“Nothing can be more important than the food that people eat.” That was the message on Wednesday 16 September, when nutritional therapist Naomi Goldman gave a talk on how to stop type 2 diabetes and heart disease at a really well attended Peterborough Deaf Drop-In at City College, delivered entirely in British Sign Language.
Naomi is deaf herself and one of very few registered nutritional therapists in the country who works directly in BSL. “I’d love to help people eat better and improve their healthy lives,” she told the room. No interpreter was needed.
Why it matters
Health information is one of the areas where deaf people miss out most. Leaflets, GP conversations and television campaigns are all built around hearing and English, so advice that most people pick up without thinking often does not reach deaf BSL users at all.
Naomi’s talk covered what heart disease and type 2 diabetes are, how they are linked to blood pressure, cholesterol and lifestyle, how much sugar hides in everyday food, and what to look for on packaging. She showed the kinds of meals that help, from porridge with berries to fish and vegetables, and took plenty of questions.
What people took away
Several people said afterwards that the information was new to them.
“I learned a lot about food, what not to eat, but also what you can eat.”
“I didn’t know anything about diabetes. I’ve learned that I’ve got to make a list to make sure I get the right foods, not the bad things, because there’s lots of sugar in food.”
“You have to read the packaging to make sure there’s no sugar there.”
About Naomi
Naomi Goldman is a registered nutritional therapist who works with clients on digestion, blood sugar, weight and menopause. Her approach is to look for the root cause of a problem rather than a quick fix. Because she signs, deaf clients can talk to her directly about their health without an interpreter in the room. You can find out more at naomigoldman.com.
“Something that’s so rare”
Andrew Palmer, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire Deaf Association, said:
“It’s just another sign of Cambridgeshire Deaf Association’s commitment to making sure that important information is accessible to deaf people. Nothing can be more important than the food that people eat, and steering clear of heart disease and diabetes is very important. So we really thank Naomi for coming over to give the benefit of her experience in sign language, something that’s so rare and something that we’re so happy to support. And thank you to the staff and volunteers at CDA for putting on the event. We hope to see Naomi again.
“This is part of our strategy, which is to help people thrive and develop. It helps people thrive because the right nutrition can really help people live a good life and improve wellbeing, but also for helping people develop those healthy habits and develop the skills to keep healthy.”
More talks this autumn
The nutrition talk is one of a series of wellbeing sessions in our Autumn Quarter Programme. Still to come are a Parkinson’s workshop at Cambourne Church on Friday 18 September, 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and a talk on Alzheimer’s at the Peterborough Deaf Drop-In on Wednesday 14 October, 12pm to 2pm.
Come along
The Peterborough Deaf Drop-In runs every Wednesday, 12pm to 2pm, at City College, Peterborough. Everyone is welcome and you do not need to book. The full programme is at cambsdeaf.org/cda-events.
If you know someone who could benefit, please pass this on. Not everyone sees social media or local posters.
