A Healthful Reason to Garden 2009 Calendar
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Non-Profi t Organization U.S. Postage th PAID Online at www.tananachiefs.org near the 10 of each month! Anchorage, AK Permit No. 537 Dena’ Nena’ Henash ––Our Land Speaks Vol. 33, No. 8 A Report to the Member Tribes of the Tanana Chiefs Conference August 2008 A healthful reason to garden Get ready for winter now! By Kara Cox, Agriculture & Horticulture Assistant, By Don Shircel, Client Development Director Tanana Chiefs Conference & the University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Service One of this summer’s special sessions of the Alaska State Legislature focused on a number of bills aimed at helping its citizens meet the rising cost of energy. While each of Weight is a diffi cult thing to talk about, theory, and it guides a lot of the medical the proposed bills approached the problem a little diff erently, none of the solutions off ered especially if we’re heavier than we want to research about obesity and type II diabetes, will cover all (or even most) of your home heating costs this winter. be. It can make us feel bad about ourselves, but it hasn’t been proven. Two years ago, TCC’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program actually ran out as if we should be diff erent or better. It What is clear is that as recently as a of money because of a sudden rise in the cost of home heating fuels at that time. Since can make us feel scared, few decades ago in many then, the cost of home heating fuel has more than doubled! TCC will continue to explore when we hear about People of European parts of Alaska, people other programs and options that can assist tribal members in meeting their home heating health problems that go ancestry have been ate traditional subsistence needs, but more than ever, we all need to plan ahead now. Th e plain truth is that you can’t with being overweight, diets in which only 3-5% depend on Energy Assistance (or any other program) to keep you warm all winter. Th e such as heart disease and getting used to high- of the calories came from one thing you can depend on is that it will get cold this winter. We all have to make sure type II diabetes. But as carbohydrate diets for carbohydrates. Diets now that we’re ready. our waistlines continue to include bread, noodles, Plan now to set aside a part of your Permanent Fund Dividend, Village or Regional expand, talking about it several thousand years, candy and potato chips– Native Corporation dividends or other savings to help get you by this winter. Put aside becomes more important. but Natives have had calories from carbohydrates what you can from any earnings you make this summer to go toward fi lling your tank or It would be easy to make up about a third of the getting your fi re wood ready before it starts getting colder. think that obesity only only two generations at diet! People of European With the rising cost of gas, oil and home heating fuel, even with some help from state happens to a few people the most to make the ancestry have been getting and federally funded programs, you will need to set aside more of your own household’s who eat too many sweets, used to high-carbohydrate income to meet your home heating needs this winter. but according to Time change. diets for several thousand TCC will host a public hearing teleconference on August 22 for additional input for this Magazine, “two-thirds years, but Natives have had year’s energy assistance grant application which is due on September 1. All comments, of Americans weigh more than they only two generations at the most to make suggestions or ideas that you may have regarding TCC’S Low Income Home Energy should,” and 32% of American children the change. Assistance Program are invited. Copies of the plan have been sent to and are available for are overweight or obese. People who are Where Does Diabetes Come From? public review at TCC and your local tribal offi ce. Let us know what you think about the overweight are more likely to contract type If your body is healthy, it breaks down plan and get the latest information about other programs and services that are available II diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and the carbohydrates you eat into glucose, to you this winter. Th e region-wide public hearing will take place on August 22, 2008 at liver disease, and other conditions. which is carried to your tissues by your 3 pm. Stop by your tribal offi ce to join the teleconference or call our toll-free number at Is it All Our Fault? bloodstream. Th is is what people mean 800-770-8251 ext.3975. No. Obesity is a complicated health issue when they talk about “blood sugar.” Your It’s going to be an expensive home heating season this year. We’ll do everything we can with many causes, and not every person is pancreas secretes the hormone insulin, to help Each of the 1,200 households that received assistance last year will be receiving equally likely to become obese. Individual which carries that glucose into your cells, their application for this winter’s assistance in the mail. Additional applications will also genetics play a big role; if one or both of where it is used to perform all the functions be available at your Tribal Offi ce and at TCC starting October 1, 2008. your parents are overweight, you are much that keep you alive. Your body can also more likely to become so, and the same store glucose in your liver to be used when continued on page 3... goes for diabetes. you haven’t eaten for a while, and to make Your wider heritage and history may also it from fats and protein instead of from be important. Some scientists think that carbohydrates. Alaskan Natives and American Indians Being overweight puts stress on your are more likely to become obese because body, changing how it deals with glucose. Discussion about selection process of a group of genes that let them capture Over time, your body makes less insulin and store extra energy during times of food for Traditional Chief shortage. Th is is called the “thrift y gene” see GARDEN continued on page 8... Brought to you respectfully by Denakkanaaga, Incorporated Wednesday aft ernoon of June 7th at the 3. What about age requirement? 2009 Calendar Elder & Youth Conference in Holy Cross, (Discussion: What about 70? What considerable time was set aside to discuss about 60? If the community feels that a Submission Guidelines the procedure that would be taken in the person is qualifi ed, he should not be told Th e 2009 calendar is underway! Th e deadline to submit photos is September 26th, selection of Traditional Chief. We wanted that he has to wait another 10 years to to have the elders provide us with the become of age. We could have 50 years. there are too many factors and individuals involved, including a brief timeframe. guidance to follow and we also wanted to Th ere could be a young leader and he make sure that all elders have a voice in this could mentor with an elder.) Digital photo Requirements: selection process. What is elder knowledge? How do you Image quality must 200 dpi/resolutions One of the things we will be doing is want to interpret that? It could be traditional, 4x6 in size setting a time limit on the comments so it is based on the land and subsistence. How important that everyone gets their thoughts spirituality fi ts in. Hard copy Requirements: down and send them into Denakkanaaga Language needs to be considered. Should 4x6 in size because these will have to be adopted before the traditional chief speak the language or Return Address the 2nd Chief is chosen. Th e deadline for understand it. (Discussion: Th e language comments is set for October 24. was taken away from many of us. You would Include caption (name and event) Jerry Isaac led the discussion, continually be leaving out some of the villages. Another Your phone number turning it back to the elders. We want to person said she went to the Mission and thank Jerry for leading us. Notes were did not speak the language in the Mission Mail your hard copy photo to: Ginger Placeres, Editor, Tanana Chiefs Conference, written down as the elders talked about the but she still knows and understands the 122 First Avenue, Suite 600, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701, or email your photo to ginger. diff erent issues. language. You can make it a condition that [email protected]. Th e fi rst rule is we must be very clear the person speaks our language but you with the process. leave the choice up to the village to decide. I reserve the right to reject any photo and will if the dpi/resolutions are Th e second rule is that we must set the Also, the Council leadership and that too low (200 or less) and/or quality of image is questionable. Th e goal will policies and follow them. community can endorse another village. always be to represent as many Member Tribes as possible, as a result, your Th e third rule is what qualifi cations do Another said that the opportunity will not multiple images may be reduced if there are too many photos. For more you want for a Traditional Chief? be there for a person to be chosen because information, contact Ginger Placeres, editor, toll-free at 800-478-6822 or 1.