“Indigenizing” food sovereignty. Revitalizing Indigenous food practices and ecological knowledges in Canada and the United States

This article talks about the Native American History on how the traumatic events had impacted and involved over time. Native Americans had a long traumatic history that has an affect on their health today. One of the main things that impacted the Indigenous community was boarding schools. While away at boarding schools students were stripped from their tradition and culture even from their healthy diets. They made them eat more processed foods high in sugar that then had a chain effect on generations due to lack of the right nutrients. It then goes into explaining what is currently being done and what can be done to improve the overall health of Native communities. Indigenous sovereignty was broken down into four principles, sacred sovereignty, participatory, self determination, and policy.

I do believe that the boarding schools still do have an impact on Native health today. Reading this article there is faith that this can be restored with self determination to change current diets. Participating in traditional doings and eating traditional food can help restore the Native Tradition and Health. Not only is the boarding school leaving a large impact I believe Covid -19 is doing the same. Forcing people to bulk up on long lasting food is majority high in fat and sugar since their communities shut down. Still intaking processed food but this time having to be quarantined leaves natives at a higher risk of malnutrition.

Citation: Cote, Charlotte. Indigenizing Food Sovereignty. Revitalizing Indigenous Food Practices and Ecological Knowledges in Canada and the United States. Seattle WA: University of Washington department of Indian studies, July 15, 2016.

Teens, Your Brain Needs Real Food

In this article it explains why teens may be tired or not able to focus due to the lack of energy. Some teens don’t get all the nutrients their body needs which can cause nutrient deficiencies. Being a teen it is important to get all the right nutrition while your body and brain is developing. The right foods can benefit the development stage. In this article It goes over the right nutrients a teen needs daily. Males and females may have a slight difference in the amount of intake in certain nutrients. Not enough of the right nutrition can make it hard to retain information and think critically.

It is important for everyone at any age to continue to maintain daily nutrients. The teenage years are the most important since the body is still developing. After the body develops it will start to decay but maintaining good nutrition may slow the process limiting risk of chronic illnesses. As a wellness coach this information in this article is very useful. It narrowed down to the amount of carbs, protein, fats, fruit and vegetables, calcium and iron is needed daily. In Herbalife one shake has all the required nutrients needed throughout your day which shocks me. Many people still don't get the right nutrients even with eating 3 meals a day.

Citation: Costa, Samantha. Teens, Your Brain Needs Real Food. U.S. News, January 6, 2016.

Healthy Nutrition: A Global Challenge

Nutrition is very important and what you eat can affect your health. Health can reflect more on not only what you eat but your genetics and environment you are in. Over time some countries involved, population, agriculture, the way food is processed. Human beings used to hunt and gather food that was low in fat and sugar but now food is made easily accessible and high in fat and sugar. Things we eat now can be hazards to our health research shows that our diets can cause chronic illnesses. Countries that are more poor or lacking development see a greater impact of malnutrition. Health is the way we live, how our personal selves take care of our bodies. Nutrition is characterized per person. Not everyone lives in the same environment nor does everybody react the same.

As a wellness coach I do believe that health starts with more than just watching your diet, yes watching what you eat can play a big role and diet can determine how your body functions but overall health can be affected by your environment and genetics. I also agree that everyone's body reacts differently than other people. This can be by genetics, sometimes a person can have too much of something or a lack of vitamins. Some people can handle certain foods while others can't; nobody else reacts the same.

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Food sovereignty is interpreted differently throughout the world. Food sovereignty was used as systems of power. Indigenous people had struggles with this process. There were a lot of disagreements with the meaning of food sovereignty. Indigenous people saw it as a way of life and others saw it as power. Violence was forced upon indigenous people and caused them to relocate. This made the indigenous people struggle because they could not find much food and it was hard for them to continue their normal food habits.

I think that this impacted the native Americans' nutrition today. This had an effect on what the Native diet was. Native Americans had a food balanced diet but the relocation impacted their eating habits. There was an agreement between the government system which helped Native Americans with food but it wasn't much> Native Americans adapted to the new new way of life which wasn't healthy. The current article that I am reading there was a food sovereignty movement put in place to make sure everyone gets the right food that they need and inhabits their traditional practice. Food sovereignty at the time was a very debatable topic.

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Nutritional Assessment outcomes: A protocol for Native American Hospitals

Native Americans in the US have complex health issues but share the same health problems with the “westernized” world. These health problems are caused by dietary habits making poor nutrition a choice to many people. There are many things that also play a role in poor health within the Native American Communities. Poor provision by healthcare providers due to lack of knowledge, understaffed because of low pay and the isolated lifestyles that come with being a health care worker for Native Americans. Native hospitals lack dietitians, laboratorians, and physicians.

These Indian hospitals have never been the place I've wanted to get checked at. Many Native Americans are aware of the poor hospital care and refuse to even go get checked. This article shocked me because hospitals have the right equipment to provide better testing and health care but it doesn't get used because of the under staffing problem. It is good knowing there is an action in plan to provide better and accurate testing but I am sure there will be its cons. My advice is just to make better life choices with what you eat and stay active, these two important things can make your overall health better. Like it says in the beginning of the article these can be prevented with better nutrition.

Citation: Bickford, Gary R., et al. "Nutrition assessment outcomes: A protocol for Native American hospitals." Medical Laboratory Observer, vol. 32, no. 12, Dec. 2000, p. 32. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A68743431/ITOF?u=nm_s_santafeis&sid=ITOF&xid=76b

Minwanjige, Mino-bimaadizi (Eat well, Live well)

A coloring book for young kids. This is an educational book filled with different activities about nutrition in the ojibwe language. It teaches the young Native Americans from the ojibwe community their language, healthy recipes, about fruits and vegetables, It comes with different coloring sections between activities that make learning about healthy living fun for the young generations.

I thought this book is a great way to break the generational dietary habits. This could help Native Americans learn their language and healthier foods. This coloring book is filled with activities that target health but also makes it fun to learn. It is a great way to keep children entertained. Since boarding schools stripped the Native Americans from their healthy food and tradition this could be a great tool to help restore some of that knowledge into the younger generations.

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