Traditional Food Dietary Guide for Alaska Native Cancer Survivors Changing Patterns in Cancer in Native Communities September 7, 2007 Christine A. DeCourtney, MPA Karen M. Mitchell

Alaska is one-fifth the size of the lower 48 states. It measures 2,400 miles east to west. It measures 1,420 miles north to south.

Project Background Maintaining a healthy diet is important for cancer patients. During treatment and survivorship, dietary recommendations are often unfamiliar to Alaska Natives.

They told me to eat kale when I was getting cancer treatment. I don’t even know what kale is. I wanted sea asparagus. Ethel Lund, Alaska Native cancer survivor

There are no culturally appropriate nutritional resources available for Alaska Natives. Lance Armstrong Foundation provided funding to develop nutritional resources for Alaska Native cancer patients.

Buy Local! –Catch local –Gather local –Share local –Eat local

Contents Traditional Foods—Good for Life Eating for health Foods from the land and sea Plants Recipes Eating during cancer treatment Managing cancer treatment side effects Glossary References Resources

Happiness is healing. Elders need to taste the food they’ve grown up on so they can feel good about themselves again—it’s a healing thing. Frank Wright, Hoonah

Contact information Christine DeCourtney or Karen Mitchell or