Sugar, oh not-so-sweet!

….sweet as sugar and everything nice

These lyrics from Lenka’s famous song might make you hum some sweet nothings but in reality, sweet sugar doesn’t always lead to everything NICE (at least medically)!

Though, I personally have nothing much against this poor little thing, which is being targeted left, right and centre by all for the virtue it is best known for i.e being sweet! People globally have kind of taken it up against it and even started calling it names like sweet poison, killer, white devil, evil nutrient….and what not.

This constant jabber makes me look further and dig deep to find out how really good and bad sugar is for our being and is it practically doable to ignore its existence in our lives?

Image courtesy: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/commodities/mills-sales-better-cane-recovery-crush-sugar/article4307293.ece

Sugar: The a, b, c…. of it

Sugar” is a common term for naturally occurring “simple carbohydrates”.

When we mention sugar, we usually refer to “table sugar” or sucrose, which is sourced primarily either from sugar cane or sugar beet. Beyond this, there are various other types of sugar available like milk sugars, honey and sugars made by plants during photosynthesis. The sole purpose of sugar is to provide energy for life.

Have a look at its various types

• Glucose - fruits, vegetables and honey
• Lactose - milk sugar
• Sucrose - sugar cane, beet and in some other fruits and vegetables
• Maltose (malt sugar) - malted drinks and beer
• Fructose - fruits and honey

And you come across it in the forms of…

• Table sugar – the typical, granulated or cubed ones
• Caster sugar - finer than granulated sugar used for baking, almost like powder
• Brown sugar – used for color and flavor
• Preservative sugar - coarser than granulated sugar, used for jams

Image courtesy: http://scrumdillydo.blogspot.in/2012/02/be-my-valentine-sweet-treats-round-up.html

One day my 9 year old niece, who is little chubby, asked a very simple and sensible question, “Why you prefer to give me fruits than chocolates? They are also sweet and must be having sugar in them.”

Indeed she was correct. Both the things contain sugar. But the difference comes in process of absorption and utilization of sugar by the body, keeping aside the additional nutritional benefits of the fruits.

To understand it better, take each variant as an example,

Sucrose (table sugar) contains empty calories (of course, this is the one used in chocolates too!). It does not have minerals, vitamins, fiber or any such nutritive element per se`.

Fructose, the sugar derived from fruits and vegetables gets slowly absorbed through the intestines and later gets converted into glucose in the liver. That’s why fructose is a "time-release sugar" as it delivers calories at a gradual rate and not all at once.

Another form of simple sugar glucose breaks down quickly in the stomach and later it gets pumped directly into the bloodstream through the walls of intestine. This raises the blood glucose levels instantly.

That answered my nieces question but of ‘course to her I did it in a much simpler way.

How much is needed in a day

None. Well, none in the added forms of ‘course!

But yes, definitely the carbohydrates are required by the body. The minimum requirement for total carbohydrate in a day from all sources is only 130 grams/day.

As per WHOs guidelines, added sugar per day should not contribute more than 10% of total calorie intake. A person on a 2000 calorie diet a day should consume no more than 50 grams of carbohydrate in the form of sugar (approx 13 teaspoons).

1 teaspoon of sugar = 4 grams of carbohydrate, providing approximately15 calories.

According to the American Heart Foundation, the recommended daily sugar intake for:

Men: 36 grams or 9 teaspoons

Women: 20 grams or 5 teaspoons

Children: 12 grams or 3 teaspoons

Follow the mantra - Reduce, Refrain, and Restrict

It’s ok to have a small helping of occasional sweet treat with friends or sooth your sweet tooth once in a while. The evil occurs only when our diet is usually and consistently high in sugar content.

You can also manage it by making small modifications here and there in your lifestyle and believe me it can reap you huge results, unknowingly. For example:

• Do not go cold turkey in a day. Slowly wean out of it.
• Switch to artificial sweeteners for your regular tea, coffee and other drinks.
• If you want to enjoy a sweet treat, don’t have it with dinner. Savor it during the day itself so that your get enough time and movement to burn it off.
• Chew sugar-free gum to limit those sweet cravings.
• Finishing meals with fruits rather than desserts is also a good idea.
• Don’t keep chocolates, biscuits, and other sugary stuff.

Now… some fun facts and trivia about sugar

After all this heavy stuff, let me lighten you up with some sugary facts and fun trivia about sugar.

• Lemons are higher in sugar content than strawberries.
• 'Sugar' and “sure” are the only two english words that are spelt 'su' and pronounced 'sh’.
• Sugar is used extensively by chemical/pharmaceutical companies to grow “penicillin”.
• To keep flowers stay fresher longer, put a spoonful of sugar in the vase.
• Sugar was added to concrete in escalating the setting process.
• On movie sets, huge glass windows, bottles, plates etc are made of sugar.
• A pinch of sugar on the tongue is a traditional home remedy for bothering hiccups.

Moral of the story: Consume as little as possible. Daily requirement of carbohydrates can be met though healthier sources like fruits, vegetables, and grains eaten throughout the day.

Gene Testing – The Magic Within Science

Shreya was a pharmaceutical professional. Seven years ago, when she considered marriage and children, being from the healthcare background, she decided to go for gene testing as in the past, ovarian cancer killed her grandmother and aunt too. Ironically, she tested positive for BRCA1, which raises the risk of breast cancer up to 85% by age 70 and ovarian cancer by 55%. As she was expecting it to some extent, it did not take her for a shock but was surely anxious and overwhelmed. With test results in hand, she had to act fast. Fortunately she still had the time in hand to map certain things ahead in life. After thorough and at length discussions with doctors, her long-time boyfriend and the family; she planned things meticulously. Got married and gave birth to a daughter and had her ovaries removed by the age of 32. Three years later, she had a double mastectomy (removal of breasts) done. All this may sound too dramatic and filmy a step to take but this is the best possible preventive measure that can be taken to save the trauma of getting cancer or may be dying of it. Now let’s go in a little more detail about this revolutionary gene testing thing. How remarkable it is if a person would get to know that he MIGHT get a heart disease some years down the line, simply by getting his saliva tested? And believe me it is no magic, just pure science! Each individual has a unique genetic makeup that is one reason why there is a disparity in the risk factors of different people for certain diseases and their response to medical intervention. On knowing that a particular person is going to develop diabetes in future, preventive strategies like appropriate diet, exercise, and even in forms of drugs can be advised and implemented on time. Once you are aware of your “high risk” conditions, taking preventative measures is the next logical step. The results of gene testing should further be carried forward ahead as

• Making changes in one’s lifestyle, giving up various habits or taking out certain foods out from the diet.
• Entailing regular tests to monitor a potential threat.

Image courtesy: http://www.genesinlife.org/testing-services/testing-genetic-condition What all it can predict?

Though gene testing can predict hundreds of diseases but the ones with higher risk for health deterioration that can be inherited and still be prevented are:

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Diabetes
• Alzheimer’s diseases
• Dyslipidemia
• Hypertension
• Cancer- Breast, colorectal, oesophageal, head and neck, prostate and colon
• Stroke
• Osteoporosis
• ADHD, Schizophrenia
• Obesity
• Endometriosis
• Uterine fibroids

How this magic works?

The test is simpler and quicker than withdrawing money from an ATM!

• A sample from inside of the cheek is taken by gently rubbing a brush over it. This swab is then sent to the laboratory.
• Results reach back within 5 to 10 weeks.

Image courtesy: http://symposcium.com/2013/04/16/what-is-in-a-home-genetic-test-kit/

Indications for gene testing

A lot and varied! It can come in handy for detecting many more things beyond predicting the occurrence of several fatal diseases later in life.

Disease – Identification and prevention

• Predicting diseases: If you have a family history of a genetic condition, undergoing genetic testing before you have symptoms may show if you're at risk of developing that condition.
• To confirm a suspected diagnosis: If you have symptoms of a disease that may be caused by genetic modification, genetic testing can reveal if you have the suspected disorder.

To check for drug efficacy: If you have a particular health condition or disease, this type of genetic testing may help determine what medication and dosage will be most effective and beneficial for you.

Pre-marital: If one of the partners has a family history of a genetic disorder, such as sickle cell anaemia or cystic fibrosis, it is advisable to have genetic testing before one gets married or have children. This type of genetic testing may also be useful if someone has a high risk of a particular genetic disorder. Genetic testing can determine if you carry a copy of an altered gene that would put a child at risk of developing the disorder.

During pregnancy: In situations when the maternal age is greater than 35 at the time of delivery, abnormal screening test results, a family history of a genetic disorder or birth defect, multiple miscarriages, exposure during pregnancy to medications or drugs, and known fatal abnormality are found, gene testing proves helpful.

Spina bifida and Down syndrome are two genetic disorders that are often screened for as part of prenatal genetic testing.

Neo-natal screening: This type of genetic testing is important because if results show there's a disorder such as congenital hypothyroidism or phenylketonuria (PKU), care and treatment can begin right away.

Assisted conception: In cases of an IVF, pre-implantation testing can be done to lower the chances for the child to have a particular genetic disorder. During the process of IVF, the embryos are screened for genetic abnormalities. Embryos without abnormalities are implanted in the uterus in hopes of achieving pregnancy.

For athletes and sportsperson: Genetic test that analyses specific genes associated with an individual’s sport (track and field, power sports, and endurance) and exercise performance. In addition, genes relating to injury and recovery are tested to provide an assessment of risk factors that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

Image courtesy: http://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2012/12/31/can-genetic-testing-help-prevent-the-next-mass-murder/

Oops, it has a flip side too...

Everything in life has two sides to it; good and bad. As we have understood huge advantages of gene testing in respect of disease prediction leading to its early prevention, there are couple of downsides to this revolutionary technology as well.

Psychological impact: First, there are the emotions aroused by learning that one is likely to develop a serious disease. Many people in a families have already seen close relatives fall victim to a particular disorder. The news that they do indeed carry the disease gene can elicit depression, even despair.

Familial issues: Unlike other medical tests, gene tests reveal information not only about the person itself but about for his other relatives. If a baby tests positive for sickle-cell trait, for example, it follows that one of his or her parents is a carrier. It is also possible for gene tests to inadvertently disclose family secrets involving paternity or adoption.

Emotions elicited by test results can produce a shift in family dynamics. Someone identified as carrying the gene may feel anger, while one who has escaped may be overwhelmed by guilt for avoiding a disease that afflicts a close relative.

Confidentiality/privacy: Though regulations and legal implications stand strong but still one can never be sure of who should be privy to that information? Will a predisposition for cancer, for instance, remain secret - or could there be an information slip out? The concern is that test results might someday be used against a person. Some people have been denied health insurance, some have lost jobs or promotions, and some have been turned down for adoptions because of their gene status.

Discrimination: One may face discrimination for health insurance, life insurance, or employment.

Science and scientist are still trying to firm their feet in the market and trying to gauge the true worth and the scope of gene testing, which is huge and unparalleled in revealing the future of our health.

Talk to your physician to know more about this revolutionary science or surf the net.

.... and from us,

ciao for now!!

Read, Before You Eat ..!!

Beware! Some people are out there tricking you. Let's begin by how a small incident made me ponder over the importance of reading, before eating. Avika and I are “grocery friends”. Yes, little strange is this friendship status but then that’s what we mostly do together. When our hubbies are off to offices and children in schools, we usually meet up after finishing our daily household chores over a cup of coffee or head out to do grocery in nearby supermarket. During one such visit, I noticed Avika filling her shopping cart with huge packs of cheese blocks, large bottles of mayonnaise, lots of canned juices and other such sinful stuff. Considering her 2XL size and all the hue and cry about her ever increasing weight, I was appalled to see her careless indulgence in those “high-on-calorie” goodies. When I raised a questionable brow on this, in the most unbashful manner she said, “Oh, chill dear, I always pick the “light”, “fat-free”, and “sugar-free” varieties of these things. I am sure they won’t make me any fatter”. This little episode made me apprehend the significance of understanding the “label lingo” of food items. Reading labels on food stuff is very important but reading between the lines is imperative. Food and beverage manufacturing companies flash fancy jargons on their food labels to lure you into buying them. Like, fat-free doesn’t mean zero fat or no-calorie is not actually “no calorie”. You have no idea if you are really eating what you are reading. Healthy not always necessarily means “healthful“. Let me walk you through how to decode the label lingo?

Image courtesy: http://www.recipechatter.com/label-lingo-101/ What actually the labels on food items mean? On all packaged food product, apart from the ingredient list and nutrition information, there are certain other “fancy” terms written on the labels that often catches our eyes. Don’t get tricked by such alluring adjectives. Here’s is a little list of “what means what?” No fat or fat free - less than 0.5 g of fat Lower or reduced fat - 25% less fat than the original food Low-fat - less than 3 g of fat Light or lite - 1/3 of the calories or half the fat of the original food No calorie/calorie free - less than 5 calories Low calorie - less than 1/3 rd calories of the original food Sugar free - less than 0.5 g of sugar Reduced sugar - 25% less sugar than original food No preservatives added - no added chemical preservatives, however, natural preservatives like salt or vinegar may be present Low sodium - less than 140 mg of sodium No salt or salt free - less than 5 mg of sodium High fiber - 5 g or more fiber Good source of fiber - 2.5 g to 4.9 g fiber More or added fiber - 2.5 g more fiber than original food *all the values are per serving

Image courtesy: http://www.fitsugar.com/Tips-Reading-Nutrition-Labels-22901359 Now, another ignorant area is drinks. Labels on fruit juices can be tricky and extremely confusing for the buyer. It is important to understand how much “real” fruit is present in a particular fruit juice. Understand what it means, when it says, Fruit Drink: Fruit drinks have less to do with being the “real fruit juice”. These contain only 5% of the real fruit juice and the rest is water, sugar, and artificial flavourings and colourings. Sugar-Free Juice: This means no additional sugar is added to the juice. But don’t forget, real juices too have their own sugar. Hence, diabetics be careful of the quantity to consume and weight watchers should not take sugar-free as calorie-free. 100 % vitamin C: This means that the beverage is a fruit drink with artificial vitamin C (ascorbic acid) added to it. 100 % Fruit Juice: Juice is 100% natural with no added sugar or flavourings. Flavoured Fruit Juice: There is nothing REAL in these. They are only artificially flavoured drinks of a particular fruit and are loaded with sugar. Understand the unsaid See red when you read the “glorified” names of certain things which companies want to hide intentionally. Try to avoid food items which read as below if you are looking for some pure, fresh and HEALTHY food.

Image courtesy: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/big-fat-lie-food-labels-hiding-truth/2006/11/23/1163871546467.htm

• “Fortified”, “extra”, “added”, “enriched”, and “plus” usually means that the food has been processed or altered in some way or the other.
• “Enriched flour” or “unbleached wheat flour” politely refers to as “refined flour” with little amount of whole wheat left to it.
• “Partially hydrogenated oil” or “hydrogenated oil” is a hidden code word for Trans fats. Trans fats are synthetically manufactured, unnatural fats and are not considered very healthy.
• “Nitrates” are used to preserve meat products but they are also known to cause cancer. It is found mostly in bacon and luncheon meat.
• “High fructose corn syrup” is a fancy term used for refined sugar.
• “Lard shortening” is animal fat.
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a form of sodium.

Ingredients “In Disguise” Sometimes fats, sugars, and sodium are hidden in the food products by various other names and forms other than their “usual” ones. Think “SUGAR” when you read Honey, sucrose, malt, fructose, dextrose, molasses, fruit juice concentrate, glucose syrup, corn syrup, or golden syrup. Think “FAT” when you read butter, margarine, lard, shortening, vegetable oil, full cream milk powder, or mono-, di-, or triglycerides. Think “SALT” when you read Sodium chloride, yeast extract, soy sauce, or MSG. It is only natural for a layman not to understand the highly technical stuff that is written in an ingredient list but to avoid going wrong and getting confused, stay away (if you can) of products which have a long list of artificial and difficult sounding ingredients. Stick with food items which says they are made from “whole foods” (like whole grains), with little or no added preservatives or colouring, and definitely no Trans fats! Phew!! So much to remember but it is every bit worth to become a smart shopper and decode the tricky lingo used by packaged food and drink manufacturers. Moral of the story: Become a pro in label reading and act like one too, next time you do grocery!!

Surviving Cancer, Celebrity Style!

Yuvraj Singh, Lisa Ray, Manisha Koirala, Anurag Basu...what’s common in all these names?

I know most of you are itching to raise hands and give the correct answer. Well, no prizes for guessing the obvious, that all of them are Indian celebrity cancer survivors.

Cancer, a disease which has earned a bad name follows no biases. It can equally affect individuals from all walks of life; young and old, rich and poor, black and white. From a common man to a famous celebrity, there is no one who can guarantee immunity against it. But when it strikes celebs, then it makes news!

These celebrities have been victims of cancer, fought against it and has emerged victorious. Today each one of them is a source of inspiration to millions of people suffering from cancer. Let’s salute their spirit and imbibe their determination.

Manisha Koirala, the newest one to join the bunch, is fighting ovarian cancer. She is one strong lady, adamant to crush the disease and we are so sure she will come back conquering. We have all our good wishes towards her speedy recovery.

Source: http://ibnlive.in.com

Recently cricketer Yuvraj Singh, heart throb of millions and the poster boy of cricket came back from abroad after a successful cancer treatment stint. Ever since doctors diagnosed him with a rare mediastinal seminoma, a cancer of between the lungs, he has exhibited immense optimism and tremendous mental determination to fight the disease, something he learnt very early on his cricket ground itself! He was knocked down by cancer, while he was still at the peak of his cricket career. But the medical sabbatical that he took did not strip him down of his spirit, passion and love for the game.

Source: twitter.com

Lisa Ray, actress and an international model took the disease quite head-on. She suffered with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells. Rather than giving up everything to the disease, she chose to have a constructive attitude towards it. Lisa took on to blogging. Her popular blog “The Yellow Diaries” is a place where she shares her tryst with the disease, experience of the crucial treatment, and life thereafter. She uses it potentially to spread the word and raise awareness about “cancer”. Within a year of her diagnosis, she was cured with the help of stem-cell transplant, a revolutionary breakthrough in the treatment of cancer.

Source: http://wonderwoman.intoday.in/

Anurag Basu. Now who doesn’t know this Barfi and Life in a Metro fame director? Basu got to know of his illness when he was gearing up to be the best dad in the world. Doctors found the chances of survival bleak. But a particular doctor’s methodology and his own yearning to see the face of his daughter made him fight and overcome the deadly battle with cancer.

Source: http://ibnlive.in.

They got lucky, you might not....

An insensitive statement to make but very much true! All these guys got their lives back from the claws of ruthless cancer as it got detected early and at a stage where it was still curable and possible to treat. But not everyone always gets a second chance with life.

A regular preventive health checkup once a year can catch and detect medical conditions, which are silently thriving inside your body, without making noise, without making much ado. Screening tests will make you alert of your present health status, if there are any developing maladies, and if you need to undergo any further investigations or treatment to curb them?

Take inspiration from the ones who fought it with courage and grit but don’t be among one of them.

When life kicks us, let it kick us forward

....motivating, isn’t it!

Lifestyle - The Culprit in Black and White

In my previous organization, I loved my Vertical Head (not quite literally!!). A decent guy who did well in his job; worked very hard and his career graph shot up in no time. He was always neck-deep in his work. The buzz in the office was that he drew a hefty pay package. We joked among us that just like his wallet, he too is growing fat - horizontally.

As the job and position demanded, he spent more time sitting in front of the computer and I hardly saw him moving around or taking any holidays. He had no time for exercise but late night parties with unhealthy food have been a routine; courtesy those frequent client dealings “off-office”. Poor guy, though he was in no bad habits as such but smoking and drinking became a social obligation.

Gradually as he started putting on weight (more around his belly), severe back ache was a constant bother and diabetes caught his way. Once I remember the office elevator was not working and he joined me in taking stairs to the office on second floor. He got really embarrassed as he started panting from the first level itself!

One day he blacked out on his seat. On being rushed to the nearest medical centre, he was declared brought dead. Doctors told his family that he has been suffering from high blood pressure and steep levels of cholesterol for a long time, which he himself never knew. A heart attack from nowhere was so grave that it did not give him any time to spend the moolah he made, drive his new car, or update his super boss for the next meeting’s agenda.

He just signed off.

And you know what, he was just 34!

Unfortunately, this case is not a rare one. Such incidents are being heard often around us. Today not war, not calamites but lifestyle is the biggest killer. And the irony of the matter is that lifestyle related illnesses like cancer, heart problems and diabetes are highly preventable by just altering little things here and there in our “way of living”.

Mend your ways before it gets too late to amend

These days heart attack, diabetes or cancers are not anymore an elderly’s visitors. A younger person with unhealthy lifestyle, poor eating habits and no exercise routine is equally vulnerable to fall prey to such debilitating illnesses.

It is prudent to start making small changes in the lifestyle with immediate effect, irrespective of one’s age. The trick is to do it unintentionally. Begin by taking stairs than lift (of’course we are not asking you to climb 12 floors in one go), park your car at the farthest possible spot from the entrance, swap butter to margarine and table sugar to artificial sweeteners, join a fast paced activity like aerobics, Zumba dancing, swimming or a running sport, order smaller portions in a meal like small fries, baby cup ice cream, or a mini pizza; do whatever possibly you can to cut down on sugar and fat in food and add on to your physical activity.

Age no more matters, a healthy lifestyle does!

Lavasa Women’s Drive

I Can Certainly Prevent It!!

Some time back, as an Indus representative, we attended the briefing session for Lavasa Women’s Drive, country’s biggest all-women's car rally supported by Women's Cancer Initiative, Tata memorial hospital, Mumbai, Times Group and Western India Automobile Association (WIAA). The drive aims at creating cancer prevention awareness among people in a fun way.

I reached at the venue little early as I was new to the area and location where the briefing was being held (well, ok! Actually and honestly I wanted to grab the first row).

Standing at the entrance of the still closed auditorium, I looked on as several well dressed and impeccably groomed ladies stated to pour in. Big cars, branded bags, expensive accessories... clearly the crowd were a mix of upper middle to affluent class. But this was no glossy kitty party, rather a very serious and sombre issue and to my surprise they actually looked totally driven towards the cause and excited about being a part of it. Good going today’s women of substance!

Once settled in the auditorium (I did get the first row), a whole bunch of dignitaries came and graced the stage. The briefing session was attended by veteran of the fraternity likes of Dr. Shona Nag, Consultant Oncologist at Sahyadri and Jehangir hospitals, Pune, Gynaecologist Dr. Suchita Pate of Oyster and Pearl Hospital, Pune and a Mumbai-based renowned (and extremely witty) Gynaecologist Dr. Mukesh Gupta. They talked and discussed in length the commonest of all causes for cancer among women and how simple preventive measures like screening tests once a year can go a long way in early detection and cure.

Dr. Nag said that breast cancer incidence in India is indeed becoming exceedingly common and it is not something that can be swept under the carpet by ignoring it. She emphasised that breast cancer, if detected in its early stages, can be CURED in 80% of cases.

On a lighter note she asked women to “keep abreast with their breast” by learning to do a breast self-exam after the age of 20. Another funny but extremely apt slogan she shared was, “If only women paid as much attention to their breast as men do” left the crowd cheering and shouting in hilarity.

Dr. Pate took on cervical cancer. She also emphasised on the fact that both cervical and breast cancer can be prevented through awareness, screening and vaccinations. Also, she advocated the use of vaccine that is present in the market for cervical cancer prevention. This can be taken from the age of 9 to 45 in dosage form of 0 – 2 – 6 months. “A yearly pap smear test to detect cervical cancer apart from preventive measures like limiting multiple unknown sexual partners is also very important" said Dr. Pate.

Dr. Gupta focused on the preventive strategies, including primary and secondary prevention. "Primary prevention includes taking vaccines to prevent cervical cancer and modifying one’s erratic lifestyle. Wherein secondary prevention includes breast self-examination, Pap smear test for cervical and mammography for the early detection of breast cancer," said Dr. Gupta.

In a crowd of almost 400 women, how long can they just sit back and listen? And hence they began talking by putting up questions before the panellists. Relevant and basic questions like what age can one opt for vaccines to prevent cervical cancer, symptoms of cervical and breast cancers, frequency of taking pap smears test and mammography, and if heredity is a major cause in developing breast cancer popped in from every corner of the hall.

The panel replied to their queries in depth which in a nut shell meant that the key to escape cancer is to lead a moderate lifestyle, avoid junk food, limit alcohol (may be once a week), stick to a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Eating lots of fresh, uncooked vegetables and fruits (chiefly red and orange coloured ones) will help in escaping the malady.

Later after the serious stuff, woman jived on zumba, a dance form full of energy and vigour. Ladies let their hair down and participated in it full on!!

While coming out I overheard several women to go and get a pap test and mammo done ASAP. This says loud and clear that the purpose of this whole exercise of creating cancer prevention awareness is definitely being met. Such events and efforts DO make a difference.

All and all, the evening was full of information yet fun. Women gathered around to have a chit-chat near the refreshment counter. I walked away to the parking area as chai counter got closed long back.