Women’s Health Series: Are You Ashamed of having Menses?
I was clearly surprised when I know of some women who told me that they find that having menstruation is
unclean, troublesome and unnecessary, hence they are willing to take all measures to prevent their
menstruation from happening monthly. Such measures can include taking hormone pills, putting in the
coil or IUD or even just starve themselves so that their bodies can weaken to a state that menstruation is
ceased. Extreme, isn’t it? Women these days clearly have attached shame to menstruation and how it has
affected their lives in terms of convenience and even to the extent of their societal roles. This is clearly an
imbalanced and wrong view towards how the women body is being viewed and treated in modernity.
The menstrual cycle and the female body were seen as sacred until 5000 years ago, when the peaceful
matrilineal cultures of Old Europe were overturned. The original meaning of the word ‘taboo’ was “sacred”
and women having their menses were considered sacred.
Yet throughout much of written Western history, and even in some religious codes, the menstruation
process is associated with shame and dirtiness, with the taboo associated with the menstruation
continuing to this day.
So why is the menstrual cycle sacred?
Because the menstrual cycle encodes the wisdom of nature in cyclical and rhythmic correspondence. The
menstrual cycle governs the flow of not only the fluids but also of information and creativity of a women. At
different stages of the cycle, the women’s intuition and how information and creativity are being processed
are very different as well. That is why some native cultures still honour and keep a menstruating woman
from mundane duties as she is at the height of her spiritual power at this time.
In simple scientific concept, menstruation is a form of detox exclusive to women. By preventing this
process from happening, how much toxins (physical and emotional) are retained inside the women’s
bodies? No wonder hormonal imbalance is deemed the archetype for women in today’s society.
Therefore it is necessary to have menstruation to happen and also to be smooth and painless.
One key factor that will impede the blood flow is coldness.
Hence one of the most commonly heard advice that is always given to ladies is to avoid cold foods and drinks.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a woman’s body is focused on discharging menstrual blood, and if
this process is healthy, she will have a smooth, painless and unimpeded flow without painful cramps,
mood swings, fatigue, acne or other discomforts. One key factor that will impede the blood flow is
coldness. Hence one of the most commonly heard advice that is always given to ladies is to avoid cold
foods and drinks.
And of course there are many other tips and methods that TCM and other ancient cultures use to take care
of women during this sacred menstruation process.
