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A picture of me (Tenzin Dresen Wangmo) in my national dress

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To me, health means being whole, to be well. Be it regarding my mental, social, or physical health. Health means being able to achieve and move forward toward my goal without the obstacle of a physical or mental ailment. If ever a situation occurs where I face an illness or disease, health means having the support to overcome those obstacles. As WHO states health is not just "the absence of disease or infirmity..."  for me, it is the ability to experience life as it comes, wholly and beautifully.

- Tenzin Dresen Wangmo

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Adults are often shaped by their childhood. The ideologies, opinions, and thoughts of an adult are the culmination of the experiences, environment, and community they grew up in. As a Bhutanese, I was surrounded by intense cultures and traditions, some bad and some good. After being in Australia for the past few months, I recognised that the culture I grew up in is deeply rooted in me and has a significant impact on my thinking.

Domain 7, from the Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds competency standards framework for clinicians, describes the importance of healthcare clinicians being aware of how our traditions and beliefs can impact interactions in healthcare settings. Being in a foreign country has allowed me to better understand how different people are and how essential it is for me to never let my beliefs alter that of a patients.

I feel that my culture and tradition had given me a sense of compassion and empathy but at the same time I recognise the biases I have as well. For example, my culture frowns up casual conversation with elders however, that is not the case for many other cultures.  It is then my duty to recognise that and not comment nor judge my patient for the conversations they have with their family member or friends.

As a nurse who will act as the bridge between a patient and the health care system, I realise the importance of being flexible and interacting with patients appropriately in accordance with their culture. The profession I am pursuing requires me to meet people of all backgrounds and cultures. As a future clinician, I will practice self-awareness in hopes of becoming a nurse for all.

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Bhutan is a country rich in culture, beauty and traditions. However, like many other countries, it has its own shortcomings.

In an article by the Journalist, the number of Bhutanese in Perth alone was estimated to be more than 7000 and about 15000 all around Australia. With those numbers likely to increase as years go on. This number although it make look small, for a country like Bhutan with a population of only 700000, it is a huge number.

Bhutanese choose to leave their homes and families for Perth to pursue a brighter future. Bhutan being a small country is unable to provide its youth with the opportunities they crave for. Leaving many youth with the hard choice to leave home to pursue a brighter path.
(https://thebhutanese.bt/understanding-the-australia-rush-and-the-ground-realities-there/)

Lamsang, T. (2022, July 23). Understanding the australia rush and the ground realities there. The Bhutanese. https://thebhutanese.bt/understanding-the-australia-rush-and-the-ground-realities-there/

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SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH EFFECTING BHUTANESE COMMUNITY

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Ema Datsi
As you can see the traditional food of Bhutan is rich in butter, oil and cheese and all though it makes for excellent food, it is definitely not the healthiest.

Bhutanese choose to pair dishes like ema dastshi with a portion of rice. The Bhutanese food is high in carbohydrate and animal fats and very low in vegetables and fruits. With salt consumption being almost double the recommended amount as well. These eating habits of the Bhutanese people are contributing factors to the Bhutanese health and the increase in diabetic patients, obesity rates and high cholesterol.

The Bhutanese health care system is continuously working towards helping the Bhutanese society find a balance between enjoying their traditional food and maintaining their health. Through incorporating healthy eating in textbooks, and educating villagers, the health minister aims to reduce the numbers of patients facing life long health issues.

(Overview of nutrition activities in Bhutan 2019 2023 - World Food Programme. (n.d.). https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000109859/download/ )

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A slideshow of what Bhutan is through my camera lens. The last three photos are by @dechog.

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A short video of different Bhutanese of different backgrounds, I believe what showcases who Bhutanese are, are the people themselves.

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Wild Cordyceps Sinensis. (2022). Cordyceps Sinensis, the super mushrooms of Bhutan. Retrieved October 10, 2023, from https://www.dailybhutan.com/article/cordyce

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The cordyceps known as Yartse Goenbub locally has many health benefits. Often being referred to as a super mushroom.
Research has shown that this rare herb can:

1. Prevent Hypoglycemia

2. Reduce risk of dementia

3. Act as an Antidepressant

4. Support immune system

5. Improved sexuality

The medicinal value of these herbs is what maintains the strength and health of the Bhutanese farmers working in harsh climatic conditions. The herb also earns an extra income for their household.

Chen, A. (2020, September 1). 7 benefits of Cordyceps. Home - Daily Bhutan - Your gateway to the Kingdom. https://www.dailybhutan.com/article/7-benefits-of-cordyceps

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Archery is the national sport of Bhutan. It's history can be linked back centuries to the stories of the magical figures and heroes of Bhutan. Because of this in Bhutan archery is deeply intertwined with tradition, with archery festivals consisting of dancing, singing and drinking.

The sport also keeps our population healthy, as archery is known to be a great calorie burner that can tone muscles in your arms and back.

Rehan, M. (2023, June 4). Bhutan national sport: Archery. National Pedia - Read Everything National. https://nationalopedia.com/bhutan-national-sport-archery/

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Cham Dance. Picture taken by @Dechog Dorji

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Bhutan has its own unique arts; be it in dance, music or painting. The uniqueness of the art and the religious significance behind each art bring the Bhutanese community together. With majority of the community believing that forms of these arts can man make them more whole. These arts are therapeutic to the Bhutanese community, who believe that the artwork they create have power to heal and to mend. The process of creating the art is also very therapeutic for the artist himself. Art is encouraged in Bhutan because many believe it heals the heart and strengthens the mind.

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Syria, officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic is a country in the east coast of the Mediterranean sea. The country is currently facing a decade of ongoing conflict which erupted in 2011. The conflict which began as a peaceful protest turned into civil war. The conflict only became worse n 2015 leading to the displacement of millions of Syrians. In between 2015 to 2017, 11359 Syrians were resettled in Australia.

(Collins, J., Reid, C., Groutsis, D., Watson, K., & Ozkul, D. (2018, March). Syrian and Iraqi refugee settlement in Australia. In Public Seminar on Responses to Syrian-Conflict Refugee Settlement in Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, and the UK. Sydney: University of Technology (Vol. 14). )

Three common health concerns for people arriving from Syria are:

1.    Mental Health Issues: PTSD

Many Syrians arriving in Australia carry the burden of PTSD due to the experiences of war from their home country.

Issues like this would be best addressed using counselling, therapy and using culturally sensitive therapists.

2.    Malnutrition and Iron deficiencies

Women and Children often suffer from nutritional deficiencies due to limited access to food during their displacement.

Using nutritional rehabilitation programs and providing supplements would be the best way to solve this issue

3. Immunisations

Refugees from Syria are at risk of infectious diseases due to their unfortunate living conditions.

Having refugees undergo screenings and implementing vaccinations programs for necessary vaccines like TB, hepB and respiratory infections would be the best way to tackle this issue.

(https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/)