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		<title>Reviving Roots: Indigenous Communities Leading the Fight for Food Sovereignty</title>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Reviving Roots: Indigenous Communities Leading the Fight for Food Sovereignty By: Brealynn Lee In a world that grapples with climate change, economic instability, and the erosion of cultural identities, Indigenous communities are reclaiming control over their food systems, championing a movement that sustains and revives their cultural heritage and environmental stewardship. Food sovereignty—the right for people to define their food [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://bcaglobal.org/reviving-roots-indigenous-communities-leading-the-fight-for-food-sovereignty/">Reviving Roots: Indigenous Communities Leading the Fight for Food Sovereignty</a> first appeared on <a href="https://bcaglobal.org">BCAGlobal</a>.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://bcaglobal.org/reviving-roots-indigenous-communities-leading-the-fight-for-food-sovereignty/">Reviving Roots: Indigenous Communities Leading the Fight for Food Sovereignty</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bcaglobal.org">BCAGlobal</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b>Reviving Roots: Indigenous Communities Leading the Fight for Food Sovereignty</b><b><br />
</b><b><i>By: Brealynn Lee</i></b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a world that grapples with climate change, economic instability, and the erosion of cultural identities, Indigenous communities are reclaiming control over their food systems, championing a movement that sustains and revives their cultural heritage and environmental stewardship. Food sovereignty—the right for people to define their food sources and practices based on traditional, cultural, and personal needs—has grown into a powerful call to action among Indigenous leaders </span><a href="https://www.bia.gov/bia"><span style="font-weight: 400;">(Bureau of Indian Affairs, n.d.)</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. This article explores how food sovereignty efforts are spearheaded by leaders like Mariaelena Huambachano, Twila Cassadore, and Dr. Michael Robidoux, who are dedicated to reclaiming traditional foodways, conserving biodiversity, and fostering resilience within Indigenous communities. Additionally, the USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative brings essential governmental support, promoting Indigenous health, cultural food practices, and sustainable agriculture within Indian Country.</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_4993" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4993" style="width: 384px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="wp-image-4993 size-full" src="https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MariaHuambachano.jpg" alt="Photo of Mariaelena Huambachano in a traditional red indigenous overthrow" width="384" height="512" srcset="https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MariaHuambachano.jpg 384w, https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MariaHuambachano-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-4993" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 1: Mariaelena Huambachano is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Humanities and Native American and Indigenous Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. Photos courtesy of <a href="http://www.mariaelena-huambachano.com">www.mariaelena-huambachano.com</a></figcaption></figure>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Reclaiming Ancestral Knowledge: The Vision of Food Sovereignty</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Food sovereignty goes beyond access to food; it emphasizes the right of a people to define their food systems according to their needs, values, and beliefs. For Indigenous communities around the globe, this right encompasses more than just sustenance—it involves a reclamation of culture, identity, and deep connections to the land. Food is sacred to these communities, intertwined with their histories, beliefs, and spiritual practices, all of which have been handed down through generations. Yet, colonialism, land dispossession, and the industrialization of agriculture have disrupted these sacred practices, rendering food sovereignty a central issue in both Indigenous and environmental advocacy today.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dr. Mariaelena Huambachano, a Quechua scholar and assistant professor at Syracuse University, encapsulates this holistic perspective on food sovereignty. As an academic and advisor to the United Nations, she advocates for food sovereignty as not only a right to access food but as a human right that is closely linked with Indigenous identity and intellectual autonomy. In her teachings on Indigenous food cosmologies, Huambachano emphasizes that food sovereignty offers a way to revive cultural practices, restore ecological stewardship, and cultivate nutritional self-sufficiency.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Huambachano explains that Indigenous approaches to food are deeply embedded in Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), a framework that views food as a form of medicine for both people and the land. TEK is informed by a profound, place-based understanding of ecosystems that have sustained Indigenous populations for millennia. Through her work, Huambachano and many other Indigenous scholars seek to restore this worldview, advocating for policies that recognize and support Indigenous rights to land, water, and traditional food sources. Her advocacy promotes a food sovereignty model that is rooted in the spiritual and cultural bonds Indigenous communities maintain with their environments, emphasizing that food systems should nurture both people and the planet.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<figure id="attachment_4994" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4994" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-4994 size-full" src="https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Mariaelena2.jpg" alt="Mariaelena Huambachano sitting in a garden with a red overcoat and blue and white pattern leggings" width="800" height="574" srcset="https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Mariaelena2.jpg 800w, https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Mariaelena2-300x215.jpg 300w, https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Mariaelena2-768x551.jpg 768w, https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Mariaelena2-140x100.jpg 140w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-4994" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 2: Huambachano engages in hands-on research through community-based projects in many regions.</figcaption></figure>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Twila Cassadore and the Western Apache Diet Project: Reviving Health Through Traditional Foods</b></p>
<figure id="attachment_4995" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4995" style="width: 500px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-4995 size-full" src="https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TwilaCassadora.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="750" srcset="https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TwilaCassadora.jpg 500w, https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TwilaCassadora-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-4995" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 3: <a href="https://www.cihuapactlicollective.org/ancestralwombwellnessgathering-2024">Twila Cassadore </a></figcaption></figure>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For many Indigenous communities, the loss of traditional food sources has led to significant health disparities, with rising rates of diabetes, obesity, and other diet-related diseases becoming increasingly common. These health challenges spurred Twila Cassadore, a member of the San Carlos Apache Nation, to take action. Her initiative, the Western Apache Diet Project, seeks to reconnect her community with traditional foods that have been marginalized and largely forgotten due to Western dietary influences and the enduring impacts of colonization.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cassadore spent years consulting with elders to retrieve knowledge about wild plants, foraging, and traditional cooking techniques. Through this collaboration, she has revitalized the knowledge of preparing Indigenous foods and documented traditional meals that incorporate native plants, seeds, and wild game. Her project not only provides her community with healthier alternatives to processed foods, but also imparts cultural and spiritual teachings related to these practices. By organizing community workshops, storytelling sessions, and hands-on activities, Cassadore educates her people about a diet that is culturally enriching and nutritionally beneficial.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Western Apache Diet Project is not just a response to health issues but a larger cultural revival </span><a href="https://www.ihs.gov/sites/diabetes/themes/responsive2017/display_objects/documents/training_seminars/Handout_ApacheDiet.pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400;">(Indian Health Service, n.d.)</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Cassadore believes that by reclaiming their traditional diets, her community members can restore their physical health and reinforce their cultural resilience. This project resonates particularly with the youth, who are discovering the importance of food as a bridge to cultural identity, environmental stewardship, and collective well-being. For Cassadore, the revitalization of traditional foods is an act of cultural defiance and empowerment, offering a pathway for Indigenous communities to improve their health, reclaim their heritage, and affirm their connection to the land.</span></p>
<p><b>Dr. Michael Robidoux: Addressing Food Insecurity in Northern Canadian Indigenous Communities</b></p>
<p><b>Figure 4: </b><a href="https://images.app.goo.gl/8fbdK9irydEfDukVA"><b>Dr. Michael Robidoux </b></a></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4996 size-full" src="https://bcaglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Micheal-Robbideux.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="280" /></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Across the northern reaches of Canada, many Indigenous communities face profound challenges due to food insecurity. Limited access to affordable and nutritious foods, exacerbated by climate change and disrupted supply chains, has had significant consequences on their health and quality of life. Dr. Michael Robidoux, a professor at the University of Ottawa, has devoted years of research to understanding and alleviating food insecurity among Indigenous communities in Canada’s remote northern regions. His work seeks to build resilient, sustainable local food systems that reconnect Indigenous peoples with land-based practices, providing both sustenance and cultural revival.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Robidoux’s research highlights the difficulties faced by northern Indigenous communities, where climate change, industrial contamination, and legal restrictions on traditional hunting and fishing practices have disrupted food sources. Collaborating closely with Indigenous leaders, Robidoux has promoted community-based programs aimed at fostering traditional land-based skills, including hunting, fishing, and gardening. These skills not only provide reliable food sources but also contribute to a deeper sense of independence and resilience within these communities.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Robidoux’s notable projects has been with Cree communities, where he has helped establish community gardens that supply fresh produce and teach sustainable agriculture to younger generations. These gardens, designed as part of a broader strategy to combat food insecurity, have proven instrumental in educating young people about agriculture, sustainable food practices, and traditional plant knowledge. By emphasizing the cultural and practical value of local food systems, Robidoux’s initiatives help to ensure that Indigenous communities are better equipped to navigate the challenges posed by remote living and uncertain supply chains.</span></p>
<p><b>USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative: Government Support for Indigenous Food Sovereignty</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative provides essential governmental support to the food sovereignty movement, helping promote Indigenous health, preserve traditional food practices, and advance economic self-sufficiency. By fostering partnerships with tribal communities, this USDA initiative helps to fund projects aimed at restoring Native crops, developing local food markets, and supporting agricultural practices that align with Indigenous values and knowledge systems.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These partnerships allow communities to access resources for food production, storage, and distribution on Indigenous lands. By revitalizing traditional foods and supporting sustainable agricultural methods, the USDA’s initiative helps Indigenous communities rebuild self-sustaining food systems. For instance, one key aspect of the initiative is the establishment of seed banks to preserve heirloom seeds, safeguarding Indigenous plant varieties that are resilient to local climates and conditions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition to ecological goals, the USDA initiative emphasizes economic development, providing Indigenous farmers and food producers with training in essential business skills and helping them connect with buyers. By nurturing Indigenous entrepreneurship, this initiative helps Indigenous communities establish more autonomous food systems that are robust in the face of environmental and economic uncertainties. This exemplifies how government support can play a role in empowering Indigenous communities to preserve their heritage and protect their rights.</span></p>
<p><b>The Intersection of Food Sovereignty and Environmental Stewardship</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Food sovereignty is intrinsically linked to environmental stewardship, as many Indigenous food practices are rooted in sustainable, ecologically balanced methods of land management. Indigenous practices of hunting, fishing, and gathering follow natural cycles, helping to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem health. By advocating for food sovereignty, Indigenous leaders also advocate for conservation, sustainable resource management, and ecosystem balance.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mariaelena Huambachano’s work with the UN embodies this connection, as she campaigns for policies that recognize Indigenous peoples’ rights to manage their lands and resources sustainably. Her advocacy underscores the view that Indigenous-led conservation is not only effective but essential for global environmental sustainability. Similarly, Twila Cassadore’s efforts to reintroduce native plants and animals into local ecosystems highlight how reconnecting with traditional foods can enhance biodiversity and support ecological harmony.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dr. Robidoux’s work with northern Indigenous communities illustrates this link as well. By supporting projects that restore traditional practices like hunting and fishing, his initiatives foster a deeper understanding of environmental cycles and responsible resource management. For these communities, food sovereignty extends beyond survival—it includes a commitment to safeguarding the land and water that have sustained their ancestors for generations.</span></p>
<p><b>Challenges and Pathways Forward: Reviving Roots for a Sustainable Future</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While these initiatives represent substantial progress, significant challenges remain. Issues such as land rights, climate change, and economic pressures continue to shape Indigenous food systems. Many Indigenous communities are still fighting for the legal recognition of their lands, a critical factor for achieving full food sovereignty. Additionally, climate change has reshaped landscapes, making it difficult to rely on traditional food sources.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Government programs like the USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative offer valuable support, but additional policies are needed to address these issues holistically. Supporting Indigenous food sovereignty involves not only recognizing land rights but also investing in sustainable agriculture, conservation, and climate resilience.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Leaders like Huambachano, Cassadore, and Robidoux are forging a new model of food production, one that prioritizes sustainability, resilience, and cultural heritage. They remind us that food sovereignty is more than just a matter of food supply; it involves how we grow, gather, and share food in ways that honor the land and each other. Their work is a call to embrace food systems that value tradition, resilience, and community. Alongside the USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative, they underscore the transformative potential of reclaiming ancestral knowledge and practices.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the world confronts pressing food security and environmental challenges, Indigenous communities offer a model grounded in sustainability and respect for the Earth. By supporting Indigenous food sovereignty, we contribute to a more just, resilient, and environmentally balanced world—one in which food serves not only as sustenance but also as a shared legacy of human connection to the land.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">References</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bureau of Indian Affairs. (n.d.). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why food sovereignty matters</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved November 13, 2024, from</span><a href="https://www.bia.gov/service/indigenous-tourism/why-food-sovereignty-matters#:~:text=There's%20no%20universal%20definition%20for,their%20own%20healthy%2C%20fresh%20foods"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.bia.gov/service/indigenous-tourism/why-food-sovereignty-matters#:~:text=There&#8217;s%20no%20universal%20definition%20for,their%20own%20healthy%2C%20fresh%20foods</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cihuapactli Collective. (n.d.). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ancestral womb wellness gathering 2024</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Retrieved November 13, 2024, from</span><a href="https://www.cihuapactlicollective.org/ancestralwombwellnessgathering-2024"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.cihuapactlicollective.org/ancestralwombwellnessgathering-2024</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Google. (n.d.). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">[Image of &#8230;]</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Retrieved November 13, 2024, from</span><a href="https://images.app.goo.gl/8fbdK9irydEfDukVA"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">https://images.app.goo.gl/8fbdK9irydEfDukVA</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Huambachano, M. (n.d.). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mariaelena Huambachano: Indigenous food sovereignty and environmental sustainability</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Retrieved November 13, 2024, from</span><a href="http://www.mariaelena-huambachano.com"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">http://www.mariaelena-huambachano.com</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indian Health Service. (n.d.). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Apache diet project</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Retrieved November 13, 2024, from</span><a href="https://www.ihs.gov/sites/diabetes/themes/responsive2017/display_objects/documents/training_seminars/Handout_ApacheDiet.pdf"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.ihs.gov/sites/diabetes/themes/responsive2017/display_objects/documents/training_seminars/Handout_ApacheDiet.pdf</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NYC Food Policy Center. (n.d.). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">23 Indigenous American Food Activists, Educators, and Other </span></i></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Figures to Know.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Retrieved from </span><a href="https://www.nycfoodpolicy.org/23-indigenous-american-food-activists-educators-and-other-figures-to-know/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">nycfoodpolicy.org</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Research Features. (n.d.). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Novel Approach to Combat Food Insecurity in Indigenous </span></i></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Communities in Canada.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Retrieved from </span><a href="https://researchfeatures.com/novel-approach-combat-food-insecurity-indigenous-communities-canada/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">researchfeatures.com</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Syracuse University News. (2023, November 28). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indigenous Studies Researcher Advises the </span></i></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">United Nations on Inequalities in Food Security and Nutrition.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Retrieved from </span><a href="https://news.syr.edu/blog/2023/11/28/indigenous-studies-researcher-advises-the-united-nations-on-inequalities-in-food-security-and-nutrition/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">news.syr.edu</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">USDA. (n.d.). </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Retrieved from </span><a href="https://www.usda.gov/tribalrelations/usda-programs-and-services/usda-indigenous-food-sovereignty-initiative"><span style="font-weight: 400;">usda.gov</span></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The post <a href="https://bcaglobal.org/reviving-roots-indigenous-communities-leading-the-fight-for-food-sovereignty/">Reviving Roots: Indigenous Communities Leading the Fight for Food Sovereignty</a> first appeared on <a href="https://bcaglobal.org">BCAGlobal</a>.</p><p>The post <a href="https://bcaglobal.org/reviving-roots-indigenous-communities-leading-the-fight-for-food-sovereignty/">Reviving Roots: Indigenous Communities Leading the Fight for Food Sovereignty</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bcaglobal.org">BCAGlobal</a>.</p>
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		<title>Return to Indigenous Food as Medicine</title>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Sep 2024 20:29:59 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>By: Olivia Whatley &#160; In recent years, people have been incorporating integrative and traditional food as medicine more and more. According to the World Health Organization, 88% of countries use indigenous and traditional medicines and practices for their health and wellness in addition to modern medicines. In the West, there has been a rising trend of treating health issues with [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://bcaglobal.org/return-to-indigenous-food-as-medicine/">Return to Indigenous Food as Medicine</a> first appeared on <a href="https://bcaglobal.org">BCAGlobal</a>.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://bcaglobal.org/return-to-indigenous-food-as-medicine/">Return to Indigenous Food as Medicine</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bcaglobal.org">BCAGlobal</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By: Olivia Whatley</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In recent years, people have been incorporating integrative and traditional food as medicine more and more. According to the World Health Organization, </span><a href="https://www.paho.org/en/news/6-9-2023-who-global-summit-traditional-medicine-highlights-scientific-evidence-and-integration#:~:text=According%20to%20WHO%20estimates%2C%2088,the%20journey%20towards%20health%20care."><span style="font-weight: 400;">88% of countries use indigenous and traditional medicines and practices for their health and wellness</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in addition to modern medicines. In the West, there has been a rising trend of treating health issues with traditional medicines in tandem with or instead of modern medicine. These practices focus on the treatment of the whole body and are integrated into lifestyle. Some of these practices include, “</span><a href="https://www.paho.org/en/news/6-9-2023-who-global-summit-traditional-medicine-highlights-scientific-evidence-and-integration#:~:text=According%20to%20WHO%20estimates%2C%2088,the%20journey%20towards%20health%20care."><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ayurveda, Yoga, traditional Chinese medicine, other traditional systems of medicine, meditation, herbal medicines, nutritional supplements, movement therapies, and other mind-body practices</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.” These are a set of practices that the WHO refers to as </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&amp;lr=&amp;id=WHOyDwAAQBAJ&amp;oi=fnd&amp;pg=PP1&amp;ots=h3eqy3dRgG&amp;sig=1TI8FaK-upd77dtNy7WHTqh9cHY#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> or TCIM. There may be a new trend in the West of these practices becoming more popular, but these are traditional medicines that have been practiced since time Immemorial.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Westerners have relied primarily on modern medicine, forgoing their ancestral </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">medicines since the beginning of the </span><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/10/1147"><span style="font-weight: 400;">modern pharmaceutical industry in the 19th century with the Industrial Revolution</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Since then, traditional and indigenous medicines and practices have been seen as “pre-science” or not as effective as modern medicine. So why have people returned to traditional medicinal practices? The WHO states that this can be attributed to the </span><a href="https://www.paho.org/en/news/6-9-2023-who-global-summit-traditional-medicine-highlights-scientific-evidence-and-integration#:~:text=According%20to%20WHO%20estimates%2C%2088,the%20journey%20towards%20health%20care."><span style="font-weight: 400;">increase in chronic diseases that require holistic approaches and lifestyle changes </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">to be healed rather than pharmaceuticals alone. High rates of chronic diseases are on the rise globally and cannot be prevented or treated adequately by modern medicine. The a</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3149386/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">verage American citizen spends nearly 20% of their life chronically ill</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, usually in their later years. Another reason for this change according to the WHO is the </span><a href="https://www.paho.org/en/news/6-9-2023-who-global-summit-traditional-medicine-highlights-scientific-evidence-and-integration#:~:text=According%20to%20WHO%20estimates%2C%2088,the%20journey%20towards%20health%20care."><span style="font-weight: 400;">high rates of adverse side effects to pharmaceuticals</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, especially for older people who are on multiple medications at once. The cost of modern healthcare is another significant reason why people of all ages have started returning to holistic medicines. “</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3149386/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Estimates have been given that up to 75% of all US health costs can be saved by these methods, particularly if applied preventatively</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.”</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Using traditional medicine to prevent chronic disease later in life can save people thousands of dollars in healthcare costs while retaining a health and wellness oriented life. Additionally, “</span><a href="https://www.preparedfoods.com/articles/126903-consumers-show-strong-interest-in-food-ingredient-knowledge"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Clean eating</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">” has been a trend over the past few years. Consumers are caring more and more about the ingredients in their food and how those ingredients affect their health. People are understanding now that </span><a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-ultraprocessed-foods"><span style="font-weight: 400;">processed chemicals in food are contributing to our health issues</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Mainstream wellness culture incorporates diet as a way to treat things like </span><a href="https://www.ift.org/news-and-publications/food-technology-magazine/issues/2024/april/features/top-10-functional-food-trends-reinventing--wellness"><span style="font-weight: 400;">inflammation, gut issues, and chronic illness</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Holistic, integrative, and traditional medicine does not need to be complicated. The lion share of which can be practiced in diet and exercise.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Food as Traditional Medicine</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Food is one of the most important components of traditional medicine. Diet is a major </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">contributor to chronic diseases like “</span><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/3/664"><span style="font-weight: 400;">obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, some cancers, and perhaps some neurological diseases</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.” Mindful eating is a traditional practice across many cultures, such as </span><a href="https://reenergizedliving.com/intuitive-eating-reclaiming-indigenous-practices/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indigenous traditions and Buddhism</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Some traditional mindful eating practices involve intuitive eating, eating seasonally, and eating with the community. Intuitive eating traditionally involved </span><a href="https://reenergizedliving.com/intuitive-eating-reclaiming-indigenous-practices/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">eating foods that were seasonally available as there were no concepts of “good” or “bad” foods</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as we have with our diet cultures in the West today. People across all cultures have traditionally had their meals together. Eating meals with others has been </span><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1577"><span style="font-weight: 400;">linked to health benefits such as preventing obesity and diabetes</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Food that is prepared for a shared meal together at home is lower in processed foods that cause health issues. Eating with others also helps us to slow down our eating which improves digestion, and leaves us feeling fuller with less food.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Apart from how we eat, what we eat is important in traditional medicine practices. Herbs and spices have been used to treat ailments across all cultures. Popular superfoods such as </span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674638422001320?via%3Dihub"><span style="font-weight: 400;">goji berries are used for their potent antioxidants, while immunity-boosting reishi mushrooms are traditional Chinese medicines</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Turmeric, a spice in most people’s cabinets, is a </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92752/#:~:text=From%20ancient%20times%2C%20as"><span style="font-weight: 400;">traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine used to treat inflammation, swelling, and skin issues</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Green tea is another readily available traditional Chinese medicine that has been used as a </span><a href="https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/green-tea#:~:text=In%20traditional%20Chinese"><span style="font-weight: 400;">diuretic, an astringent, for heart health, as a source of caffeine, and even as an aid for metabolic health</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Superfoods and herbs like these are an easy way to integrate traditional medicines into your diet. However, across most cultures, the most important aspects of a traditional medicinal diet are a </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7101483/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean proteins</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Traditional Food as Medicine: A Case Study</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Native American communities face high risks of food insecurity and chronic diseases such as </span><a href="https://www.ihs.gov/nutrition/food-and-nutrition-security/#:~:text=This%20results%20in%20hig"><span style="font-weight: 400;">diabetes, obesity, and kidney disease due in part to a lack of access to their traditional foods</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. This is due to native communities being located in rural food deserts where access to healthy food is limited. The loss of biodiversity results in higher consumption of </span><a href="https://www.ihs.gov/nutrition/food-and-nutrition-security/#:~:text=This%20results%20in%20hig"><span style="font-weight: 400;">calorically dense and highly processed foods that cause long-term health issues </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Exacerbating the situation, government agencies have made it </span><a href="https://www.justia.com/native-american-law/hunting-and-fishing-rights-of-native-americans/#:~:"><span style="font-weight: 400;">illegal for native peoples to hunt or forage outside of their reservations in areas where they once had access to their traditional foods</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The compounding effect of the loss of food security, loss of access to healthy food, loss of land, loss of economic opportunity, and colonization trauma have caused </span><a href="https://www.ihs.gov/nutrition/food-and-nutrition-security/#:~:text=This%20results%20in%20hig"><span style="font-weight: 400;">widespread chronic disease in native communities</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Traditional medicine for Native Americans is a way of life, it stretches beyond treating an ailment and it is not compartmentalized like we see medicine in the global West. Medicine is integrated into their traditional lifestyles. The specific medicinal practices are diverse across the different peoples native to the Americas, but there is a common </span><a href="https://aihschgo.org/four-sacred-medicines/#:~:text=The%20origins%20of%20Native%20Ameri"><span style="font-weight: 400;">thread of medicine treating not only the body, but the spirit, the heart, and the mind</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as well.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Food is not separate from medicine in many native cultures. For example, </span><a href="https://nativenutrition.umn.edu/webinars/food-medicine-indigenous-knowledge"><span style="font-weight: 400;">juniper berries are eaten for vitamin C and used to treat urinary tract infection</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><a href="https://nativenutrition.umn.edu/webinars/food-medicine-indigenous-knowledge"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Salmon is rich in vitamins and minerals and is considered sacred</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to many tribes. Cedar can be used to </span><a href="https://aihschgo.org/four-sacred-medicines/#:~:text=The%20origins%20of%20Native%20Ameri"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cleanse the spiritual body, used topically as an antifungal, and drank as a tea to fight infections </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. As with these examples, in many First Nations cultures, food is not just food, but medicine and tradition.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conclusion</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People have used food as medicine since time immemorial. Eating a diverse plant-based diet is traditional to many cultures. Eating in this way prevented chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease from overwhelming communities before processed and calorie-dense foods became the only available foods. Using food as medicine to prevent or treat ailments and disease can be empowering to communities to take their health into their own hands. It is a lifestyle different from the pharmaceutical medicine in the Global West that commonly treats the side effects, not the root problems. Eating in a traditional medicine way can prevent thousands of dollars of healthcare issues later in life. Using traditional food as medicine can also be a way for people to connect with their cultures. The trend towards using food as medicine benefits everyone as it makes the knowledge of how to use the earth around you as </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">making medicine accessible to everyone.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://bcaglobal.org/donations-2/">Like our blog? Donate today to contribute to our work!</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://bcaglobal.org/return-to-indigenous-food-as-medicine/">Return to Indigenous Food as Medicine</a> first appeared on <a href="https://bcaglobal.org">BCAGlobal</a>.</p><p>The post <a href="https://bcaglobal.org/return-to-indigenous-food-as-medicine/">Return to Indigenous Food as Medicine</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bcaglobal.org">BCAGlobal</a>.</p>
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