Tribes and tribal members in Arizona are incorporating more traditional foods into the Native diet in hopes of promoting healthy lifestyles and preserving their culture.
Terrol Dew Johnson, the co-founder and co-director of Tohono O'odham Community Action, said
traditional foods are becoming "trendy." The organization is marketing Native goods to consumers and is producing a Native cookbook.
The Gila River Indian Community is holding cooking classes to help people return to a more traditional diet. The tribe's restaurant offers Native foods created by a Native chef from New Mexico.
Traditional diets vary among tribes but relied heavily on vegetables and some wild meats that are less fatty than beef.
Get the Story:Back to Native American roots (The Arizona Republic 5/18) Related Stories:
Report: Gene puts Indians at risk for diabetes (01/31)
Harjo: Eliminate fry bread and other 'Indian' foods (01/21)
Revised diet guidelines emphasize body weight (01/13)
20 percent of Oklahoma Indians have diabetes (11/15)
Indian center in Salt Lake City fight youth obesity (11/09)
Gila River Indian Community struggles with diabetes (11/09)
Obesity blamed for rising health care costs (10/20)
Report urges fight against childhood obesity (10/01)
Kerry campaign promises Indian health care boost (09/29)
Report calls on U.S. to honor health care commitment (08/30)
'Just Move It' campaign targets diabetes among Natives (08/27)
Navajo racer promotes diabetes prevention (08/26)
IHS officials say Indians shortchanged billions (08/25)
National Indian Health Board holds conference (08/11)
Pember: Obesity threatening Indian Country (08/02)
Indian doctor dedicates life to combating diabetes (07/30)
Tribal centers participate in youth diabetes study (07/28)
Bush official pledges support for health care bill (07/22)
Medicare to allow some treatments for obesity (07/16)
Diabetes program reaches out to rural, elderly Navajos (06/07)
HHS says 41 million Americans at risk for diabetes (04/29)
Study documents urban Indian health disparities (04/21)
Diabetes and obesity ravage Native population (04/19)
Tribal colleges form network to combat diabetes (04/14)
Proposed boost in IHS budget rejected by Senate (03/12)
Surgeon General puts emphasis on prevention (02/05)