ABORIGINAL HEALTH
Shelly Crack, Registered Dietitian
Outline
Do you know and understand Canadian History? Colonization and its impacts
Nutrition Concerns in Aboriginal Communities Prenatal; infants; chronic disease; seniors
Where does traditional food fit? My top 5 tips for working with First
Nation clients, colleges and friends
Question #1
How many different Aboriginal settlements do we have in BC?
A) 24B) 59C) 109D) 122
Residential School Facts
All provinces and territories in Canada 130 residential schools in Canada Began in 1892-1970 (80 years and more) 150,000 Aboriginal students attended
schools 80,000 school survivor alive today
Residential School Experiences
Most experienced physical, sexual, mental, spiritual and emotional abuse by the hands of those who entrusted to educate, care and protect
No contact with family; so far away “Aggressive assimilation” “kill the Indian in the
child” “Civilize” savage Indians /Fix the “Indian problem” Stripped away identity, language and culture of
Aboriginal people Lost their language and culture; unable to talk to
parents
Residential School Consequences Intergenerational impacts Physical, sexual, emotional & substance
abuse in Aboriginal communities today is a direct result of residential schools
Abuse has been denied until very recently
Alert Bay Mission School
Health Disparities
Poorest minority in Canada; 50% average income Social support networks Education 48% high school; 37% post secondary
(58) Unemployment 22% vs. 7% Housing: overcrowding, water, sanitation, air,
water Personal health & coping tools Breastfeeding, food insecurity in children Chronic disease rates 3-4 times higher
Cultural Competency Course
http://www.culturalcompetency.c
a/
What do I see in my community? Tooth decay; bottle feeding, childhood
obesity Ellyn Satter eating dynamic issues Chronic disease; diabetes; HTN; obesity Addiction; smoking and alcohol Domestic abuse; unhealthy relationships Parenting issues, attachment disorders Anxiety, depression
How do I address these issues? Cooking classes Food security projects Pregnancy outreach programs Parenting groups Schools food programs Chronic disease groups; pain groups Grocery store tours; food demos One to one counseling Collaborate-getting invited
Traditional Food
Salmon, halibut, Turbot Spring, pink, chum, coho, sockey, steelhead Lincod, red snapper, black cod,
Herring, Roe on kelp (K’aaw) Crab, Scallops, Sea erchants (Stew) Clams (Razor, butter, cockles, horseshoe, goeyduck) Muscles, prawns, shrimp, barnacles Venison, Elk Seaweed (Sew), Kelp, Sea asparagus Berries (salmonberry, strawberry, salalberry, huckleberry, wild cranberry, cloudberry) Haida potato
Satter Hierarchy of Food Needs
Shelly’s top 5 tips
Relationships Drop your nutrition agenda Humor Be curious; don’t judge Listen & learn
Relationships are key
Drop your nutrition agenda
Have fun; be funny; laugh
Be curious; don’t judge
Get to know your community/culture
Words from our colleagues
Respectful curiosity Patience Respect and learning Multidisciplinary
approach Passion of youth and
elders Funding opportunities Listen, open, quiet Relationships
Resilience
"Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible in us be found." --Pema Chodron