In an ongoing effort to emphasize health education, BAPS Charities organized a Health Awareness Lecture specifically for women in Robbinsville, NJ on June 28, 2015 and presented by Payalben Mody (Dietitian & Nutrition) and Dr. Niliben Parekh (Internal Medicine). As part of 11 such lectures held across North America, it focused on educating women on how to incorporate healthy habits into their lives on a daily basis and showed them how they can impact the health of their entire families by making small changes.
The lectures consisted of two presentations consisting of healthy living practices and maintaining a healthy mindset. The healthy living presentation focused on white rice substitutes. White rice is a typical staple in an Indian diet, but many people do not realize that there are healthier substitutes available that can be more beneficial to their health. White rice is stripped of all nutrition during processing and can also increase the risk of diabetes due to its high score on the glycemic index. The lecture focused on healthier alternatives to white rice and their benefits, and it also gave creative ideas on how to incorporate foods such as quinoa and couscous into an everyday diet. After the lecture, audience members had the opportunity to taste dishes prepared from such rice substitutes so they could see how taste does not have to be sacrificed when eating healthier alternatives.
