Enrolling In The Institute For Integrative Nutrition
How our founder’s experiences led her to not just welcome redirection, but choose it, by enrolling in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, an American online nutrition school headquartered in NYC.
Photo by Unsplash, artwork by The Purple Thread
The mission of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition is “to play a crucial role in improving health and happiness, and through that process, create a ripple effect that transforms the world.” Upon completion, students graduate as Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches.
But let's back up! How did I get to this point?
I have always been drawn to learning more about the mind-body connection.
I always ate mostly healthy but noticed the sometimes unexplainable effects stress had on my body no matter the food choice (migraines, hives, digestive issues).
Different instances of trauma and burnout led me to forms of self-care like therapy and eventually, a more holistic and comprehensive approach.
When I left my full-time job of close to 7 years, I was almost overwhelmed with the concept of having TIME. What to do with it? I was looking forward to planning our wedding but felt I needed some sort of reset first.
I decided to invest in myself with a blended program of nutrition and Reiki. The nutrition piece helped me get to the bottom of the stress-related issues, and the Reiki took it once step further. Reiki is a form of energy healing that helps identify and clear blockages, and for the client, a session is similar to a nice, long, meditative nap.
Next up: a beautiful wedding, relaxing honeymoon, and taste of an exciting freelance project, and in enters the unwelcome Coronavirus. The project was canceled, essentially taking the live events industry with it, and we are all kind of existing in this day-by-day fog. I was grateful for the health of our families and that I had saved (truly the “rainy day” account personified), but now what?
I had heard about IIN through various connections (personal and digital). I reconnected with a friend from college who had recently enrolled and after positive feedback and similar feelings towards the program, I felt it was time to jump in. Why?
I told myself that I don't have to know right now what the outcome will be, and to keep an open mind. I just needed to apply myself to something, and in this case - to an area I am already genuinely interested in.
The time and financial commitment were appealing and manageable, with options within curriculum length and payment plans. Also, fully digital = completely flexible.
Perhaps pessimistically, but let’s say realistically, I told myself that, at the very least, this education would benefit the overall well-being of myself, those closest to me, and The Purple Thread community. And then it hit me. Why is benefiting the health of myself and those around me “the very least” version of the end result? Why is that alone not enough of a reason to follow something that sparks interest? We hesitate to step towards things that bring joy if they don’t also come with a promised validating return such as compensation or a guarantee of success. When did “just because we want to,” stop being a good enough reason? It's more than enough if we let it be. This perspective can create excitement vs. worry.
I enrolled in the six-month accelerated program in August, began in September, and in only (seriously) the first few hours of material, I was pretty blown away. The content is taught through videos and materials by experts such as Deepak Chopra and functional medicine experts Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Frank Lipman, and so many others. The concepts are not complicated. They are sensical, digestible, practical, and just so important. I know it is labeled a nutrition school, but what I love most is that they consider the food we eat secondary to the nourishment we get "off the plate," such as the relationships and other factors in our lives. Eating perfectly healthy 100% of the time isn't going to make you happy OR healthy if everything else is out of balance.
The Institute for Integrative Nutrition focuses on these core concepts:
Bio-individuality is the idea that everyone has different needs. One person’s foods could be considered another person’s poison, there are extroverts and introverts, bodies that prefer yoga over intense cardio, etc. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Primary food is what nourishes us off the plate and includes the lifestyle factors that affect our well-being, such as relationships, career, spirituality, and physical activity to name a few. All of these elements, in addition to the food we eat, play major roles in our physical and emotional health.
Secondary food is the food on our plates, the intersection of nutrition and health. It is where we learn to add more whole foods as opposed to just cutting out “the bad things.”
Another helpful point IIN makes early on is defining the sometimes-unclear role of a health coach. The purpose is to act as an advocate, mentor, and guide. A health coach is the very important in-between of people and traditional healthcare, motivated by educating and therefore empowering clients to make positive lifestyle choices. The goal is to work together to discover and address the root causes needing attention, as opposed to the surface-level effects.
The program stresses the importance of progress over perfection. Baby steps stick.
There are so many different paths to take with these credentials, and some notable IIN graduates include Danielle Duboise, Melissa Wood, Gabby Bernstein, Sahara Rose, and so many others.
I’m halfway through the program and happy to answer any questions for those interested in learning more, as well as substantial savings on tuition.
Considering Institute for Integrative Nutrition is ideal for those interested in:
- General health and wellness
- Overall well-being in terms of nutrition, lifestyle, relationships, etc.
- Sharing their healing journey with others
- Healing others via education, support, and mentorship
- Career flexibility
For now, I'm eager to continue to learn and share my findings with you as I go.
Welcome redirection. Choose it.
As an Ambassador Partner of Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I am happy to share some ways to learn and save:
Explore the program overview, experience an IIN sample class, download the curriculum guide, or apply today with special savings on tuition.
Email for any questions and to confirm your discount.
Comment Prompt:
How has a personal situation acted as a turning point in your life, inspiring you to learn, and maybe even helping yourself and/or others in the process?