The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee Food Is Medicine: Reversing Diabetes and Chronic Disease in Native Communities
Jan 20, 2026
Join Jonathan Nez, former President of the Navajo Nation, and Chelsea Kleinmeyer, Public Health Director at CSKT Health, as they dive into the healing power of traditional plant-based diets. They explore the impact of food sovereignty on community health and how lifestyle medicine is reversing diabetes in Native communities. Discover the importance of reclaiming Indigenous food practices, promoting community gardens, and addressing food deserts. Through shared meals and cultural rituals, they emphasize the profound connections between food, mental health, and physical well-being.
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Food Sovereignty Reclaims Health
- Food sovereignty and reclaiming native dishes reconnect communities to healthier eating.
- Jonathan Nez says restoring native foods helps push back on diabetes and heart disease.
Traditional Diets Were Plant-Centered
- Traditional Indigenous diets were largely plant-based and centered on locally gathered plants.
- Jonathan Nez links those diets to cultural resilience and health across regions.
Cooking Reconnected A Colleague To Land
- A colleague who completed Food for Life felt reconnected to the land while preparing vegetables.
- That hands-on cooking revived her sense of belonging and purpose.