads in the areas around Dombivali to girls and women to whom access to these products is not possible.

Gender Inclusivity in Menstruation

One of their important campaigns involves creating awareness about trans persons who menstruate. Menstruation is not just a woman thing. With half the world menstruating at one time or another, they believe that it is important to build a gender-inclusive platform revolving solely around menstruation and normalize the discussion!

One of the lesser-known facts in our society is that any person with functioning ovaries and a uterus can menstruate. And apart from cisgender women, this includes certain transgender, non-binary and intersex individuals. While the stigma and the challenges around menstruation remain, there are some additional difficulties which are faced by individuals in the queer community.

Drawing from real life instances faced by people, they want to show the relationship between gender dysphoria and menstruation, voicing a need for taking steps towards a more inclusive menstruation; through demanding gender neutral packages, toilets and more.

Paddling Warriors

They have a volunteer set up where one can join their cause by registering on their site through the form. “It is voluntary to be a part of Paddling, for which just fill out the forms from the careers menu above, once they are filled and submitted, the respective department holds interview on call, and volunteers are selected according to the required eligibility”.

Highlights

People with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) should preferably stay away from alcohol.

Alcohol tends to worsen PCOS symptoms.

Alcohol doesn’t mix well with some salts at all. Be careful! People with PCOS are often insulin resistant.

Regular exercise, meditation can help you significantly improve your health.

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If you have been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), then you may have been advised to stick to a diet plan and preferably stay away from alcohol. If you have a regular habit of drinking, then it is quite necessary to progressively limit your alcohol consumption. But there are ways to manage your habit without completely derailing your weight loss plan. However, this should not encourage you to rewind to your prior habits and become a regular drinker.

Often it becomes distressing to hear a complete change in lifestyle and diet plan that needs to be made on your doctor’s advice. Progressively, you’ll be asked to limit or completely avoid alcohol consumption by your doctor. That surely indicates that you’ll have to be careful when out for parties as consumption of alcohol can adversely affect your condition.

How alcohol consumption can affect you?

An individual with PCOS must be aware of the following factors related to alcohol consumption:

Potential of increasing blood sugar levels

PCOS is closely linked to insulin resistance, which alters the hormonal balance resulting in worsening your PCOS symptoms. And some alcoholic beverages have the potential to increase insulin levels.

Hormonal Imbalance

Studies show that alcohol consumption interferes with hormone action, leading to its imbalance and increasing the risk of your PCOS symptoms.

Increases the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Abnormal hormonal patterns increase cardiovascular diseases affecting vascular smooth muscle cells. Consuming alcohol regularly, or even occasionally can be risky for women suffering from PCOS.

Increases the Risk of Liver Diseases

Alcohol and liver diseases are well linked to each other. Women with PCOS are at higher risk of liver diseases if they drink heavily or even moderately due to insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism (increased level of male hormone).

Tips for alcohol consumption when you have PCOS

Don’t consume alcohol on an empty stomach

When your stomach is empty, never take a shot packed with ignorance. Preferably eat something with an appropriate amount like protein or fat, as it will act as a buffer for the alcohol. These nutrients are digested slowly and will prevent rapid absorption of alcohol.

Limit and try to avoid alcohol consumption

Set your limits and strictly follow them. Beverages with a substantial amount of alcohol also have the lowest nutritional value, or none at all. Therefore, it’s better to avoid consumption.

Abstain from cocktails or blended drinks.

While these look pleasurable, these drinks contain a high amount of calories and sugar. Instead of risking your health, make a better choice.

Ask for just a splash of juice and save on your calories in abundance. These tiny steps taken regularly can have a long-lasting impact on your health. Avoid things that are unnecessarily dangerous to your health.

PCOS Medications and Alcohol Consumption

If you have PCOS, there are chances you might be on medications. Alcohol doesn’t mix well with some salts at all. So, you need to be very careful with it. People with PCOS are often insulin resistant. People have reportedly suffered from type 2 diabetes. If you are a binge drinker who frequently consumes alcoholic drinks, there are high chances that it will disrupt the sugar balance of your body.

Some medications used to treat PCOS have reported to cause a condition called lactic acidosis in which the amount of lactic acid in your bloodstream increases and you can’t get rid of lactic acid if you are on a heavy amount of alcohol intake. Though it is not very common, it can be serious. Lactic acid buildup and alcohol cause pressure on kidneys, lungs and blood vessels, which may lead to a severe setback.

There have been studies where PCOS is also linked with depression and anxiety, however, this concept is not well researched and understood. If you have PCOS, then moderating or avoiding drinking completely would be a better option.

Include healthy fruits and vegetables in your diet plan. Regular exercise, meditation, serving of whole-wheat, raw veggies and yoga can help you reduce the risks associated with PCOS and will significantly improve your health. Regular exercise is a great way to improve your health.

This text is provided for information purposes only and is not aimed to be an alternative for professional medical advice. Always take the advice of a health specialist if you have any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.

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