From the 2012-2013 President of the Association of American Indian Physicians, Nicole Stern M.D., Board Certified Physician in Internal Medicine and Sports Medicine (Mescalero Apache):

Hello everybody! Seeing that our heaviest eating holiday is looming upon us in just a few short days, I thought I would recommend some HEALTHY EATING tips for the Thanksgiving and Winter Holidays. For those of you who do not know, the FOOD PYRAMID is out, as of 2010, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). As a replacement, the USDA now recommends the MyPlate dietary guidelines. To summarize, here is a list of the four major food groups eaten in similar quantities that are necessary to maintain a healthy diet:

• Grains, mostly whole grains.
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Lean protein

In addition to these, make sure to get at least two servings of low fat, or better yet, nonfat dairy products per day. If you are lactose intolerant, use a lactase enzyme supplement, or take a calcium and Vitamin D3 supplement daily. Turns out, American Indians and other races, especially African Americans, are often low or deficient in Vitamin D due to the amount of melanin in the skin which is a photoprotectant keeping out harmful ultraviolet rays, but also keeping out the sunlight needed to make Vitamin D in the body.

In addition to the above recommendations, try to limit your portions and all those sweets that will be put on your tables or in front of you at party buffets. These sweets contain the most calories from added sugars and saturated fats.

And…DON’T FORGET TO EXERCISE!!! The United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends that every adult exercise as follows:

• If you engage in MODERATE activities such as walking fast, dancing or raking leaves, do at least 2 hours and 30 minutes per week.
• If you engage in VIGOROUS activities such as jogging, jumping rope, swimming laps, or riding a bike on hills, do at least 1 hour and 15 minutes per week.

In addition to weight training, don’t forget to do muscle-strengthening exercises (e.g. push-ups, sit-ups, weight training) at least two days per week. Weight bearing exercise and weight training programs are important for bone health. Without these regular activities in your life, you will be at risk of developing osteopenia and ultimately osteoporosis as you age! More tips to come…..stay tuned! -NS

About Dr. Nicole Stern

Dr. Stern is a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe of New Mexico. She received her B.A. from Stanford University and her M.D. from the University of Arizona. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Arizona College Of Medicine and her fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. During her fellowship she completed a research project on childhood obesity at the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic and she also co-produced a documentary film with AAIP about a young man living with AIDS. This documentary was distributed to American Indian health clinics around the country.

Currently, Dr. Stern works as a staff and team physician at the University of California Santa Barbara Student Health Service. Dr. Stern’s research interests include disease prevention through exercise and organized sports programs for youth, childhood obesity, and the prevention of other health disparities affecting American Indian communities.

She is the President of the Association of American Indian Physicians, a national non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City.

NIHB LAUNCHED ITS NEW GO THE EXTRA MILE INITIATIVE

Tribal organizations are encouraged to join NIHB on this journey.

Last week, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) launched its new GO the EXTRA MILE initiative. November 1st also marked the first day of both the American Indian Heritage Month and Diabetes Awareness Month. NIHB staff, along with staff from the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH), the Center for Native American Youth, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (S.T.O.P.) Obesity Alliance, and the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA), gathered in front of the National Museum of the American Indian, in Washington D.C. at 8: 00 AM EST to inaugurate the GO the EXTRA MILE initiative...

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WORDS of WISDOM..

It is not a marathon, or a sprint, but a relay that we, together, walk in order to outsmart chronic diseases that threaten our health in Indian Country.