Westbank First Nation is pleased to offer the community a Diabetes Coordinator whose sole focus is to provide the community with education in the prevention of diabetes and quality care for those with diabetes.
The program, facilitated by Margaret Joseph, provides support to the community through ongoing workshops, information handouts and a mandate that centres on educating school children.
Margaret provides a healthy lunch to the students at sensisyusten House of Learning every Wednesday. Twice monthly she will speak to the students about the roles of healthy eating and physical activity in the prevention of diabetes. She also provides a nutritious snack and bottled water to the children on Fridays.
The development of Type 2 diabetes in young children exists in Aboriginal communities and is considered an important health topic to discuss with children. In working with school children and educating them about their eating and exercise habits, Margaret aims to prevent or delay diabetes and help the children live long and healthy lives. Parents are encouraged to question their children about what they are learning and to support their children in their goals.
Smoking can make your blood sticky and chemicals in the tobacco can harm blood vessels so that fat attaches inside of them, causing the blood vessel to clog up. This problem can cause a stroke or heart attack. Smoking raises the blood pressure and if the blood pressure remains too high for an extended period of time kidney failure can happen. Smoking can cause damage to the blood vessels, limiting the oxygen and nutrients that the nerves receive, causing numbness and sometimes pain in the feet and legs.
Diabetes can also block the tiny blood vessels in the eyes, a condition called retinopathy.