Plaistow, NH -- Yolanda Hammond is a professional with a unique set of credentials that help guide people towards a healthier and more balanced existence. She realizes that wellness goes beyond just nutrition, it is a holistic and personalized experience. She delights in helping people discover their lifestyle, needs, and goals, and putting together a plan to create changes and take them to a better point.
Yolanda has three decades of experience as a nurse, working in an acute care hospital setting where she noticed people return time and again with complaints that could not be cured by simply taking a pill. She knew that there were other things involved in the healing process, for instance healthier food choices, lifestyle changes, and even exercises that could help reduce inflammation and improve mobility and gut health. She began using some of these solutions with her own family -- she began studying at Food Matters and then at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Yolanda never stopped being a nurse though, and changing her own work life to accommodate other interests was good for her healthy balance, as well as her patients’.
Yolanda knows many things about the body and the nutrients and whole foods we need to stay in a healthier place. She knows that a deficiency in magnesium, vitamin D, B12 and Omega 3 will not only affect our weight, but our energy, our mood, mental health, and our bone health. She knows that salmon, mackerel, along with other fatty fish are rich in omega 3’s which are crucial for building cells, brain health, heart health and regulating inflammation. And fermented foods like kimchi, kefir, and yogurt are rich in probiotics and are good for the microbiome and gut health. And she has a desire to keep on learning more.
“I’m like a dog with a bone with this health topic. I’ve learned a lot, and I want to continue to learn to do more all the time. I’m working with a group of girls helping them make smart choices and to empower their lives. Meal prep and cooking with simple, healthy ingredients are part of it. I am teaching them about fresh produce and how to grow from seeds or regrow from scraps.”
Yolanda says much of what she knows about healthy cooking and fresh ingredients comes from her cultural roots. Her family lives in Spain, a country recognized by UNESCO in 2010 as a top source of nutrition via The Mediterranean Diet. This type of food regime emphasizes fresh vegetables, olive oil, legumes and fish, all of which are plentiful in the region. Each time Yolanda goes home to visit, she returns from Spain with all the fresh recipes and herbs she can handle. She enjoys making fresh recipes such as a special tomato paste (no seeds which can cause inflammation) and stews like the classic Ropa Vieja.
Yolanda has been a nurse for 29 years, many of them in the Endoscopy unit and Emergency room, so she was exposed to the role gut health plays in our lives. She has a goal to make real change and not just manage symptoms. She realizes there are many lifestyle shifts involved in health improvement, and that diet is just one dimension. She also integrates spirituality, lifestyle, nutrition, physical activity, home environment, and of course one’s health into the mix.
‘’Since the business is new, I have great opportunities to customize experiences for my clients. Healthy life is, after all, a very personal matter. My core program is aimed at 2 sessions a month for 6 months. Each relationship begins with intensive education, getting to know the person, their habits, their likes, dislikes, their budget, and more. I look forward to the challenge.”
Yolanda is appearing on the Close Up Podcast as part of their Empowering Women Series. She says that she is working with women and young adults. She also says it is often more difficult for women to maintain a healthy balance because of the many priorities in their lives. Yet she also believes women can be strong and independent, and she has accomplished a lot, even taking on home reconstruction projects and buying and flipping her first home before she was 30. She hopes there will be a time when women are respected as full equals and is frustrated when she meets people who treat her differently. Being an achiever in more than just one field and telling her story on the podcast is one means of spreading such affirming messages.
Everything Yolanda Hammond has done in life stems from her desire to make life better for herself and others. She began with nursing in 1997, and then studied integrative nutrition to further her career path. She primarily raised her daughter, teaching her independence, creativity and a sense of pride in their DIY projects. She volunteers for programs like Project Kompass and her local library. Learn more about her commitment to positive change for humanity in the February podcast.
For more information about Yolanda and her work visit her website: www.wellnessease.life
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