Char-Koosta News
Ronda Howlett, a CSKT enrolled member, delivers the keynote address at the 2025 Go Red for Women event.
As the keynote speaker at the Go Red for Women Wellness Center, Ronda Howlett, a CSKT-enrolled member, shared her inspiring health journey. Known for her dedication to making healthier choices, Howlett’s story resonates deeply with those looking to prioritize their well-being.
Growing up, Howlett was influenced by her father, a gardener who instilled the importance of fresh, homegrown food. “I had good role models,” she said, reflecting on the values that shaped her childhood.
As a young mother of children just 20 months apart, Howlett faced the common challenge of low energy. “Getting your body back to normal after childbirth isn’t easy,” she said. “I think a lot of women don’t understand that about pregnancy.”
Despite her struggles, Howlett made regular visits to her primary care provider, keeping an eye on her health metrics, including her cholesterol levels. Over time, she noticed her cholesterol creeping up and, at one point, had managed to lose 20 pounds. However, without staying focused on her health, she gained weight.
“When you don’t stay focused on it, I guess all those things keep creeping back in,” she said. As she was “inching up” again, she was having high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
“I just kept saying, I know how to do this. I know how to take off the extra pounds, and I know that will help get my numbers back to normal,” she said. Determined to avoid medication, she decided to take control of her health in a new way.
Melissa Morigeau and other attendees created their own ribbon skirts in preparation for the 2025 Go Red for Women event to showcase their creations.
In February 2024, after a blood test showed her cholesterol had risen to 250, Howlett committed to truly improving her eating habits. “You can have all this brain knowledge, but you really have to apply it,” she said. Turning to healthier recipes, Howlett gradually began cutting back on meat, making fish a primary source of protein.
Then, serendipitously, she came across a flyer for a “lifestyle medicine week” offered by CSKT Tribal Health. The ten-week course focused on teaching healthy habits and preventive care – something Howlett saw as a godsend. “It was a chance to learn from local practitioners surrounded by her own community members,” she said.
Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses lifestyle interventions as a primary treatment for chronic conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The six pillars of lifestyle medicine include a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections. By embracing these principles, individuals can treat and prevent disease.
Initially unsure, Howlett was uncertain whether the program would be culturally relevant for her. As a retired teacher, she believed in the importance of adapting programs to fit the community. “What are you doing to make this culturally relevant for us?” she asked the course leaders. She was pleased to find that the course was designed to be community-driven, incorporating local values and traditions.
“We are here as tribal people doing this program, so that automatically makes it culturally appropriate,” she said. On the other hand, Howlett also recognized the opportunity and need to go deeper, emphasizing the importance of ancestral practices, such as foraging for roots and berries. “All those family stories about gathering meals together are important. You can incorporate that with this program,” she said.
The annual ribbon skirt fashion show at the Go Red for Women event highlights the strong social connections built within the community. Women gather in groups beforehand to create their ribbon skirts, reconnecting and forging new bonds. This collaborative effort fosters a healthy and positive community environment centered around the craft of ribbon skirt making.
The course introduced the six pillars of lifestyle medicine, and Howlett’s challenge or test was positive social connections. She defines herself as someone who is more private, and even as a teacher, she would need space alone to recharge. Howlett initially hesitated at the idea of group sessions. However, she found that meeting weekly with the class allowed for valuable discussions and provided space to process their experiences together.
A “coach” was also assigned to the cohort, checking in weekly by phone to help participants set goals and evaluate their progress in the six pillars. “You can get all this head knowledge, but there comes a time when you have to dig deep and start applying it,” she said.
Integrating practices like mindful breathing into her routine became a key tool for managing stress for Howlett. She shared her technique: “Do a quick body scan, focus on your breathing, and if any thoughts come to mind, acknowledge them and set them aside for later.”
One of the tips that stuck with her during the Go Red for Women practice of “just being here right now,” a simple but powerful reminder to take a deep breath and center oneself. “We did this together at the conference, just taking ten deep breaths,” Howlett said.
While Howlett has made significant strides in her health, she acknowledges that it’s an ongoing journey that takes effort, courage, and strength. However, the rewards are a “good life.”
She expressed immense pride in the work being done by the practitioners at CSKT Tribal Health. “They’re empowering us,” she said. “They’re not just preventing illness; they’re helping to reverse it.” Howlett passionately emphasized that the power of lifestyle medicine lies in food. “Think about the side effects doctors put you on medication for – no, no, no, let’s eat our medicine!”
Another course will take place in mid-March; anyone can join anytime.