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