First of all, I can’t believe the time has come that I am actually writing this blog! This has truly been a dream of mine for years- the culmination of a lot of patience, self-discovery, and plain old hard work.

If you would have asked me 5+ years ago where I saw my path unfolding, nutrition/wellness would NOT have been my first answer.

But, as it usually does, life had a different plan for me (and I am SO damn glad it did). My weight loss  lifestyle transformation enhanced and evolved my life in ways I couldn’t possibly have fathomed. In this time of self-discovery, I was empowered to learn more about my body: how to properly fuel it, move it, and  how to put my thing down,  down flip it and reverse it (jk… a little bit).

I was SO enriched from my own journey, I was determined to help others discover the same! But, ROADBLOCK! How could I make this happen when…

  • I’ve invested years in a career of human resources and recruitment
  • I had ZERO exercise science background
  • I had ZERO formal nutrition education
  • I had ZERO interest in selling a product I didn’t believe in through a multi-level marketing scheme (sorry, not sorry).

I was approached by loved ones, acquaintances, and strangers to help them in their own journey and, as much as I wanted to help, I felt unprepared.

For a few years, I would go through phases of investigating nutrition, health coaching, and fitness programs and then, out of fear, put it on the back-burner. Well, back-burner no more! Last week, I started my journey into a holistic nutrition program and, in 9 months, will be a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner!

Why I chose Nutritional Therapy

In our modern world, The health & wellness arena is LOUD, busy.. there are so many options, it can be overwhelming!  I investigated as many options as I could and was fortunate enough to be accepted into two Master’s programs for Integrative Nutrition but, ultimately, my path is with Nutritional Therapy Association’s NTP program.

It was crucial, for me, to choose a program who’s values and philosophies on nutrition, mindset, and movement aligned with mine. I recognized that many of the traditional tracks in clinical nutrition might not jive with my learning goals. Working in a clinical setting controlled by insurance carriers and the “traditional” medicine approach would have been a personal nightmare (so much love to those of you that fight the good fight in that arena!) My future may uncover a path to a clinical license at some point, but, for now I am SO on fire for nutritional therapy!

Getting back to values and philosophies on health and nutrition: our modern world is built around convenience with BIG FOOD/BIG PHARMA running the show and someone always trying to make a buck off of the newest fad diet or health product. I strongly believe that there is a better, more fulfilling  way to fuel and nourish our bodies back to optimal health.That is why I knew I had found my tribe when I dug into the NTA’s principles:

  • A commitment and respect for bio-individuality of every client
  • A food-first approach to balancing the nutritional foundations:
    • Properly prepared, nutrient-dense diet
    • Digestion & elimination
    • Blood sugar regulation
    • Fatty acid balance
    • Mineral balance
    • Hydration
  • A respect for ancestral wisdom and experiential knowledge
  • An honest, balanced approach to contemporary research and scholarship

Okay, so what does an NTP actually do? 

First off, NTP’s do not diagnose or treat disease. Rather, NTP’s are trained to help people support their health holistically with individualized nutrition, and support of foundational health. The program takes FUNCTIONAL approach to healing and creating balance in the body through a hands-on functional assessment and lingual-neuro testing. This helps to assess and address issues like blood sugar regulation, digestive balancing, optimizing adrenal function, helping clients customize a nutrient dense diet that nourishes them, and more. NTP’s are prepared to work with people in both an individual  or  group setting to help  holistically manage these struggles with real food, and foundational support.

With the second week of the NTP program almost complete, I can safely say that there is a lot of work that lies ahead of me but I could not be more thrilled to put my head down, learn, and soak it all in!

TL:DR- I’m investing in a 9 month program that will forever change my life and my ability to help others. Get ready for some regular posts with ALL the knowledge bombs during this journey!