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It used to be when I was growing up that we went to the doctor only when we got extremely sick with fever or an uncontrollable cold. I mean we had to fall off the bed and literally show our parents that we were about to die in order to be taken to a doctor. Because, back in the days they didn't believe in allopathic medicines in India that much. Home remedies with natural spices, leaves, oils and barks did the magic of curing the deadliest of the diseases. Parents had home remedies for their children for common colds, headaches, back pain or toothaches. Women's problems such as cramps, things related to pregnancies, the menstrual cycle, delivering babies, and vaginal infections were taken care of with spices. Every spice they used had some kind of a curing factor. Every food they gave had some medicinal and nutritional value.
This is how it went: when a girl had her first period she wasn't given a sanitary napkin and sent out on her daily chores. She was seated in a corner of the house and kept away from rest of the family members. With bodily changes a girl was believed to be more susceptible to the germs that are passed around. She was given her own plate and glass to use so as to avoid contact with others ailments. Bedsheets and pillows were separated from others in order to avoid spread of germs and infections. She was left alone in the corner to keep her emotionally intact and take in whatever was happening to her body. This was done for ten days until the period ended and repeated every month for three months, since they believed that she needed that much time to adjust herself and accommodate for the new changes mentally and physically.
Once the period came to an end on the tenth or eleventh day the young lady was given a head bath with really hot water. Rose water and essential oils such as almond oil were added to the water. In place of soap, rice or gram flour (made from chick peas) mixed with hot sesame oil was massaged thoroughly into her body in order to ward off any impurities and germs on her skin. Her head was massaged with warm coconut oil for at least half an hour. A particular fruit called "aritha" was soaked in hot water taken from half cooked rice containing proteins. This fruit also gives out lather just like modern day shampoos but makes the hair softer and shiny. The combination of this mixture was used to wash the young lady's hair. Special attention was given to the vagina and the breasts while washing with as hot water as she could take with turmeric powder and gram flour. At the end of the bath her body was massaged with turmeric as it has medicinal values of an antibiotic. After the bath the young lady's hair was dried thoroughly over the natural coal and incense. She was than given new clothes to wear that were hundred percent cotton as to keep her comfortable. She was given ghee (melted natural butter) with hot rice with legumes and natural yogurt. She was allowed to have as much sleep as she could get at the end of all of this. This was repeated until she got used to the cycle and could accept it with more understanding. Every aspect of this ritual was done in order to keep the young lady safe from falling sick while her body went through the most crucial changes in her life.
At present times with hygienic conditions changing for the better we don't participate in such vigorous rituals anymore. The spices that were used for taking care of the body have been substituted with shampoos, conditioners and different kinds of body soaps. Even though these are all containing some sort of oils and moisturizers, they cannot compensate for the good old days of combining natural ingredients to care for a tender body. Care should still be taken at the time of the first period near the delicate private parts as to avoid rashes and infections. Personal hygiene is extremely important as the body gets adjusted to the internal changes. Nutritious food such as fiber cereals, legumes, salads and fruits help in keeping up with the body's needs while recovering from blood loss. Daily exercises before and after the monthly cycle is extremely important in order to keep with mental health because, OUR LIFE MATTERS.
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