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Aboriginal
Diabetes
Diabetes Consultant: Christa Keating RN BSN CDE As Part of the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative project being implemented by Gitmaxmak’ay Nisga’a Society, I have been hired as the diabetes consultant, responsible for the workshop development and consultant to other aspects of the project. I am from the community of Hartley Bay, of the Tsimshian Nation. I grew up with family members who had to deal with managing diabetes. I also had personal experience with the disease when I developed Gestational Diabetes in both of my pregnancies. For the last 12 years I have worked as a Diabetes Education Nurse in Prince Rupert, about the disease and how to manage it and prevent it and its complications. My job has enabled me to learn a great deal about what diabetes and how people are affected. That knowledge has transformed the way I live my life and the health of not only myself but my children as well. I am excited to be able to share that knowledge and personal and professional experience I have gained in managing diabetes. I am grateful for this opportunity to share it with you. It is my hope as well as the hope of the Gitmaxmak’ay Nisga’a Society that this project helps to promote a strong and healthy First Nations Peoples. Tea Session Workshops: Part of the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative involves workshops held at the Nisga’a Hall discussing various topics related to diabetes. Workshops held so far were What is Diabetes? Nutrition for Diabetes Prevention and Management. The following are being planned: June 17: Physical Activity, Exercise therapist Elaine Lohnes will demonstrate how to use exercise bands. September: A workshop focusing on nutrition and activity for kids. This workshop is meant for Parents of kids, if an evening session is better for you please let us know! October: Foot Care for those with Diabetes, tentatively Dr Feist to speak. November: Diabetes and illness, guest speaker will be Pharmacist Lisa Bui to talk about over the counter cough and cold medication. December: Stress Management January: Smoking and its relationship to diabetes and other chronic diseases, guest speaker to be Doreen Bond, Smoking Cessation Counselor. February: Diabetes and relationship to Heart Disease, Guest speaker, Tammy Sim, Healthy Heart Nurse. March: Preventing Eye Damage. What is Diabetes? It is a disease in which a person is not able to process and use sugar in their body as they are supposed to. The sugar stays in the blood where our body can’t use it. This leaves our body without energy, and potentially damages the blood vessels in the body. Why are we so concerned about Diabetes? Diabetes is becoming a health concern of epidemic proportions. Rates of this disease are increasing around the world. The greatest and fasted increases in cases of diabetes are in Aboriginal populations. High levels of blood sugar over a long period of time causes damage to blood vessels that can lead to complications like heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputations. Can Diabetes be controlled? – Can the complications be prevented? Absolutely! Diabetes can be controlled. There are many things within your power that can control your blood sugar levels. Diabetes does not cause the devastating complications, High Blood Sugars do. We have power to control what those blood sugar levels are. If they are kept to as close to normal levels as possible, blood vessel damage is prevented, complications are prevented! How do you control blood sugar levels? By not giving your body more sugar than it can handle. Staying away from high sugar drinks like juice and pop. As well as avoiding candies, sweets and being careful how much starchy foods you eat and eating them with protein. *This way of eating is similar to the type of diet First Nations ancestors ate, and it kept them a strong and healthy people. By moving your body which takes sugar out of your blood and keeps your body strong and your heart healthy. Our bodies were meant to move! It is only very recently in history that we have become used to a lifestyle where we are not active daily and this inactive lifestyle is now making us sick. Can you prevent diabetes? What you would do to control diabetes is the same thing you would do to prevent it. The nutrition and exercise advice taught to people with diabetes is advice all of us should follow. |
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