Aloha!
My name is Keala Swafford. I am from Kahuku, Oahu and am a dietetics student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. I am currently pursing a Bachelors of Science in Dietetics and am on track to graduate in May 2019. My goal is to become a Registered Dietitian and be able to utilize my ike, knowledge, to better the health of the people of Hawaiʻi. Initially, I started my collegiate journey thinking I was going to become a nurse. However, I enrolled in an introductory nutrition class and was hooked. I realized the material being taught in this class aligned with what I wanted to do to help my community; to educate people on the benefits of nutritious foods. I chose to pursue nutrition and dietetics as a career because of the influence food has with one’s health and well-being. Food serves a greater purpose than providing us with the nutrients we need to live. Food brings distant family members together for the holidays and brings friends together for annual beach day BBQs. Memories are recalled and stories are shared over meals. Family, friends, and food are important aspects of my life. My long term goal is to incorporate cultural foods into disease prevention and nutrition interventions in my dietetic practice. I believe the first step in achieving this is to work alongside the community to identify the supports and barriers of consuming health promoting foods. I hope to also be able to address the obstacles faced by indigenous people in gaining access to culturally relevant and healthy food. Through the dietetic internship, I aim to create modified and therapeutic diets that incorporate traditional foods with cultural significance as an application of nutrition for disease prevention and management. Because the worlds of “scientific knowledge” and “indigenous knowledge” are often at conflict, I see myself faced with duality; a contributing indigenous community member and western trained scientist attempting to advance in a scientific society while holding true to my cultural identity. My goal is to be a leader in Hawai‘i contributing to a thriving and life-affirming future for my community of Pacific Islanders, Filipinos and Native Hawaiians currently suffering from significant health disparities. I aspire to work with indigenous populations to create programs providing them with access to foods both cultural and nutritious. I am determined to help my community develop healthier diets. I recognize the changes needed to support individual health and the health of our local economies. The Hawaiian and Pacific Islands were once self-sustaining and not dependent on imported foods. This contrasts with today where a majority of our food is imported. When improving health, it is necessary to incorporate traditional foods into daily practice because indigenous foods, like traditional Native Hawaiian foods, reflect the qualities we want: high fiber, low energy, and plenty of vitamins and minerals. This is done by developing our local food system. By introducing environmental stewardship, our community will be a part of the local food system and be influenced to make healthier choices. My goal is to incorporate the foods our ancestors ate, to embrace our culture, be sustainable, and have a diet that maintains health. |
Contact Me
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Phone |
808.285.3727
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Address |
PO Box 124 Kahuku, HI 96731
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