FOR THE LADIES: HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT A MENSTRUAL CUP?

I met some interesting people on Tuesday while waiting at the car wash. One of them, a lady, asked whether I had heard about a menstrual cup, and I repeated after her "a menstrual what?". She was not surprised at my reaction as this was something she was used to. I got a good lecture on menstrual cups and got a free sample. I also had lots of questions to ask. I got back home and did some more research on menstrual cups. What is a menstrual cup?

A menstrual cup is a bell-shaped device worn inside the vagina during menstruation to collect menstrual fluid. Unlike tampons and pads, the cup collects menstrual fluid rather than absorbing it. This led to my first question, if it does not absorb? would the blood not spill when I move, somersault, e.t.c? Apparently, it does not. Research shows you can do everything, yoga, swim, dance, e.t.c. On the average, you can wear a menstrual cup for twelve hours, which makes it ideal to use when going on long journeys. This led to my next question? Is twelve hours hygienic I'm still looking for a proven answer. but then, I understand some women wear pads and tampons that long.

Menstrual cups are typically made of silicone or other non-latex materials. Some menstrual cups are reusable, either one cup for an entire menstrual period or one cup for many menstrual periods, while others are intended for one-time use. Menstrual cups can be used for ten years, which makes them more cost efficient and environmentally friendly. This led to my next question, 10 years, how then do you preserve it? Apparently, you are to clean the cup and sterilize it by boiling it in hot water for a few minutes before reusing.

My last question was how to use it? My remark when I saw the size of the menstrual cup was "its bigger than a tampon", It was a challenge overcoming the fear of using a tampon, and now this! The menstrual cup is first folded, and then inserted into the vagina. It will normally unfold automatically and create a light seal against the vaginal walls. In some cases, a woman may need to twist the cup or flex her vaginal muscles to ensure the cup is fully open. Research shows that a menstrual cup, in most women, will sit lower in the vagina than a tampon. If correctly inserted, the cup shouldn't leak or cause any discomfort, as with a tampon.

Is this your first time hearing about a menstrual cup? have you tried it and would you recommend it?

NUTRITIONAL/HEALTH BENEFITS OF PLANTAINS

P lantains are widely eaten in West Africa. Plantains are similar to bananas but larger in size. While bananas are termed fruits, plantains are vegetables. Bananas are mostly eating raw, while plantains are usually cooked before consumption. Plantains can be eaten unripe, ripen or over-ripe. When unripe, plantains are usually green in colour, when ripen, they turn yellow. In Nigeria, for example, unripe plantains are usually used to cook plantain porridge, ripe plantains are mostly fried and used as a supplement to main dishes like rice and beans. Over-ripe plantains are used to make snacks like plantain fritters.

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF ZOBO/SORREL DRINK

z obo/sorrel was a must have during family gatherings. As children, we loved drinking it, not only because of how nice it tasted, but also because it coloured our lips and tongues red. Zobo (Nigerian) or Sorrel (Jamaican) is a red coloured drink made from a flower called Hibiscus sabdariffa. The sorrel plant contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, calcium, niacin, riboflavin and a group of compounds called flavonoids. Flavanoids not only gives the sorrel plant its deep red colour, but, are also rich in antioxidants which rids the body of toxins. The sorrel plant also contains nutraceleuticals, which are said to be helpful to the health. Nutraceleuticals can help prevent and treat several diseases including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF LIME AND HONEY

L ime and Honey are two must haves in my house. I use honey as a substitute for white sugar. I remember a friend of mine visited me once and she wanted to drink garri (drinking garri is local to Nigerians, i.e. eating dried cassava with cold water as opposed to hot water), she was astonished when I told her to use honey to sweeten her garri. I'm not a tea person, but my parents are, and a cup of tea for them is not complete without limes.

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