As 2022 is coming to an end. We’re looking forward to the coming 2023 fiscal year, and being able to implement different plans for the following programs. Youth diabetes prevention, physical fitness activities, Ideal Protein protocol, various tribal special events, and group education classes geared towards tribal and community members. Diabetes as you know is a chronic disease that today no one wants to talk about or address. Our plan to battle diabetes and how it’s viewed and addressed on our reservation is by the following.
Age matters when it comes to diabetes prevention, care, and maintenance. Within our youth diabetes prevention program we work with our tribal youth every week on the following. P.E. classes for the students who attend school on the reservation; once a month hold education classes discussing healthy eating habits, preparing healthy meals and snacks, and the benefits of having a healthy diet; also of the importance of staying active and maintaining a healthy body weight and lifestyle. Our goal for 2023 that we are looking forward to implementing is our week long youth diabetes prevention camp that will take place in March of 2023.
Physical fitness plays a major part in prevention and maintenance. We will be providing daily workout classes not just to the diabetics but to all tribal members, also continuing walking groups that we started that meets every day to walk for thirty minutes. Another thing we will be continuing that a lot of our tribal members liked is our various weight loss challenge we offer throughout the year.
Something new we have implemented into our program is Ideal Protein. Ideal Protein is a science backed weight loss protocol, and with the studies behind it we now utilize it for our diabetics and obese tribal members. Our tribal members who have completed the weight loss protocol successfully have had great results not only did they come off their diabetes medications it also made a difference in their everyday living and how they feel but helped in giving them a different outlook on food and education to keep the weight off. It has also made a difference in tribal members with hypertension who’ve utilized the protocol.
Planned for 2023 are four special events. The Pats Run, which is held every April in Tempe, Az. In October the Tonto Apache Tribe celebrates its federal recognition during this time and we hold a fun run/walk every year in honor of the tribe’s recognition. November as we know is diabetes awareness month, and we plan to partner with other departments within the tribal administration, to hold another fun run/walk to help bring more awareness to diabetes prevention. Education is very important not only for good diabetes maintenance but for prevention as well. We hold monthly educational classes; the goal for 2023 is add another class, we hold monthly “Lunch & Learn” classes as another form of education on various topics and how diabetes effects it. I.H.S. assists us once a month and holds healthy cooking classes and demos. Starting in 2023 we plan to implement more weight management group meeting, more diabetic group meetings, and newly diagnosed group meetings.
All in all, 2023 is looking to be a great year. We will have a lot of classes going on throughout the year, some fun events, and much more educational opportunities. We are looking forward to being able to provide and assist the tribal community in diabetes education, healthy eating, and lifestyle changes as well as helping the community in living a healthy life.