My Incredible Journey with Institute for Integrative Nutrition

Lately there have been a lot of people who ask me about my experience with IIN. (Institute for Integrative Nutrition)...So, instead of singing their praises daily, which I would gladly do, I decided to blog and share!  Before I get to the good part...I am going to tell you how I ended up there.

In 2009 I started my journey toward health.  I began in January by transforming my body and mind with Bill Phillips.  I lost 22 lbs and went through his transformation program that shook up a lot of old cobwebs, reminded me to ask forgiveness and forgive.  I let go of a lot of resentments and baggage...and at the age of 51 became young again.  It truly was like I was full of this new found love and light.

After about a year I started becoming sicker and sicker....all while practicing my new healthy lifestyle.  My doctor was sure I had Celiac and Crohn's.  I did have Crohn's markers, but not active Crohn's.  I took tests ...every test that a Gastroenterologist has in their arsenal of diagnostic tricks.  I even swallowed a camera that took 60,000 pictures of my insides and there was nothing amiss.  So...since there was no diagnosis ...there was no treatment.  The doctor could do nothing for me and I was on my own.

On January 1, 2011 I gave up all animal products, dairy, gluten and a lot of other odd things my holistic doctor told me I was allergic too.  That left me with fruits and vegetables.  I learned that raw foods made me feel better.  By January 3 my health problems were GONE!  By the middle of 2011 I was 95% raw and had read everything I could get my hands on to learn about nutrition so I wouldn't starve to death.  I learned a lot.  I studied David Wolfe through the Body Mind Institute...I gobbled up his whole (1 year) course in one weekend, took the difficult tests and became certified in Raw Nutrition.  I studied Brendan Brazier, T. Colin Campbell, The Hippocrates Series, Mark Hyman...and lots more.  I decided I wanted to know more than what I had learned in my college nutrition classes.  I found The Institute of Integrative Nutrition by googling.  I couldn't believe the teachers...they were all the people who I had studied and more!  Andrew Weil, David Katz, John Douillard, David Wolfe, Mark Hyman, Deepak Chopra, Neal Barnard, Walter Willett, Joe Fuhrman, Paul Pitchford ...not to mention one of my favorites...Joshua Rosenthal! 

If all these people believed IIN was the place to be...then I wanted to be there!

I think I received my beautiful box of IIN goodies in June or July.  It included a book, fully loaded Ipod and some other fun things.  I started listening immediately.  I listened when I was driving (a lot)...I listened in airplanes when I traveled...I listened in the museum when I was waiting for my granddaughter's art class to release.  I even listened at night when I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep.  I was through the class before the classes started.  I loved everything I heard...and not all of it was agreeable.  I re-listened to some and took the tests.  I loved it and it did not interfere with my business or my life at all.

We learn about all the dietary theories and are able to reason what works and what doesn't and we find that there really is no right answer for everyone....that is where the theory of bio-individuality comes in.  I had to quit watching the animal cruelty films, the important thing is that we grasp the magnitude of the problem and do something about it.

We learned about primary foods...which really resonated because of my work in transformation.  I am still not sure which comes first, the chicken or the egg...but if it all happens together it is magic.

We learned that it is not all or nothing.  Small incremental changes are sustainable, especially with support.

We learned the energetics of food, food and mood and superfoods.  We learned nutrition science....we learned a lot!

The business end was well set up and is very good for anyone who wants to walk right out of school and start their own business.  I have never seen so many entrepreneurs in my whole life...and I am one for over 30 years!  IIN gives you a workbook with elementary business operational practices.  They give you a nice little start on marketing with pre-written letters. (I suggest you make them more personal and put them into your own words...with your passion and authenticity behind it.)  They give you an outline!!!!  They give you a whole 6 month program set up for you.  All you have to do is get the client and start working from the program.  It is all on pdf's and word doc's! 

People ask me how much time school takes.  This school is so individualized that you could spend 24/7 on it or a very minimum (if you have the passion and soak it up like I do).  There is class material and there is so much additional material made available to you that your potential for knowledge is almost unlimited.

I have been to the last 2 events that IIN put on...one in New York and another in Long Beach!  They were FREE!  Unbelievably free!  I got to see my heroes!  Dr. Fuhrman, Dr. Hyman, David Wolfe......all in person.  I meditated with Deepak Chopra!  I got to see Sally Fallon on the same stage as Joe Cross from Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead!  The contrasts are so unbelievable.  You see night and day theories and they all seem to work for those who believe in them.  We got to see other students who have succeeded and the diversity in their outcomes...and incomes!  I learned most in my modules....I was inspired most by the events.  My BIG IDEAS came...they just popped into my head when I was at these events!  The energy is magical.

I am in a study group.  We bounce things around and share.  This is an important part of your education at IIN.  Your education is facilitated by the IPod.  Your creativity is facilitated by the events.  Your education grows with your group.  My group shares notes, ideas, complaints and triumphs.  We owe a lot to each other.

I had my own health coach!  Her name is Janet.  She taught me what a good health coach is through my experience with her.  She was so empowering and helpful.  She enjoyed me, I could tell.  She even hooked me up with a person to share a room with in Long Beach.  Now, who would have thought to put an Orthodox Jew in with a Catholic...we had a ball and we learned a lot from each other.  I am very grateful for that weekend!

The price of education was very good.  Really unbelievable.  It makes it even easier because if you are a little worried about paying it all up front...they have a very nice payment plan. 

This profession is so important in the world right now.  I look at obese and sick children and adults and want to cry.  What do you do about it?  I think this is a good start. 

My new business, The Health Coach, is a group of health coaches who have different specialties.  They get to work with the clients...which is what they love, while they develop their own businesses.  The Health Coach does all the marketing and health histories and chooses the coach who is best suited to the client.  This is a win/win for everyone.  We have a scholarship fund to help others who do not have the ability or...maybe show exceptional ability to go to school.  We have an internship program for new health coaches to volunteer, get experience and help some people who can not afford health coaches.  I am at the beginning of an incredible journey.  My business is up and running.  We have 24 health coaches, clients....and I graduate in August! 

Happy learning!  ~Cathy

http://www.thehealthcoach.net
cathy@thehealthcoach.net
https://www.facebook.com/Thehealthcoach.net

LIGHT FOR GOOD: 15 Important Steps to Better Digestion

LIGHT FOR GOOD: 15 Important Steps to Better Digestion: ...

15 Important Steps to Better Digestion

Digestive health can be easily changed with simple lifestyle adjustments.  Do you have constipation, gas, bloating, diarrhea or heartburn?  

Simple Changes 

1. More fruit and vegetables, less red meat.
2. More whole foods, less processed foods.
3. Drink freshly squeezed lemons in spring or filtered water. This is alkalizing and helps to clean the stomach of any residual debris.
4. Do not ignore the urge to have a bowel movement.  Listen to your body.
5. Eat more fiber (#1)
6. Skip the NSAID's/non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs.  Regular use of these drugs can cause peptic ulcers in the digestive tract.
7. Be careful of use and overuse of other drugs that create digestive problems.  Too many antibiotics can strip your gut of good bacteria and you can end up with c-difficile.
8. Don't overeat.
9. Use herbs for digestion. (article to follow)
10. Drink your liquids before and after meals, not during.
11. Take your time and really chew-chew-chew.  Your body can use energy for other things if you chew your food instead of relying on acid and enzymes.
12. Eat slower so you do not swallow a lot of air while you eat.
13. Do all of the above and skip the laxatives, as your body becomes reliant on them and they are habit forming. 
14. Smoking and drinking can cause ulcers and heartburn.
15. Don't be afraid to enlist the help of a specialist (gastroenterologist). You may want to get a referral from a friend or relative.  Remember that they are there to diagnose and treat, prevention lies in your hands.

SOURCES:
 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/peptic-ulcer/ds00242/dsection=causes
 http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mens_Health_Watch/2010/June/clostridium-difficile-an-intestinal-infection-on-the-rise
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/constipation/#what

What are the Doctors Saying?

Do you need a health coach? 

"Integrative Health Coaching can be used with both high functioning people who are
seeking to optimize their health as well as with medical patients with great physical and
emotional vulnerabilities.”  Duke University Integrative Medicine Center


Dr. Edward Phillips, Harvard Medicine says “a health coach helps you to modify lifestyle
choices to increase quality of life.  They utilize small behavioral changes to improve
your health.”


“Health Coaches can provide the instruction, the tools, the information, the facilitation
of behavior change and of information exchange that leads to the creation of health
instead of the suppression of symptoms or disease.” Dr. Mark Hyman


“I am very optimistic about the future of medicine in America.  70% of  the aging process
is driven by lifestyle changes.  If we can change the culture of wellness in America and we
can build systems, we have had discussions in the Senate and the Institute of Medicine
about how you can make a tier of health care provicers who could provide the
infrastructure to make it easy for people to do the right thing.” Dr.  Mehmet Oz


In a CNN interview, Dr. Mehmet Oz reported that health coaches should be a part of every
public clinic, medical office and hospital wellness center and should be reimbursed by
insurance companies & corporate wellness programs.

~Cathy

 

The Health Coach

All set up and ready for business!!!!

402.551.2000

 

Visit me at The Health Coach 

Contact me at  cathy@thehealthcoach.net

Genetically Modified Foods

You hear a lot about GMO's these days.  What is the best way to avoid GMO's?  Eat whole foods!  What exactly is a GMO?  Genetically modified foods have had foreign genes inserted into their genetic codes.  

"Genes change every day by natural mutation and recombination, creating new biological variations. Humans have been exploiting this for centuries—shuffling genes in increasingly systematic ways and using extensive crossing and artificial selection—to create many combinations that would never otherwise have occurred. Just about everything we eat is derived from livestock, crops, and micro-organisms bred specifically to provide food. Humans have also redistributed genes geographically: the soybean is native to Asia but is now grown throughout the Americas, and the potato, native to the American continent, is grown throughout the temperate world. DNA has never been “static,” neither naturally nor at the hand of people.

Genetic modification is an extension of this. However, unlike conventional breeding, in which new assortments of genes are created more or less at random, it allows specific genes to be identified, isolated, copied, and introduced into other organisms in much more direct and controlled ways (see boxes). The most obvious difference from conventional breeding is that genetic modification allows us to transfer genes between species."  Leighton@campden.co.uk

The average American’s diet relies heavily on corn, not so much in its vegetable form, which is okay in moderation, but in its more toxic forms like high-fructose corn syrup, which is found in a lot of the fake, processed foods available in your grocery store or restaurants.  If you are vegan or vegetarian, you probably get soy in your diet as a protein substitute. 

Potential benefits of genetically engineered food include:

• More nutritious food
• Tastier food
• Disease- and drought-resistant plants that require fewer environmental resources (water, fertilizer, etc.)
• Decreased use of pesticides
• Increased supply of food with reduced cost and longer shelf life
• Faster growing plants and animals
• Food with more desirable traits, such as potatoes that absorb less fat when fried
• Medicinal foods that could be used as vaccines or other medications

Potential risks include:

• Modified plants or animals may have genetic changes that are unexpected and harmful.
• Modified organisms may interbreed with natural organisms and out-compete them, leading to extinction of the original organism or to other unpredictable environmental effects.
• Plants may be less resistant to some pests and more susceptible to others.

 It is easy to see that there are perceivable benefits to genetically modifying our foods.  It is less apparent to many that there can be a huge and detrimental impact upon our health by eating the same.  So...what should we do?

1. Remove processed foods from your diet and eat whole foods.
2. Eat animal protein that is organic and naturally raised.

It’s virtually impossible to provide a complete list of genetically modified food (GM food) in the United States because there aren’t any laws for genetically modified crops!

Some estimates say as many as 30,000 different products on grocery store shelves are "modified." That's largely because many processed foods contain soy. Half of North America's soy crop is genetically engineered!

Rapeseed - Resistance to certain pesticides and improved rapeseed cultivars to be free of erucic acid and glucosinolates. Gluconsinolates, which were found in rapeseed meal leftover from pressing, are toxic and had prevented the use of the meal in animal feed. In Canada, where "double-zero" rapeseed was developed, the crop was renamed "canola" (Canadian oil) to differentiate it from non-edible rapeseed.

Honey - Honey can be produced from GM crops. Some Canadian honey comes from bees collecting nectar from GM canola plants. This has shut down exports of Canadian honey to Europe.

Cotton - Resistant to certain pesticides - considered a food because the oil can be consumed. The introduction of genetically engineered cotton plants has had an unexpectedly effect on Chinese agriculture. The so-called Bt cotton plants that produce a chemical that kills the cotton bollworm have not only reduced the incidence of the pest in cotton fields, but also in neighboring fields of corn, soybeans, and other crops.

Rice - Genetically modified to contain high amounts of Vitamin A. Rice containing human genes is to be grown in the US. Rather than end up on dinner plates, the rice will make human proteins useful for treating infant diarrhoea in the developing world.

Soybean - Genetically modified to be resistant to herbicides - Soy foods including, soy beverages, tofu, soy oil, soy flour, lecithin. Other products may include breads, pastries, snack foods, baked products, fried products, edible oil products and special purpose foods.

Sugar cane - Made resistant to certain pesticides. A large percentage of sweeteners used in processed food actually comes from corn, not sugar cane or beets. Genetically modified sugar cane is regarded so badly by consumers at the present time that it could not be marketed successfully.

Tomatoes - Made for a longer shelf life and to prevent a substance that causes tomatoes to rot and degrade.

Corn - Resistant to certain pesticides - Corn oil, flour, sugar or syrup. May include snack foods, baked goods, fried foods, edible oil products, confectionery, special purpose foods, and soft drinks.

Sweet corn - genetically modified to produces its own insecticide. Officials from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have said that  thousands of tonnes of genetically engineered sweetcorn have made their way into the human food supply chain, even though the produce has been approved only for use in animal feed. Recently Monsanto, a biotechnology food producer, said that about half of the USA's sweetcorn acreage has been planted with genetically modified seed this year.

Canola - Canola oil. May include edible oil products, fried foods, and baked products, snack foods.

Potatoes - (Atlantic, Russett Burbank, Russet Norkatah, and Shepody) - May include snack foods, processed potato products and other processed foods containing potatoes.

Flax - More and more food products contain flax oil and seed because of their excellent nutritional properties. No genetically modified flax is currently grown. An herbicide-resistant GM flax was introduced in 2001, but was soon taken off the market because European importers refused to buy it.

Papaya - The first virus resistant papayas were commercially grown in Hawaii in 1999. Transgenic papayas now cover about one thousand hectares, or three quarters of the total Hawaiian papaya crop. Monsanto, donated technology to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, for developing a papaya resistant to the ringspot virus in India.

Squash - (yellow crookneck) - Some zucchini and yellow crookneck squash are also GM but they are not popular with farmers.

Red-hearted chicory - (radicchio) - Chicory (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) is popular in some regions as a salad green, especially in France and Belgium. Scientists developed a genetically modified line of chicory containing a gene that makes it male sterile, simply facilitating the production of hybrid cultivars. Today there is no genetically modified chicory on the market.

Cotton seed oil - Cottonseed oil and linters. Products may include blended vegetable oils, fried foods, baked foods, snack foods, edible oil products, and smallgoods casings.

Tobacco -The company Vector has a GMO tobacco being sold under the brand of Quest® cigarettes in the U.S. It is engineered to produce low or no nicotine.

Meat - Meat and dairy products usually come from animals that have eaten GM feed.

Peas - Genetically modified (GM) peas created immune responses in mice, suggesting that they may also create serious allergic reactions in people. The peas had been inserted with a gene from kidney beans, which creates a protein that acts as a pesticide.

Vegetable Oil - Most generic vegetable oils and margarines used in restaurants and in processed foods in North America are made from soy, corn, canola, or cottonseed. Unless these oils specifically say "Non-GMO" or "Organic," it is probably genetically modified.

Sugarbeets - May include any processed foods containing sugar.

Dairy Products - About 22 percent of cows in the U.S. are injected with recombinant (genetically modified) bovine growth hormone (rbGH).

Vitamins - Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is often made from corn, vitamin E is usually made from soy. Vitamins A, B2, B6, and B12 may be derived from GMOs as well as vitamin D and vitamin K may have "carriers" derived from GM corn sources, such as starch, glucose, and maltodextrin.

Sources

 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-313X.2001.01119.x/full 

 http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/002432.htm

 http://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/gm-foods.php#ixzz1urCkFYvD

 http://www.bmj.com/content/318/7183/581.short

 http://archlinux.arch.ttu.edu/w/images/d/d8/Genetically_Modified_Foods.pdf

 http://www.sciencemag.org/content/285/5426/384.short

 http://promitheas.iacm.forth.gr/lm/?p=2463

~Cathy Sykora