Menstruation is a phenomenon unique to the females. The beginning of the first menstrual cycle or first menstrual bleeding is menarche. From both social and medical perspectives it is often considered the central event of female puberty as it signals the possibility of fertility. Girls experience menarche at different ages. The timing of menarche is influenced by female biology as well as genetic and environmental factors specially nutritional factors.
Ayurveda, a 5,000 years old holistic system, as a science of life has lots of mentions by different Acharyas about the regimens during menstrual cycle for good and safe health of the menstruating girl.
Acharya Sushruta explains about menstruation on his text Sushruta Samhita as:
māsenopacitaṃ kāle dhamanībhyāṃ tadārtavam |
īṣatkṛṣṇaṃ vivarṇaṃ ca vāyuryonimukhaṃ nayet || Su. Sa.3/10||
The blood which is collected for one month having blackish colour and specific odour is secreted from dhamanis (Uterine actions and their endometrial capillaries ) brought downwards to vagina for evacuation.
Although,menstruation is a natural process , but it is linked with several misconceptions and practices which sometimes result into adverse health outcome . The reaction to menstruation depends upon the awareness and knowledge about the subject. Hygiene related practices of women during menstruation are of considerable importance as it has a health impact in terms of increased vulnerability to reproductive tract infection (RTI). According to UNICEF, 1 in 10 school age African girls don’t attend their school during menstruation because of the lack of clean and private sanitation facilities.
Acharya Charaka describes about the regimen to be followed during menstruation on his text Charaka Samhita as:
tataḥ puṣpāt prabhr̥ti trirātramāsīta brahmacāriṇyadhaḥśāyinī, pāṇibhyāmannamajarjarapātrādbhuñjānā[1] , na ca kāñcinmr̥jāmāpadyēta| tataścaturthē’hanyēnāmutsādya saśiraskaṁ snāpayitvā śuklāni vāsāṁsyācchādayēt puruṣaṁ ca| tataḥ śuklavāsasau sragviṇau sumanasāvanyōnyamabhikāmau saṁvasēyātāṁ snānāt prabhr̥tiyugmēṣvahaḥsu putrakāmau, ayugmēṣu duhitr̥kāmau||Cha.Sa.8/5||
Starting from the first day of menstruation, she should follow the celibacy (brahmacharya), sleep on the floor. She should take food in the unbroken vessels and shouldn’t wash her body. On the fourth day, she should take bath after oil massage, wear white cloth, garlands of flowers and approach her husband with pleasant mind.
Acharya Sushruta describes the menstrual regimen as:
Regimen to be observed in her menses:
divāsvapnāñjanāśrupātasnānānulepanābhyaṅganakhacchedanapradhāvanahasanakathanātiśabdaśravaṇāvalekhanānilāyāsān pariharet |
kiṃ kāraṇaṃ? divā svapantyāḥ svāpaśīlaḥ, añjanādandhaḥ, rodanādvikṛtadṛṣṭiḥ, snānānulepanādduḥkhaśīlaḥ [1] , tailābhyaṅgāt kuṣṭhī, nakhāpakartanāt kunakhī, pradhāvanāccañcalaḥ, hasanācchyāvadantauṣṭhatālujihvaḥ, pralāpī cātikathanāt [2] , atiśabdaśravaṇādbadhiraḥ, avalekhanāt khalatiḥ, mārutāyāsasevanādunmatto garbho bhavatītyevametān pariharet |
darbhasaṃstaraśāyinīṃ karatalaśarāvaparṇānyatamabhojinīṃ haviṣyaṃ, tryahaṃ ca bhartuḥ saṃrakṣet |
tataḥ śuddhasnātāṃ caturthe’hanyahatavāsaḥsamalaṅkṛtāṃ [3] kṛtamaṅgalasvastivācanāṃ bhartāraṃ darśayet |
tat kasya hetoḥ? ||Su.Sa.2/25||
She should avoid day sleep, application of corrylium, shedding of tears, oil massage, bathing, anointing, cutting nails, fast running, laughing, fast winds and excessive exercise. She should sleep on bed made of grass on the ground, eat havisya (preparation of rice, ghee and milk), Yavaka (Preparation of barley and milk). Procedures like Nasya (nasal instillation), Swedana(sudation) and vamana (emesis) are contraindicated during menstruation. She should think auspicious things. She should avoid the pungent, hot and salty food stuffs.
A co-ordination of the four factors of menstrual period (ritu) Healthy womb (Chhetra), nutritient liquid i.e chyle of digested food(Ambu), healthy semen (Vija) and the proper observance of the rules is necessary for the conception and development of a healthy child just as the proper season (Ritu), good soil,(Chhetra), water (containing nutrient matter) and vigorous seeds(vija) together with proper care, help the germination of strong and undiseased sprouts. A child which is the fruit of such conception is destined to be beautiful, of vigorous health, generous, long-lived, vitreous, and capable of discharging obligations.
Incase of the improper regimen during menstruation, different complications which may occurs :
| Contraindicated Regimen | Complications in child |
| Day Sleep | Excessive sleep |
| Use of corrylium | Blindness |
| Weeping | Eye defects like squint |
| Bathing and anointing | Always sad |
| Oil massage | Skin disease |
| Cutting nails | Abnormality of nails |
| Running | Fickle minded |
| Laughing | Blackish coloration of teeth,lips and tongue |
| Excessive talk | Talkative |
| Excessive hearing | Deafness |
| Combing | Bald |
| Use of Nasya | Menstrual disorders |