Certificate in Food, Nutrition, and Health

Food and nutrition have a profound impact on our health and well-being, yet many of us are not aware of what foods to eat, which diets are healthy, and where our food originates. We eat toxic, irradiated, or genetically altered foods and we eat more than we need. How can we change our eating habits and become more conscious of what we eat, why we eat it, how it is prepared, and what consequences our food choices have on our health as well as the health of our planet? This certificate provides an overview of the role of food and nutrition choices on our bodies, our immune systems, our overall well-being, and the health of all sentient beings on an increasingly populated planet.

The outcome of this certificate is for the learner to describe a holistic overview of current food and nutrition issues and their impact on physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and planetary health.

(16 contact hours)

Expiration Date: 06/01/2025

(Next date of course revision)

Conflicts of Interest and Relevant Financial Relationships: The authors/planning committee members have no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships to declare relevant to this activity.

Non-endorsement of Products: Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing nursing education only and does not imply ALLEGRA approval or endorsement of any commercial product.

Accreditation:

American Nurses Credentialing Center

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited with distinction as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing nursing education only and does not imply ALLEGRA Learning Solutions or Commission on Accreditation approval or endorsement of any commercial product(s).

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions courses are acceptable for continuing education in all states.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP 14693, for the stated number of contact hours.

American Board of Managed Care Nursing

The American Board of Managed Care Nursing recognizes all of ALLEGRA Learning Solutions' ANCC accredited courses for continuing education credit for Certified Managed Care Nurses (CMCNs).

DIABETES EDUCATORS

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. To satisfy the requirement for renewal of certification by continuing education for the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE), continuing education activities must be applicable to diabetes and approved by a provider on the NCBDE List of Recognized Providers (www.ncbde.org). NCBDE does not approve continuing education.

NAADAC (National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors)

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions is an approved provider with the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) (Provider #107194).

What you will learn

• Describe the connection between nutrition and health.
• Explain the relationship between nutrition, stress, and immune function.
• Discuss current issues in nutrition.
• Explain the impact of obesity on public health in the United States.
• Describe how to accurately read food labels.
• Compare and contrast the health benefits and risks of various natural sweeteners.
• Explain the health considerations of botanicals, herbs, and herbalism.
• Describe the role of probiotics in health.
• Explain the local and global consequences of food choices.

How you will benefit

• Gain a greater awareness of what we eat, why we eat it, how it is prepared, and the physical, social, and environmental consequences of food choices on health, communities, and the planet.
• Examine the relationship between stress, obesity, the immune system, and nutrition.
• Explore how botanicals, herbs, herbalism, and probiotics can influence health and well-being.
• Discover how to properly read a food label and choose healthier sweeteners.
• Examine the current issues in nutrition, including toxins in the food chain, plastics and food, choosing appropriate supplements, food allergies, genetically modified organisms, and more.
• Discover ways to improve your total health and well-being and positively impact your life and the life of your family.
• Learn new information that can help you prepare for a career in many areas of health (including health education, public health, nursing, medicine, social work, environmental health, or health coaching) as well as other fields (such as law, political science, advocacy, etc.).
• Build knowledge and competencies needed to advance your career and/or improve your personal health and well-being.
• Fulfill continuing education and/or national certification requirements.

Outline

Nutrition and Health—What's the Connection?

What we eat profoundly affects our health and well-being. Obesity is at epidemic proportions in the United States and throughout the world. Many of us eat more than we require. We eat when we are rushed. We don't understand how various food elements interact; and we are not as knowledgeable as we could be about various diet types and their effects on our health.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the role of food and health in human history as well as explain the various elements of nutrition and some of the most common types of diets are explored.

Nutrition, Stress, and Immune Function

Most individuals enjoy sitting down and eating a delicious meal. Food provides an opportunity to socialize and, if the food is nutritious, it also supports a healthy body and mind. However, if individuals are stressed before, during, or after a meal, the nutrients they eat are not utilized as effectively as when people are relaxed. If stress also causes an individual to eat food that is not nutritious, health issues can result. Nutrition, stress, and the immune system are closely related.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the relationship between food and emotions, the stress response, the effects of stress on nutrition and health, mindful eating and methods of eating mindfully, and elements of nutrition that support a healthy immune system.

Obesity in America—A Public Health Epidemic

Two-thirds of adults and one-third of children in the United States are overweight or obese. Left unchecked, the effects of this crisis on the nation's health, health care costs, and productivity could be catastrophic. As a nation, we're getting more obese every day, many of our children are obese, and our life expectancies are much shorter because of it, despite trying many types of diets, eating less, and moving more.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the extent of obesity in the United States, the difference between being overweight and being obese, the causes of overweight and obesity, the health and economic consequences of obesity, and the pharmaceutical and surgical options for obese individuals.

Current Issues in Nutrition

Our diet has a profound impact on our health and well-being as well as the health of the environment, yet many of us are not aware of where our food originated or how it was produced. We eat toxic, irradiated, or genetically altered foods, and we eat more than we need. How can we change our eating habits and become more conscious of what we eat, why we eat it, and how it is prepared?

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the types of toxins found in food and to examine the effects of irradiation, genetically altered foods, and food allergies on our health.

Spiritual Nutrition—The Global Consequences of Food Choices

Food is a dynamic force that interacts with our bodies on multiple levels: the physical level, the mental-emotional level, and the energetic or spiritual level. Conscious eating involves an awareness of the eating process from beginning to end, and it includes thinking about how dietary choices affect others. Any food choice that is truly good for an individual's physical health and well-being will also be good for his/her spiritual well-being. Today's food landscape is dominated by factory farms and food industry practices that violate spiritual principles, as well as human and animal rights, and damage the health of the planet.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the concept of spiritual, conscious eating, the effects of unconscious eating on the health of humans, animals, and plants, and guidelines for individuals who seek to support a lifestyle that includes spiritual nutrition practices.

Food Labels—Deciphering the Mysteries

An important element of health is the ability to understand what is in the food we eat. Knowing how to read and understand food labels can help individuals make healthier food choices. Many consumers do not fully understand what the labels on their food means in terms of nutritional value or the way the food was produced, raised, and manufactured. With this knowledge, understanding the labels becomes easier and making healthy choices are the result.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe how to read a Nutrition Facts label; explain food claims in terms of nutritional value; define what "organic" means; examine the four organic principles; and identify various food labels in terms of their significance to food products.

Botanicals, Herbs, and Herbalism

While modern medicine has produced many scientific advances, one of the most important "advances" in health and medicine has been the recognition of the value of botanicals, herbs, and herbalism. After all, nature and plants have been an essential part of everyday life since the beginning of recorded history. Used for medicines, clothing, food, and in religious ceremonies, in many health belief systems, plants are considered a gift of nature and valued for their healing effects.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the role of botanicals, herbs, and herbalists, herb processing, herbalist training, and current issues regarding the use of herbs and botanicals.

Natural Sweeteners—Healthy Options for Your Sweet Tooth

Most Americans consume far more sugar than they require, and this contributes to obesity as well as many types of diseases. The role of sugar in the American diet is an important one, and understanding its effect on the body and its role in inflammation and disease can significantly affect one's health. Alternatives to refined sugar are numerous, but are they safe and effective? Not all sweeteners are created equal and it is important to understand which ones are generally accepted as safe and which ones may threaten one's health.

The outcome of this course for the learner is to describe the historical overview of the role of sugar in the American diet, as well as explain the various definitions of sugar, glucose metabolism and the health effects of too much dietary sugar, the glycemic index, artificial and natural alternatives to sugar, and methods of reducing dietary sugar intake.

Probiotics—Silent Partners in Health

Probiotics are live microbes (bacteria) believed to be beneficial for the host organism. They are the same or very similar to bacteria already in the body. The lower digestive track is filled with a complex and diverse community comprised of millions of these microbes. They are used globally to improve the health and well-being of animals and humans. Sales of probiotic supplements have soared in recent years on the basis of intriguing research that demonstrates potential benefits for many chronic conditions, including cancer. With the rise in interest in integrative health as well as complementary and alternative therapies, this trend is likely to continue.

The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe what probiotics are (and are not), how they affect our health, the various categories of probiotics, the risks and benefits of their use, how to select a probiotic, pertinent regulatory considerations, and the current research on their use.

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.