Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
North Portland
1
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PHOTO BY CARI H a CHMANN/T h E PORTLAND OBSERVER
? his Native roots in the adoption of a vegan diet that has brought better health, including reductions in blood
improvement in self-esteem. He also lost 20 pounds.
Wisdom of Ancestors
C ari H achmann
T he P ortland O bserver
by
In an effort to reverse Type 2 diabetes
among tribal populations, Natives call for a
return to an ancestral plant-based diet.
Marc Anderson, 60, a descendent of Okla­
homa Seminole Chief Billy Bowlegs, didn’t
realize how bad the diet on his fam ily’s res­
ervation had become until a trip back home
left him with a feeling of culture shock.
“The food was all fast food,” said Ander­
son, an environmental engineer living in
Tualatin who has worked with tribal govern­
ment for 16 years. Not even the nearby Indian
Casino had vegetarian options. “I bought a
Native cure for
diabetes: Go vegan
watermelon at Walmart,” he joked, though
the revelation he left home with was serious.
The average longevity of Tribal members
continued
on page 19