I’m Feeling Sad & Glad Because I Graduate From the Institute for Integrative Nutrition This Weekend

Right now, I’m feeling very sad. And yet, at the same time, I am bubbling up with gladness, relief, pride, and excitement.

You see, this weekend I officially graduate from the wonderful Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I’ve been studying for 9 weekends since November 2005. (This is weekend # 10.)

On Sunday, it becomes official — I will become a bona fide certified holistic health counselor (CHHC). I’m already a holistic health counselor (HHC) without the certification, which arrives in the mail shortly from the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.

But getting the CHHC credentials is only a miniscule part of what I’ve gotten out of this truly amazing program. (FYI, I will henceforth refer to the school as "IIN" — that’s the lingo that we students at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition use.)

Look, I confess, one of my initial reasons for enrolling in IIN wasn’t the most noble. Yeah, if truth be told, I coveted those darn "CHHC" initials after my name!

But I had a darn good reason: Because I was getting very annoyed by the response I kept getting from people (publishers, doctors, nutritionists, etc.), who, when they heard I was researching and writing a book about the dangers of sugar (SUGAR SHOCK!), asked me [add a sort of lofty tone here]:

"Well, Connie, what are your credentials? Are you a nutritionist? Do you have a health background?" [In other words, the implication was, what makes you qualified to write a sugar book?]

(Apparently, the fact that I’m a veteran journalist with a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University wasn’t enough! Nor was the fact that I used to have a horrible sugar habit and 44 accompanying ailments. And it wasn’t even enough that I now help sugar addicts worldwide.) You see, prior to 2001, I was an entertainment and lifestyle journalist writing for major magazines, websites and occasionally PR firms..

Now, to be fair, not everyone reacted with a dubious, condescending tone to my non-health background, but it happened often enough to warrant my wanting some kind of degree — and soon — preferably before my book came out. (Which is what is now happening! Yeah!)

But seriously — I was somewhat joking above, in case you didn’t guess — my MAIN reasons for attending IIN are much more noble, wonderful, and uplifting.

First off, I kept meeting these incredible IIN grads, who were doing the most wonderful things and really helping people! And they all had these cute business cards with the white swirl on a red background. (See the book cover below to get an idea of what I’m talking about.)

Actually, I first heard of IIN a couple of years ago when I found and hired this wonderful chef, Alexandra Jamieson, who cooked the most scrumptious dinner for a few girlfriends and me. (You may have seen Alex on The Oprah show recently with her husband Morgan Spurlock, who did the powerful, much-acclaimed documentary, "Super Size Me.")

Then, a year ago, I exhibited and gave a talk at the Live Well New York conference on April 23 and 24 at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan. While there, I must have met half a dozen really upbeat, interesting IIN grads. (One of them even won a raffle prize, and over lunch, she also sung IIN’s praises.)

But the clincher was when a woman came to the building where I live (sorry, can’t give you the location on this very public forum), and she gave a sugar talk. Well, guess where she went to school? IIN!

After all those repeated encounters, I was ready to turn over my money right then and there! I figured that God or the universe was telling me something and that was: "Connie, you must sign up immediately for IIN!"

So, here I am a little more than a year later, feeling forlorn, because:

• I’ve met the most wonderful people there and I’m really sorry to say goodbye to them! (Watch out for folks with CHHC after their names, because many fellow grads will do something really big — I’m sure of it!)

And I’m feeling really bummed out, because:

• I can’t go anymore to hear these amazing speakers! (We had the BEST speakers come to the school — I mean really, BIG names — even a number of people, who I’d already coincidentally interviewed for my book SUGAR SHOCK! (For instance, we heard from Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Marion Nestle, etc.)

To conclude, I’m both sad and glad now because my IIN experience will soon be a thing of the past. But mostly I’m feeling ultra glad that I took action after running into all those IIN people and signed up.

If any of you out there have an interest in nutrition — and it doesn’t matter where you live around the country or the world — I heartily recommend that you contact IIN now. (Tell them Connie, the kick-sugar lady sent you!)

I’m a HUGE advocate and fan of this program. (To be honest, yes, I did have some minor differences of opinion over just a couple of things the school taught regarding sugar, but even so I just loved this school and will continue to rave about it!)

Well, I have to get back to work. I’m supposed to be contacting health experts so we can get endorsements for my upcoming book SUGAR SHOCK!

Speaking of books, you may want to check out Integrative Nutrition, 1st Edition. It’s by Joshua Rosenthal, the founder of IIN. (I’ll write more later about the remarkable Joshua, who has built IIN into this incredible, influential program, which will have some 2,000 students next year!)

(click here to read an excerpt)