SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- "Lifestyle as medicine" is the motto behind a national American Indian health program that could help Americans of every ethnic background tackle diabetes without medicine.

Christina Orosco, 72, is just one of 5,000 Indians from nine different tribes learning to live with diabetes.

She's lost 74 pounds over the last year and a half -- after joining the Indian Health Council's Diabetic Program on the Rincon Reservation.

"My husband was a diabetic. He lost both his legs," said Orosco, "I lost him when he was 66 years old."

She's not alone.

Indians living on reservations like Rincon have the highest percentage of diabetics of any population group in the world. Most think there's not much they can do about it.

According to Corinna Nyquist at the Indian Health Council, it's a challenge to change that thinking.

The council runs a clinic to educate people on nutrition. They suggest a culturally sensitive diet that includes buffalo meat and provides free food demonstrations on simple diabetic recipes.

Tribal elders along with staff from the clinic make housecalls.

"The public health nurse, the nutritionist and the exercise specialist will go out to the home," said Nyquist.

All participants are offered a free membership at the tribal gym, but they must develop an exercise plan and follow it.

For more information about the American Indians' Diabetes Programs, go to Indian Health or send an e-mail to registered dietician Marcia Roper for an Indian Health diabetes menu.