Q&A for How to Be a Healthy Teen Girl

There are several things you can do to stay clean and fresh when on your period: 1) Use the appropriate sanitary products for your flow, for example, tampons or pads that are labeled for “Heavy” for if you experience heavy flow. 2) Change your tampon or pad regularly, based on your needs but at least every 4-8 hours. 3) Bathe regularly, preferably once daily. Clean vaginal area gently with warm water and mild soap. 4) Change into clean underwear after bathing or when you experience leakage of menstrual flow. 5) Remember your vagina has its own self-cleaning mechanism, so avoid using any cleaning product in your vagina.

The tool most often used by physicians to determine healthy weight based on your age and height is the Body Mass Index (BMI): https://nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/calculator.aspx. You should discuss this with your doctor, especially if you are concerned about your weight.

You can incorporate exercise into your day in small bursts, like 7-minute workouts in the morning, free weight mini-workouts, or a 30-minute walk or jog after school. Those mini-workouts will help you to feel good, prevent getting sick, and be more productive with your schoolwork.

It is completely normal to start seeing puberty-related changes in your body between the ages of 8 and 14 without getting a period. Everyone is different and you should not be worried about not having a period at 13.