Menstrual Myth Emancipation

#Myth- pickles if touched during menstruation get spoilt

As a young girl while menstruating I was never allowed to touch pickles saying that they will get spoilt. I was allowed to eat them if someone else took them out of the jar.

But this is a myth as there is a scientific reason regarding this.

Pickles are basically fruits or vegetables that are fermented. The salt and other masalas added were meant to preserve the fruit or vegetable since they had antimicrobial properties. Now when this delicate ecosystem is disturbed by the introduction of organisms from our body (like those present on our hands) the pickle can go bad. And this is why most women are told not to touch the pickle during their periods.

But In the olden days the sanitary measures women had were not as advanced as the ones we have today. In those days women often used cloth as a sanitary napkin and would reuse them after washing. This lack of sanitation and contact with the organisms on one's hands was the main reason for the spoilage.

But today it holds no relevance This theory does not apply in today's day-and-age where we all have access to sanitary napkins, running water, better sanitation and modern methods to stay hygienic.