Zrinka Glavas, MEd, MSc, attained her Masters of Education at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. Her passion for evidence-based nutrition and traditional medicine led her to complete a subsequent Masters of Science in Nutrition at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, Oregon. Zrinka’s loves of education and functional nutrition are merged in teaching the effects medical nutrition therapy has on health outcomes.

Julie Marks, MScN, is an adjunct faculty member at Portland Community College, teaching in the Functional Nutrition program. She is also the Nutritionist and Coordinator for the Food as Medicine Institute, where she teaches hands-on cooking and nutrition classes. 

One of PCC IHP's popular fall programs combines Neuroscience + Psychology + Mindfulness + Relationship Studies. Foundations of Interpersonal Neurobiology draws upon ideas like Attachment Theory and Complexity Theory to explore complex interpersonal human relationships.

The PCC Institute for Health Professionals offers several orientations in the next month to help you determine the program that may be best for you and your interests. Two examples include entry-level certificate programs help you acquire valuable training for jobs that come with good hourly rates - and many of these potential jobs offer great healthcare and savings benefits, too. Don't hesitate to contact us for more information. 

Are you serious about starting a healthcare career in nutrition, or incorporating nutrition into your current healthcare practice? Discover how the Functional Nutrition program at PCC Institute for Health Professionals can help you become a nationally Certified Nutrition Professional, and support your career goals! Join the Functional Nutrition online webinar on June 20th from 6 - 7:30 p.m. 

Ann Wagoner is a yoga therapist, has taught yoga for over 25 years and is a certified practitioner of Ayurveda. She researched protocols and herbs for the prevention of cancer recurrence and is a NAMA presenter. She is also a student of Rama Jyoti Vernon and publishes yoga books. We recently asked her about her experience with Ayurveda, and what inspires her about teaching and the subject matter. 

Integrative medicine combines Western approaches to medicine with more traditional ways of caring for the body and mind. These practices, when used together, can improve a patient’s quality of life. For instance, cancer patients often need treatment with chemotherapy, a type of Western medicine. However, they can also benefit from nutrition therapy and acupuncture, which can help them keep their energy up and experience less pain.

Functional nutrition, a type of functional medicine, focuses on using healthy, natural foods to help people improve their health. Functional nutritionists provide flexible, individualized care to each person based on their needs. Each person may have a different functional nutrition treatment based on what will be most effective to improve their physical, mental and even spiritual health.

Integrative healthcare brings together Western approaches to medicine, such as chemotherapy, surgery and other medicines, and combines them with more traditional, complementary approaches like nutrition, acupuncture and more. Integrative healthcare practitioners carefully coordinate these two approaches to treatment in order to care for all of their patients’ needs.

As a nutritionist, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest nutrition research to provide your clients with evidence-based care. Every day, new scientific research reveals the benefits or harmful effects of foods, from coffee and alcohol, to organic fruits and vegetables. Education for nutritionist can help you stay on top of the latest information, but you can read research on your own, too.