Good Food is Good Medicine
It's National Nutrition Month and throughout March the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is inviting all BC First Nations people to join our Food is Medicine challenge, a wellness initiative aimed at nourishing our minds, bodies and spirits.
Once again, the FNHA is partnering with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I-SPARC) for this annual challenge. I-SPARC is an Indigenous focused organization that delivers a variety of community-based wellness programs designed to promote healthy, active lifestyles.
Rachel, Sheila, and Fiona in Nlaka'pamux
FNHA and I-SPARC are excited to share Season 2 of the Food is Medicine cooking show! Season one took the form of a four-part video series as registered dietitians Rachel Dickens and Fiona Devereaux travelled from Ahousaht to W̱SÁNEĆ, sharing their knowledge while learning cultural and culinary teachings from community members.
Season two features two brand-new episodes set in the beautiful Nlaka'pamux territory, steeped in culture, traditional food, and community knowledge. In these episodes, registered dietitians Rachel Dickens and Fiona Devereaux are graciously hosted by the Adams family. The family shares some of their traditional recipes, as well as knowledge of the area's harvesting practices and fragile food systems. The focus is on food from harvest to table, providing an understanding of the care and preparation that goes into the foods we consume – from wild potatoes to wind-dried fish soup to dried meat to deer stew.
Join Fiona, Rachel and the Adams family this month! Tune in with your family and friends in your own kitchen or community – you can try out some of their recipes or just enjoy learning about the bounty of foods from Nlaka'pamux territory.
You can make meals seen in these videos by downloading this recipe book created in partnership with the FNHA and I-SPARC!
Where to Watch
Episode one: Food is Medicine: Nlaka'pamux Part one (29 minutes, 14 seconds)
In this episode, Rachel and Fiona journey to the valley, harvesting TatOOwe-n (wild potato) and TSawAta (celery plant), and learn how the Adams family incorporates these wild foods into their everyday meals. They explore how to make fish soup two ways – Buster's classic boiled fish soup, and a family favourite, Stwen (wind-dried fish) soup. The episode also includes a wild food power bowl including TatOOwe-n, salmon, seaweed, TSawAta and wild rice. This delicious dish can be adapted with many ingredients you'll find in your own kitchen!
Episode two: Food is Medicine Nlaka'pamux Part two (24 minutes, 54 seconds)
In part two of the Nlaka'pamux series, our hosts cook wild meat stew in two
different ways: on a stove top and in a slow cooker. Both stews feature deer
meat, wild pine mushrooms and stinging nettles – all harvested from the
Nlaka'pamux territory. They also show us how to make a traditional ShwuhOOshem
(soapberry) drink and a sweet treat with TsulTsala (huckleberries).
Photo from episode #2 – Meat stew
Woven throughout both episodes is wisdom from members of the Adams family on the importance of passing on these food traditions to our youth and how climate change is impacting these sacred food systems. These two episodes truly embody the concept of Food is Medicine and we are honoured to share them with you, our readers.
We raise our hands in gratitude to the Adams family for welcoming us into their home and sharing their wealth of knowledge with all of us!
We want to Hear from You!
We want to hear about your cooking adventures this month! Remember to check out the Food is Medicine Cookbook and share your Food is Medicine creation throughout March here – or tag us on social media @FNHA and @isparchealthyliving with the hashtags #foodismedicinefnha. Tagging will automatically enter you in our draw to win an Instant Pot, an air fryer or a cookbook!
More I-SPARC initiatives:
