Shih tbsue: (Y Meatless Monday: Baked macaroni and cheese, with a kick! (¥ The ethical shopper (¥ #DougLife And more! Stop HIV & hep C now » Testing women in the Lower Mainland Andrea Arscott Senior Columnist here’s good news for women who are afraid to get tested for hepatitis C, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). As part of the STOP HIV Initiative, Stride with Purpose at the Lower Mainland Purpose Society received funding from the Fraser Health Authority to organize four women’s testing events in the Lower Mainland. Although the women’s nights are developed for low- income, marginalized, and street-entrenched females, any woman who wants to get tested and feels this is the place she'll feel most comfortable is welcome to join. Ladies attending the evening can enjoy good food and crafts, get their picture taken, participate in nail painting, and for some, have some hair styling done. Every woman deserves to feel special and have fun once ina while, and the group can look forward to getting a chance to laugh and bond with old friends and new faces. There will also be games and opportunities to win prizes. At the end of the night, women will hopefully leave with knowledge that empowers : them to take better care of : themselves and their health. : They can expect to learn about : activities that put them at : risk of hep C, HIV, and other : STIs and how to better protect : themselves from harmful : behaviours. Several of the Purpose : Society’s current clients have : no idea how they contracted : HIV or hep C, which would : suggest they thought they had : never engaged in any risky : act. Their test results told a : different story though, proving : that everyone should be tested : if they’ve never been tested : before. The point of care (POC) or : “rapid” HIV test that the nurses : from the blood borne pathogen : team will be offering is nothing : to fear. In POC testing, the : nurse pokes the tip of your : finger with a needle to draw a : drop of blood, and you know : ina few minutes if the results : are reactive or negative. If your : test is “reactive,” you'll be asked : to go fora blood draw test to : confirm the accuracy, as POC is : only a preliminary test. The hep C test involves : drawing blood from your arm : witha syringe, and test results : take two weeks. If you think you have : pus, sores, and warts), it’s best : not to deal with it as soon as : possible. Make a trip to your : doctor, or a walk-in or STI : clinic, and get it treated. If you : don’t, your symptoms may get : worse and spread to other parts : of your body. The dates, times, and : locations for the Purpose : Society’s women’s nights are : available on the Facebook : page at facebook.com/ : stridewithpurpose, with events : in New Westminster, Port : Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, and : Mission. HIV is not a death sentence : anymore. With advances : in treatment, you can live a : normal life with HIV. As long : as youre getting treatment, it’s : a manageable illness. But if you : avoid testing, you won't know : you have it, and therefore, : won't be taking the anti-HIV : medications that your body : needs to slow the progression : of the disease. You may also be : spreading it to others, which is : irresponsible. Chances are you : don’t have anything, but it’s : best to make sure. Stop HIV and hep C now. : Know your status. Come get : tested. For more information : call Purpose at 604-526-2522 : : ext: 234. : symptoms of an ST] (discharge, : Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Brittney MacDonald, Life & Style Editor Mlifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca www.theotherpress.ca Image from Thinkstock Imiss you, and now [can afford to talk to you! » A WhatsApp Messenger user review ; Brittney MacDonald & Life & Style Editor M lifeandstyle @theotherpress.ca ecently, one of my closest friends moved to another province, and discovering new apps that allow us to communicate without any nasty roaming or overage fees has become really important. One of the best ones that I have found (at her suggestion), is the WhatsApp Messenger. The WhatsApp Messenger functions almost exactly like a normal SMS or iChat, in that it has push notifications when someone messages you. : Through it you can send text, : pictures, voice notes or video, : and all hyperlinks will also : function if you feel the need : to share something you found : online. What separates WhatsApp : from your standard SMS, : iChat, or any other of the : millions of messenger apps, is : that it functions completely on : Wi-Fi and data, but the data : usage is so low that it doesn’t : risk sending your bill into a tailspin of debt, even when : communicating long distance. I wouldn't be exaggerating : if I said that my friend and I : message each other constantly, : especially now that she’s so far : away. In the beginning I was : worried that if I used the app : when I didn’t have access to : Wi-Fi, I’d get slammed with : data overage charges, but then : I discovered that the data used, : : even to send videos, is pretty : minimal. To put it into perspective, I : : have a data plan that allows for : : 500MB data usage per month, : which roughly translates to : about 15-17MB per day. I have : never gone over that limit : using WhatApp, as well as my : Internet browser and Facebook : : (Gust for the record, Facebook : isadata hog). On average— : and I measured this using : science—a single message will : take up o.1MB of data. That : means I’d have to send over a : thousand messages away from : any Wi-Fi hotspots just to be : in danger of going over my : limit. For my lifestyle at the moment, constantly cycling : between home and school, it : just wouldn't be possible. Now let’s get to the fun stuff—what does the : WhatsApp Messenger have : that’s different from my normal : : SMS or iChat? One of my : favourite things, and call me : superficial for saying this, is the ability to have any picture : as the background to your : message window. Maybe you : love that one photo of you and : your friends, or maybe you : just find the stock photo of a : waterfall really soothing? It : doesn’t matter, you can choose : from the WhatsApp library of : stock photos or upload your : own. Cost-wise, the WhatsApp : Messenger is unreasonably : affordable for what it offers. : For new users the first year of : the app is free, for people who : decide to keep using it after that year is up, the app is only : $0.99 for every following year. I think this app is great for : people like me, who want to : communicate with loved ones : that are far away, or for anyone : who hasa limit on their text : messaging (the horror!). I’d : definitely recommend it for : everyone!