ALUMNA SPOTLIGHT

Irene Pauline Humpelstetter

Certified Nutritional Practitioner
Director of Education at Living Alchemy

When something bad happens, it will be followed by something good.

What first sparked your interest in holistic nutrition?

I discovered holistic nutrition through my own self-teaching at the most difficult time in my life – when I was diagnosed with cancer and my survival depended on it. When I began thriving again, I found IHN and wanted to further my education.

How do you define success in your work and life today?

Silence is how I define success now. I live on a mountain in the forest for my own inner peace and serenity. Silence from the noise, the over commitments, multi-tasking, the influence and the pressure – having flexibility and freedom is so important to me now.

What’s a non-nutrition lesson you learned at IHN that shaped your life or career?

IHN was truly life changing and impactful for my career without doubt, but also for my authentic self too. This was at the IHN Vancouver campus when I met two of my closest friends. Now over 10 years later, we are in touch regularly, sharing about life’s adventures and still sharing recipes too! Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

What does “holistic healing” mean to you in one sentence?

‘Holistic healing’ means listening to your body.

What has been your greatest milestone, that you’ve achieved since graduating?

I always wanted to author a book and after three years in the making – I have recently launched with Living Alchemy The Book of Fermentation that is now available for order. This explores the ancient practice in beautiful, practical depth – plus creative recipes to be playful with in the kitchen.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Can you share a meaningful ritual, routine, or philosophy that grounds you?

My everyday grounding essentials are sipping herbal teas, breathwork, being in silence which means being in nature and working barefoot in my garden.

I also love the meditative act of growing my own food and fermenting foods at home. I come from a family of multi-generational farmers, so this has always been a part of my roots. A bubbling jar on my counter reminds me that life is always transforming and it brings me back to the life connection we need with the soil – nature’s probiotics!

A few favourite recipes of mine that I included in my book, and my garden currently has been growing in abundance with are fermented pickles, zucchini relish, carrot chutney, and sauerkraut.