Let's nourish our body ~ Part One

For the next few weeks, I thought I would take a few of the elements from my definition of a Health Coach and expand on them.

"A Health Coach focuses on nutrition, physical activity, relationships, lifestyle and other elements of life that can impact markers of health such as stress, weight and energy levels."

Today is part one of two about nutrition.

The word nutrition itself, according to the dictionary, was first used in the 15th century and has its roots from the latin word nutrire meaning to feed/nourish.  As a personal preference, I like "nourish".  It sounds more of a comforting word.

So how do we nourish our body?  The ideal way for most people to truly nourish their body, is to drink plenty of water, eat whole foods, be active and get enough sleep.  Sounds simple enough now, doesn't it?  Yet, it is a struggle for so many of us.

We are constantly bombarded with advertisements for convenience foods, sugary drinks, the latest gadget that will do more so we do less, and so on.  We are losing touch with our own body, our own thoughts and all this at what price?

Too often it takes a tragedy to send us a wake up call, to make us realize that we need to listen, truly listen to what our body is telling us.  It certainly did the trick for me.  With five children under the age of 10, a diagnosis of non-hodgkins lymphoma and five years to live, I had NO choice.  Fortunately, I did survive and pay very close attention to what my body is telling me, daily.

I am also finding out through my own experiences and IIN's teachings that every person has different nutritional needs.  Not every diet will suit every single individual.  As Joshua Rosenthal calls it, Bio-individuality.  Some folks need to add supplements to their diet while others do just fine without.  One person can eat meat while another finds it challenging to digest.  Again, the key point is to "Truly Listen" to what our body is telling us.

Above all, enjoy life, have fun and laugh often.  :)

Healthfully yours,

Diane :)
Certified Health Coach& Natural Foods Chef
TotalCareNutrition@gmail.com

What is a Health coach?

Whenever I mention to people that I am a Holistic Health coach, more often than not, I am asked either "What is a health coach?" or "Is it like a life coach?"

Although the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) has been teaching students for 20 years, with over 40 000 health coaches world wide, we are still unknown to most people.  Taking words and thoughts from IIN as well as my own, I will attempt to clarify the question.

Here is a good definition I found:  "A Health Coach focuses on nutrition, physical activity, relationships, lifestyle and other elements of life that can impact markers of health such as stress, weight and energy levels."

The main difference between a Life Coach and a Health Coach is in the fact that Life Coaches receive a more general training in a wide variety of areas while Health Coaches receive a more intensive training and specialize in aspects of life that impact the health.

Oddly enough I have been "unofficially" studying nutrition's impact our health for the past 20 years.  It quickly became a passion of mine.  I suppose I also had a vested interest as I was diagnosed with cancer and being that I was given five years to live with  no available treatment for the type I had, it left me with no other choices but to turn to nutrition and alternative medicine.  It has been a fascinating journey to say the least.

Turning my passion into a career was the next logical step.  Now, with the education I received from IIN coupled with my personal experiences, I feel fully equipped to help others achieve their health and wellness goals, while continuing to work on my own.

Healthfully yours,

Diane  :)
TotalCareNutrition@gmail.com