Tips for being healthy for First Nations, Inuit and Métis

Summertime is in the air – take the opportunity to get outside, get active, enjoy the wonders of nature, and improve your health! Try walking more – to school or to work, to the store, to visit family and friends, or just to get some fresh air, relax and reduce your stress level.

Being physically active, eating well and living smoke-free are all part of a healthy lifestyle. Participating in sports is another way to have fun, meet new people and learn some new skills while improving your health. Here are some interesting facts plus helpful tips and links to help you achieve and maintain good health so you can get the most out of life!

Why is physical activity important?

Regular physical activity is important to overall health – mind, body and spirit. Benefits of regular physical activity include:

• a positive impact on your mental health and well-being;
• feeling more energetic, sleeping better, feeling calmer, coping better with demands of daily living; and
• helping prevent type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, and some cancers.

Facts for children and youth:

• Regular physical activity is important for healthy growth and development. The average age for being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is getting younger. Two of the biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes – physical inactivity and obesity – are particularly high among Aboriginal children and youth.
• More than 40% of First Nations youth are either overweight or obese, and close to 60% of First Nations children are either overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese can also affect the ability of children and youth to reach their full potential at school. For example, children who are overweight are more likely to have sleep problems. Physically active children and youth are less likely to be overweight or obese, and less likely to become involved with health risk behaviours such as smoking, delinquency, alcohol and drugs.

Facts for adults:

• Close to 80% of First Nations adults are not active enough for health benefits. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of several chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes. It also helps people live better with chronic diseases like diabetes, and reduces risk of complications. 

Facts for pregnant women:

It’s recommended that all pregnant women who are able should be physically active as part of a healthy lifestyle. This can:

• help you sleep better;
• help you gain a  healthy amount of weight;
• reduce your chances of getting diabetes during your pregnancy (gestational diabetes); and
• reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure, varicose veins and lower back pain.

It’s important to check with your doctor or health worker before becoming physically active if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.

Physical activity and healthy eating tips:

• Try to be a little more active each day – every little bit counts but more is even better.  Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living at www.healthcanada.ca/paguide recommends that adults and elders accumulate 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity preferably daily, to maintain and improve health.
• Children and youth need more (90 minutes of physical activity daily) for healthy growth and development.
• Physical activity doesn’t have to be hard and getting started is easier than you think. Here are just a few ideas:
  • Talk to your Health or Recreation Worker about ways that you can be active.
    
  • Walk or ride your bike instead of taking the ATV or car to work or the store.
    
  • Play actively with your kids.
    
  • Share your traditional knowledge and skills with children and youth; teach them how and where to hunt, to set up  camp, to prepare skins and to pick berries and traditional herbs.
    
  • Paddle your canoe to your favourite fishing spot.
    
  • Put on some music and dance.
    
  • Get involved in your community; volunteer, attend community events such as square dances and gym activities.
    
  • Find other healthy activities you enjoy.
    
  • Move more, more often.
• Enjoy a variety of foods from each food group every day. Traditional foods are excellent choices and if you eat store-bought foods, it is important to choose healthy foods. Meat and alternatives build strong muscles and blood. Bannock, breads and cereals give you energy. Berries, fruit and vegetables protect your health. Milk and other calcium sources help make strong bones and teeth. Everyone needs foods from these four food groups to be healthy.
• When choosing store-bought foods, use Nutrition Facts (www.healthcanada.ca) – the list of ingredients and nutrition claims found on the product label to help you make healthy food choices.

Healthy living links:

• Participating in sports activities is fun and great for your health too! Check out The Aboriginal Sport Circle at www.aboriginalsportcircle.ca – it’s Canada’s voice for Aboriginal sport, which brings together the interests of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
• Another great source of information is Team Spirit: Aboriginal Girls in Sport at www.caaws.ca/onthemove/e/aboriginal. Team Spirit is a national project to increase community sport opportunities for Aboriginal girls and young women ages 9-18. Through this project, many communities across Canada are offering sport programs for Aboriginal girls and young women to help them enjoy the many benefits of physical activity and raise awareness of female Aboriginal leaders and role models.

And finally remember that no matter your age, it’s never too late to be more active, eat a variety of tasty nutritious foods and live smoke-free!