Why Study Holistic Nutrition? Because Food Is at the Root of Wellness and Chronic Disease
Holistic nutrition therapists are uniquely trained to help people make meaningful changes in their health by understanding the true impact of food on wellness. If you’ve ever wondered why studying holistic nutrition matters, now is the perfect time to explore this transformative field.
Why Nutrition Matters Now More Than Ever
Nutrition has made it to the ‘Mainstage’. For the first time in the United States, there are top-level vocal advocates with strong messages about eating healthier, choosing higher-quality foods, and a commitment to altering the destructive course of the chronic disease epidemic in this country. They publicly acknowledge the inherent problems with our food supply. Furthermore, they highlight how the current Standard American Diet (SAD) is a chief underlying contributor to poor health outcomes. They willingly acknowledge the limitations and outright falsehoods of previously available public nutrition guidance.
This is a breath of fresh air for those of us who have been working and teaching in the field of holistic nutrition for decades, and have always felt as though we were ‘swimming upstream’ against an impenetrable juggernaut of bad information and dismissiveness about the true importance of eating well.
Another revelation from these leaders is just how much of our bad food situation is due to corporate corruption and government interference. Did you know that the FDA censors nutrient-disease relationships and prevents consumers from knowing about the benefits of certain nutrients for optimizing health? This censorship is a byproduct of government efforts to help protect pharmaceutical monopolies from competition. Essentially, health freedom is lost due to government-corporate complicity.
The Connection Between Chronic Illness and Food
Chronic illness is pervasive. According to the CDC:
- Six in ten Americans live with at least one chronic illness.
- Four in ten have multiple chronic conditions.
These illnesses— including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and others— are the leading causes of death and disability, and they drive an overwhelming share of U.S. healthcare utilization. All of them have an underlying diet and nutritional component. Yet, most physicians in the U.S. are not equipped to advise patients about nutrition and food choices. There are no nationally required nutrition competencies within medical education. In most medical schools, nutrition education is non-compulsory. Furthermore, if students do take nutrition, it is less than 20 hours, and often only 5-10 hours at most. Many doctors lack even foundational nutritional knowledge, including the nutritional content of foods and the major dietary sources of macronutrients and micronutrients.
But doctors shouldn’t have to know the intricate details about nutrition. Their training and work should focus on medicine and saving lives. So, we should cut them some slack and not expect that they are all-knowing about food and nutrition. There are experts in this field who do have the deep knowledge necessary to help people make better food choices for achieving their wellness goals.
How Holistic Nutrition Education Provides a Solution
That’s where holistic nutrition education comes in.
Holistic nutrition education equips students with the knowledge and skills to help others achieve their wellness goals. If you’re wondering, “What does holistic nutrition mean?”, check out NTI’s e-book, What Does Holistic Nutrition Mean?
Some may feel that nutrition is too obvious a concept to be worth learning about and pursuing formal education. I’m here to say this is a false assumption, and now is definitely the right time.
Sure, we have Nutrition Facts labels and front-of-the-box manufacturer labels that tell us what’s in our food and what health benefits we might expect from eating those foods, but these are woefully inadequate for providing meaningful and actionable information. Herein lies one of the big problems – the majority of foods that have these labels are the very ones that have been called out as major underlying contributors to chronic disease: Ultra-Processed Foods (UPF).
Because our SAD food system is so inundated with UPF, often with attractive glossy packaging and hollow bold claims, most people have no idea how to actually make healthy choices. They don’t understand the difference between nutrient-dense whole foods and UPF. Consequently, they don’t realize the potential long-term consequences of choosing nutrient-deficient, poor-quality foods. And they don’t have the knowledge that is necessary to select foods for the purpose of achieving certain optimal health goals.
Becoming a Trusted Guide in Nutrition
People need credible guidance, and that guidance should come from someone like you who is interested in nutrition and wants to turn their passion into a rewarding career – one that is in alignment with your personal beliefs regarding the close ties between food and wellness. There is a growing demand for holistic nutrition professionals, fueled by the top-level public discussions about food and health. If you are looking for a way to board this fast-moving freight train, now is the right time, and NTI is the right school.
A formal holistic nutrition education provides:
- Deep understanding of nutrition science including biochemistry and therapeutic applications
- Ability to guide others in making informed, health-promoting food choices
- Career opportunities aligned with personal wellness values and passion for food
- Preparation for emerging public demand for holistic nutrition expertise
Benefits of Studying Holistic Nutrition
Choosing holistic nutrition as a field of study offers benefits beyond personal health knowledge. Students gain:
- Expertise in proactive and therapeutic nutrition
- Skills to support clients in achieving optimal health
- Flexible education options, including self-paced online learning or cohort-based formats
- Potential for career growth in coaching, consulting, teaching, and private practice
- A foundation to challenge misinformation in the modern food system
Flexible Education Options at NTI
The Nutrition Therapy Institute offers comprehensive online nutrition programs that can be completed in 1-3 years, depending on your chosen schedule. Students can select:
- Self-paced learning, for independent learners
- Cohort-based online classes, for those who thrive in group settings
This flexibility ensures that holistic nutrition education can fit into your life while still providing deep, meaningful training.
Careers in Holistic Nutrition
Graduates of NTI are prepared to enter a growing field. With public attention on the links between food and chronic disease, demand for qualified holistic nutrition professionals is increasing. Potential career paths include:
- Holistic nutrition coaching or consulting
- Corporate wellness and employee health programs
- Educational roles, workshops, or online content creation
- Integrative healthcare collaboration
By earning your qualifications, you’ll not only transform your own life but also become a trusted guide for others seeking better health.
FAQs About Studying Holistic Nutrition
Q: What can I do with a holistic nutrition certification?
A: You can pursue careers in coaching, consulting, teaching, wellness program management, or start your own practice.
Q: How long does it take to study holistic nutrition at NTI?
A: Depending on your pace, programs can be completed in 1-3 years.
Q: Is holistic nutrition a good career choice?
A: Yes. With chronic illness on the rise and increasing public interest in nutrition, there is a growing demand for trained holistic nutrition professionals.
Q: Why choose NTI for holistic nutrition training?
A: NTI provides comprehensive, science-based, flexible online programs led by experienced faculty. Graduates are well-prepared for meaningful careers in holistic nutrition.
Take the Next Step
There are powerful players who are working hard to keep us all ignorant and quietly succumb to being deceived about the connections between food and health. They do this because it serves them and their ever-expanding profit margins. They would prefer to maintain the status quo and for us to continue to rely on UPF as the dominant food source, not be informed about how to take responsibility for our own health outcomes, and not share what we know with others.
If you want to opt out of this SAD food system that only serves corporate profit motives, you must take the initiative to seek out the education and empower yourself to do so. Health is an inside job that requires intention and active participation. Once you get this education and achieve the qualifications that enable you to be the guide people are looking for, your life will change for the better. You will become a trusted expert for others as well. Holistic nutrition education at NTI equips you to guide people toward better health while building a rewarding career.
See what Nutrition Therapy Institute has to offer – now is the right time to study holistic nutrition, and NTI is the right school.
Author: Dianne Koehler, Director of Nutrition Therapy Institute
Images by NTI Graduate, Maddie LeBrun
