A new national survey suggests that many Native Americans are interested in making changes to their diets to improve their health but affordability, accessibility and cultural relevance remain critical.

On Friday, Aug. 14, at noon ET, Native Bidaské will explore those findings with Dr. Josie Howard, a psychiatrist and citizen of the Cherokee Nation who works with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s Native Food for Life initiative.

Hosted by Levi Rickert, the episode examines how returning to traditional Indigenous foods and plant-forward eating could play a role in addressing chronic health challenges in Indian Country, including diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.

The survey found that 78% of Native American respondents would be willing to adopt a plant-based diet if it were affordable, accessible and culturally appropriate. At the same time, only 13% knew that a plant-based diet can help prevent or even reverse Type 2 diabetes.

For Howard, those findings point to both an opportunity and a need for greater education. But education alone is not enough. Native communities also need improved access to healthy, affordable foods.

Howard says conversations about plant-based eating must be grounded in the histories and cultures of individual Tribal Nations.

The Native Food for Life initiative began with the Navajo community and focuses on Indigenous plant-based foods, including the Three Sisters — corn, beans and squash — as a foundation for meals. Rather than promoting a one-size-fits-all approach, Howard says programs should work with communities to understand their own traditional foods and practices.

That conversation also requires acknowledging the impact of colonization on Indigenous food systems.

Howard describes food as central to Native cultures and says the introduction of commodity foods and other European foods fundamentally changed Indigenous diets. Returning to traditional foods, she argues, can be a way to reconnect with culture and ancestors while also supporting health and food sovereignty.

The conversation will also explore how families and communities can work together to make healthier choices and how nutrition, cultural connection and mental wellness are interconnected.

The full conversation with Dr. Josie Howard explores what those changes could look like in practice — and how traditional foods, community support and cultural connection can work together to promote healthier Native communities.

Watch Native Bidaské with Dr. Josie Howard on Friday, Aug. 14, at noon ET on Native News Online’s Facebook, YouTube, NativeNewsOnline.net, and TikTok.

Watch past episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@NativeNewsOnline/streams