FNHA eBlast - March 29, 2019

Grand Chief Akile Ch’oh Edward John shares his experience with the “Silent Killer”

Did you know that the "Silent Killer," or a silent heart attack, can happen with few or no obvious symptoms? People often misinterpret warning signs or mistake them for something else like indigestion, flu or anxiety. It was a night last May when Grand Chief Edward John, Akile Ch'oh (Tl'azt'en Nation) woke up thinking he was having indigestion after a late dinner. He was actually having a heart attack. "The silent killer, I'm told, is what I had. What that means is that it shows no classic symptoms of a heart attack and people if they go to sleep they just simply never wake up."

Watch the video here!

You're invited!

The FNHA invites two representatives from each BC First Nation working in or leading in the area of wholistic wellness and mental health and wellness to join FNHA for this three-day event taking place May 22-24, 2019 at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver.

As First Nations, we have a wholistic perspective on health and wellness. We understand that emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual wellness are all essential to an overall sense of well-being. To successfully support First Nations people on their wellness journeys, wholistic wellness needs to be woven into the healthcare system. Good work is already underway in this area – yet much change still needs to happen. You can be part of this crucial transformation!

Learn more here.

Our ancestors had it right: food is medicine!

With two days left of the Food is Medicine Healthy Eating Challenge, let's reconnect with the sacred and healing power of food

A message from Dr. Evan Adams, FNHA Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Shannon McDonald, FNHA Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Nutrition Month comes to an end this Sunday, and so too does our Food is Medicine Healthy Eating Challenge. We hope that this challenge helped many of you to reconnect with your bodies and wellness, your traditional foods, and to spend time eating and enjoying healthy meals with your loved ones.

Read the full post here.

“Food is Medicine” Healthy Eating Challenge Community Spotlight: Heiltsuk Nation

The FNHA "Food is Medicine" 31-day Healthy Eating Challenge wraps up this week and Dr. Evan Adams, FNHA's Chief Medical Officer and Dr. Shannon MacDonald, FNHA's Deputy Chief Medical Officer would like to showcase the good work that has been done (and continues) in communities around healthy eating and wellness initiatives. In this post, we share Heiltsuk First Nation's story.

Heiltsuk Nation is in Bella Bella on Campbell Island, located on the Central Coast, between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert. This remote location is accessible only by plane or boat, with limited flights in the winter months. Freight loaded with goods such as fresh produce are shipped in just once a week, which can raise challenges in terms of food security and healthy eating. Known for its great hospitality and for being welcoming, this community of approximately 1,300 has decided to face these challenges head on by developing an impressive roster of healthy eating and wellness initiatives.

Read more here.

Hunger of a Different Kind - Emotional Eating

Eating disorders are widely misunderstood – but knowledge is power! Learn more about Emotional Eating from Dr. Nel Wieman

"We’ve all done it at some point – grabbed a chocolate bar or a bag of chips when we’re feeling sad or stressed or bored. It’s called emotional eating because we’re eating to satisfy an emotional need – the food soothes and comforts us. Enjoying food as an occasional reward or pick-me-up is a normal part of life. However, problems arise if this kind of eating is the only or the main strategy used to cope with negative emotions – like anger, depression or anxiety."

Read the post here.

Tl'azt'en Collects Old Meds for Disposal

by Emma Leon, Community Health Nurse, Tl'azt'en Health Centre

The Tl'azt'en Health Centre planned and completed a Medication Collection Day on March 7, 2019. Our collection day was a door to door event that included all three of the communities of the Tl'azt'en Nation (Tache, Binche and Middle River). The day started with filling 165 bags with a healthy meal, medication lockbox and sharps container. Each household visited was given a bag and medications were collected for safe disposal.

Community Engagement Planning Grants

The First Nations Health Authority has partnered with the Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research Collaborative Centre (AHA Centre) to provide Community Engagement Planning Grants of up to $10,000. Grants will support Indigenous communities, AIDS Service Organizations, and/or students in developing research projects that will contribute towards building new knowledge related to Indigenous peoples and HIV/AIDS. Applications are due May 3, 2019.

The First Nations Health Authority can provide support to communities interested in applying for a grant. If you would like support with your application, please contact the Research and Knowledge Exchange team at Leena.Hasan@fnha.ca.