Sara Seinberg, who recently graduated from the Health Coach Training Program in May, was stuck. She was working a good job, and doing some freelance writing and photography, but her health was a different story. For her 40^th birthday she made a big move and signed up for a marathon. Recognizing a powerful inner strength upon completing the race, she made the decision to get her health back on track, and the rest is history.

Sara is one of the most creative and authentic Health Coaches I’ve encountered, and she has a real knack for relating her own story to how she now helps others. She coaches people, out of her San Francisco practice, Seinberg Holistic Health Coaching, around nutrition, but also emotional eating and self-awareness. I got a chance to catch up with her recently, and her method of developing the inner critic into a useful tool, and her ability to attract the right clients are fascinating. This interview highlights her successful journey and what she’s up to now.

Amazing students and graduates who learned how to become a health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition gathered at farmer’s markets, health fairs, and cooking classes to spread the word about the Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. Here are a few amazing projects that our thriving wellness community created:

Sarah Mawson, current student, and part of the Los Angeles Food Revolution

“We were at the Pico Farmers Market in Santa Monica in the morning, talking to everyone about real food, the added sugar in popular drinks (this was very popular ... and shocked many), and also holding a number of cooking demonstrations.

Legislation calling for GMO labeling was shot down in Connecticut this month when food producers threatened lawsuits. A similar bill failed in Vermont in April, and fifteen more states are considering GMO labeling legislation soon. Will Big Food get the better of all of them?

We certainly hope not.

The production of genetically modified food is a widely debated issue, but the labeling of GMO products is broadly agreed upon – over 90% of Americans agree that genetically modified foods should be identified as such. Yet lawmakers’ efforts to meet the demands of voters are lost in the deep pockets of companies like Monsanto, for which GMOs are bread and butter.

This week, I am very excited to present the Health Leadership Award to Latham Thomas, a maternity maven who has inspired and supported a countless number of new and expecting mothers.

Latham graduated from IIN in 2006, and went on to found Tender Shoots Wellness, a boutique holistic wellness practice. Based in New York, her practice catered to the needs of busy female professionals, but when Latham herself became pregnant, she recognized the lack of holistic resources available to busy moms. She has since founded Mama Glow, a maternity lifestyle brand that helps modern mothers tap into the abundance of this exciting stage in their lives.

Listening to Her Inner Voice

I was inspired to enroll in IIN because I knew, deep inside, that I was being pulled to work in wellness. I felt called to be a source of light and a living example to inspire others- but I lacked the tools and confidence to reach this goal. Joshua’s comprehensive program provided the support I needed to launch my career in the wellness space.

For many of us, the summer means wedding season, and IIN is here to help! Whether you’re planning your own big day or generously pitching in for a friend, our Bride Guide is stocked with tips to make the most of that walk down the aisle.

First up are some timely tricks for eco-friendly brides: How to Green Your Wedding.

Many people will gather with family and friends this weekend to honor our fallen soldiers, and to celebrate the unofficial beginning of summer. The winter months may have been mild this year, but it’s been too long since we spent some time in the sun!

A Memorial Day menu calls for lots of colorful ingredients, some of which can be thrown on the grill; and other times, after a long day spent at the beach or in the backyard, a refreshing dish is best. Here are some of our favorite recipes for a deliciously healthy Memorial Day menu!

Raw Zucchini Hummus

From IIN student Abby Hughes
Raw, vegan, gluten-free

Ingredients:

•  1 cup peeled and chopped zucchini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 big cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoons salt
• A pinch of smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup raw tahini
  

You’d never guess that 2011 graduate Lindsey Smith is in her early twenties: with a successful health coaching practice in Pittsburgh, PA, a published a book, and a completed an international book tour, she’s  thriving in a self-owned business that she built in less than three years. That’s the sort of achievement our graduates are capable of. They posses an unwavering dedication to transforming the world.

The start to Lindsey’s journey is a common one: an okay job, struggles with her body image and self-confidence, crappy relationships, and a life lived pleasing others as opposed to herself. After enrolling in the Health Coach Training Program, she’s discovered what it means to be healthy, to love herself, and to stop craving and start living! Here’s how she got started and how she’s accomplished so much.

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?

Hi there! I’m Christy Goldfeder, Health Coach and writer at Delicious Life Health Coaching and IIN Graduate, Class of 2006. Join me on IIN's virtual Health Food Store Tour, where I’ll give you weekly tips on how to shop healthfully. Come back each week as we stroll through the aisles to discover which foods are the healthiest.

Here’s what I look for when shopping for coffee, tea, or other beverages:

Organic: Crops like coffee and tea are usually sprayed with a number of chemicals. Choosing organic products helps reduce the amount of pesticides and herbicides we consume.

Fair Trade: It’s not always possible to find fair-trade goods. But it’s great when you can because crops are grown in an ecologically sustainable manner, and goods are sold at a price that can sustain communities.

Here are a few healthy beverage choices:

Coffee: Is coffee good for you? It does have antioxidants and flavonoids. A recent study says that people who drink coffee regularly cut their overall risk of dying. And coffee has also been shown to protect against diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.

The latest issue of Time magazine, featuring a provocative cover photo of a mother breastfeeding her nearly four-year-old son, has sparked a media craze with everyone from U.S. congresswomen to Saturday Night Live weighing in.

What’s all the fuss all about? The photo, and the accompanying article about the attachment parenting philosophy championed by pediatrician William Sears, is generating controversy about everything from the sexualization of breastfeeding to the more fundamental question of what it means to be a good parent.

We recently kicked off the Health Leadership Awards with mother and school food champion Allison Carmen.

At IIN we are blessed to have a community filled with exceptional mothers who are dedicated to changing the lives of their family and the world.

That’s why this week, we honor and celebrate Smokin’ Hot Mom Nina Manolson, whose outstanding work as a Health Coach empowers all of us to “feel good in our skin.”

Turning Risk into Reward

I enrolled at IIN after a genetic test determined I was at high risk for Breast Cancer. After a lifetime of struggling with my weight and criticizing myself in the mirror, I was faced with the preciousness of my body and how I could no longer afford to be at war with myself. I stepped up my self-care and, in the process, realized that my passion lay in helping women reclaim their body and ending the struggle between food and self-image for future generations.