In the 1980's the nutrition program Meals for Millions camto help supplement their diets with homegrown vegetables like broccoli and tomatoes. The hunt for the past lifestyle began. Surrounding reservations were contacted and small pockets of cultivable wild plants were rediscovered in forgotten canyons and valleys. A return to the traditional diet afforded the O'odham health benefits. High-fiber foods slow the digestion and absorption of sugars and help to regulate blood glucose levels.
Plant based diets also help reduce cholesterol.
Preservation of the Tohono O'odham desert lifestyle is an ongoing project of Gary Paul Nabhan, who has been an active proponent of indigenous rights. Nabhan has lived in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona's Sonoran Desert, the most biologically diverse arid land in the world. Nabhan, an ethnobotanist, is a Lebanese-American, raised in the Chicago area. Nabhan's respect for ancient ethnic traditions has allowed him to work closely with the native peoples. As I began to work with native people, I realized that the best artists and singers in ceremonies had detailed knowledge of native plants.