Week 16 and 17: Community and Nature

During the past couple of weeks I was given the opportunity to present as a healthcare professional at a local primary school. My local friend Tan is a teacher at Victorious Nazarene School in San Jose Succotz, Belize. For my presentation, I presented on healthy eating habits. During my time in Belize, I have learned that type 2 diabetes majorly affects communities here due to their eating habits. Although public healthcare does provide insulin when supplies is available, many that reside in Belize do not believe in modern medicine. Herbal medicine is not only abundant in the tropics, but it is also widely used throughout the community.

Throughout my presentation, I explained to students my current field of practice as a neurodiagnostic technologist at HCA’s Tristar Centennial and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, TN, USA. I shared with them in regard to my studies in Neuroscience at Belmont University and my aspirations to become a physician in the future. They all brought nutrition labels and drawings of their favorite foods and snacks. One by one we were able to classify all of their favorite foods into groups and determine just how much of each we should be eating.

One of my favorite moments during my presentation was playing a sugar guessing game with the students. Every time I told them the grams of sugar each food contained they all gasped in response! They were all grateful to learn about the “Healthy Plate Rule” which is half vegetables and fruit, a quarter protein, and another quarter carbohydrates.