Krushnaa Patil, a phenomenal woman who has gone from being a professional dancer to a professional mountaineer, is a badass of the sorts that you’d read about in comic books or see in action movies.  In 2009, she climbed Mt. Everest becoming the youngest Indian to climb it, followed by expeditions to all the 7 summits under a year, being the first Indian woman on the highest peaks of Antarctica, South America, and Europe. Besides cycling and driving across the country,  she runs a Mountaineering Entrepreneurship company that works for the sustainable development of the mountain communities and mountaineering called Yellow Frog Adventures. The article below has been written by her and was originally published on Urbangirldom. We couldn’t be more glad to hear her talk about periods, and unabashedly so!

Women traveling the length of the Ganga. What dynamic does that bring to our expedition? A woman from each continent. Each from a different culture; each having in some way or the other fought society norms to be game changers in their own environments- as women. Spanning decades too. From Liv who went solo and unsupported to the South Pole more than twenty years ago, and Ann that became the first woman on North Pole and South Pole in the 90s, to me the youngest, having explored my bit of Antarctica too, on the highest peak. Everyone has a story, and then they have another. The story of being a woman.
What does it mean to be a woman mountaineer, or a skier, or a motor-cross biker, or a marathon runner? Is it really any different? Well, for starters, we have manage our periods during our adventures. And they usually end up coinciding with the summit push, or the final race, or during the toughest part. Lucky us.
The menstrual cycles are not just a physical phenomena, they are triggered by mental stress, and emotions too. They affect your immune system, strength and even comfort. As a mountaineer and long before that as a dancer, I had always been blessed with a no-issues cycle. I never had cramps or those dreaded PMS moments. I only ate like a crazed, hungry homeless person. In high altitudes, the barometric pressure has its effects. For most athletes the cycle becomes less frequent, making an appearance just once a year. But for me, whether I climbed for 9 consecutive months, they worked like clockwork, every month. I have never been bothered by them. I personally never noticed getting weaker physically. I do tend to get cold more easily, and even catch a cold if I’m not careful. I sleep deeper and want to sleep more in those three days, two days before and one day after. Though on all my mountains, especially tall ones, the cycle repeats after every two weeks.
 The summit push always puts some mental pressure which means[inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””] summit day is usually the second day for me[/inlinetweet]. “Apparently” the worst, its the heaviest day and changing is the biggest exercise. It needs planning and strategic execution. With all men on the rope, above and below, modesty or shyness doesn’t go a long way. Those are the times when I realize a penis is so much less effort.
Menstrupedia Comic
Even while traveling, women have been aware of this as a possible obstacle. Managing the periods becomes a part of the adventure. Until I was fat and chubby, I had no clue what menstrual cramps were. I have always been physically active: dancing, running, climbing and swimming. But a year or more ago, I lost all my baby fat. Since then, if I’m not active I will cramp. For most of us on the Ganga expedition, it has been fairly easier to manage than when we are on our real jobs. Probably something to do with the fact that we are a group of all women.
Even adventurous women, who do cramp a lot during adventures, will never allow themselves to be held back by it. On our way down, as many mythological stories emerged; we read an article that suggested that women areso strong spiritually that they are capable of absorbing the “shakti” of the temple shrines and are therefore not allowed inside it. That explanation made so much sense to me.
Menstruation might put some strain on us physically, but it generates enough power to not just create life, but to also sustain it. Our blood is renewed and fresh every time we lose some! Probably packing fresh nutrients, much newer and cleaner than any man. Our blood is purified monthly, it sure as hell is cleaner and purer than any man’s blood unless they are donating it ever month!
We all get told about how tough it (mensturation) is as young girls, ‘it makes you weaker’, ‘it makes you crazy’, ‘it makes you unstable’. [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]I think it’s empowering to bleed, it means a fertile , nurturing healthy body.[/inlinetweet] One that can endure any environment and keep going. If I had not known that the world looks down on a menstruating woman, I would have never felt it!
Disclaimer: Views expressed here are of the author alone and do not necessarily represent that of the brand.
krushnaa-670x670Author: Krushnaa Patil
You can follow Krushnna’s adventures as she travels down the Ganga, here.
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