1. What brought you to study Holistic Nutrition at IHN?

While I’ve been interested in nutrition and wellness for decades, my interest escalated when I became a Mom. For the most part, I stayed at home to take care of my young kids, which also gave me the opportunity to consider a focus area outside of my previous field. I kept learning new ideas and concepts, some of which shone light on the issues I had previously overlooked. Given their priority in my life, and the undoubtable correlation between nutrition and health—I needed to be the “captain of my ship” in the context of these areas. After years of sporadic articles and books, my curiosity and desire for pursuing a deeper and structured understanding of holistic nutrition led me to seek formal education in the field. I first heard of IHN from some wonderful nutritionists at Healthy Planet who were always knowledgeable, kind and professional. And here I am into my 4th course, and absolutely loving my part-time student experience.

In my opinion, nutrition is one of the most important pillars of a fulfilling, independent and happy life. As our system is not set up to provide us with the breadth and depth of knowledge to prevent chronic illness, obtain the right nutrients and enhance our own longevity, the onus is on each of us to make that happen. In addition to wanting to live my best life through a nutrition-based approach, I am thrilled at the idea of helping others—those that are left by the system merely with managed symptoms while the root causes and connections remain unexplored. Holistic Nutrition is such an important and growing field, and I believe I am at the right place to start making a positive difference in people’s lives.

2. What course has been your favourite so far, and why?

I have completed 3 courses thus far, which are all very unique and foundational. I started with Fundamentals of Nutrition, which gave me a deeper insight into the importance of the digestive system and knowledge of macro and micronutrients. I loved how the instructor provided details while connecting it all to the big picture of human health. I found Dr. Jensen’s Guide to Better Bowel Care fascinating, where links were made between various health ailments and the digestive system.  I thoroughly enjoyed Biological Chemistry, as I am very interested in health at a cellular level, and in order to grasp that, we need to understand what is happening at a molecular level. I loved learning about chemical bonds and the molecular structure of macronutrients. I also loved Human Anatomy and Physiology it helped elucidate the complexity of each of the 11 organ systems starting with the cell. I was amazed at the diverse functions within our cells (including various intracellular transport mechanisms) and how cells comprise each tissue type and corresponding organs and systems. I really enjoyed each session within all three courses and now benefitting from connecting it all together.

Importantly, I found the Alexis Carrel 1912 study on the durability of heart tissue cell given the right conditions very empowering as it validates that – by supporting our nutritional needs and detoxification capabilities – we can influence our own longevity, and of course, help others.

3. Describe your best experience at IHN so far?

I am so pleased with the academic rigour, breadth and depth of the course content. The faculty at IHN are very professional, knowledgeable, engaging and convey the key concepts very effectively to the class. I love the textbooks, preparing for tests, exams and assignments – as that helps us drill-in the key material. Ultimately, the academic rigour and focus of each course reminds me of the high standards in the program. I am getting exactly what I had hoped for – learning a ton and will undoubtedly be pleased with the knowledge gained upon completion of the programme.  Moreover, the wealth of knowledge I am accumulating is giving me the confidence to return to the workforce in another important capacity after spending years taking care of my children.

4. What professions have you worked in prior to enrolling at IHN?

Previously I worked in environmental and sustainability consulting in Europe and North America as part of consultancies such as PriceWaterhouseCoopers, independent think tanks and independently. I performed various assessments, research and strategy projects for corporate clients of various industries – food and retail, extractives, energy, and government Crown Corporations. My favourite projects were related to identifying opportunities for natural capital valuation and management in business as well as improving supply chain impacts of a food retailer, which included expanding organic produce and closer collaboration with farmers.

5. What degree or academic achievements did you have prior to IHN?

I completed a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Toronto and a Masters of Science in Environmental Management and Policy at Lund University in Sweden. I completed my university studies about 20 years ago. I believe the transition from environmental focus to nutrition is a smooth one as there are many synergies and dependencies between the two areas.

6. What are your goals/aspirations as a CNP?

I believe I will be able to apply my consulting experience in a new capacity. Over the years I developed the skill to synthesize vast information and relate it to the objectives and strategy of a given client – this is very transferrable to nutrition.

I see myself in a dual capacity where:

(1) I work with food business clients and perform projects related to nutritional profiles of products on the market or new products in development. This could entail research, benchmarking, quantification of nutritional value and new propositions and developing roadmaps for implementation.

(2) I work with individual clients with a special focus on longevity and healthy aging, with emphasis on cellular health through nutrition and orthomolecular medicine.

7. What has been your personal best achievement?

When contemplating past achievements, sometimes it feels like a paradox between being humble, and at the same time, feeling like there is much more to achieve. Though I am proud that my two young kids (ages 6 and 9) are learning about health and nutritional profiles of ingredients, and either indulge or refuse a treat depending on the contents. Just last week when we were camping my daughter (9 years old) said to my husband, “Papa, your drink contains allura red, sunset red and FCF, etc…  I don’t think you should be drinking it”.  Integrating nutrition priorities into their daily decisions will help my kids live their best lives.

8. What is something you overcame in your life, that you didn’t think you could?

When I had my first child, I was fortunate to have a wonderful pregnancy and natural birth experience. A couple of months into motherhood, however, I lost a lot of weight, was depleted, and felt that I couldn’t keep up with my daughter’s and my own caloric needs. At the time, I rushed through unbalanced meals just to make myself available for the baby. I eventually realized that my low protein (and low meat diet) is insufficient. Subsequently, I added more protein to my meals (including meat and dairy from regenerative farming practices) and realized how much better I feel.

Moreover, in recent years, our family has lost some of its elders and that’s always emotionally challenging. I know so much more about nutrition than I did before. While I cannot help the ones that have passed, I can certainly help improve the lives of others. There is so much to learn about health, wellness and disease prevention, the IHN program is giving us the in-depth and broad knowledge and tools to empower us as nutritionists.

9. What is something about you that would surprise people?

I enjoy sharing new learnings with family and friends, solicited or not! I humbly refer to myself as “Nutrition Witch” – who is firm but has the best intentions when sharing new knowledge and findings.

I love adventure! Before I had my kids I loved running in half-marathons in various European cities. I love travelling, sailing and windsurfing, camping, nature, reading with my kids. I indulge in high-quality baked goods such as organic sourdough pastries made with butter!