I went to Diabetes Center at the Hospital in
the Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands for lunch with my family. I ate
diabetic friendly food such as fish hamburger beans and soup.
There are a lot of local food in the Marshall Islands as below. It must be good for your health!
Suddenly about 20 people came into the
restaurant. They took a cooking class for diabetic diet before eating. There was
also a gymnasium for them to use at Hospital.
There is a walking path (jikin walk) near
the Majuro airport. When our family dropped by there after picnic on Laura, I
saw a Marshallese couple walking and Chinese family playing some instruments.
Many people have taken up jogging, quite unlike eighteen years ago when I first
visited the island!
But Many people eat too much rice and meat,
and not enough vegetable as everyday food and drink cola and eat ice cream in
the night.
I talked to one Marshallese not to eat too
much at night. But she said that dinner is the only pleasure time for the family
to get together. I really understand that because of many people have become
busy. Today, both women and men are working, while getting babysitters to take
care of their children. For people in their 30’s to 40’s, diner time is the only
time they can relax and have fun. I cannot talk back to her words.
At Ebeye, which is the second most populated
area in the Marshall Islands, the gymnasium has just been opened in February.
There are two programs for women from 9 to 12 in the morning and from 5 to 6 in
the evening, and one program for men from 6 to 7 in the evening. The
program includes: stretching, jogging machine training, dancing. Around 20 to
30 women join this program. I have participated in this program several
times.
Good thing is that gym trainer is so nice. His
name is Mr. Kazumi Shima, whose grandfather is Japanese. He encouraged people
to join this preprogram, to train every day and to eat suitable food. He talks
to every person whoever he meets at places such as at restaurant, and on road. On
three occasions, I saw him talking to people about not to taking too much
sugar, recommending them to do exercises, how to use muscles, and to take vitamin
and protein.
Cooperative program between hospital and gymnasium
might be more effective.
