Q. Why is there an
epidemic of diabetes among Indians?
A. Indian
people did not have diabetes in the past. Because they were hunters and gatherers, they
had very high-fiber, low fat diets and their lives required continuous daily exercise.
Because they lived in times of feast and famine for thousands of years, their
bodies developed the genetic ability to store calories and release them during times of
scarcity. This is called the storage or fat gene.
On average, Lakota children do not consume more calories or fat than
non-Lakota children nor do they get less exercise. But because they are so few
generations removed from traditional tribal lifestyles, their bodies have not had time to
adjust to the high fat, prepackaged foods of today. The "modern"
highly-processed diet has taken this special ability to store fat and turned it against
Indians with a vengeance, creating the conditions that bring on diabetes.
Many believe that if the Lakota people could return to traditional methods
of gathering and preparing foods, then balance and health would return to the people.
That is why the Porcupine Clinic has created Project Grow,
which works with families to make gardens and provide education about the importance of
proper diet and exercise.
