Are you interested in knowing more about healthy foods that nourish your body? Are you interested in learning the fundamental principles of Natural Nutrition to support your health and the health of your loved ones? Are you looking for a nutrition program that teaches a holistic mind/body approach to health? Do you dream of owning a wellness-based business that achieves long-lasting results for your clients and brings you financial abundance?

Whether you’re interested in nutrition for personal health reasons or you’re thinking about starting a career in nutrition consulting, the Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate program is a great place to begin!

This 35-hour introductory program is completed online and includes textbook learning, videos, assignments, activities, and quizzes to help you apply the transformational knowledge you are learning. Use this knowledge to further your personal quest for optimal health and wellness, or to incorporate basic nutrition consulting into your existing fitness, health, or wellness practice.

The Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate Program is comprised of the first 3 courses of the Natural Nutrition Coach Certificate Program. Students are introduced to the principles of Natural Nutrition, Digestion, and Menu planning, and gain insight into the various roles performed by a Natural Nutrition Coach. These 3 foundational courses will set you on a path of eating healthier, while you discover how food and specific nutrients and food-based ingredients directly influence your health. As well, we introduce the Holistic Nutrition Hub and assessment tools you can use right away. Students receive free access to the nutrition assessment forms and consulting tools available on the Holistic Nutrition Hub, saving you time and helping easily manage all aspects of working with clients.

This program teaches you:

• The principles and philosophy of natural nutrition, and the health risks associated with a modern, processed food diet.
• The basic science of the macronutrients, how and why they are important, and optimal food choices of each.
• How blood glucose problems arise and how to manage blood glucose with specific dietary and lifestyle interventions.
• The process of digestion from start to finish!
• Digestive issues can occur in the stomach and intestines, from heartburn to leaky gut syndrome.
• How to recognize imbalances in the digestive system and protocols that may help achieve balance.
• How the gut influences digestion, immunity, mood, and mental health.
• The psycho-spiritual meaning of digestive problems.
• How to read and interpret food labels and understand portion sizes.
• The benefits of eating seasonal, organic, non-GMO food.
• Food additives and their effect on health.
• The functions, deficiency symptoms, guidelines, and clinical applications for each vitamin, mineral, and trace mineral, as well as guidelines for purchasing high-quality dietary supplements.
• How to organize a natural foods kitchen and healthy cooking practices.
• Menu planning for yourself and for people with unique nutritional needs and specialty diets.
• How to start the consulting & coaching process with the Holistic Nutrition Hub Consulting platform
• Many tools and resources to help you along the way… and so much more!

Foundations In Natural Nutrition

Foundations in Natural Nutrition provides a framework for the study of nutrition and is an introduction to the principles of a natural food diet as they relate to health and well-being. The macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are explored in detail: their functions, metabolism, absorption, deficiency symptoms, and association with health and disease. Other naturally occurring compounds in plants and animals that may have beneficial effects on human health are examined, including phytochemicals, zoochemicals, and adaptogens, as well as anti-nutrients (including phytates, oxalates, and tannins), and the importance of water. The course also introduces various assessment tools you can use to streamline your nutrition consulting practice.

The Foundations in Natural Nutrition includes 5 texts which cover the following topics:

• An introduction to the principles and philosophy of natural nutrition
• The energy-yielding nutrients and their structure, synthesis, and classifications – carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids
• Calculating macronutrients
• Balancing blood glucose levels
• Added vs. natural sugars
• Gluten and when a gluten-free diet is relevant
• The essential fatty acids, trans fats, and seed oils
• Guidelines for cooking with fats and oils
• Detailed descriptions of each vitamin and mineral, their functions, the foods they are found in, and how they can benefit health
• Other beneficial nutrients and non-nutrients
• Why hydration is so important
• And much more…

The course also provides protocols for using vitamins and minerals that may help correct health imbalances and a detailed guide to choosing high-quality dietary supplements. This invaluable information provides you with clear guidelines for when it’s appropriate to recommend specific nutrients, as well as dosage ranges and possible contraindications.

Digestive Health & the Microbiome

Digestion is the cornerstone of health. Imbalances within the digestive system may result in poor nutrient absorption, and long-term malabsorption can initiate chronic health problems. This course explains the components and functions of the digestive system and why problems can so easily arise within this system, leading to constipation, heartburn, indigestion, or chronic illnesses of the digestive tract. Imbalances within the gut microbiome can greatly impact physical and mental health. Students also learn how these concerns may be influenced by dietary, behavioral, and supplemental interventions.

Some of the topics covered include:

• The process of digestion throughout the entire digestive system
• A detailed explanation of the types of digestive enzymes and how they can be used
• Diseases of the small and large intestines
• Improving regularity and what normal bowel movements look like
• Relief for constipation and diarrhea
• Colon and liver cleansing and detoxification techniques
• The many roles of the microbiome and how your gut impacts physical and mental health
• Detailed explanations of probiotics and prebiotics and how they can influence health
• DIY instructions for fermenting vegetables at home
• Explicit protocols for major digestive conditions
• The psycho-spiritual meaning of digestive problems

With over 100 pages this course textbook includes fully referenced protocols based on our Four Pillars approach for common digestive disorders, including acid reflux, constipation, leaky gut syndrome, dysbiosis and candida, SIBO, inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. The practical guide includes done-for-you meal plans and an at-a-glance reference chart itemizing the do’s and don’t’s for each condition.

It’s an invaluable resource when working with clients!

Meal Planning for Your Clients

This course teaches practical meal planning and menu design to prepare you to work with (and offer additional services to) clients. Learn how to apply natural nutrition principles to create a menu that maximizes nutrients and incorporates individual health needs and tastes, while also considering time and budget restraints. Topics include healthy food preparation and practices (including soaking, sprouting, and fermentation), grocery shopping, portion sizes, mindful eating, and meal/menu planning for shift workers. Learn how to guide your clients to decipher food labels and labeling terms, recognize food additives, and understand the benefits of eating local, seasonal, organic, and non-GMO foods. Learn how to overcome barriers to healthy eating: time limitations, feeding picky eaters, eating outside the home and at work, healthy snacking, and breaking unhealthy eating habits.

These are just some of the topics we cover in Meal Planning for Your Clients:

• How to read and interpret food labels
• Portion sizes
• Which food additives to avoid and why
• The benefits of eating seasonal, organic, non-GMO food
• Organizing and planning a healthy menu for the entire week
• Healthy food preparation and practices, including instructions for soaking and sprouting
• Cooking methods to prevent nutrient losses
• How to overcome barriers to healthy eating, including time and budget constraints, picky eaters, and more
• Specialty diets, diet trends, and menu planning for clients following these diets
• Preparing a weekly grocery list
• And more…

The Holistic Nutrition Hub Business Tools

During the Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate Program, you will be introduced to the Holistic Nutrition Hub’s Consulting Platform. Each form, assessment, or tool that you are introduced to will help you go out into the world of coaching! On top of having some very powerful features, the HUB also ensures that you have professional documents that can be sent and used with clients. Many of the modules will have a relevant form to review with a walk-through video on how to use it. You will then be required to complete an activity with that specific form so that you can integrate them with your nutrition knowledge and business seamlessly. We want all our coaches to have the best chance at getting started in the industry and this is just one of the many ways we ensure you have the resources you need to be successful!

Some of the benefits included in the Holistic Nutrition Hub lessons include:

• A 6-month free trial with access to all the consulting tools, resources, and assessments that you will need to run a business including:
  • Recipe builder
  • Weekly Meal Planner
  • Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency Assessment
  • Nutrient Recommendation tool
  • Macronutrient calculator
  • Food, Mood, and Symptom Journal
  • Client Recommendation tool
  • And more!
• In-depth walkthroughs on how to relevant forms and assessments with clients
• Access to webinar series that will help you start and create your ideal business
• Professional, brandable documents that can be sent to your clients online saving you time and creating a seamless process with clients

Completing the Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate course allows you to:

• Enjoy the bounty of health benefits a natural foods diet brings to your life!
• Experiment with food and ingredient combinations to find the eating style that’s best for your body.
• Plan menus and recreate your recipes to include more nutrient-dense ingredients.
• Incorporate basic nutrition consulting into your existing fitness or wellness-based practice.
• Take the next steps to become a Natural Nutrition Coach and start an exciting new career!

Upon successful completion of the Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. Should you decide to continue on your journey to becoming a Natural Nutrition Coach (NNC), these course costs and credits will be applied to the full Natural Nutrition Coach Certificate program.

Note that a Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate course does not allow you to:

• Practice medicine
• Diagnose and treat disease
• Prescribe medical treatments or blood tests
• Make unproven health claims, or
• Misrepresent training or represent yourself as a Registered Dietitian (or equivalent).

COURSE NAME: Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate
COURSE CODES: 1.1, 1.3, 1.5
COURSE HOURS: 35
COURSE CREDIT: 3
PREREQUISITE: No prerequisites are required for this certificate

TEXT/OTHER LEARNING RESOURCES

PDF Textbook
Video(s)
Assignments
Quizzes
Access to the Holistic Nutrition Hub
All learning materials are provided

EVALUATION/GRADING:

A passing grade of 80% or more is required on all quizzes and assignments to receive the certificate of completion.