Who is this program for?
- 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 or health coaching, the Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate program is a great place to start!
This 42-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.
Interesting, Right?
Then the
Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate Program is For You!
This online program was created by top industry experts from MedeXN and the Holistic Nutrition Hub for the Health Coach Collaborative.
This foundational 42-hour three-course program is part of the Natural Nutrition Coach Certification Program.
Three Foundational Courses In One Program
Foundations in Natural Nutrition
Digestive Health and the Microbiome
The Foundations of Personalized Meal Planning
These courses are also available individually. Click the images to learn more!
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Whether You’re Adding to an Existing Fitness Business or You’re Looking to Get Started in Nutrition Consulting or Health Coaching, the Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate Program Has Everything You Need to get You on Your WAY!
What Our Graduates Are Saying
Frances Morrison NNC Graduate
Frances Morrison is an online Personal and Group Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Massage Practitioner and a Natural Nutrition Coach.
“As soon as I began learning, I implemented the information and knowledge that I took from the course directly to my clients and friends….everything from meal planning, to life coaching, relationships, goal creation and methods on how to achieve their goals.”
” I would highly recommend the NNC program to anyone in the health and wellness industry, as well as those who are not. I believe absolutely everyone can benefit from taking this course.”
Frances Morrison – @morrisonfitforlife
Have you ever had a client who despite doing all the right things, didn’t make the progress that they hoped for?
In many cases, we know that losing weight or achieving a health goal is more than just about the diet, and we recognize that.
It’s why we have developed this unique program that has a focus beyond nutrition and looks at whole-body health, with a special focus on healthy digestion.
As you progress through the Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate program, you will come away with a better understanding of what additional factors you may want to consider; and help your clients achieve the results that they want and deserve, bringing you more referrals!
What You Will Learn....
The Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate program is comprised of the first three courses from 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 a Natural Nutrition Coach performs.
These three 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. We also introduce the Holistic Nutrition Hub and assessment tools you can use immediately.
Students receive free access to the nutrition assessment forms and consulting tools available on the Practitioner Dashboard saving you time and helping easily manage all aspects of working with clients. During the program, students also have 3 months of free access to Meal Garden, a meal-planning app that will help you create amazing meal plans for your clients!
The Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate 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 the optimal food choices of each.
- 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 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 that 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.
- 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!
It’s the Foundational Program That Will Get You Started in Nutritional Consulting and Health Coaching!
Build A Foundation In Natural Nutrition
Foundations In Natural Nutrition
NNC Course Code: Nutrition 1.1
The Foundations in Natural Nutrition course 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 downloadable 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…
Click on the text covers below to access a flipbook sample!
Water and Other Nutrients
BONUS: Guidelines for Recommending Supplements
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.
Course Outline And Objectives
COURSE OUTLINE
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.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will develop a foundational understanding of the science of nutrition, the principles of natural nutrition, and the macronutrients and micronutrients. They will learn the impact of diet and nutrition on the human body and how food can support health. Students will know how to maintain and evaluate a food journal.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will have demonstrated the ability to:
- Explain the principles and philosophy of natural nutrition.
- Understand the health risks associated with a modern, processed food diet.
- Use the Food, Mood, and Activity Journal to assess a client’s current diet and eating patterns.
- Use the Nutrition Facts panel to identify specific macronutrients and nutrients and their amount(s) per serving.
- Understand the structures, classification, and importance to human health, energy, and metabolism of each macronutrient, and identify optimal food choices for each.
- Understand how the body digests, metabolizes and uses carbohydrates, protein and lipids.
- Calculate macronutrient ratios specific to a client.
- Identify the differences between soluble and insoluble fibers and understand their benefits to human health.
- Educate clients about how to incorporate specific macronutrients and fibre into their diet.
- Know the differences between whole grains and refined grains.
- Explain what gluten is and identify the food sources of gluten.
- Explain insulin resistance, identify the range of safe blood glucose levels and describe dietary and lifestyle interventions and strategies that may balance blood glucose.
- Understand the differences between natural sugars and added sugars and explain the dangers of added sugars.
- Help a client incorporate specific amounts of protein into their diet based on their individual requirements.
- Explain the various types of fats and lipids.
- Understand the health benefits, sources, and adequate intakes of omega-3 fatty acids.
- Recognize the dangers of trans fatty acids.
- Understand how vegetable oils are processed and identify safe vs. harmful cooking oils.
- Recognize the impact of diet on health and the environment.
- Understand the functions, absorption, deficiency symptoms, causes and effects of deficiency, recommended allowances, dietary sources, supplement guidelines, and clinical applications for each vitamin, mineral, and trace mineral.
Nutrition With A Focus On Healthy Digestion
Click the Picture to Access a Sample Flipbook Text
Digestive Health and the Microbiome
NNC Course Code: Nutrition 1.3
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.
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!
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
And much more…
Course Outline And Objective
COURSE OUTLINE
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 its accessory organs and why problems can so easily arise within this system, leading to constipation, heartburn, indigestion, or chronic illnesses of the digestive tract. Candida and other imbalances within the gut microbiome can greatly impact physical and mental health. You will also learn how these concerns may be influenced by dietary, behavioral, and supplemental interventions.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will develop a foundational understanding of the process of digestion, the symptoms of common digestive diseases, and dietary interventions and protocols that may help alleviate symptoms. The many roles and functions of the microbiome are explained in detail to encourage an appreciation for its far-reaching influence on the human body.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, YOU will be able to demonstrate:
- How digestion occurs in the mouth, stomach, intestines, and accessory organs.
- The influences on the rate of digestion.
- Digestive issues can occur in the stomach and intestines, for example, symptoms of low and high stomach acid.
- How to use digestive enzymes to address specific symptoms.
- Which digestive enzymes to recommend to clients based on their symptoms and diagnosed condition(s).
- An understanding of the various diseases of the small and large intestines.
- How to recognize and achieve healthy bowel movements and describe the Bristol stool chart.
- Dietary recommendations may improve constipation and diarrhea.
- The roles of the microbiome and factors affecting microbiota composition.
- How the gut influences brain health, mood, and mental health.
- An understanding of leaky gut syndrome and issues that it may cause.
- Probiotics, how they are measured, foods that provide them, and how and when to recommend probiotic supplements.
- How to ferment vegetables.
- The psycho-spiritual meaning of digestive problems.
The Foundations of Personalized Meal Planning
Click the Picture to Preview the Text
The Foundations of Personalized Meal Planning
NNC Course Code: Nutrition 1.5
This course teaches practical meal planning and menu design to prepare you to work with (and offer additional services to) clients. You will 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 covered in this course 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. You will also 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.
Trying to figure out what to eat is not a clear and simple process, so it’s not surprising that the service most often requested from a Natural Nutrition Coach is a menu plan.
Each person has their own specific nutritional needs. An important responsibility of a Natural Nutrition Coach is to identify which eating style is ideal for a client, to determine which nutrients they may require in greater amounts, and to educate and support their client to make eating decisions based on their body’s needs.
This course teaches practical meal planning and menu design to prepare you to work with clients based on their eating preferences, lifestyle, and current health status. Where do you start when your client is a vegan bodybuilder with nut allergies? Or a child with diabetes who won’t eat vegetables?
You will learn how to apply natural nutrition principles to create a healthy, balanced menu that addresses specific health needs and tastes while considering time and budgetary limits.
These are just some of the topics we cover in The Foundations of Personalized Meal Planning:
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
PLUS: Receive 3 months of free access to the Meal Garden meal planning app

And more…
You’ll receive a variety of useful tools and resources, including grocery and healthy snacking lists to share with clients, and access to the Practitioner Dashboard with forms and tools you can use and brand as your own, and 3 months use of MealGarden, the time-saving meal planning application.
Throughout the course are activities, exercises, and quizzes, and at the end of the course, you will have the opportunity to practice putting your knowledge to use by preparing a menu for a family member or friend! The assignment will be reviewed and returned with helpful feedback to ensure you’re on the right track.
Course Outline
The Foundations in Personalized Meal Planning 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.
Course Objectives
Students will learn the components of required food labels, the terms, and methods involved in organic and processed food production, and how to recognize whether a food is organic, contains additives, or genetically modified ingredients. Students will develop a foundational understanding of the process of meal planning, and how to work with clients to establish a practical, healthy, and balanced menu they will be inclined to follow.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate:
- An understanding of the various food labels and their parts.
- What ultra-processed foods are and their risk factors.
- How to identify common food additives and their risks.
- An understanding of natural and organic labeling terms.
- Examples of greenwashing.
- How to introduce clients to an organic diet and lifestyle.
- What GMOs are and how to recognize and avoid them.
- How to approach healthy meal preparation.
- How to introduce more vegetables into one’s diet.
- How to grow microgreens and sprouts at home.
- How to incorporate healthier ingredient substitutions into one’s current diet.
- How to plan a weekly grocery list.
- How to educate clients about mindful eating.
- An understanding of portion sizes and the best way(s) to explain them to clients.
- How to approach eating outside the home.
- What healthy snacking is.
- The elements of the Mediterranean diet.
- Knowledge of popular diet trends and how to identify which eating style may be the right approach for a particular person.
- How to conduct a nutrition assessment and assess a client’s goals to establish meal plan recommendations.
- Which questions to consider before creating a menu plan for clients.
- The steps to creating a meal plan.
- Countermeasures for clients struggling to follow their meal plan.
- An understanding of causes underlying common food cravings.
The Practitioner Dashboard
With the Natural Nutrition Essentials Certificate program, you receive a access to all the consulting tools, resources, and assessments that you will need to run a create a meal plan.
Included in the Practitioner Dashboard:
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
How Is The Natural Nutrition Essentials Program Delivered?
Convenient Online Program
Downloadable texts (pdfs), and access to course text flipbooks and videos
Activities and Case Studies
Online Quiz after each course to test your knowledge
You Can Utilize This Course 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.
What Our Graduates Are Saying
Jennifer Gryniewicz NNC Graduate
Owner: Time For Your Fitness – Creator of the Healthy YOU Program
ACE Health Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer, CETI Cancer Exercise Trainer, Natural Nutrition Coach
I have taken other nutrition courses for CEC’s and had some basic information provided about nutrition with my Health Coaching certification. The NNC program has given me more detailed knowledge about nutrition and I now feel confident to give my clients advise about their particular digestive concerns/disorders as well as their energy levels and mood as it relates to their diet. I really appreciate the handouts that are provided for me to share with my clients. I have more confidence now when talking to clients about nutrition as a result of completing this course. I highly recommend this course!
What Is Included In This Program
Natural Nutrition Essentials 3-Course Program
The foundational program that will get you started, online and ready when you are, anywhere, anytime!
With the successful completion of the program, a Certificate of Completion is provided.
Access to the Practitioner Dashboard
Free access to all the assessments, forms, and other tools you need including intake forms, food journals, meal planner templates, macros calculator and more…. and the forms are brandable!
ENROLL NOW!
Meal Planning Made Easy!
3 Months of access to the Meal Garden Meal Planning APP for free!
Support
Continuing Education
Professional Development that will help Build Your Business!
Support from the Course Instructors
We ensure that communication between students & instructors remains open for optimal learning.
Facebook Support Group
Access to the Health Coach Collaborative Facebook Group for Students and Graduates. Ask questions, share your knowledge and enjoy being part of a like-minded community.