Sioux culture, holidays and traditions?

[Star Wolf Medicine Woman]

An excellent post thanks for posting that in particular about your DNA results..
Yes life on the rez does vary from place to place and it is very much a hard life.Some how the Heatlh funding is never enough, the need is to great for the funds available.. The lack of employment, Alcoholism and the high teenage pregnacy and suicide rates are frightening.
The impact of disease is far reaching..One of the main reasons being caused by a poor diet because of food stamps, that do not providing enough of the right kind of nutrician.
Then this impacts on the people,by an increased Diabetic rate, together with High blood pressure and stroke and heart disease at rates far exceeding the norms in non NAI nations... I'm sure you know my thinking...

[LilMariposa85]

I don't know what area you live in, but in my area, people with food stamps use it on just junk food, but they have more than enough funds on their card to get healthier things. I don't quite understand that. They also seemed to improve the WIC here, though I don't know what its like in other areas. They have fruit and vegetable vouchers as well.

They have a hospital in Anchorage, Alaska that treats Alaska Native and Native American people for free. From what I hear, its a good hospital. You walk it and feel total peace. I felt that myself and found it hard to leave. My favorite spots were the 4th and 5th floors. They have these ginormous windows with a great view of the mountains. I love sitting there and reading, writing, or just being introspective.
If any people you know that are AK Native or Native American are in the Anchorage area, encourage them to go there if they need it.

Things like diabetes can be prevented by reducing the carbs and processed sugar they eat and high blood pressure can be reduced by eating less salt, and I was taught that drinking water after eating salty foods could bring blood pressure down quickly.

[Star Wolf Medicine Woman]

My friends living on Lame Deer Rez in Montana and ine Northern Cheyenne guy has already lost the sight of one eye and is rapidly losing the vision in the other, he told me he cannot get any help locallly as there is only a small medical centre on the Crow Agency.. He has to travel to Oklahoma to a hospital there and 4 years down the line he is no closer to a diagnosis or any effective treatment..

Diabetes is very much on the increase and its not just sugar that causes problems.. There are hidden sugars and high carb diets that are a factor. In Alaska maybe you have a different set of circumstances. I am so glad you are able to get what you need... Diabete is a multi system condition and it affects every organ in the body, it is a big problem but there are many more like Heart disease and Hypertension. I agree with you about small changes in the diet that can help, but many need medication and long term monitoring.. Its not just physical illness either, Depression and a high suicide rate is so very sad.

cool stuff

[LilMariposa85]

Originally Posted by Star Wolf Medicine Woman

My friends living on Lame Deer Rez in Montana and ine Northern Cheyenne guy has already lost the sight of one eye and is rapidly losing the vision in the other, he told me he cannot get any help locallly as there is only a small medical centre on the Crow Agency.. He has to travel to Oklahoma to a hospital there and 4 years down the line he is no closer to a diagnosis or any effective treatment..

Diabetes is very much on the increase and its not just sugar that causes problems.. There are hidden sugars and high carb diets that are a factor. In Alaska maybe you have a different set of circumstances. I am so glad you are able to get what you need... Diabete is a multi system condition and it affects every organ in the body, it is a big problem but there are many more like Heart disease and Hypertension. I agree with you about small changes in the diet that can help, but many need medication and long term monitoring.. Its not just physical illness either, Depression and a high suicide rate is so very sad.

I'm sorry to hear about that. It doesn't seem like its a health issue that is too complicated for anyone to treat, but that's just my opinion.

And yup. Diabetes does some serious damage. If undiagnosed, it can wreak havoc on kidneys probably before anything else, though that's just one thing. Another thing, anyone who is a chronic alcoholic who might have diabetes probably doesn't understand, but there is a lot of sugar in alcohol alone. I can't help but think I mentioned that before, but I seriously don't want to go back and read over everything I've said.

[Makoiyi]

Agreed Diabetes does some serious damage but many tribes are promoting traditional foods and diet to help manage this disease.

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwor...ds-cafe-146118

Yes good food does cost but you can grow it fairly easily, we grew traditional foods back home and I still grow them despite now living abroad. The seed is cheap and in some cases can be free or much reduced.

http://shop.nativeseeds.org/pages/seeds

Diet is one way that everyone can help reduce the severity of Diabetes, I can't and don't eat a conventional western diet due to the heal issues it caused with me. I thankfully don't have Diabetes but me changing my diet back to a traditional one sure helped prevent things going that far and helped me fight and control what I do have. It only takes a person to make that change so they can start to help themselves.