In 1994, The Center for Science in the Public Interest published a report bashing coconut oil, blaming the oil for packing as much saturated fat into a large, no-butter movie theater popcorn as six Big Mac Burgers. Not surprisingly, this study left coconut oil with a bad name and sales plummeted violently. Over the following decade, the truth started to leak out into the health community – the movie theater offender had actually been partially hydrogenated, a process that takes the nutritional benefit out of any heart-healthy oil.

As it would turn out, virgin coconut oil is extremely good for you, both when eaten and used externally. Some may say that it is even a natural miracle worker! Now you may be asking, what can coconut oil really do for my health? Let me tell you:

Cooking with Coconut Oil

When ingested, virgin coconut oil has several health benefits. When used as a cooking oil, it can help with digestion. The saturated fats in virgin coconut oil have anti-microbial properties that help your body fight bacteria, fungi or parasites that can cause indigestion.

While studying modern dance at The Ailey School, 2007 graduate Adina Grigore met many people who were working with a Health Coach. Dancers brought up Integrative Nutrition in conversation all the time, and then a long-time interest in nutrition led her to a talk by Joshua Rosenthal. After hearing him speak, she knew that completing the Heath Coach Training Program was the missing piece to her personal training practice.

What Adina expected to get out of the program and what she actually took away after graduating were drastically different. Her training went beyond a solid education with teachings from renowned health professionals. She came away as a new person: a leader and a bold businesswoman with an invincible attitude. She went in as a personal trainer seeking a credible edge, and came out with a thriving natural skincare business. This interview highlights the influence Integrative Nutrition has had on Adina, who lives in Brooklyn, NY, and how her company Sprout Skincare came to be.

How has Joshua Rosenthal made an impact on you since enrolling in the program?

I think anyone who has ever heard Joshua speak would agree that he's pretty powerful. He just seemed to be saying all the things I had always thought about nutrition, but had never been able to articulate. It made me realize the school would help me be able to do that. Now that I've gotten to talk to and work with Joshua, his honesty and warmth has helped me aspire to be that type of business owner as well.