Bama crews have spent the last two Group Education Sessions learning about cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in Australia, and Indigenous Australians are 20% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, and 70% more likely to die from it.
Paul outlined the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, focusing particularly on how diet and lifestyle affect our cardiovascular health. Quitting smoking, minimising our consumption of sugar and processed carbohydrates, and frequent exercise are some of the steps we can take to lower our risk of developing these diseases.
We then watched the documentary “The Magic Pill”, which explores how the disruption of the healthy hunter-gatherer lifestyle and diet of Arnhem Land’s Yolngu people has caused many health consequences including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancers and obesity. Members of our crew shared their knowledge about traditional diets and living off the land, and we all reflected upon the impacts of convenient, processed foods on our health.
We also spoke about the importance of passing these messages on to our friends and family, and being a positive role model with our own lifestyle choices.