Why
is it important to know my body?
If you don't know
how your body works, who will? How will youexplain to your doctor or health care
provider (HCP) what your symptoms and concerns are without knowing what your body
looks like or how it works? How can you tell your boyfriend or girlfriend what
feels good? How will you know if you should get checked for an STD if you don't
know what's normal or not normal for your body? Before you let an HCP, boyfriend,
or girlfriend touch you, examine your own body and look at it without any shame–it's
yours after all. What is the VULVA?
The vulva are
the female genitals that are between the legs on the outside of the body. The
vulva is the area where our outer lips (labia majora), inner lips (labia minora),
the tip of our clitoris, and the urinary and vaginal openings are located. People
often say vagina when they are referring to the vulva. Why
do women hate getting their period?
Having your period can be a drag
for some women. You have toweara pad or tampon and many women get cramps, headaches,
or feel lousy. But sometimes we hate our periods because we're told we should.
We might fear that people know when we're menstruating or we've been told we can't
do certain things when we have our periods. Some of us are even told our period
is dirty. Getting your period is not a bad or horrible thing. It's a beautiful
thing your body does to take care of itself. During your period, cherish your
body by taking warm baths, drinking warm liquids, stretching and exercising. Some
slang terms for menstruation include:
• My moon
• Riding the
cotton pony
• On the rag
• Riding the crimson wave
•
My friend this month
• Time of the month
During your period,
you might want to stay away from foods that are:
• High in salt because
it may make you retain water or feel bloated.
• High in sugar like sodas,
cookies, and donuts. Sugar wears you out and leaves you with low energy.
• High in caffeine like coffee, chocolate, and sodas. Some teas have caffeine
too, somake sure to check. Caffeine can make cramping worse. Stuff to do
to keep your body feeling good:
• Exercise.
• Drink lots of
water.
• Eat fruits and vegetables, beans, lean meat, and whole grains.
• Find healthier substitutions, for example you can try eating fruit or sugar
free products instead of eating a donut.
• Don't deprive yourself. If
you really want that piece of chocolate then have some, just don't binge on the
stuff. Web Resources: MUM
http://www.mum.org/director.htm
Museum of Menstruation and Women's Health
This site has lots of information
on menstruation, including links and a long list of books related to the topic.
ONLINE BLEED
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~ejack/bleed.htm
Online Bleed All Women Do It, Too
Few Celebrate It. SCARLETEEN
www.scarleteen.com
“Sex education for the real world” BLOODSISTERS
www.bloodsisters.org
“when
the private becomes public.”
A good site for re-useable menstruation
products. | 
AVAILABLE
NOW!!!
