Blog

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GANADO, Ariz. – The Community Health Department of Sage Memorial Hospital is excited to announce the “Delicious Dine’ Cooking Classes,” a series of engaging, family-friendly cooking classes designed to celebrate and educate on the nutritional benefits of traditional Navajo dishes. These classes aim to encourage community health and wellness through food sovereignty, focusing on dishes that prioritize nutritional value and traditional ingredients.

The classes will be led by registered dietitian Denee Bex and are open to all families in the surrounding Navajo Nation communities. Each class will showcase the “Blue Corn Mush Parfait ” and “Top Blue Corn, Pine Nut Granola” dishes. The series begins at the Klagetoh Chapter House on May 14 continues at the Kinlichee Chapter House on May 15 and follows with classes at the Greasewood and Wide Ruins Chapter Houses on May 21 and 22, respectively.

“We, the SMH P4 Outreach Team and the Community Health Department, are so excited to be working and collaborating with Ms. Bex, chapter house leaders and community members with the “Delicious Dine'” Cooking classes,” said Kathryn Barron, NP. “This will be the start of our Produce Prescription Pilot Program (P4) community outreach nutrition education series.”

“We hope to build on these events and include other events and activities in the future to support increasing access and knowledge to traditional foods, fruits and vegetables to the Dine people; and ultimately improving food security and food sovereignty on Navajo Nation through collaborative community partnerships,” Barron added.

Bex is a passionate advocate for using traditional foods and nutrition to improve health outcomes in Native American communities. She has worked in indigenous communities as a clinical dietitian, diabetes health coach and group facilitator for more than 10 years and is excited to share her knowledge and expertise in cooking classes that celebrate traditional Navajo dishes.

“I recognize the power of building on our local food systems to increase access to healthy and traditional foods, because that’s how we will make a change in our communities,” said Bex. “We must use our traditional knowledge of food to help heal our communities.”

“I love my community and I am excited use my formal education to empower my people,” Bex adds. “I’m proud to partner with sage Memorial because our mission to increases access to healthy and cultural response foods and education aligns.”

Interested participants can sign up for the classes through the provided link: https://forms.gle/s9fFZ2bodTaASEGCA. For more information, please contact the SMH Community Health Department at (928) 755-4835.