Tamika Quinn

She says, “I grew up in the heart of North Philadelphia. It was about as inner city/urban as it gets. I remember as a young child wondering why we had to travel so far to go grocery shopping. There was a small market not that far away but it had more convenience foods than fresh.  

Flash forward...I've always wondered if the strokes that I had at only 27 years old were linked to the food we ate during my childhood. I've never received any definite answer, though they know that the subsequent strokes were a result of the hole in my heart. I just wonder if my lack of nutrition education contributed to my health issue.

At that age, I had already been diagnosed with high blood pressure and obesity. In my mind it was okay because everyone in my family had high blood pressure and what's wrong with being a little "thick"? Right. Well for me everything was wrong with it. The stroke I had at 27 left the entire left side of my body affected.

It took lots of intensive therapy, prayer, and love to get me back to where I am today.  However, I wish I had known how to prevent all that I've gone through.  Any health issue that can prevented should be!  Since we know that nutrition plays such a key role in later health, it’s well worth our passionate focus now.”

Tamika became an advocate with the American Heart Association’s You’re the Cure network and urges everyone to listen up about the prevention issue.  Right now the Virginia General Assembly is considering funding to help attract grocers to areas where it’s hard to find nutritious foods.  

Rules for success she shares with the girls she works to inspire through her GLAM Girl Enterprises business in Virginia:

1. You are what you think you are.
2. Set goals and find someone to hold you accountable.
3. Find a mentor.
4. You don’t get a pass for being a woman in business.
5. Women have an advantage in business.
6. Don’t quit!