Foundations in Natural Nutrition is an introduction to the principles of a natural food diet as they relate to health and well-being. There are five texts in this course.

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 nutrients such as the phytonutrients found in food are explored as well.

Nutrition is a significant factor in the prevention of many diseases. You will develop a foundational understanding of each body system (musculoskeletal, circulatory, immune, respiratory, urinary, endocrine, nervous, reproductive), the common diseases, symptoms, and causes of imbalance that may occur within each system and learn specific protocols that can be applied to achieve balanced health.

Digestion is the cornerstone of health. 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 chronic illnesses of the digestive tract which can greatly impact physical and mental health. You will also learn how these concerns may be influenced by dietary, behavioral, and supplemental interventions.

This course offers a core emphasis on the scientific fundamentals of energy balance and metabolism. Anthropometric measurements and factors influencing metabolism and body composition are explored. Our unique, customized method for calculating energy needs and macronutrients is presented.

Learn practical meal planning and menu design to prepare you to work with 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, budget restraints and other obstacles.

The four pillars—nutrition, stress management, sleep, and movement—play a significant role in how the body reacts and responds to stress. Learn the physiological implications of stress on health, and protocols that can help the body adapt to and recover from chronic stress. Special consideration is given to the microbiome and the critical role the gut-brain axis plays in behavior, brain health, and mental health.

In this course, you will learn to apply the principles of natural nutrition to coach clients for successful weight management. This course studies the understanding of eating behaviors, including the biological mechanisms behind hunger and cravings, the importance of sleep, emotional factors, and psycho-spiritual factors. Disordered eating and a comparison of diet trends are reviewed.

Apply theoretical knowledge and principles of natural nutrition. Using assessment tools to identify nutritional imbalances, you will create personalized client case study reports to explain how these imbalances may be related to a person’s health concerns, and will recommend customized nutritional interventions, meal plans, dietary supplements, exercise, and lifestyle changes for optimal health.

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NNC 2.2 – Facilitating Behaviour Change

Change can be hard! How your client learns and processes information can determine their mindset, values, and beliefs, which in turn can affect their readiness for change. In this course, we learn about the process and elements of change, beginning with how our brains are wired to resist change and how we create habits. We discuss establishing a vision, setting SMART goals, and the action steps that build change behaviours. Theories such as Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and the Stages of Change Model (The Transtheoretical Model) are explored, and examples of assessing your client’s readiness for change to facilitate their desired outcome are provided. Various learning activities and tools to reinforce each principle are included in the textbook.  Students will have an opportunity to practice these activities in the workbook that accompanies the course.

NNC 2.3 – Techniques for Effectively Coaching Your Clients

In this course, you will learn more about the art of coaching and building rapport with your clients and how to actively listen and use both verbal and nonverbal communication effectively with your clients during a coaching session. You will gain an understanding of the principles of Motivational Interviewing and how to use OARS skills: open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening and summarizing, to establish an open dialogue with clients. Various learning activities and tools are included in the textbook and a workbook of activities that the student must complete is provided with this course.

NNC 2.4 – Practical Applications: Conducting a Coaching Session

This course unites the techniques learned in the three previous courses and provides a framework for designing a personalized coaching program from start to finish. You will learn effective procedures for prequalifying a prospective client, establishing a Coaching Agreement, conducting the initial assessment, creating timelines, assessing progress, and more. Upon completion of this course, you will have the knowledge and tools needed to successfully conduct a Natural Nutrition Coaching session.

Practical skills development is an important part of the NNC program. In these coaching and nutrition case studies, the student will be bringing together all of their acquired knowledge and skills in the fields of nutrition and coaching working with actual “clients” either in person or virtually online. In addition to written case studies that are submitted for evaluation, students must complete a minimum of three practice coaching sessions with clients demonstrating their coaching proficiency. Students will be evaluated on their ability to implement the core coaching skills and competencies. 

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