Could avocado oil fight aging and chronic disease? Christian Cortés-Rojo, a researcher at Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo in Morelia, Mexico, thinks it could prove to be a helpful tool in promoting health at the cellular level.

The oil, which is similar to olive oil in fat composition, could help to shield our bodies from and reduce the adverse effects of free radicals, damaged cells that can cause everything from heart disease to Alzheimer’s disease. According to Cortés-Rojo, “avocado oil could eventually be referred to as the olive oil of the Americas.”

Free radicals are particles that are in need of an extra electron and to stabilize, will often obtain this electron by damaging stable particles. This can cause a chain reaction, creating many more free radicals out of previously stable particles. Though free radicals are caused by pollutants, cigarette smoke, radiation, and certain chemicals, they’re also produced by your immune system and are a natural part of the aging process.

Hi there! I’m Christy Goldfeder, Health Coach 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.

Whole grains are a staple food in many cultures – rice in Asia, amaranth, corn and quinoa in the Americas, couscous and teff in Africa, wheat and buckwheat in Europe. However, grains are not right for everyone. According to the blood type diet, people with type O blood do better by limiting grain. And those with celiac or gluten sensitivity must be careful to keep glutinous grains out of their diets.

This is what I tell my clients to look out for when shopping for whole grains:

Unrefined – If you’re going to eat grain, eat it whole. Unrefined means that it’s not ground up and made into another product (like bread, pasta, cookies or pastries). You should be able to recognize the grain.

Don’t get tricked by slick packaging claiming that the food contains whole grains. Sure, it might be partially whole, but if it just says "wheat flour," it’s probably made with white flour – it must specify that it’s "whole wheat."

Integrative Nutrition is proud to announce we are partnering with the Jamie Oliver Foundation to inspire a day of action to mark a commitment to food education worldwide. 

The first-ever Food Revolution Day is a global day of action to inspire, educate, and empower people everywhere to stand up for real food. Thousands of people worldwide will participate in events to raise awareness on preventing diet-related diseases, and to arm people with the knowledge and tools to make healthier food choices.

Integrative Nutrition students and graduates are organizing grass roots efforts around health and wellness to celebrate Food Revolution Day, in communities, at schools and businesses.

Nasal congestion can make you feel tired, sluggish, and spacey, and can cause painful pressure behind your eyes, your nose, or even your teeth. If nasal allergies or headaches get the best of you, there’s an easy, natural, tried-and-true way to clear your head while being kind to your poor stuffed sinuses: the neti pot.

The Sanskrit word “neti” refers to an Ayurvedic purification technique that dates back thousands of years to India’s ancient yogic traditions. Since congestion made it difficult for yogis to practice a set of breathing exercises called Pranayama (and achieve the enlightment resulting from it), they developed the practice of neti to help them clear nasal passages of dirt, dryness, debris, and disease and to reduce the resulting sinus inflammation. Over time, they developed the neti pot (“neti lota”), a tool created specifically for this purpose.

Here at Integrative Nutrition, we think it’s important to go green all year long. Keep yesterday’s Earth Day celebration going by finding ways to nourish your body in an eco-friendly way. This vegan, gluten-free recipe for Kale Pesto from IIN student Abby Hughes is so simple, yet delicious and healthy! It’s a perfect accompaniment to a grain salad or mixed vegetables. Now hit the farmer’s market for a fresh bunch of kale, and in case you missed it, be sure to check out our list of 60 ways to go green for some extra inspiration!

With jobs in human resources that have taken them around the world, Nicole van Hattem and Lauren Penny know what keeps a corporation running. Out of all the strategies they’ve learned and implemented, they’ve found one that’s proven to be most effective, and that’s a team of healthy employees.

On a mission to empower global wellness and maximize potential, Nicole, a 2011 Integrative Nutrition graduate of the Health Coach Training Program, and Lauren, a current student, founded Art of Abundant Living, and have experienced growing success since day one. Even more interesting, is the fact that their business is based in Doha, Qatar, a place with health trends unfamiliar to most people. Qatar was recently named the country with the most obese population in the world. This interview highlights how Nicole and Lauren got to where they are today, and how they plan to address the increasing health concerns in Qatar.

When did you first realize there was a strong need for health coaching in the corporate world?

Since a huge proportion of our lives is spent at work – typically five days in a seven-day week, it’s important that each and every one of us are engaged in what we are doing. Corporations want employees who are highly productive. From experience we know that fit and healthy employees, who are highly engaged in their work and have a work-life balance, are more productive for longer periods of time.

Building core strength is important, but who knew it could be so sexy? A recent study has shown that women who do extended abdominal exercises may be able to really, really enjoy their core workouts.

According to a study helmed by author and researcher Dr. Debby Herbenick, the curiosity known as the “coregasm” is legit. Along with her team, Herbenick, who acts as the co-director of Indiana University’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion, surveyed 370 women to gather information about this titillating phenomenon.

Hi there! I’m Christy Goldfeder, Health Coach 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.

Like many foods, dairy can be very nourishing for certain people (like growing babies, people with type-B blood according to the blood-type diet), and not so healthy for others (for example, people with lactose intolerance). Here’s what I look for when looking for dairy and dairy alternatives:

Organic - at the very least, any dairy or dairy alternative should be organic. Conventional milk can contain antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides and herbicides. Plus, the feed that conventionally raised cows eat is often made from GMO grains - which you learned from my last post on meat substitutes.

Organic is better when you’re talking about soy, almond, hemp, or other types of milk substitutes also because of the GMO issue.

Grass-fed - this type of milk is ideal because the cows get to eat what they’re meant to eat - grass. This keeps the animal healthier, and it creates a dairy product that has the right balance of nutrients in it.

If you're reading this blog, chances are good that you make a concerted effort to eat well. You probably do this to look and feel your very best, free from unpronounceable ingredients and potentially harmful processed food chemicals. But do you give the same level of care to your outer wellness that you give to your inner wellness?

Harmful toxins can be absorbed not just by consumption, but also through contact with your skin and through the air you breathe. That means that the products you use around your home for cleaning, hygiene, and beauty really matter.

Are you looking for ways to celebrate Earth Day every day? Take a look at our list to see how you can get inspired, take action, and go green!

Going Green 101

Where to start? Check out these tips if you're a newbie:

Ecological Footprint Quiz: How big a carbon footprint are you leaving behind? Take this quiz to find out.

How to Green Your Diet: 3 Easy Steps

How to Start Your Urban Garden

Going Green 101: Tips for a Healthy Earth Day

How to Celebrate Earth Day Everyday: 10 Easy Tips