Potawot
The Diabetes program available in Potawot covers nine tribes and more than 13,000 American Indians, consisting mainly of Yurok, Weeot and Tolowa Tribal members. [1] The Potawot program allows its participants to join groups that go on walks Monday –Wednesday during clinic hours. [2]Members of Potawot also have the opportunity to join Nutritional garden activities. The community food garden in Potawot consists of a two acre organic garden which produces 6-10 tons of fresh produce per year and is distributed to the Indian community through produce stands, baskets, and other gardening outreach programs.[3]
Programs
Diabetic Native Americans, and family, that are members of the UIHS(United Indian Health Services) program, or enrolled in the Potawot clinic, have a wide variety of activities and information available to them. Members who have diabetes are provided with many different opportunities to stay healthy other than eating healthy. Their choices range from exercise to group sessions to one on one counseling.
The Potawot diabetes outreach program also provides members with a once a month REPCHEM luncheon. The REPCHEM luncheon is for members who are at risk or already have diabetes, along with their family members. At Potawot the REPCHEM luncheon is held on every second Wednesday from 11 am to 1 pm.[3]
Potawot also has UIHS's nationally recognized tobacco awareness and diabetes prevention programs are featured at the new Health Village.[4]
Services:[5]
Information and Services Provided by the Potawot Health Clinic Include:
- Individual and Group fitness/movement programs.
- Diabetes Counseling.
- Foot Care Information.
- Diabetes education by Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs).
- Instructions for review of blood glucose monitoring.
- Interpretation of blood tests and medication use.
- What you need to stay healthy and happy.
- Support groups.
- Monthly luncheons.
- Group Education Classes.
- Home visits.
- Diabetes Education and Support.
- Community Health Events.
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One of the paths at Potawot.
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A rest area on one of the paths.
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More Paths.
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Another rest stop.
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The entrance to the Garden.
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The garden!
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Yummy!
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Veggies!
Why they do it?
There are many reasons why Potawot and UIHS try to help educate as many individuals as they can, the main reason is because of what diabetes stands for. Diabetes is disease that affects the way your body uses food for energy. Normally, the sugar you take in is digested and broken down to a simple sugar, known as glucose. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps move the glucose into cells. A healthy pancreas adjusts the amount of insulin based on the level of glucose. But, if you have diabetes, this process breaks down, and blood sugar levels become too high. People with Type 1 diabetes are completely unable to produce insulin. People with Type 2 diabetes can produce insulin, but their cells don't respond to it. [6] Because of this Diabetic members of Potawot have their eating habits monitored very closely. Clients of the Diabetic program are also encouraged to participate in more rigorous exercise routines.
Future plans
- The Potawot Health Clinic is also planning on putting up some small work out stations along the paths.
- Such work out equipment includes:
- Pull up bars.
- Such work out equipment includes:
The Facts:
Interesting and Important Facts about the diabetes problem in the Native American culture.
- The risk of a leg amputation is 15 to 40 times greater for a person with diabetes. [7]
- Each year 54,000 people lose their foot or leg to diabetes. [7]
- Amputation rates among Native Americans are 3-4 times higher than the general population.
- Each year 54,000 people lose their foot or leg to diabetes. [7]
- You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if: [8]
- You are overweight.
- You are 45 years old or older.
- You have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.
- Your family background is African American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic American/Latino, or Pacific Islander.
- You have had gestational diabetes or gave birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
- Your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher, or you have been told that you have high blood pressure.
- Your HDL cholesterol is 35 or lower, or your triglyceride level is 250 or higher.
- You are fairly inactive, or you exercise fewer than three times a week.
Funding
Funding for diabetic programs provided at Potawot such as the Diabetes Expansion Project is funded by the California Endowment, this project works to assist California Indian Health Clinics in Diabetes Program Development & education in regards to diabetes, complications of diabetes and diabetes prevention.[5]
Related Links
- Native Americans and Diabetes
- Eating Healthy
- Diabetes Epidemic Among American Indians
- Millions of American Indians at Risk
References
- ↑ http://pages.prodigy.net/richardspini/_wsn/page5.html Last Accessed 10/28/08
- ↑ Interview of Barbara Piefer from Potawot 10/28/08 (707) 825-4180 (Interviewed by Juliene Sinclair)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.uihs.org/ns/services.html UIHS Last Accessed: 10/28/08
- ↑ http://pages.prodigy.net/richardspini/_wsn/page5.html Potawot Info Services Last Accessed: 10/28/08
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.uihs.org/chw/services.html#a UIHS Services Last Accessed: 10/28/08
- ↑ http://diabetes.about.com/od/whatisdiabetes/p/whatisdiabetes.htm About.com Accessed: 10/28/08
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://vltakaliseji.tripod.com/Vtlakaliseji/id2.html Vtla Kaliseji Last Accessed: 10/28/08
- ↑ http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/preventionprogram/index.htm NDIC Last Accessed: 10/28/08
- ↑ Prevalence of Diabetes Among Native Americans and Alaska Natives, 1990–1997, December 2000