No pills, but paprika. That is the credo of GP Tamara de Weijer (37). She is convinced that a healthy lifestyle can prevent many diseases.
Are you against drugs?
'No, but I am convinced that you can use your lifestyle as medicine for many chronic diseases. Preventive and as a treatment. Condition such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease. intestinal diseases, chronic fatigue, skin complaints, migraine and psychological complaints are often related to unhealthy diet, too little exercise, insufficient sleep and too much stress. It makes sense to look for the solution instead of taking pills right away.'
How did you come to that insight?
'I've been overweight for a long time. I only kept diets for three weeks at the most and then I started binge eating. After my first pregnancy, more than six years ago, I was twenty kilos heavier than now. I ate a lot of light products and used a lot of packets and sachets, full of sugar and salt. I was hungry throughout the day and lots of energy fluctuations. A friend advised me to eat differently. Fresh, without additives. With lots of vegetables, fruit, legumes and nuts and fatty fish every week. I got rid of all the packages and bags and started to exercise more. In three to four months I lost fifteen kilos. I had never felt so fit and fine in my life. And for the first time in 15 years my irritable bowel didn't bother me anymore! I was very happy and thought:I must do something with this in my GP practice. When I started eating a different diet for a diabetic, he had lost six kilos and twelve centimeters of waist circumference and his diabetes within three months. That definitely lit a flame in me.'
Read the rest of the interview in the October issue of Santé.
Who is Tamara?
Tamara de Weijer (37) has been a general practitioner since 2015 and provides nutritional and lifestyle advice. in 2016 she founded the Association of Arts and Nutrition, of which she is the president. Tamara guided the six participants of the TV program How do I become 100 towards a healthier lifestyle. She worked on Doctors of Tomorrow by AVRO-Tros and was appointed ambassador of the National Action Plan for Fruit and Vegetables at the Food Summit in January 2017. Recently her book Eat better in 28 days was published. Tamara is married and lives with husband and two daughters in Enkhuizen.
Text:Belinda Fallaux | Photography:Bart Honingh | Make-up:Linda Huiberts
