Why Obesity and Heart Disease Hit Harder in Indian Country

Woman from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs prepares salmon. (Photo: Alyssa Macy)

And how to fix it.

The Navajo Nation covers 27,413 square miles. Serving that entire area, the territory has just 10 grocery stores. This means that, in order to get fresh, affordable produce, some Navajo Nation residents must drive at least 155 miles round-trip, according to one recent study.

This makes the Navajo Nation, like many other American Indian reservations, a food desert—a region in the United States where residents can’t easily buy fresh, healthy, affordable food. (Because of their setting, these food deserts are unlike those that normally show up in the news, which tend to be in urban centers.) In recent years, American public health researchers and policy experts have done a lot to document the effects of food deserts on people’s health, and to suggest solutions. Yet, in all that talk, nothing quite seemed like it would work for the people Crystal Echohawk and Janie Simms Hipp serve. “The policy levers were off,” Hipp says. “They were not a good fit because of the uniqueness of Indian Country.”

Hipp is an agriculture lawyer who directs a research institute at the University of Arkansas School of Law. Echohawk runs her own consulting firm in Colorado that advises non-profits working on American Indian issues. Together, they advocate for American Indians to gain better access to healthy food, which would in turn reduce rates of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related ills that run rampant in the Native American population as a whole. Over 80 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native adults are overweight or obese; about half of American Indian children are at an unhealthy weight; and it’s estimated 30 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives have pre-diabetes. Compare those statistics to American adults in general, two-thirds of whom are overweight or obese, and 27 percent of whom are estimated to have pre-diabetes.

“Oftentimes, when conversations are had with policymakers or philanthropy or public health, people just turn away and say, ‘We don’t know where to start. The problems are too big for us to solve.’ But there’s no shortage of opportunity for real change.”

Conventional fixes probably won’t work. But Echohawk and Hipp have ideas for what will. Together with lawyer-activist Wilson Pipestem, they put together a report for the American Heart Association about how to address the unique burden of diet-related disease that the U.S.’s indigenous people carry. “I think, oftentimes, when conversations are had with policymakers or philanthropy or public health, people just turn away and say, ‘We don’t know where to start. The problems are too big for us to solve,'” Echohawk says. “But there’s no shortage of opportunity for real change.”

Pacific Standard recently talked over the phone with Echohawk and Hipp about what makes it hard to stay healthy while living on reservations and trust lands—what’s collectively called Indian Country—and how a local food movement and cultural programs can make it easier:

What are some examples of policy ideas for reducing obesity that weren’t good fits for Indian Country?

Janie Hipp: I’d served for six years or so with the Bush and Obama administrations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I was always struck when policy, at the national level, was really bearing down on food deserts. They talked about encouraging retail food outlets to carry more healthy food products or fresher produce. That’s great, but if you have no retail food outlet, then you’re actually talking about a whole different policy arena that you need to wrap your head around.

Crystal Echohawk: There’s just the assumption that people already had outlets, that they were in urban centers. There’s also the lack of understanding of tribes as sovereign nations and their ability to institute a level of policy change over their tribal citizens. Now, a lot of the policy change that is being advocated is at the state level. But when we really look at the biggest levers of change in Indian Country, we look at the level of tribal government and we also look at federal because of the government-to-government relationship that tribes have with the federal government.

I saw that the Navajo Nation this year instituted a tax on junk food. It also made fresh fruits and vegetables tax-free. I can’t imagine a state doing that. New York City tried to institute a sugary-drinks tax and it failed.

CE: There’s immense opportunity for real change in Indian Country. What Navajo Nation did, I think, is just one example. There are just so many more opportunities aside from a tax.

What’s one of your favorite ideas for improving healthy food access in Indian Country?

JH: The vast majority of the foods that are raised for human consumption on our reservations leave the borders of the reservation. If the levers are pulled in such a way that feeding people healthy, local food comes first, before you feed folks outside of those reservation boundaries—you can do both—then we are within reach of having a major shift in our health. And oh, by the way, [by selling locally grown food locally] we also can build strong rural and remote economies.

Why does all the food leave?

JH: What is lacking in all rural communities—it’s not just Indian Country, but the lack is more profound—is the infrastructure necessary to do the harvesting, grading, packing, storage, freezing, all of those things that allow you to store and move food around more locally. Re-building those infrastructure pieces, or building them outright, is an important piece that can’t be ignored.

What’s wrong with growing food on tribal land and having that shipped out, and then having something else shipped in, instead?

JH: Being able to retain as much healthy local food around our communities as possible is going to lead to fresher produce being available to us. On the meat side, that’s been a phenomenon for years, where livestock is raised on our reservations, but they leave the reservation boundaries and, in many cases, never return. Or they make a circuitous route across the U.S. before they get back. Think about the cost associated with that. All you have to do is go into a grocery store close by any of our remote reservations and you will noticeably see the cost of food is much higher, and that’s not even talking about Alaska.

Why do you think American Indians have higher rates of obesity and diabetes than Americans in general?

CE: Poverty is a root cause. It’s a lot cheaper to go to McDonald’s and order stuff off the Dollar Menu than it is to go in and buy fruits and vegetables in a store when you’re looking at many families that are surviving on one paycheck and feeding a dozen people.

Another important component is how we’re addressing historical trauma within Native American people. There’s been increasing research out there linking trauma to health disparities. When you look at the history regarding Native Americans, of forced removal, of genocide, the boarding schools, it’s layer upon layer of trauma that Native American people, over generations, have sustained

Senate Adopts Thune Provisions to Address Youth Suicide

By Ryan Wrasse, Kelo.com

US Senator John Thune, South Dakota. Image/thune.senate.gov

WASHINGTON (KELO AM) – U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) applauded the Senate’s adoption of his amendments to the Every Child Achieves Act (ECAA), a bill that would reduce federal interference in education, and put governors, school boards, parents, and teachers back in charge. Thune’s amendments would require the secretary of education to coordinate with other federal agencies to report on efforts to address youth suicides in Indian Country and expand the use of Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) funds to include preventative efforts against youth suicide and other school violence.

“There is no greater tragedy for a family than losing a child, sibling, or friend, especially to suicide,” said Thune. “Sadly, according the Indian Health Service, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Indian youth in Indian Health Service areas, with a death rate four times the national average. While there is a wide range of known factors that contribute to youth suicide, I think it’s important for us to get a better understanding of how we can better address both prevention and response to suicide in Indian Country.”

Thune’s amendment would require, within 90 days from the date of enactment, the secretary of education to coordinate with the secretary of interior and secretary of health and human services to report on a variety of information, including:

The federal response to the occurrence of high numbers of student suicide in Indian Country
A list of federal resources available to prevent and respond to student suicide outbreaks, including the availability and use of tele-behavioral health
Interagency collaboration efforts to streamline access to programs, including information on how the Departments of Education, Interior, and Health and Human Services work together on program administration
Any existing barriers to timely program implementation or interagency collaboration
Recommendations to improve or consolidate existing programs or resources
Tribal feedback to the federal response

The Senate also adopted Thune’s amendment that would expand the authorized use of Project SERV funds to include initiating or strengthening prevention activities in cases of chronic trauma or violence, such as the suicide crisis in Indian Country or gang violence in schools.

Local educational agencies and institutions of higher education seeking approval to initiate or strengthen prevention activities would be required to:

Demonstrate a continued disruption or a substantial risk of disruption to the learning environment that would be addressed by such activity
Provide an explanation of proposed activities designed to restore and preserve the learning environment
Provide a budget and budget narrative

Such requests would be subject to the discretion of the secretary and the availability of funds.

Thune also introduced amendments to ECAA that would exempt K-12 schools and higher education institutions from Obamacare’s employer mandate, allow Tribal Grant Schools to participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, and provide parity for tribal colleges to compete for certain funding sources. These amendments were not adopted during the Senate’s consideration of ECAA.

Who wants to eat contaminated seafood?

The Sugawara family from Mill Creek fish at Cottage Lake in Woodinville in 2014. (Mike Siegel/The Seattle Times)

By Kevin Davis and Julie Kramis Hearne, Seattle Times

In many ways, Washington state is a shining example of a local and sustainable food system. Heirloom vegetables, heritage livestock breeds and sustainable seafood all find their way to farmers markets, local grocers and restaurant plates. Our citizens have a proud legacy of growing their own vegetables, raising their own chickens, catching their own fish and harvesting their own shellfish from local waters. It makes our state a great place to live, especially if you love food.

We have a problem, however. Generations of manufacturing industries built up the economy of our state, especially the Puget Sound region, in a time before many pollutants were adequately regulated. These industries left a legacy of pollution. Despite significant improvements in recent years, unsafe pollution continues to this day, and we still have a long way to go. Long-lasting toxics, including PCBs, arsenic, mercury and many others, persist for years and find their way into our fish and shellfish.

As longtime restaurateurs, sports anglers, sustainable food advocates and concerned parents here in the Pacific Northwest, we understand exactly how much people in this region value local fish and shellfish. Whether on the Washington coast, in the Puget Sound region, Hood Canal or Columbia River Basin, fishing, crabbing, clamming and harvesting oysters are ways of life and part of the heritage that makes life in Washington so rich and special. It is also one of the reasons why we are so concerned with the quality of our state’s streams, rivers and other water bodies.

The state Department of Ecology has an opportunity right now to better protect those resources and the health of everyone in Washington who eats local fish and shellfish. Last year, the department proposed a long-overdue update to Washington’s water-quality standards. The current rule is inadequate and out of date, lagging behind our neighbors in Oregon, despite our strong fishing economy and culture.

We want to know that when we harvest salmon or Dungeness crab from the Sound, collect oysters on Hood Canal or catch sturgeon on the Columbia River, that these are safe to feed to our friends and family.”

But the Department of Ecology’s current proposal would fail to sufficiently improve protections because of loopholes that would allow “acceptable” levels of many toxic chemicals in our waters, including PCBs, mercury and arsenic, to remain exactly the same. The new rule would address the unreasonably low daily fish-consumption rate, increasing it to 175 grams from 6.5 grams. The increased consumption rate better would reflect how much fish Washington residents eat. However, the proposed rule would also include a 10-fold increase in the allowable cancer-risk rate. This second change would effectively negate most, if not all, of the important protections that these regulations are meant to provide.

The Clean Water Act requires that states maintain “water quality criteria sufficient to protect the most sensitive of the uses.” Consumption of seafood is one of the most sensitive uses. Many Washington residents, especially tribal members, Pacific Islanders, commercial and recreational fishermen, eat large amounts of fish and seafood from these waters. Our children eat seafood, and are much more sensitive to pollutants. The Department of Ecology’s own research shows that at least 29,000 Washington children eat more than 190 grams of fish — about one fillet — every day.

It’s time for our state officials to fix our water-quality standards. We want to know that when we harvest salmon or Dungeness crab from the Sound, collect oysters on Hood Canal or catch sturgeon on the Columbia River, that these are safe to feed to our friends and family. The state has the authority and responsibility to regulate pollution and clean up our waters. The question is: will it?

Kevin Davis is the co-owner and executive chef at Steelhead Diner and Blueacre Seafood. Julie Kramis Hearne is a cookbook author and former restaurant owner living on Hood Canal.

When tragedy struck, Washington state boy found healing in a canoe

Hamilton Seymour, 15, of Bellingham, Wash., introduced first lady Michelle Obama at the first White House Tribal Youth Gathering in Washington, D.C., on July 9, 2015.ROB HOTAKAINEN — McClatchy — Hamilton Seymour, 15, of Bellingham, Wash., introduced first lady Michelle Obama at the first White House Tribal Youth Gathering in Washington, D.C., on July 9, 2015.
ROB HOTAKAINEN — McClatchy

BY ROB HOTAKAINEN, News Tribune

WASHINGTON — After losing his father to suicide in 2012, teenager Hamilton Seymour said he wanted to find something positive in his life: He found healing by paddling his canoe.

“It’s my personal outlet,” said Seymour, a 15-year-old member of the Nooksack Indian Tribe from Bellingham, Wash. “It’s where I can get away, even if I’m with people.”

Convinced that exercise is “a stress reliever” and the key to improving mental health, Seymour now is pushing other members of his tribe to deal with grief and celebrate their culture by carving canoes and singing traditional Native songs as they paddle their way to fitness. His efforts are gaining attention.

After Seymour won a national award earlier this year from the Center for Native American Youth, he found the spotlight on Thursday at the first White House Tribal Youth Gathering, when he was picked to introduce first lady Michelle Obama before her speech to the group.

“It was just surreal,” said Seymour.

An official in the first lady’s office said Seymour was chosen because his story served as a “source of inspiration” for other Indian youths. But Seymour speculated that there was another reason.

“I’ve been told they did a background check and they looked at our social media,” he said. “And I luckily only have Facebook and I don’t post anything vulgar, inappropriate or like just stupid stuff people post these days.”

Seymour was one of five Indian youths from across the nation cited as a 2015 “champion for change” by the Center for Native American Youth, an award that recognizes youths who are making a difference in their communities. Center officials noted that while most adults are uncomfortable talking about such issues as sexual abuse and suicide, Indian youth leaders are tackling the issues head on.

Seymour, whose parents divorced when he was 6 years old, said he didn’t want to discuss specifics of his father’s suicide. But he said the act of violence leaves survivors suffering.

Growing up, he said, he has learned that “you only get out of this world what you put in,” but he said he doesn’t want to judge others who struggle. He said many Indian kids are growing up in homes where parents are fighting and the children aren’t getting enough sleep or food.

“High school’s tricky,” he said. “You never really know what someone’s going through.”

Seymour said his application for the award focused on keeping culture alive through traditional sports. As part of his project, he has lined up 11 other teens to help him paddle canoes in races.

“What paddling is doing for us is getting us stronger – obviously physically, but also mentally, spiritually and emotionally,” he said. “It’s just beautiful.”

Seymour said paddling comes naturally to him, with the tradition strong on both sides of his family.

He said his father, a Canadian Indian who was in his early 30s when he committed suicide, was a champion paddler.

“He was a phenomenal man, and I’d like to carry out his name and his spirit through paddling. . . . I feel like paddling is only one of the few things that I have left of him,” Seymour said.

Some of Seymour’s friends from Bellingham, who are also in the nation’s capital this week as part of various tribal youth events, said Seymour has come a long way.

“I’ve known Hammi my whole life – he’s our baby,” said Sarah Scott, 21, a mentor for the Lummi Nation’s tribal youth recreation program. “In the last year, he’s just blossomed into this natural leader on a national platform, and to me that is just so inspiring.”

William Lucero, 18, another member of the Lummi Nation, said it was remarkable to watch Seymour get a hug from the first lady.

“I was jealous,” he said. “It’s so cool.”

Seymour, who will be a junior at Mount Baker High School in Deming, Wash., this fall, said it was a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” to share the stage with Michelle Obama.

“I didn’t know she was that tall,” he said.

When an announcer called his name, saying it was time to introduce the first lady of the United States, Seymour said he temporarily lost his breath.

“I took one step and I felt all the oxygen just leave my body,” he said. “I got told to take three deep breaths. I did that, but my heart was pumping. It was just so great.”

Seymour figures his life is looking pretty bright, too.

“I can’t tell the future, but I’m really hoping, and I really feel like it’s going to be great,” he said.

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2015/07/10/3910390_when-tragedy-struck-washington.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

It’s Too Hot to Cook!

Don’t let the weather drive you to the drive-thru

By Niki Cleary, Tulalip News

Summer is hot. This summer, in particular, has been a scorcher. The last thing you want to think about when it’s hot, is heating up the oven and making the house even hotter. Not to mention who wants to do dishes (which means adding humidity to the already miserable heat)? So, what do you do for dinner? Eat out of course.

Wait, wait, wait. Bad idea. Why? The average drive through meal at McDonald’s can easily top 1,000 calories. Let’s do the math: that’s one quarter pounder with cheese at 520 calories, medium fries an additional 340 calories and a 12 oz. strawberry banana smoothie (hey, it’s hot and smoothies are healthy, right?) at 210 calories. For reference, moderately active adult women typically need about 2,000 calories a day, and men closer to 3,000. I don’t even want to talk about federal subsidies for unhealthy foods, the power of corporate food or why that kind of food is unethical. Okay, I do want to talk about it, but not in this article.

So, rather than pack on the pounds in the middle of bikini season, with a little prep you can enjoy home-cooked meals that don’t turn your house into a sauna. First, let me preface this by saying, I enjoy cooking. But even if you don’t, these recipes are easy enough to follow.

How to get started; food, like a house, requires a good foundation in order to be awesome. In this case, that means buying fresh, in-season, preferably local and possibly organic. Sounds like a tall order, right? I’m not just being difficult (although according to my relatives, I can be), there’s actually a good reason for those requirements. Bear with me, I’ve been told shopping with me is like a civics lesson.

First, when you buy food in season, and local, it just tastes better. Out of season food doesn’t have the same intensity of flavor, and often has weird textures. Second, the more local your food, the closer to ripe it is when it’s picked. When food travels it has to be picked under ripe, stored in refrigeration while it’s shipped. Last, local food bypasses the guilt of knowing your meal came with a carbon footprint. Add to that the fact that buying local means you are providing jobs in your community and it feels like good karma all around.

Before you decide whether to buy organic or not, take a look at the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) lists: The Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen (www.ewg.org). This list features the foods that are most and least contaminated by pesticides. Every year the EWG tests samples of produce for pesticide presence and makes a recommendation based on the results. Let’s face it, organic is expensive and unless you want to spend a whole paycheck grocery shopping (which I’ve been known to do), you need to prioritize. Either avoid, or buy organic the Dirty Dozen and don’t worry about organic for the Clean Fifteen.

Fresh is important. It’s easy to get carried away when you buy produce, especially if you treat yourself to a farmer’s market where there are samples, and the booths are cute and you can’t stand to not support that kooky old guy wearing bibs and a straw hat. I can’t state this enough, don’t buy too much. If you do buy too much, process and freeze it immediately.

Trust me you’re not going to eat 10 pounds of potatoes, five pints of blueberries, five pounds of carrots, three bunches of kale and several pounds of beautiful, bright red cherries all while they’re still at their peak flavor. It doesn’t matter how mouthwatering they are, unless you have a family of 10 eating every meal together, you’re going to throw them away and feel bad about it.

Now that we feel good about shopping, let’s look at the menu. You’re going to have to imagine my Julia Child’s impression: Today we’re making a delectable meal that requires very little cooking indoors. I have one last confession: I don’t measure very often, so this is an approximation of the last time I made this meal, your results may vary.

Grilled stuffed red bell peppers

4 organic red bell peppers (you decide if organic is worth the price, but all your friends are doing it, so…)
1 package of ground Italian sausage (it comes in hot or mild)
1 cup of rice
1 cup of water
1 can of diced stewed tomatoes
Shredded Italian blend of cheeses (I buy a pre-shredded mix because I despise shredding cheese)

Pre-heat gas or charcoal grill to medium heat (about 350 F)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the Italian sausage. I find that a spatula works way better than a spoon for breaking up ground meats. You don’t have to cook it completely, just until there is very little pink. Add to that your rice, water and stewed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to low heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

While that’s simmering, slice your peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. I use red peppers because they cook more quickly than green, but really, you can use any color your heart desires and the market sells. As soon as your rice mixture is done, you’ll fill the halved peppers and top with shredded cheese, then pop them on the grill for another 10-15 minutes. Serve hot.

Quinoa salad.Photo/ Niki Cleary — Quinoa salad.
Photo/ Niki Cleary

Red white and blue quinoa salad

2 cups of quinoa
1-2 cups Blueberries
1-2 cups Strawberries
½ cup Mint leaves
Honey
Juice from 2 Limes
Salt to taste

Prepare about 2 cups of quinoa according to the package instructions. The key with quinoa is to rinse and drain it a couple of times before you cook it, that helps it come up light and fluffy. Chop your fruit and mint and add to the cooked quinoa. In a small bowl mix the juice from two limes with honey and salt to taste. I don’t know what to tell you guys, I didn’t measure, so just go with what tastes good to you. Pour the lime mixture into your salad, mix and serve at room temperature, or make ahead and serve chilled.

Cheesecake graham crackers

Graham crackers
Local, in season fruit (this time of year it’s blueberries, blackberries and peaches)

Cheesecake frosting

1 cup of butter (use the real stuff for goodness sake, it just tastes better)
2 boxes of cream cheese
Juice from 1 large lemon
Vanilla (a couple capfuls? I’ll be honest, I just dump some in straight from the bottle)
Powdered sugar

This is the decadent dessert portion of our meal. I make no apologies for the calories, they’re worth it. Just use moderation, or halve the cream cheese frosting recipe, or put some of it away and slather it on French toast or banana bread later in the week. It’s also great for no-cook cheesecake, by the way. It keeps well in the fridge for about a week, or you can freeze it for about a month. If you freeze it, thaw it overnight in the fridge prior to use.

Allow your butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature. Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add the lemon juice and vanilla and blend again. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, and to taste. I’m pretty sparing with the sugar, I don’t like it too sweet. Add a little, taste it, add a little more. Remember the graham crackers and fruit are sweet, so you don’t need too much sugar.

Place your cream cheese and fruit on pretty serving dishes and assemble your desired cheesecake graham crackers one at a time. Yum!

Please email and let me know how these recipes work for you (ncleary@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov) and give me some feedback on whether I’m being too complicated or too vague or if you like or dislike the food. Enjoy your summer and please, don’t let the heat drive you to the drive-thru!

Troubling trends in depression and suicide among youth

Healthy Youth Survey shows many county students are at risk

Source: The Healthy Youth Survey

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. – As students wrap up their school years and head into summer, new data shows that parents and community members should be aware of signs to look for if someone is in crisis and where to go for help. An increasing number of Snohomish County teens say they feel sad or hopeless, have thoughts of suicide, or have attempted suicide.

The latest release of the 2014 Healthy Youth Survey data focuses on issues surrounding mental well-being, social support and risks of unintentional injuries. All fourteen school districts in Snohomish County participated in the surveys distributed last October, adding up to 11,852 sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders whose answers shed some light around the health of our youth.

“Since the school year started in September, we have lost 13 students to suicide, ranging in age from 12 to 19 years old,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer and director for the Snohomish Health District. “That sobering fact, combined with responses from the students, demonstrates a real need for this community to come together and show our youth that they matter.”

The main takeaways for Snohomish County youth are:

· More students say depression significantly affects their daily activities. Youth were asked if they have ever felt so sad or hopeless every day for more than two weeks in a row that they stopped usual activities. While 6^th graders were not asked, 28.2 percent of 8^th graders, 36.3 percent of 10^th graders, and 35.8 percent of 12^th graders said that applied to them within the past year.

· Suicide planning and attempts continue to rise. There has been little to no improvement since 2008 in the number of youth who have seriously considered attempting suicide, have made a suicide plan, or who attempted suicide. Statistics for 6^th graders have stayed relatively unchanged, with 15.9 percent saying they have seriously thought about it in 2008, compared to 16.2 percent in 2014. However, the numbers have increased by 3 to 4 percent in all other grades for the same time period.

· Sophomores at slightly higher risk. In 2014, 1 out of 10 sophomores admitted to attempting suicide, 21 percent had seriously considered suicide, and almost 18 percent had planned out how they might do so. This compares to 4.8 percent of 6^thgraders, 8.8 percent of 8^th graders, and 8.2 percent of seniors who had attempted suicide.

· Youth are in need of adults they can turn to for help. Nearly 1 in 5 students report that they do not have a parent or trusted adult that they feel comfortable confiding in or asking for help from. Among high school students, about 80 percent of teens felt they could seek help from a parent, compared to 86 percent of 6^th graders. Only 70 percent of 10^th graders had an adult in their life, other than a parent, that they could turn to in a crisis.

“These results are quite distressing, but there are strategies to help our youth,” said Dr. Goldbaum. “Most important is getting young people to ask for help if they need it, and for the adults around them to be engaged, aware and listening. Our students need to know there is hope and something to look forward to. We all play a role in preventing suicide.”

If you or someone you know feels hopeless or contemplates suicide, there are numerous resources available in our community. Visit the Health District’s Youth Suicide Prevention page for a list of sites, phone numbers and apps available 24/7.

RESOURCE: Have a Safe and Healthy Summer

Suicide prevention—for both youth and adults—was one of the top three priority areas identified in the Community Health Improvement Plan. The plan lays out a number of objectives and strategies to be accomplished by the end of 2019. Individuals or groups interested in joining an action team working on one of the priorities, please contact us at 425.339.8650 or healthstats@snohd.org.

The Health District has prepared facts sheets on the depression and suicide data, as well as students’ unintentional injury risks. Each one features the most relevant questions and data for students in our county, as well as suggestions for what parents, schools, community groups, and government leaders can do moving forward. To view all of the fact sheets, visit www.snohd.org/Records-Reports/Data-Reports.

The Healthy Youth Survey is completed every two years and asks a variety of questions about substance use, safety behaviors, diet, physical and mental well-being, and school atmosphere.

To learn more, visit www.askhys.net.

Living Wise and Living Strong

Wisdom Warriors perform their newly-learned chair walking exercise.Photo/Micheal Rios — Wisdom Warriors perform their newly-learned chair walking exercise.
Photo/Micheal Rios

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Tribal elders from several different tribes have joined together to promote healthy lifestyles. These participants earned their medicine pouches and meet on a monthly basis, sometimes weekly, to maintain their goals and support each other with health goals to keep them living strong. Sponsored by Tulalip’s Diabetes Care and Prevention Program, this program and these tribal elders who make it possible are affectionately known as the Wisdom Warriors.

The Wisdom Warriors program was created as a means to successfully link Native American elders with services and information on aging in a healthy and positive way. This valuable program ensures services to elders with a focused outreach method that centers on using culturally appropriate materials and a culturally relevant approach to make services available and effective. The goal is to provide an ongoing, incentive driven program that provides elders with the education, the support and the tools to make healthy choices resulting in lifestyles that promote self-care and longevity.

Wisdom Warriors held their monthy provider class in Jennings Memorial Park, where they learned new exercises that promote healthy living. Photo/Micheal Rios — Wisdom Warriors held their monthy provider class in Jennings Memorial Park, where they learned new exercises that promote healthy living.
Photo/Micheal Rios

During the spectacularly warm and sunny afternoon of Tuesday, June 23, the Tulalip Wisdom Warriors held their monthly provider class at the demonstration gardens located within Jennings Memorial Park in Marysville. They were joined by the Tulalip Health Clinic’s very own Dr. Kimberly Kardonsky, clinical specialist in Family Medicine, who spent valuable time with the Wisdom Warriors to discuss and actually perform exercise.

The exercise discussion was all encompassing, covering topics from why people exercise, why people don’t exercise, countering excuses people come up with to not exercise, and learning chair exercises that anyone can do from home without needing any special equipment. Dr. Kardonsky and the Wisdom Warriors talked about what exercise looks like, what a pedometer is used for, and then discussed the many health benefits of proper exercise. Everyone agreed that exercise for elders is a mood booster, increases energy, decreases disability and hospitalizations, and overall increases health.

Following their discussion on exercise, Dr. Kardonsky led the Wisdom Warriors in several exercises that were performed while sitting in their chairs for a full minute at a time. Sit-down exercises included arm raises, chair walking and leg raises.

“Sometimes people tell me, ‘I don’t feel so steady on my feet’ or ‘I’m worried I’m going to fall’, so these are exercises you can do while sitting, while watching TV even,” says Dr. Kardonsky to the group of exercising Wisdom Warriors. “Some people think you can’t build up a sweat while sitting down, but yes you can. There are different kinds of exercises. There’s the cardio kinds that get your blood and heart pumping. There’s strength, where you build up muscle. And then there’s flexibility and balance, things like stretching or yoga or Tai Chi. All of those different kinds of exercising have a role and I think as long as you are getting some of each your overall health will greatly benefit.

“You can talk to a hundred different health care providers and you’ll probably get a hundred different ideas, but my thought is getting some exercise in every day or close to every day is really important. Even if you haven’t exercised in a long time it’s not too late to be physically active and you will benefit greatly from that. Whether it’s going for a walk with a friend where you can catch up or doing some bursts of exercise while you watching your favorite show or working in your garden…it’s all exercise that will promote a healthier lifestyle.”

After the series of sit-down exercises, the Wisdom Warriors replenished their bodies with a healthy and energy filled lunch consisting of an assortment of fruits, coleslaw and turkey and chicken sandwiches.

Every elder who becomes a participant in the Wisdom Warrior program is committed to living a healthier lifestyle. The number of participants continues to grow as more tribal elders come together to prioritize health and wellness.

You are invited to join Wisdom Warriors and start your path to better health, with the support of your community. Class locations can vary. Please call 360-716-5642 or go to the Tulalip Health Clinic for more information.

Contact Micheal Rios, mrios@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

Tester: We must do more to address the youth suicide epidemic in Indian Country

(U.S. Senate)—Senator Jon Tester, Vice-Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, today held a committee hearing on efforts to prevent youth suicide in Indian Country.

During the hearing, Tester heard from administration and tribal leaders about the lack of resources accessible to Native American youth struggling with mental health issues.

“Unfortunately, this year it seems like Congress can provide more spending for Defense budgets, but we can’t put more resources towards saving the lives of native youth,” Tester said. “To say that this is troubling doesn’t even begin to characterize the situation.”

Native Americans have the highest suicide rate of any ethnic group in the United States, and Native American youth commit suicide at twice the rate of their non-Native peers.

Currently, IHS only employs 0.44 mental health providers per 100,000 Native American youths and only 1.3 percent of the total clinical service budget for IHS is allocated for mental health services.

Earlier this month the Senate passed two Tester-backed bills that will increase safety and provide additional resources for children in Indian Country.

Press Release, Jon Tester

The Power of Play

All children, regardless of age or ability, need time to play every day. Parents and caregivers should provide opportunities for play in a safe and age-appropriate environment.

Children are interested in learning about the world around them. They can explore their world through play, practice new skills, and expand their imagination. Playing with your child is not only fun, but it’s one of the most important ways you can help nurture your child’s development.

To maximize the benefits of play, keep these things in mind:

Safety first: Make sure toys don’t have small parts that fit into your child’s mouth that could be a choking hazard.

Follow their lead: Watch your child and see what kind of activities interest them and do what they want. Let your child determine how and what to play.

Play with your child: You are their favorite toy! Get down on their level and let them crawl on you, or play blocks, do a puzzle or sing and dance.Repeat and Repeat again: Children love to do things with repetition. They may want to play with the same toy or activity again and again, and it’s beneficial because some children like the sense of knowing what to expect. It provides them a sense of security and control.

Songs and Rhymes: Children enjoy songs – especially those with hand motions. Words are easier to learn when they rhyme or are put to music. Encourage your child to sing with you.

Hands-On Learning: Using hands and fingers to push buttons or open boxes helps children learn about how the world works. Many children also like to paint with their fingers, use play dough and play with sand.

Involve friends: Having fun with peers is an important way for children to learn social skills like sharing, taking turns, and resolving conflicts. Invite friends to your home or meet at a park.

ChildStrive (formerly known as Little Red School House) has been partnering with Tulalip families for more than 30 years. For more information about your child’s childhood development contact Courtney Miller at ChildStrive at (425) 353-5656 x7145 or Courtney.Miller@ChildStrive.org. More information about ChildStrive can be found on our website at www.ChildStrive.org

Montana creates Office of American Indian Health

By Associated Press

HELENA, Mont. – Gov. Steve Bullock signed an executive order last week establishing a state Office of American Indian Health, saying the current health care system in Indian Country limits access to preventative care and quality health care services and providers.

Bullock issued the directive with health officials and tribal leaders at the conclusion of the Montana Tribal Leaders’ Summit at the Capitol.