Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 10, 1 October 1988 — E ʻAi Maikʻai: Eat Well [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

E ʻAi Maikʻai: Eat Well

'AI Pono, E Ola

By Terry Shintani, M.D.

Imagine tasty food that you ean eat of to your heart's content without feeling guilty! lmagine learning how healthy Hawaiian food really is! Sound too good to be true? To find out how you ean enjoy eating well, read on. In past articles, this eolumn has tried to

impress on everyone that the greatest epidemic that plagues the Hawaiian people today is nutri-tion-related disease. In some ways it is worse than the plague of 1804 that is said to have wiped out half the Hawaiian populahon at that time. Today, six of the ten leading causes of death of native Hawaiians are diet-related. This is important nutrition information that all Hawaiians should know. But I hope you have noticed that this eolumn is not just about nutrition information but about nutrition action as well.

This month, you and your family and friends ean enjoy a fun and informative way to make this information part of your lives. You are invited to a food fair, "E 'Ai Maika'i," (Eat Well) this month on October 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pokai Bay on the Wai'anae Coast. The fair is free and is sponsored by the Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Health Centerand various Wai'anae Coast organizations.

One of the main attractions will be the landmark "Moloka'i Diet," Ka Ho'oke 'Ai whieh Kauka Kekuni Blaisdell has discussed in this paper and whieh has received some publicity in the loeal daily papers as well. In this study, native Hawaiian individuals were placed on an ancient Hawaiian diet to see the effect of this diet on their health. The results showed dramatic reductions of blood eholesterol levels, among other beneficial changes. Study coordinator Helen 0'Connor will talk about the project at a public lecture at the Wai'anae Library on Friday, October 14 at 7 p.m. The next day she will be at the E 'Ai Maika'i Food

Fair, with a display, and to explain about 'Ka Ho'oke 'Ai" and answer your questions. Bring your whole family and all your friends, and learn some new ways to eat well! In the long run, you may help save a friend or a family member's life, and help preserve the health of the Hawaiian people as well. I hope to see all of you there!

TH1S MONTH'S RECIPE: A Take one helping of the Moloka'i Diet presentation at the Wai'anae Library meeting room 7-8 p.m., October 14. Add an enjoyable day at the Food Fair "E' Ai Maika'i" on Saturday, October 15, 1988 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pokai Bay, Wai'anae. Mix with family and friends. Enjoy, and 'E 'Ai' Maika'i!

Dr. Shintani, Director of Preuentive Health Seruices at the Waianae Coast Comprehensiue Health Center is a physician and nutritionist. He is also coordinator of their "Malama Ola" preuentiue health program. A majority of the patients at the WCCHC are natiue Hawaiian.