Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 4, 1 April 1993 — Ola kino o nā Hawaiʻi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ola kino o nā Hawaiʻi

Hawaiian healih horizons

Hawaiian diet heips improve health, build pride

by Patrick Johnston Hawaiians have always attached special meaning to their food. By returning to a traditional diet, even one modified to a modern lifestyle, they ean develop better health, pride in their heritage, as well as added self-esteem. In an attempt to reverse the declining health condition of many Hawaiians, diets have been developed that incorporate traditional foods such as poi, sweet potato and seaweed, as well as community participation and exercise.

A recent Native Hawaiian Research Forum brought together doctors and heahh specialists from around the islands to address the many heahh concerns of native Hawaiians, focusing specifically on traditional food diets and their physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. Most speakers warned Hawaiians have the worst health record of all the ethnic groups in the islands and will continue to hold this distinction unless they

move away from the standard American diet and lifestyle to one that incorporates more traditional eating customs and habits. By significantly reducing fat, sugar, and cholesterol intake, Hawaiians in the diet studies have lost weight and in many cases seen significant improvements in their health condition. The diet ean reduce blood pres-

sure and sugar levels, and often allows Hawaiians to get off diabetes medication. Dr. Noa Emmett Aluli, coordinator of the Moloka'i diet, emphasized that eating low-fat, highcarbohydrate traditional foods not only improves the general health of patients, but also

ean stimulate pride in being Hawaiian, an important element in making them more active, dynamic, and productive members of their community. A recent adaptation is the mod-

ified Hawaiian diet, a slightly less extreme weight loss program that allows individuals to lose weight at a more gradual paee. Emmaline Ihu, a registered nurse with the Kaua'i native Hawaiian HeaUh Center, Ho'ōla Lāhui Hawai'i, said they used this diet because they found it was difficult for individuals to stick to the traditional diet for a long period

of time. "Food is like good sex," Ihu pointed out. "After you know what if s like, you can't stay away from it for too long." She added that Hawaiians had been apathetic about 'imported diets' but when she introduced the tradition-

al and modified Hawaiian diets to her patients they became very enthusiastic. "Why did they change from being so noncompliant to being so enthusiastic?" she asked. "It's

because the diet is Hawaiian and it's something that they ean be proud of." Most panelists stressed the importance of cultural sensitivity when administering these diets, pointing out that Hawaiians are not guinea pigs and should be treated in a way that addresses their specific needs. An important part of healing is invoking the trust and the confidence of the patient, and this can't be done without sensitive and sympathetic communication.

Claire Hughes of the Department of Health explained that, "Beating knowledge into people doesn't empower them (to change), it makes them stay away." She went on to say that what is needed is a "treatment protocol," a way of treating Hawaiians that gives them what they want and makes them feel good about themselves. In an attempt to improve eommunication with his patients, Dr. Terry Shintani, director of the OHA funded Wai'anae Diet, said that he tries to incorporate a

holistic approach in his diet that is consistent with the way Hawaiians traditionally took care of healing. "Traditional healing involves the whole person," he explained, "the spiritual, the mental and the emotional." To help with the healing process Shintani said he brings in experts from fields other than medicine.

Shintani also stressed involving the whole community. "Part of our belief is that, even if we change the diet of one individual, if others don't change their behavior, the person will return to eating the same foods." Shintani believes that real change won't eome about until the society has altered its fundamental approach to diet. One of the ways he hopes to affect change is by using the media. He presently has a monthly eolumn in Ka Wai Ola O OHA as well as a radio talk show. (Editor's note: 'Ai Pono E Ola, a eolumn by Dr. Shintani, will resume next month.)

Emmaline Ihu