Holistic health is a philosophy of care in which a wide range of approaches are used to establish and maintain balance within an individual. Holistic health recognizes that the human being is comprised of integrated, interacting components of body, mind, and spirit. An important aspect of holistic health is nutrition. Healthy diet and proper nutrition are basic necessities of life and play a key role in preventing diseases. Sensible nutrition is a primary factor in leading a life that will allow for ample energy, productivity, and overall health. The old commonsense adage, “You are what you eat,” is now more in line with scientific-based fact. Each year brings new information and scientific research in the areas of nutrition and nutritional supplementation. The results continue to demonstrate that the foods we eat determine health, well-being, and longevity and that some foods offer medicinal qualities – something our foremothers and forefathers knew hundreds, even thousands of years ago!

Nutrition must be seen in the context of a multiplicity of economic, social, cultural, and religious factors. Therefore, this course will not be a course on various diets and basic nutrition science that you have already learned, but will focus on the factors that may impact nutrition and nutrition choices. This course will also expand on the topic of nutrigenomics. Nutrigenomics is an emerging approach in nutritional research which deals with gene-diet interactions. It is the study of how foods interact with your genes and explains the individual genetic differences that can affect the requirement of vitamins, minerals, and compounds in the foods we eat. Nurture or epigenetic influences, including diet, stress levels, relationships, sleep patterns, environment, and exercise, change your genes’ expression. Evidence has demonstrated that one-size-fits-all nutrition recommendations can be inefficient and often ineffective, so increased knowledge of genetics means that treatment, lifestyle advice, and monitoring aimed at disease prevention could be tailored appropriately to suit each individual.

This course offers guidance for the journey to whole-person health with a focus on nutrition. Holism implies that the health and harmony of the body, mind, and spirit create a higher, richer state of health than would be achieved with attention to just one part. Solid principles for building a strong foundation for optimal health are presented with practical, evidence-based advice that you can easily adopt and integrate into your life.