Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation™ - #healthynurse Spotlight Series - Tammy Robertson RN, BSN
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Nurse-turned-business owner switches to whole food, vegan diet and never looks back.
At the end of the day, it’s about the journey. What a journey it has been for nurse and business owner Tammy Robertson. Over the past ten years, Tammy has prioritized just about every aspect of her health that you can think of — nutrition, exercise, mental health, sleep, and relationships.
Tammy’s #healthynurse journey began after working at a level I trauma hospital. She saw a lot of patients who had endured injuries from accidents or falls, but she also treated patients with exacerbations of chronic diseases, including:
While Tammy was helping patients get well enough to leave the hospital, she wanted to do more. If she could help educate patients on the prevention and reversal of chronic disease, she could help end some suffering before it even begins.
That’s when she decided to switch gears with her career. She left her job at the hospital and joined an integrative oncology practice. This helped her begin learning about the connection between food and disease.
“This career change opened a whole new world for me,” said Tammy. “In nursing school, we aren’t taught much about prevention and reversal of chronic disease. I wanted to be a better nurse for my patients, so I dove into a world of education.”
This passion motivated Tammy and her husband to spend an entire weekend watching documentaries on lifestyle medicine and nutrition. Overnight, the couple made the decision to switch to a whole food, vegan diet — and Tammy never turned back.
Choosing Wellness
Tammy and her husband ditched processed foods and instead filled their plates with whole foods. As an example, a typical day of meals for Tammy includes:
While Tammy was adjusting to her new vegan diet, she was also absorbing as much knowledge on lifestyle medicine as she could. Eventually, Tammy decided to become her own boss. She’s now President and Founder of Cooking On The Veg Health and Wellness, as well as Robertson Health and Wellness.
A Journey to Total Wellness
While nutrition is Tammy’s primary focus and passion, she also fills her lifestyle with other healthy habits, including:
Why does Tammy care so deeply about these areas of well-being?
“I have a big life goal, which is to live to triple digits,” said Tammy. “To do that, I have to keep my eyes on the prize.”
Avoiding chronic disease and staying healthy enough to live into old age keeps Tammy motivated. And if she has a slip-up and eats unhealthy vegan food, she’s not too hard on herself. She picks up where she left off and gets back on track.
Best of all, Tammy is now able to educate her clients about healthy habits to help them avoid or reverse chronic disease — something she’s been wanting to do all along.
Tammy’s Advice
As a nurse and business owner, Tammy understands how difficult it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. She recommends that you:
Tammy Robertson, RN, BSN, is a nurse and health coach. She’s also President and Founder of Cooking On The Veg Health and Wellness and Robertson Health and Wellness.
Are you a #healthynurse? Share your stories with us in our discussion below.
Not a member of Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) yet? Join us today!
Tammy’s #healthynurse journey began after working at a level I trauma hospital. She saw a lot of patients who had endured injuries from accidents or falls, but she also treated patients with exacerbations of chronic diseases, including:
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular disease
- Hypertension
- High cholesterol
- Chronic kidney disease
While Tammy was helping patients get well enough to leave the hospital, she wanted to do more. If she could help educate patients on the prevention and reversal of chronic disease, she could help end some suffering before it even begins.
That’s when she decided to switch gears with her career. She left her job at the hospital and joined an integrative oncology practice. This helped her begin learning about the connection between food and disease.
“This career change opened a whole new world for me,” said Tammy. “In nursing school, we aren’t taught much about prevention and reversal of chronic disease. I wanted to be a better nurse for my patients, so I dove into a world of education.”
This passion motivated Tammy and her husband to spend an entire weekend watching documentaries on lifestyle medicine and nutrition. Overnight, the couple made the decision to switch to a whole food, vegan diet — and Tammy never turned back.
Choosing Wellness
Tammy and her husband ditched processed foods and instead filled their plates with whole foods. As an example, a typical day of meals for Tammy includes:
- Breakfast: A smoothie made of leafy greens, berries, plant-based milk, and beans
- Lunch: Tofu-based dishes, pasta, beans, fruits, and vegetables
- Dinner: Soups or stews with a big salad
While Tammy was adjusting to her new vegan diet, she was also absorbing as much knowledge on lifestyle medicine as she could. Eventually, Tammy decided to become her own boss. She’s now President and Founder of Cooking On The Veg Health and Wellness, as well as Robertson Health and Wellness.
A Journey to Total Wellness
While nutrition is Tammy’s primary focus and passion, she also fills her lifestyle with other healthy habits, including:
- Exercising almost every day
- Prioritizing healthy sleep habits
- Using meditation to de-stress
- Focusing on positive relationships with family and friends
Why does Tammy care so deeply about these areas of well-being?
“I have a big life goal, which is to live to triple digits,” said Tammy. “To do that, I have to keep my eyes on the prize.”
Avoiding chronic disease and staying healthy enough to live into old age keeps Tammy motivated. And if she has a slip-up and eats unhealthy vegan food, she’s not too hard on herself. She picks up where she left off and gets back on track.
Best of all, Tammy is now able to educate her clients about healthy habits to help them avoid or reverse chronic disease — something she’s been wanting to do all along.
Tammy’s Advice
As a nurse and business owner, Tammy understands how difficult it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. She recommends that you:
- Fill up your own cup: Nursing is a selfless profession. One of the best things you can do for yourself is practice self-care. When you’re running on empty, you’re not doing yourself any favors — and you’re not doing your patients any favors, either.
- Keep learning: Just because you’re out of nursing school doesn’t mean learning stops. Life is an educational journey. The more you know, the better you can do. And once you know better, you can do better.
- Be an education advocate for your patients: Encourage your patients to learn, too. Share what you know can help them improve their lives as a whole.
Tammy Robertson, RN, BSN, is a nurse and health coach. She’s also President and Founder of Cooking On The Veg Health and Wellness and Robertson Health and Wellness.
Are you a #healthynurse? Share your stories with us in our discussion below.
Not a member of Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) yet? Join us today!
Blog #healthynurse Spotlight
03/17/2022 8:07am CDT
The #healthynurse Spotlight is a shout out to nurses who are making changes in their lives to improve their health and wellness. You can too! Read their stories for inspiration here.
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