Yesterday I had a poolside lunch with my 85 year old grandmother. She asked me what I was up to and I said, “Andrew & I started a business.” “Tell me more about it, Dev.”
I explained to my beloved Grams that I had been suffering from severe menstrual cramps and had created a homeopathic remedy to help myself. I decided I should and could also help other women who suffer and make a business out of it. One of my personal mottos in life has always been "there is nothing like helping people and making a living while doing it."
Grams said, “Oh Dev, that’s so great. I know I suffered so much from that.” Grams went on to tell me a vivid story of when she was younger.
She said, “I remember sitting on the curb waiting for my train which was the second part of my commute to my second job.” She grabbed her stomach as we sat on the steps of the pool and continued, “My pain was so bad it felt like my insides were inside out and then I still had to get on the train and go to my second job. I was a realtor and that was a male dominated field at that time and there was no point in mentioning to them how I felt because they didn’t care and they definitely didn’t understand. People don’t know that pain unless they experience and it happens every month for some of us.”
As I listened to my Grams and realized how vividly she remembered and could almost feel a pain she hasn't had for around 30 years it confirmed what a painful experience PMS, menstrual cramps and the other symptoms many of us suffer from each and every month really are.
I told Grams how much I agreed and how I’m looking forward to giving women another option to help besides birth control pills and pharmaceutical pain pills.
Our conversation raised another question I have always struggled with but never really verbalized until embarking on helping women with PMS. Why are periods still so taboo? A menstrual cycle is part of the biology of a women and has been happening since the beginning of time yet people are still grossed out by it, women still hide how they are feeling even if it means suffering through work or calling out but saying they have a migraine or another illness rather than just being able to say menstrual cramps and some men are still confused and embarrassed if you ask them to grab a box of tampons or pads for you.
PMS and menstruation is a part of every woman from the average age of 12-51 and 75% of us suffer from some symptoms throughout the month. 20-40% of these are severe enough to have a negative impact on some aspects of day to day life. It's time we stop hiding behind a shame that was created in our society years ago.
Why do you think periods are still so taboo?
