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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 17, 1995)
March 17, 1995 Page 6 Health and Human Services Smoke Signals American For thousands of years, the indigenous people of this continent lived healthy and active lives. Their diet consisted of a menu rich in grains, fruits, vegetables and small portions of low-fat meats, duck, deer and fish. To this day, elders can recall times when people gathered and hunted food for simple meals. People walked a lot. Prior to the onslaught of Europeans to Indian coun try, Indian people were very healthy because of the ab sence of infectious disease, and it wasn't until the year 1 492 that Europeans brought with them the germs that cause disease. Because American Indians had never been exposed to the germs European explorers carried, they had not developed a re sistance to them. The diseases that plagued Europe were now spreading among the American Indian population. In the 400 years following 1492, entire populations of Indian people were deci mated by smallpox, cholera, tuberculosis and other infec tious diseases "imported" from Europe. It is a common misconception that most Na tive Americans were wiped out through military con quest. In truth, disease claimed far more lives than guns and swords. The effects of these infectious diseases among Indian people have diminished considerably over the last hundred years. But new illnesses have developed to take their place. There is one illness that takes a higher toll among Native Americans than among any other population on earth. It was also brought Indians and Diabetes: to the Indian people by a non Indian culture. Historically, the United States govern ment, its people and the cav alry set out to destroy the In dian people. Through poli cies and actions of forced as similation and cultural geno cide, the traditional healthy and active life-styles of In dian people were eroded. Confined to reservations with an ever increasing depen- "There is one illness that takes a higher toll among Native Ameri cans than among any other popu lation on earth The name of this disease is Type H Diabetes. dence upon government com modities and a welfare diet, and with little or no opportu nity for jobs, resulting in a de- ' crease in physical activity, conditions were ripe for the development of a disease that came not with germs, but with a sedentary life-style and a fat-rich diet. Most physi cians, sociologists and dieti cians agree that the current epidemic of this disease has been brought on by these changes in life-style. The name of this disease is Type II Diabetes. Type II Diabetes develops and is usually diagnosed in the adult stage of life, It is often called "adult onset dia betes". Type II Diabetes is non-insulin dependent. Diabetes means having "high blood sugar." What is high blood sugar? First let's begin by understanding "blood sugar". Basically speaking, blood sugar means sugar in the blood. Sugar comes from the foods we eat, not just sweet foods. Your body changes the food you eat into blood sugar. Body cells and muscles use blood sugar for energy. Some people cannot get the blood sugar into cells and muscles. The sugar stays in the blood. These people get "high blood sugar." . People with high blood'sugar, have "diabetes." What causes diabetes? As previously mentioned, some 50 to 60 years ago, Indians did not have diabetes. Since then, the eating habits and daily work activities of Indian people have changed consid erably. People eat more fatty foods. People consume more sugary foods and drinks. People are less active and therefore have gotten heavier. These changes cause many Indians to have high blood sugar Type II Diabetes. Some of the symptoms of high blood sugar are feeling tired, increased thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, sores that don't heal, frequent urination How did it and sore gums. However, some people with high blood sugar experience no changes in the way their body feels. They may still have high blood sugar. For this reason, it is very important to be tested at a doctor's office to see if you have high blood sugar. If you do have high blood sugar, and it goes un checked for many years, it can cause problems with your eyes, kidneys, feet, gums and heart. The best way to avoid these problems is1 to Vcbntrol!', yoUr blood sugar. You can con trol your blood sugar in two ways 1 . Lose weight. 2. Become more active. If you are heavy, losing weight can happen by eating less fatty foods, consuming less sugary foods, and by eat . ing smaller amounts of all ' foods. Being more active helps your body cells and muscles use blood sugar for energy. Walking can help control your blood sugar. Today, almost every Indian tribe has a high rate of Type II Diabetes. Rates for. some tribes are more alarming than others. Some tribes now have a 50 all start? rate of diabetes. And it's get ting worse. More people are getting diagnosed every year, and at younger ages than pre vious generations. Even ges tational diabetes (the kind as sociated with pregnancy) is on the rise among Native Americans. Type II Diabetes has spread so widely throughout Ameri can Indian populations that it nearly duplicates the historic spread of smallpox among our people. And, not surpris ingly, the complications of diabetes, such as kidney fail ure, stroke, high blood pres sure, and eye damage are growing at a high rate. The fact that virtually all cases of diabetes in the American In dian population are of the type II variety, provides a clue to its cause and possible eradication. Although that researchers agree that Indian people have a "preexisting genetic tendency" towards diabetes, this tendency did - not manifest itself until this century, meaning that some change in the culture brought it on. Given the magnitude of this major health problem, it is understandable that indi viduals and families afflicted by this disease could lose sight of any hope for a change in this condition or possible cure. However, there is hope and good news. Type II Diabe tes can often be prevented and certainly controlled by re versing the causal factors. Through good nutrition and exercise, the risks of getting Type II Diabetes and its re . lated complications can be reduced significantly. Reprinted from The Circle
