Siletz
Communi
“Cha-may weeya
Medicine Talk
Health
Clinic
Eating Lessons from the Past
March is National Nutrition Month. If you would like to improve your families or
your own nutrition, help is available!
Contact the clinic for appointments with a health educator or dietician. If you
hve near an area office, check with your community health advocate or community
health nurse for assistance. You will learn how to assess your current habits and
nutritional patterns, and look for ways to make changes that will work for you
Good nutrition can prevent many diseases that Native Americans are at risk
for such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. In addition, good nutritional habits
will make you feel better now.
What can we learn about nutrition from the way our ancestors ate’
Anthropologists and physicians have studied the diet of our 40,000-year-old
Paleolithic ancestors as well as that of modem hunter-gatherer societies whose
eating habits are similar to those of prehistoric people.
Early Nutrition
Our ancestors had to cope with wild animals and infectious diseases But heart
disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast cancer
were almost unknown to them. They ate a wide variety of wild plants that were hiqh
in fiber and minerals, such as calcium. The wild game that was their meat was
extremely low in fat, 4 percent compared to the 25 to 30 percent fat of modern
domestic meat. They ate little salt, almost no sugar, and no dairy products or domestic
grains. Yet, they were taller and stronger than their modem descendants.
Traditional Diets
Researchers who looked at the diets of present-day traditional cultures also
found clues to good nutrition. Mediterranean people, who live longer and have
lower rates of heart disease and cancer than other people, eat large amounts of
vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains. They consume low to moderate amounts
of dairy products, fish and poultry, and almost no red meat. They cook with olive oil
rather than animal fats.
In rural China, heart disease and cancer of the breast and colon are rare while
obesity is almost unheard of, even though the Chinese consume 30 percent more
calories than Americans do. Their diet consists almost entirely of grains - such as
rice, wheat, and millet - and a wide variety of vegetables. Most of their protein comes
from soybeans and grains. Only about 15 percent of their calories come from fat.
Lessons from the Past
What do we learn from studying ancient and traditional eating habits? For one
thing, when it comes to food, poverty may be a blessing. Traditional cultures simply
cannot afford the highly processed foods and highly fattened meats that are harming
our health. The whole, unprocessed foods that traditional people must make do
with have less salt and fat, no additives or preservatives, and are rich in nutrients.
More Plants, Less Meat
Traditional societies all eat a wide variety of nutritious plant foods. Although
their diet is low in dairy products and often low in protein, they don’t seem to suffer
from osteoporosis or other calcium-deficiency diseases. And because meat and
animal fat are scarce, heart disease and cancer are rare. Many Americans are
learning to focus their meals on pastas, grains, and fresh vegetables, and to use
meat as a garnish or seasoning, if at all. By cutting back on butter, dairy products
and animal fat, we may yet equal the superb nutritional status of our
primitive ancestors.
Robertson Assists in Lab
Angela Robertson started working
at the Siletz Clinic approximately nine
months ago. She started as a medical
assistant and is now working in the lab
as our lab assistant. She is a licensed
phlebotomist.
Robertson also has been active
with the Siletz Volunteer Fire
Department for the last three years. She
graduated from Newport High School in
1992 and now attends Oregon Coast
Community College to become an
emergency medical technician.
She is married to tribal member
Dale Robertson and they have two
children, Braxton, 6, and Britany, 3. When
not working or studying, she enjoys
riding her 4-wheeler with family and
visiting her grandparents in Portland.
Alyssa
Scott,
open
gym
prize
winner,
with
cousin
Tony
Scott,
who
spent
his 23rd
birthday
at open
gym.
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