In 2022 I received my Integrative Heath Coach certificate. This was a big deal to me since it took a year of online courses and tests to achieve this. It took some time, money invested, and I came to the conclusion it was worth it. Yes, I healed my multiple sclerosis symptoms on my own but I still wanted to learn more about health and the possibility of helping others achieve wellness. Boy, did I learn a lot!!!
This institute was all about how to become a health coach and what it all entails. This was new to me but I ate it up like a hungry bear. I was excited to get on every Monday and learn a new dimension of health and wellness. I was able to watch many weekly videos, not just from the leaders of IIN, but other well known influencers in the wellness world. Then, IIN (Institute for Integrative Nutrition) shared information in print as well to conclude everything that was taught at the end of every week. At the end of each module was a quiz. Then, after every quarter, it was mandatory that we take a 30 question test and pass it. It all was so fascinating!
The Institute was a class act. They had about 45 modules—they had about one module per week with a few weeks off for holidays. Every week had a new subject. What really surprised me at first was what they called “primary food”. Primary food didn’t include the food on your plate but all other aspects of a person’s health. They called “secondary food” the food that we eat. Let me share a graphic of their Circle of Life—the primary food of wellness.
Primary food is what they taught for a well rounded healthy individual. Health is more than the food you put into your body, but many aspects of your life and how you live. All of these subjects (creativity, finances, career, education, health, physical activity, home cooking, home environment, relationships, social life, joy, and spirituality) involve wellness and our everyday interactions with the people we live with, work with and interact with.
What is a health coach, really?
A health and wellness coach empowers and guides clients to improve their health—be it by eating healthier or getting more sleep. Health coaches are trained wellness professionals that help clients identify and clarify their goals to take the proper steps for achieving them using evidence-based approaches and frameworks. They have specific outlines with accountability for their clients. They are trained to have references and strategic ways of helping their clients achieve their health goals.
Responsibilites of a health coach
The responsibilities of a wellness coach vary from day to day and coach to coach. The responsibilities as a coach will also change depending on the clients’ goals. According to the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC; the organization that established standards of education and practice for health and wellness coaches), Wellness Coaches work with clients who are “seeking self-directed, lasting changes aligned with their values, which promote health and wellness.
Wellness Coaches work with clients to make sustainable shifts in their lives by:
- Meeting with clients online or in person individually or in group settings to discuss and set achievable short- and long-term goals
- Providing safe, supportive spaces to explore clients’ goals and intentions
- Empowering clients to take their health into their own hands
- Helping clients understand their motivations and create behavior change
- Supporting clients in developing sustainable meal, exercise, or other wellness plans tailored to their goals
- Encouraging mindfulness in all aspects of their clients’ lives
Required knowledge and skills of a wellness coach
People interested in pursuing a career in health and wellness typically enroll in degree programs that focus on a particular area, like nutrition, biology, or physical therapy. While many wellness coaching programs do not require one, earning a bachelor’s or higher-education degree can help set Wellness Coaches up for success in assisting clients with nutritional and other wellness or fitness goals.
My journey to become a health coach
A year past after my healing and I decided to start up a Facebook site called MS Support for Nutrition and Lifestyle. This was the first step for me regarding my desire to help others. I decided to do this since many Facebook MS sites are negative and don’t believe that MS can be healed. I decided that I wanted to eliminate the stigma that multiple sclerosis cannot be reversible—because I knew after my healing and my beliefs are even stronger now—that MS CAN BE REVERSED and HEALED. Yes, it’s my belief because I have experienced this myself. AND I’ve talked to others who have done this too! In fact, I wrote a book about it—The Path to Reverse Multiple Sclerosis Naturally.
Starting up a health coaching program for my coworkers
Later on, I developed a 3-4 month program for people in my office who had any health issues AND for those who wanted to learn about health in general. I had about forty people who signed up! I had an introductory class for those who wanted more information and explained that the program would be for a couple of months so people could see results.
I had a questionnaire on different symptoms and issues that people had. They gave their whole wellness a score to me. If they had a lot of issues (ex: headaches, stomach pains, allergies, skin conditions, and so on), they had a high score. I wanted them to fill this out so that after the program they could measure their achievements and healed ailments.
After the program was complete, my co-workers learned a ton. They learned how to make a smoothie, what foods are inflammatory and which are not, how to read labels on foods, about supplements, the list goes on. It was really fun to have everyone fill out their symptom questionnaire again the last day. So many had a huge reduction in their score and had enormous results! I remember one gal had cut her score in half—this was amazing to me!
My health coaching goals
My goal is to start up a health coaching program for people with multiple sclerosis and others who are going through anything chronic or have ailments that they want to heal. I don’t want anyone to FEEL the way I did when I was diagnosed because I felt hopeless! I really thought I was going to end up in a wheelchair. I really thought my life was over!
Western doctors only have been taught to prescribe drugs with chronic diseases or conditions. Most don’t haven’t had an education on diet and how to help their patients with it. Again, I was only given and option for drugs. My neurologist at the time wanted to start me on a new drug they needed volunteers for—it was a program that would last 2-3 months to see if a particular drug helped. So, in essence, I didn’t know if I was taking a placebo or the real drug. They wanted to get this drug approved by the FDA (Federal Drug Administration).
Drugs don’t cure multiple sclerosis or other diseases—they may be able to delay the prognosis if a patient DOESN’T change their diet or lifestyle. It’s the person with their mind-set, their change in diet, and lifestyle that does it! YES! I’ve learned that a CHANGE in DIET and LIFESTYLE DOES HEAL! This is what I want to help people with! Besides diet, there are many other life protocols that can help a person heal and I want to guide people through this and change lives! So many people don’t know this and I want to be part of this change and truth.
My compassion for health and enjoyment for creativity is so strong that I wrote a cookbook (Nourish Your Way to Health) that many of my friends and co-workers have purchased—they’ve bought it for their friends too! Many told me that the recipes have helped them with the delivery of my personal story. Helping others LIGHTS ME UP! It makes it all worth it.
People just need to learn all the tools to get on the path to health again. We all were born with the ability to HEAL, we just need to know the right protocols to use. And, I want to stress is that a person in ILL health needs three things to get better.
- The desire to get well
- The belief that better well is possible
- The action to get well
The rest of the journey may involve a health coach to steer you in the right direction and help you change your habits into healthy ones. It can take time but your desire and action will make all the difference. Everyone deserves health and to know how to get it.
Thanks for reading. . .
Adrienne
xo