An Excerpt from Chapa-De News: August 2024
Article by Cheyenne Mulder
Registered Dietitian
Contributer to Chapa-De News
Nutrition and food are integral parts of our lives, especially when it comes to Native ties to family, culture, and tradition. Some of the best practices Natives can do to stay healthy is to adopt more of the cultural customs our people have relied on for centuries. This includes eating a wide variety of foods gifted from the land, such as fresh fruits, nutritious vegetables and nourishing whole grains. Spending more time doing outside activities that keep the body moving while soaking in the sun, wind, rain, and other elements can also be very beneficial to one’s overall health. Learning and appreciating what the day gives, in food, spirit and opportunity can help create a better perspective that can lead to improved physical and emotional health for Native people.
In today’s day and age, mainstream culture has adopted a more “Food as Medicine” approach, which is a method strongly rooted in Native customs. Expanding on these ideas can help prevent diseases such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease, as well as help treat some of these conditions through Medical Nutrition Therapy. Traditional foods include beans, corn, squash, breads made from acorn flour, fresh fish, and stews prepared with slow cooked meats and vegetables. The more mainstream “Native” foods such as Fry bread and Indian Tacos are fairly new and can be what most people may think of versus traditionally consumed staples mentioned above. Needless to say, Fry bread is still delicious and a nostalgic favorite, often coinciding with strong family discussions on which Auntie makes the best ones. Be sure to balance it out with healthy sides to make a well-rounded meal.
The truth is, in a healthy, well-balanced diet, ALL FOODS CAN FIT! The key is learning how to make meals that are nutritionally balanced but also provide joy from the mealtime experience. Practicing portion control, adding additional servings of veggies with meals, and trying fruit as snacks are just small ways to improve daily dietary intake with ingredients available at the store… [READ MORE]
Read more of our August newsletter:
Chapa-De Indian Health Auburn Grass Valley | Medical Clinic
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