When I started Integrative Nutrition, it was a small group of dedicated students with one simple idea: if we could change what people ate, we could help change the world for the better.

It’s 20 years later, and our little school has expanded into a community of thousands of passionate students and graduates who are making a real difference in countless lives worldwide.

It’s wonderful that the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) also values our hard work; now, our programs are being recognized as a valuable part of an undergraduate education. (If you’re not familiar with it, the NCCRS is an internationally recognized organization that partners with over 1500 colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada.)

You’re a food blog fanatic and surfing the net for new recipes is high up on your list of favorite pastimes. You’re always on the lookout for mouth-watering photos, and you love sharing your new finds with friends. Does this sound like you? If so, it’s time to jump on the Twitter bandwagon. Follow the right users and voila! You’ve got yourself a virtual recipe book, complete with tips, videos and photos.

We’re going to make it easy for you by sharing Twitter users we think are of value to the Integrative Nutrition community. If you’re already on Twitter, check out this list and follow away! We previously shared a list of doctors and health experts, and now we’re bringing you bloggers and authors that post healthy recipes on Twitter, complete with several students and graduates of the Health Coach Training Program.

Maia Lagerstedt, a 2007 graduate from New Fairfield, CT, has always loved writing, yet she didn’t find her career as a freelance writer completely fulfilling. When she came across the Health Coach Training Program she was able to combine her passions for writing and health, and created a career that she loves. 

Now a Health Coach and published author, Maia helps people eat healthily within a budget, and has several other projects in the works including a cookbook and a wedding guide. Read on to learn more about this successful graduate! 

What were you doing before Integrative Nutrition?

Hi IINer’s,

I have some exciting news for you!

We just announced our Mega Conference and Celebration in the Los Angeles area on the weekend of March 3-4, 2012. 

We recently caught up with Jennifer Moore, a current student of our Healthy Coach Training Program. Jennifer is based out of the United Kingdom, and decided to quit her job in the financial field to pursue her passion of health and nutrition. She has made some amazing changes to her life; check out her Health Coaching Practice and keep reading to see what Jennifer has to say about her Integrative Nutrition experience!

What were you doing before Integrative Nutrition? I was working in a private bank in Jersey, Channel Islands, UK doing marketing and event planning for the branch.  I was also teaching yoga in the evenings and weekends.

What led you to explore Integrative Nutrition's program? I kept coming across people in the media and would think I want to do what they are doing! So I would Google them and they were Integrative Nutrition, (IIN) graduates.  So I decided to take the steps to get me to where I wanted to be and signed up for IIN!

"I have been able to pursue my dreams and study with IIN from the UK due to the convenient long distance learning format.  The flexibility of the program allowed me to study while working as well."

Lana Purcell, winner of our "What's Your Vision" Essay Contest brings us up to speed on her goals and progress as she works her way through the IIN Health Coach Training program.

What were you doing before IIN?

Before IIN I was a stay at home mum on a mission to change the world, I just didn't know exactly how.

What led you to explore IIN's program?

IIN came to me through Facebook. I read about it on someone’s blog, and I liked the page. I then went on the the IIN website and was BLOWN away that everything that I was doing, reading, researching seemed to be all be tied up with your program. I felt like I had found heaven. Having started and stopped numerous degrees, certificates, diplomas through the years because they didn't combine a truly holistic approach, my heart stopped as I knew this was something special.

Venus Hicks was struggling with Panic Attacks that her doctor told her would keep her on medication her entire life when she found Integrative Nutrition. This is her incredible story of how she used what she learned in our Health Coaching Training Program to heal herself and start her dream business as a health coach.

What were you doing before Integrative Nutrition?

In 2003, I was one of many people in a post-911 world, searching for their life purpose. I became a certified FranklinCovey Personal Life Coach, but was led away from business coaching to the world of health coaching when a personal struggle with my health helped me realize the connection between food and emotions. At the time, I was taking medication for panic attacks, and when I asked my doctor for healthier alternatives that did not involve prescription medication, he told me I’d have to take medication for panic attacks for the rest of my life.