Wellness Moment from the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Behavioral Health and Wellness Program (BHWP)

Colorful Eating

Indigenous communities have always believed in balance and harmony. Traditionally, Indigenous people gathered to hunt, plant, and harvest their food as a community. Through the years, the changing eating patterns of Indigenous people and the limited availability of traditional foods have resulted in unhealthy diets contributing to health challenges. Today, many communities are now finding their way back to cultural and traditional practices through food. A diet based on colorful eating adds healthy, nutritional, and traditional foods back into daily eating and encourages a focus on balance and harmony as well.

Activities
Try a Colorful Food Challenge with your family. Encourage friends and neighbors to join you and build a supportive community around healthy eating.
• Plan healthy meals for the next day, week, or month. A set menu will help you stay focused on incorporating colorful foods such as fruits and vegetables.
• Keep a food journal or diary and track how many colors of food were in your weekly diet.
• At each mealtime, note the colorful fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and proteins added to your plate.
• Set an attainable goal each week focused on how many meals you can incorporate a variety of colorful foods. Create an incentive for yourself and your family to reach your goals of colorful eating.

Resources
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, June). Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country (GHWIC).
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/

Eating Well. (2020, June). Why You Should Eat the Rainbow When It Comes to Fruits and Vegetables. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/275617/why-you-should-eat-the-rainbow-when-it-comes-to-fruits-and-vegetables/

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health & Human Service. (2016, November 21). Native American foods, dietary habits take center stage.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2016/native-american-foods-dietary-habits-take-center-stage

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