This week I officially started my studies with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) to become a Certified Health Coach.
I chose to embark down this path just over 2 months ago because I felt a strong calling towards learning more about the many ways to holistically heal the body and to be able to help others heal as well. I'd been debating how to incorporate my passion for wellness into my career for quite some time and finally decided that this was the way to do it.
What is a health coach?
A health coach is a guide and mentor who enables clients to clearly outline and achieve their health and wellness goals. Health coaches develop strategies and action plans or roadmaps that encourage behavioral changes in order for clients to navigate the realities of their wellness intentions.
Health coaches can specialize in many different areas like:
digestion
food cravings
weight management
energy
stress management
Although they do not replace medical practitioners, they can make many recommendations for health-supportive behaviors, encouraging an adaptation toward wellness.
Why IIN?
I chose to study with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition for a long list of reasons but the 2 most important I'll share with you here:
IIN encourages a holistic view of health beyond nutrition-you are not only what you eat, but what you do, where you live, who you are with, etc. Food is a relatively small portion of overall health and during my time with IIN, I will take a deeper dive into concepts like primary food, sociogenomics, functional medicine, and the importance of belief systems in healing.
IIN recognizes that each individual is unique and not one way of living (or eating) works for everyone. While it's proven nearly all of our DNA as humans is the same, our gene expression varies greatly. Over the next year, I will learn about a wide variety of dietary theories and how to make recommendations for different individuals.
This coming winter (about halfway through the program) I will be able to start meeting with clients, working one-on-one and doing group coaching. By now, I'm repeating myself, but I'm so excited about this process and hopeful about the limitless potential that awaits around the corner and the idea to share such a wealth of knowledge about health.
So here are a couple of "gifts" for you:
If this post has you interested and you're feeling the need for some health coaching and want a way to navigate the world of wellness trends, literature, and other news, subscribe with the code 'COACHING' to get on my priority client list for updates on my blog and first pick for private and group coaching sessions starting this winter.
If you're curious about IIN and thinking about embarking on a similar journey yourself, email me at cmkripperger@gmail.com . I'd be happy to give you more details about the program and how you can make the most out of a year's worth of study in holistic nutrition with some surprise bonuses!
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