Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
June 25, 2014
Page 5
Diabetes Prevention Spotlight
Healthy change made easier through Prevention program
When it comes to our
health, we often put off tak-
ing time to go see the doc-
tors, pharmacist, dentist or
any other healthcare profes-
sional.
We often tell ourselves we
will take the time to tend to
our health needs when our
busy lives slow down, and
sometimes months will pass
before we make the time re-
sulting in a worse condition.
Diabetes Prevention Pro-
gram participant Starla Green
shares her motivation for
joining the program: “Follow-
ing a visit to IHS,” she says,
“I had my blood sugar
checked and learned that I
was a pre-diabetic.”
Medical staff encouraged
Starla to give the Diabetes
Prevention program a
chance.
“I always knew I was high
risk based on several factors,”
Starla says. “But I never took
the time to make it a priority
in my life, despite having seen
a lot of my immediate fam-
ily struggle with diabetes.
“I always had an excuse
for some reason or another,
until the day I was told I was
pre-diabetic.”
She wanted to take extra
steps to stop herself from be-
Healthy changes
Starla Green
coming diabetic. “I signed up
for a weight loss challenge,
and while signing up I learned
that the Diabetes Prevention
Program was starting a ses-
sion of classes.”
The program staff en-
couraged her to attend. “And
that was when I started the
program,” Starla says.
She found the Diabetes
Prevention Program helpful
in reawakening her motiva-
tion. “I learned to redirect the
focus towards myself, to
make an appointment with
myself. Those appointments
are for me to work out or
partake in an exercise pro-
gram.”
More letters
Why no?
The motorsports referen-
dum is not simply asking for
permission to do research
into this possible new enter-
prise.
A “yes” vote will give
Tribal Council three things:
1. Authorize Tribal Coun-
cil to pursue the project
2. …to completion of the
project
3. …with an aggregate in-
vestment.
Once you give them a Yes,
it is totally at the discretion
of the Tribal Council to de-
cide for us the viability of this
enterprise. I want to be able
to hear the findings before
we as corporate members
decide together that it is vi-
able for our future genera-
tions. This kind of assessment
should be done in steps, and
reported at a corporate stake-
holders meeting.
I’m voting “no” on this full
meal deal referendum. It may
starve us.
Susan Guerin
Vote No
The motorsport park
project will require an “aggre-
gate investment not exceed
the value of the land,” an
amount approved by Tribal
Council—out of thin air? Plus
any available economic devel-
opment sums dedicated to it
an approved tribal budget—
again, out of thin air?
Who will determine the
value of the land that this
racetrack is to sit on? Nobody
asked me. If they had, I
would say that big piece of
land is priceless.
This new venture deserves
The next deadline to
submit items for publi-
cation in the Spilyay
Tymoo is Thursday,
June 3 - early because
of the holiday!
the full and regular participa-
tion/input of the corporate
members in each phase of
the assessment, not just Tribal
Council. I can’t even get
monthly District updates out
of Tribal Council; I sure don’t
expect them to give us up-
dates each step of the way
on this monster project.
I must first be able to trust
them with the little things be-
fore giving them latitude to
decide the big things. I’m just
not there yet. For these rea-
sons I’m voting No.
Josh Moody
Birth
Ronald Gonzales and
Doris Lawrence are pleased
to announce the birth of their
son Benjamin Lawrence,
born on Jun 10, 2014.
Starla has a busy schedule,
so reaching her goal was not
easy.
“The major challenge that
I had during the program was
returning to class every week
and keeping the appointments
with myself.” she says. “I had
to make myself the priority
and make myself attend.”
She shares some healthy
changes she made:
“I changed my way of
shopping, making it a point
to purchase healthier grocer-
ies such as more fresh veg-
etables and fruit and less pro-
cessed foods.”
She stopped drinking both
diet and regular soda and
sugar drinks. “There are times
when I will drink a portion
of a soda to get a taste of it,
but today, I will not finish a
whole serving of soda.
“There was a time where
our family would make $5
Friday at Safeway, just to buy
soda by the case. Today, that
no longer occurs. I have also
changed some of the basic
ingredients in what I cook
with, such as olive oil instead
of other greases or oils that
are not good for you.”
How did the Diabetes Pre-
vention Program help her in
reaching the goal of lower-
ing her AIC to normal lev-
els? “By helping me to stay
motivated,” Starla says.
Joining the program, Starla
felt a sense of obligation. “It
felt like I was being held ac-
countable to just show up to
class, because I was expected
to be there. So I went, and
once I got there I learned
something new and the moti-
vation continued.”
How it works
Starla shares several of her
favorite parts about the Dia-
betes Prevention Program.
“What I enjoyed most,”
she says, “was that
they helped me keep me ac-
countable to myself. There
are times when I slacked off
the exercise routine and I felt
guilty, but when I started
again, I felt better and I kept
going.”
The Diabetes Prevention
Program store bucks also
were a plus, because there
were things she wanted from
the store, and she worked
harder to make the bucks for
the purchases.
“The coaching incentive
gifts were also a plus,” Starla
says, “because it was a healthy
reward for doing something
healthy.
“The major incentive is the
workout equipment and
space made available to work
out. I always disliked work-
ing out in a gym or in front
of others, so the semi-private
space and access to their
equipment was the best. I
started doing my cardio work-
outs by video and then
started using the free weights
it was awesome.”
Starla’s greatest success
was dropping her A1C from
a pre-diabetic level to normal,
and dropping over 50 pounds
of body weight.
“Before the program, I
had extreme difficulty walk-
ing a quarter-mile without
back pain and shortness of
breath,” Starla says. “Now I
can walk Camelback and sur-
vive it! I can do 3 to 5 miles
without a problem, and feel
good about myself.”
A challenge now is to con-
tinue with the healthy lifestyle
balance. “There are times
when my life gets really busy
and I fail to make time for
myself,” Starla says, “so I put
my workouts on the side,
which I know I should not do.
But with the help of my
coach Joy Ramirez and her
motivation, I know I will con-
tinue to make time for my-
self. Just her being there and
sending me a text or leaving
me a voicemail every now
and then reminds me that I
need to focus on my health
and get myself in gear.”
Her advice for the people
in your community regard-
ing the prevention of dia-
betes?
“I would highly recom-
mend the Diabetes Preven-
tion Program to any person
desiring a change in his or her
life.
“Many people do not
know that there is exercise
equipment at the program
office. If you join the pro-
gram, you can utilize the
equipment. I am well aware
of how difficult it can be to
start exercising in front of
people and having people
judge you. Being self-con-
scious is difficult, and it’s a
huge obstacle to going to the
gym or even walking in pub-
lic. The Diabetes Prevention
Program office is a place
where you can do that and
feel good about yourself.”
(For more information on the
program, contact Amanda
Sanchez, health technician,
Warm Springs IHS, Diabetes
Prevention Program, 541-553-
0454.)