SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - New classes at the Community Health Center in Bankers Hill are helping address some of the health disparities among the Native American population.
People in that community are three times as likely to have Type 2 diabetes and have a life expectancy of more than five years less than the average white American.
To change those numbers, the Center offers free cooking and movement classes, and also talk sessions to take some of the stigma away.
"We want to make sure we're eating the rainbow, having as many vegetables as we can," said Marian McIntosh, who teaches a cooking class at the center.
"Essentially, our goal is to show our community members how to build a well-balanced plate at home," McIntosh said.
During a recent class, participants made turkey tenderloins with vegetables. They also made the connection between healthy food and healthier lives.
"I'm losing weight, and I feel a lot better, much better," said Julie Uribe, a Native Alaskan who is familiar with the health challenges her people face.
"Before I was buying frozen foods and pre-made things. Now I'm learning how to prepare my own meals," Uribe said.
She also attends a movement class at the center, which has transformed her daily routine.
"It was miserable. So stiff," Uribe said about walking before the classes. "Since I've been going to this yoga class, it's enabled me to start walking every night."
The classes began in July to give underserved communities access to the tools they need to live well. For years, healthy food and low-cost fitness classes were hard to find on reservations.
The program has helped Roderick Napouk lose significant weight.
"I used to be over 300 pounds. Today I weigh 237," Napouk said. "When I started, it was hard on the first day. Now I'm just enjoying life. A lot more energy."
The classes also lean into Native heritage, using traditional movements and ingredients whenever possible.
"A lot of the meals that I have been making use, for example, one of the main sisters. The three sisters are squash, beans, and corn," McIntosh said. "I think eating foods from our culture is important. Because we might not know how beneficial it is to eat food from our culture."
The classes also build community for a group that's been pushed aside for centuries.
"Community is sharing common interest in unity, which is what I love to do," said Leanne Edoria, the leader of the movement classes.
Participants leave the cooking class with a bag of ingredients to cook for themselves. They also take home the confidence to keep living a healthy lifestyle.
"I always say 1% change is still success," McIntosh said.
All of the classes are open to the public. Registration information is available at sdaihc.org.
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