Native American Diabetics

According to an article I read recently, Indians children
running for their lives, fighting a new problem. Diabetes!

To help fight this battle Sister Martha Mary Carpenter is
motivating her 220 students by requiring them to run for
one mile before school starts in the morning and then
hiking another mile after several hours of schoolwork. NO
candy, cookies or cake at class parties and all vegtables are
eaten at lunch.

The Pima reservation of 12,000 Native Americans has the
highest rate of diabetics in the world. One half all adults
and %5 of 15 to 18 year olds. Pima's are the extreme of this
epidemic affecting Native Americans.

65,000 Native Americans have diabetes that is 3 times the
average of whites. And the rates are rising. Even 3 year
olds have it on the Gila River Reservation.

It is believed that after WWII the commodities and processed
foods high in sugar started this trend. Difficult access
to treatment and poor care have led to increases in T.B.
alcoholism,and heart problems. Low exercise and high weight
gain are contributors.

It has been discovered that famine can cause the body to store
fat so after the war the body continues to store the fat causing
obescity in the people. Note Yoga classes, exercise programs with
state of the art equipment and nutrition planning are helping

Diabetes need not be a death sentence!! Many are learning this.