When I started the school 20 years ago in a kitchen with 20 students, I only dreamed that Integrative Nutrition would be able to change the world.

Today, we have over 23,000 students and graduates in more than 90 countries, and we really are creating a ripple effect that is transforming the health and happiness of the world.

As part of Integrative Nutrition’s mission, we support the success of our students and graduates through life long learning opportunities such as our live events. And as we celebrate 20 years of health and happiness, I’m pleased to announce that we’re now taking our exclusive live events IINternationally.

On the fifth of May in 1862, underdog Mexico beat the odds and defeated a powerful French army in the Battle of Puebla. Cinco de Mayo has since become a celebration of Mexican culture and ancestry, and of course, Mexican cuisine!

We love a good fiesta here in America, and Cinco de Mayo lends reason to celebrate with a few cervezas. But you may be surprised to find that there’s much more to authentic Mexican food than a packet of taco seasoning and a side of guac. Did you know that nachos are rarely eaten in Mexico? Or cheese for that matter?

What makes a great Mexican dish are the colorful ingredients, full of flavor and zest. For your Cinco de Mayo celebration, try this recipe from 2011 graduate Jennifer Moore, which highlights the vegetables and spices while incorporating healthy greens and grains. It’s vegan, gluten-free and non-dairy to boot!

Greens, Beans, and Grains with a Spanish Twist

Last week, the first incidence of mad cow disease since 2006 was discovered in a dairy cow in Tulare County, California. The 10-year-old Holstein was tested for the disease after it developed lameness and could not stand.

Though the cow was never intended for the meat market and the food supply is not in danger, the development is certainly worrisome. But does that mean you need to give up red meat for good? Not necessarily. Here are the straight facts you need to know about mad cow disease:

Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), is a neurodegenerative disease that causes spongy deterioration in the brain and spinal cord.

May is the month of Mother's Day, a holiday to celebrate all the amazing women who brought us into this world: our moms! Whether it's treating her to a day at the spa or going together on a hike, there are many ways to show your mother how much you care this May 13 (and all year round, for that matter!) Here are a few great Mother's Day gift ideas:

Personalize

Remember how much your mom always loved your childhood art projects? That's because there's nothing better than a personalized gift! If you're not so much into arts and crafts these days, a simple framed picture could do. We also recommend:

• Photo calendar for 12 months of personal pictures
• Personalized recipe cards with your family's favorite meals
• Custom iPhone case for protection with a sentimental touch
  

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.