What is your name and what condition-specific team do you work on?
My name is Tamara. I am a Cardiometabolic Team Lead at Pack Health. I have a Bachelors in Biochemistry from Spelman College and Masters in Clinical Nutrition from the University of Alabama Birmingham.
Why do you work at Pack Health? What’s your favorite part of your job? Where do you get your inspiration?
Working at Pack Health gives me the opportunity to join in a collaborative partnership with people who want to live a healthier, happier life. My favorite part of Pack Health is meeting and building relationships with our members. I love meeting new people, so it’s a win-win! It may sound cliche’ but I actually get inspiration from our members. No matter what condition, the strength and courage, and determination our members show in their health journey is truly awe-inspiring and pushes me to give my very best in every session.
What’s your favorite healthy food and why? Share a recipe with us!
I am a big fan of leafy greens! One of my favorites is collard greens. They are an excellent source of Fiber, Potassium, Vitamin A and C. You can cook them on the stove or in a crock pot to save time. Ingredients: Collards, *Smoked Turkey or broth, Cajun Seasoning, Black Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes. Prepare a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add in smoked meat (if you don’t want to use meat, you can use a broth instead) cook meat until tender (30 -45 mins). Take a bunch (bundle) of collards that you have cut or purchased pre-cut and add it to the pot. Let simmer until leaves are tender. Season to taste with the listed seasonings.
What’s your favorite way to stay active and why?
My favorite way to stay active is through dancing. Sometimes, I may not have time to make it to the gym or get in my morning or afternoon walk, but I always have time to listen to my favorite songs! So I make it my business to dance at home like no-one is watching, even if they are! Dancing to my favorite songs is a great form of cardio and a great stress reliever. And if I find myself wanting a new song or dance, I pull up Zumba or other dance workouts on YouTube.
How else do you practice self-care?
Some ways I practice self-care is through journaling and reading. Writing down my thoughts on paper is somewhat cathartic. It allows me to organize my thoughts and in some cases come up with solutions to some of the issues that may contribute to my stress or remind me of the good things that make me feel good about myself. Reading is a great way to learn more and improve myself as a person. I set a personal goal to learn and grow each day personally and mentally. Reading various types of books allow me to do that. I am currently reading John C. Maxwell.
What advice do you have for someone just joining the program?
For anyone just joining the program, I would say to focus on progress versus perfection. Sometimes when setting health goals, we tend to set “all or nothing” goals and get disappointed when things don’t go exactly as planned. Take the time to focus on what you did well, what allowed you to be successful, and what could be the next step you could take to be more successful with your goal.
Share your favorite member story with us!
There are so many, I can’t name one! But I will honestly say when a member meets their health goals whether it’s lowering their A1c, improving RA pain levels, losing weight, or getting back to doing the things that they love after not being able to do for years, I count it all success!
Tamara Wilson, Cardiometabolic Team Lead
