Virtual Campfire #30: Diabetes in Indigenous Communities with Kelli Begay

One of the questions we're seeking to answer on the 2021 #TakeAHikeDiabetes tour is:

Is trauma a root cause of diabetes? If so, if we address the trauma, can we better treat diabetes?

When I look at my personal experience managing Type 2 Diabetes, this is absolutely true for me. When I didn't get help after I was sexually assaulted in college, I developed unhealthy coping mechanisms to help numb the pain and help me avoid flashbacks. I would eat Ben & Jerry's for breakfast and drink a bottle of wine to myself every night more often than not.

After more than a decade of those behaviors, I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.

I've learned the most disturbing statistics about diabetes when you break it down by racial group:

14.7% of Native Americans/Alaskan Natives

12.5% of Hispanics

11.7% of non-Hispanic Blacks

9.2% of Asian Americans

7.5% of non-Hispanic whites

If you look at these groups and think about issues like poverty, access to healthcare, education, food deserts (and food swamps) and the pay gaps in America, and the historical trauma experienced by these communities - colonization, racism, slavery, oppression, systemic issues - then it's even more evident that trauma could be a root cause of diabetes.

I'm excited to have a conversation about the prevalence of diabetes in Indigenous communities with Kelli Begay:

Kelli Wilson Begay, MBA, MS, RDN comes from the Kickapoo, Seminole, and Muscogee Creek tribes of Oklahoma. She is a dietitian, wellness advocate, and entrepreneur who feels a sense of responsibility to utilize her diverse skill set to serve the social and health needs of Indigenous communities worldwide. She specializes in working on issues related to nutrition, type 2 diabetes, health communications, wellness, and more. As a Native person, Kelli has an in-depth understanding of the unique qualities and complex barriers that Native communities endure and advocates that their voices be heard.

IN THIS EPISODE: What is the history of diabetes in Indigenous communities? What are the current numbers as reported by Indian Health Services (IHS)? What are some myths about Native Americans that we can bust right now? Can you participate in Indigenous traditions and ceremonies respectfully or are they off limits?

RESOURCES

Healing Historical Trauma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycQJ8ckwYaU&feature=youtu.be&t=2471

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