Sign up for the paNOW newsletter

Elder sees changing attitudes towards diabetes on First Nations

May 20, 2015 | 4:57 PM

It’s the first time elder Marilyn Morin has attended the annual Aboriginal Gathering on Diabetes in Prince Albert.

She has had diabetes for much of her life after being diagnosed in her 20s.

On Wednesday at the event, she said she didn’t know what diabetes was when she was diagnosed so she continued living her life the same until several years later when a different doctor sat her down and explained proper care.  At that time her blood sugars were 27—the normal level is from four to seven, she said.

“He’s says ‘you’ve done really good up until now without having a lot of damage done,’” she said.

Morin spoke at the gathering, talking about healthy lifestyles and care.  She said she wanted to speak because it’s important to learn and support one another.

“A lot of it is, years ago people lived off the land, now it’s all into fast foods, we don’t exercise. So I think the more we learn about it and how was can prevent the disease I think that’s really important,” she said.

Diabetes is three to four times more prevalent in First Nations people.  She said this is a totally different world from what it was years ago. 

Morin cited her grandparents as examples of healthy living.  She said her grandfather lived until he was 105.

“He had his perfect eyesight, he had his own teeth, he didn’t wear glasses,” she said.  “And his mother lived until she was 105 and so back then … they were active, I think that was the biggest thing, they never heard of diabetes.”

The Cumberland House woman who moved to Prince Albert as a teenager said when she was young they ate a lot of fish, moose meat and berries.

“We were certainly fortunate in that sense,” she said. 

Frozen, pre-packaged food that is around now is “deadly stuff,” according to Morin, and unfortunately sometimes it’s all people can afford in the northern regions of the province.  This contributes to poor eating habits.

“But I know in the far North they still live off the land and I don’t think their diabetes is as prevalent as what it is down here.  They live a healthier lifestyle,” she said.

However, she said the mindset is starting to slowly change again for the better.

“I think people have learned a lot about this disease and, you know, it’s taken so many of our people and now it’s young people.  Diabetes is not just affecting the older people,” she said.

“Somehow they need to change their lives, but change what they eat as well, but I think that’s slowly coming.”

In the end, she said the key is learning about the disease.

sstone@panow.com

On Twitter: @sarahstone84