Addressing diet-related diseases caused by the destruction of the traditional diet of Native peoples and the substitution for it with a "diet of poverty" is a major concern among health professionals.

Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, along with tribal and national partners, is at the forefront of the effort to reverse dangerous nutritional trends. The center was founded in 1991 and is based on 15 years of collaboration with Southwestern tribes. The mission is to work in partnership with the American Indian and Alaska Native communities to raise their health status to the highest possible level.

In 2009, the center embarked on "Feast for the Future" — an initiative that involves working with Native communities in New Mexico and Arizona to prevent hunger and food insecurity; support indigenous-foods knowledge, growth and re-introduction; increase local food production and access; and promote nutrition and fitness.

This initiative was launched with a fundraiser to benefit the participating Southwest tribes at the Niman Fine Art Gallery in Santa Fe. Gallery owners artist Dan Namingha and his wife, Frances, co-chaired the event.

"The fate of Native Americans is prophetic for all Americans," said Robert Redford, actor and honorary host of the event. A longtime supporter of Native American causes, the actor said, "Today, the original and best stewards of North America are suffering from nutrition-related sickness — including hunger, diabetes and obesity — and death."

In attendance at the fundraiser was the center's director, Mathuram Santosham. A professor of international health who consults with tribes at field sites nationwide, Santosham believes "the first peoples of our nation traditionally had healthy diets and healing lifestyles, until they were forced to change their living habits because of subjugation and exploitation." He said, "It is time to look to them again to lead us out of the epidemic of obesity and diabetes that plagues this nation."

Partnering in the fundraiser was Share our Strength, a leading antihunger antipoverty organization. SOS works with individuals in the culinary industry to raise funds through culinary events.

Freddie Bitsoie, participating chef and a member of the Navajo tribe, is concerned with promoting cooking. "People tend to think that cooking is something everybody does," he says, "but when I go to the 'rez' I see so much canned, packaged and ready-to-eat foods — and absolutely no fresh produce. At or near the reservations, all you have are convenience stores, like 7-Eleven."

Bitsoie, formerly of the Classic Cooking Academy in Scottsdale, Ariz., visits tribal communities to show the connection between nutrition and health — how to shop at grocery stores, what to look for, what to have in the cabinet at all times and how to cook what they buy.

"When I talk to the kids, I listen to them and make what they want, which are things that aren't healthy, like packaged mac and cheese," Bitsoie said. "So I'll prepare it from scratch, show them the basic technique, and tell them the fresh version is always better." He makes a fresh salad to go with it, but tells them to stay away from bottled salad dressings. "I teach them how to make simple vinaigrettes, which they enjoy because of the balance of acid to oil."

Bitsoie takes things a step further by telling the kids to go shopping with their parents. "I give them a shopping list, and they really enjoy taking the initiative."

But another issue is knowing how to shop. Through USDA-funded nutrition-assistance programs and project grants from foundations, health and wellness centers at the northern pueblos provide programs in healthy eating and re-establishing traditional diets, along with diabetes and heart-disease prevention.

The agriculture program at Picuris Pueblo involves a 90-head bison herd that provides low-fat meat for Pueblo members engaged in its diabetes program. Director Danny Sam indicated that the program includes caring for the bison, selling the meat and, most importantly, studying the effects when incorporated into diets of diabetes patients.

A diabetes program funded through Indian Health Services has been ongoing for 10 years at Ohkay Owingeh. According to wellness-center director Carol Cruz, the program provides blood-glucose screening and foot-care clinics connected to the diabetes program, in addition to conducting cooking classes and monthly cooking demos.

Access to fresh produce can be a challenge for people living in rural areas, but Taos Pueblo's agriculture initiative enables members to grow different crops with the goal of returning to producing its own food.

Bitsoie's company, FJBits Concepts, consults with companies and restaurants on how to produce menus with Native ingredients and cultural substance. With a background in classic French cooking and anthropology, Bitsoie's goal is to define "Native American cuisine."