Study something you are passionate about to help yourself and love yourself.

This course is designed for insights into personal health with a focus on nutrition. It is ideal if you're interested in learning and understanding more about your nutrition and that of your family or friends. This course focuses solely on nutrition, food and human biology, therefore you can learn about how nutrients are utilised by the body's cells for biological processes.

START TODAY WITH THREE CORE MODULES:

MODULE 1: Human Nutrition I
Introduction to nutrition
The digestive system
Absorption and enzymes
Energy value of foods
Carbohydrates and fats
Proteins
Vitamins and Minerals
Water
Nutrient disorders

MODULE 2: Human Nutrition II
Cooking and its Effect on Nutrition
Food Processing and its Effect on Nutrition
Recommended Daily Intake of Nutrients
Vitamins
Minerals
Planning a Balanced Diet
Assessing Nutritional Status and Needs
Diet Planning for Special Needs

MODULE 3: Human Nutrition III
Nutrient Imbalance and Disease
Dental Problems
Fibre and Bowel Diseases
Different Ways of Eating
Food Toxicity: Sensitivity
Food Toxicity: Toxicity
Detoxification/Body Cleansing
Consulting/Giving Advice

COMPLETE THE COURSE WITH THREE FURTHER ELECTIVES OF YOUR CHOICE FROM THIS LIST:

• Human Anatomy and Physiology
• Cell Biology
• Biochemistry I - Animals
• Physiology II
• Therapeutic Nutrition
• Nutrition for Weight Loss
• Food Preparation and Cooking
• Health and Wellbeing
• Culinary Herbs

LEARN ABOUT DETOXING THE BODY 

Several methods of detoxification are currently available. These include fasting, specific diets, colon therapy, vitamin therapy, chelation therapy, and hyperthermia. As a word of caution - all long-term fasts require medical supervision as well as prior assessment as to levels of nutrients, to ensure that deficiency does not occur. Weekend fasts are safe for most people, although it is still wise to seek advice from a professional experienced in detoxification.

The easiest, most inexpensive, and effective, methods of detoxification are fasting and specific dietary regimens. Keep in mind that the goal is to achieve a healthier way of eating, not weight loss, or to rid the body of all bacteria. In fact, "the good bacteria," known as probiotics, or commensal bacteria (which is also known as ‘flora’) is necessary in order to remain in good health. Recent research has shown that bacteria plays an important role in digestion, as well as immune function in the body, and without these bacteria body functioning is sub-optimal.

Several methods of detoxification are currently available. These include fasting, specific diets, colon therapy, vitamin therapy, chelation therapy, and hyperthermia. As a word of caution - all long-term fasts require medical supervision as well as prior assessment as to levels of nutrients, to ensure that deficiency does not occur. If you plan to make detoxification part of your dietary regime, do so with professional guidance. If you are planning on offering it as a service within nutrition or other complementary medicine service, be sure you are familiar with all aspects of the particular methods you plan to advise on.

Some methods of detox include:
Water and juice fast: Most experts recommend beginners to do one or the other in alternation over a few separate weekends. A water only fast starting Friday evening and ending Sunday morning (or just all day Saturday, as an alternative) should be broken with a day of raw foods (fruit/salad only, plus water), not with a heavy meal. Make sure that between 2-4 litres of water is consumed during the fast.

Weekend mono-diet: This consists of a full weekend of relying on a single food such as grapes, apples, pears (best choice if you have a history of allergy problems), brown rice, millet, or even potatoes (boiled only).

Vitamin C therapy: Exposure to various toxins, like lead or benzene, will deplete your vitamin C stores. Evidence also suggests that vitamin C deficiency hampers the body's own detoxification process.

Chelation therapy: A synthetic amino acid known as EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is administered intravenously and binds to various toxic metals in the blood. The toxins are then flushed from the body through the kidneys. Used primarily to treat cases of lead poisoning, many doctors have found that EDTA can remove the calcium and plaque present in the walls of arteries in atheroscelerosis. This therapy has yet to receive FDA approval as a treatment for heart disease.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW NUTRITION CAN AFFECT STOMACH PROBLEMS

The stomach is located on the left side of the body, just above the naval. It is basically a mucus lined sack capable of expanding and contracting to accommodate dietary intakes. It ranges in size from approximately fist size when empty to the size of a football after a heavy meal. The stomach acts like a washing machine churning up and mixing food with acids and enzymes (pepsin and lipase) which break it up into smaller pieces which are suited to digestion. Food enters the stomach from the oesophagus traveling through a muscular ring called a sphincter. As food enters the stomach this sphincter squeezes shut to prevent food from flowing back into the oesphagus. Food remains in the stomach for up to 3 1/2 hours and leaves as a thick liquid called chyme. Chyme leaves the stomach through a muscular tube called the pylorus traveling into the small intestine where further digestion and absorption of food takes place.

What can go wrong?

The most common problems associated with the stomach include gastritis (or inflammation of the stomach lining), stomach ulcers (where gastric acid burns a hole in the lining of the stomach) and hypochlorhydia (or low stomach acid) which can result in an overgrowth of bacteria and malabsorption of nutrients further on in the intestines. Here we shall consider some problems in turn.

Gastritis and stomach ulcers

Gastritis and stomach (gastric) ulcers are usually caused by an infection with a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori). This bacterium infects approximately 25% of the population and while in many cases it lives harmlessly in the lining of the stomach or duodenum (large intestine). In some people H. Pylori causes inflammation of the stomach’s defensive mucus barrier (gastritis) which can then go on to allow gastric acid to burn the lining of the stomach causing ulceration. Gastritis and stomach ulcers may also result from the use of anti-inflammatory drugs such as asprin and from viral infections.

Medical Diagnosis and Treatment

To diagnose stomach ulcers a doctor will note common symptoms such as abdominal pain, retching, vomiting or reporting to feel over full after a normal sized meal. Stomach ulcers can be diagnosed by an endoscopy where a flexible telescope is passed through the oesophagus into the stomach allowing medical staff to look for inflammation and ulceration. Biopsies may also be a taken during an endoscopy to rule out stomach cancer. As stomach ulcers most frequently result from H. pylori infection, tests are also taken to confirm this cause. Tests for H. pylori include a breath test which is used to detect the presence of urease produced by the bacterium and a stool antigen test which checks stools (faeces) for the presence of substances which trigger the immune system to fight H. pylori.

Treatment of stomach ulcers generally involves the prescription of anti acid medication which allows ulcers to heal and antibiotics aimed at clearing the H. pylori infection. Use of anti-inflammatory drugs will also be reviewed where these have caused symptoms.

Dietary Management

Diet and lifestyle factors can be addressed alongside medication. This advice aims to reduce heartburn and may help to decrease gastric irritation and excessive secretion of gastric acid.

With this in mind the following advice may prove helpful:

• Eat little and often during the day rather than overeating at one or two meals/day.
• Include sources of protein at meal and snack times such as egg, cheese and milk. Adequate intakes of protein helps to heal ulcers.
• Reduce intakes of spicy foods and acidic fruits such as pineapples, grapefruit and oranges which can irritate the lining of the stomach increasing ulcer pain.
• Consider using a probiotic product such as a probiotic yoghurt drink or supplement. Probiotics are microorganisms that may help improve digestive health and immune function. Use of probiotics may be especially helpful in reducing diarrhea associated with the use of antibiotics.
  
  
  

Hypochlorhydia

Hypochlorhydia involves an abnormally low level of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. It is a common condition possibly affecting up to 50% of the population over the age of 60. Signs of low stomach acidity include belching, bloating, irritable bowel type symptoms and nutritional deficiencies such as those involving a deficiency of iron, zinc and vitamin B12.

Medical Diagnosis and Treatment

Hypochlorhydia is commonly diagnosed by a Heidelberg test where a patient swallows a small capsule containing an acid sensor, a battery and a radio transmitter. The patient wears a special belt over the stomach which monitors the acidity of the stomach after he or she swallows an alkaline solution such as baking soda. Clinicians may also use urine and stool analysis to aid a proper diagnosis.

Treatment of Hypochlorhydia involves supplementation with Betaine Hydrochloride capsules at mealtimes which helps introduce more hydrochloride into the stomach to raise acidity until the stomach is able to produce enough hydrochloride on its own. Doctors will also review a patient’s current medications as some medications have a suppressive effect on the production of hydrochloric acid and their use should be modified to allow acidity levels to rise.

Dietary Management

Simple measures to reduce the symptoms of Hypochlorhydia are similar to those used in the treatment of gastritis such as the recommendation to have small regular meals and to chew foods slowly and sit up at mealtimes. Patients may also benefit from the use of probiotic supplements to balance the level of bacteria and yeast in the stomach environment.

In addition to these measures patients should correct any vitamin deficiency by taking a multivitamin supplement and also aim to reduce bloatedness, for example by avoiding drinking carbonated drinks, or by consuming foods and drinks containing ginger which aids digestion and reduces bloating. Other dietary recommendations involve increasing stomach acidity through the use of cider vinegar at mealtimes or by taking ascorbic acid (vitamin C) supplements and improving the balance of healthy bacteria levels by taking probiotics.

HOW DOES STUDY GET YOU WORK?

Although doing a course may not guarantee you work – it will set you apart from those that have not studied at all and it will improve your personal choices when applying for jobs or give you and your clients more confidence in you if you are looking to set up your own business.

When it comes to applying for jobs - each job listed usually gets a huge amount of response, when employers choose people to interview they will look at a range of factors, what you have studied will be just one of those factors. You need to be able to catch a potential employer’s attention and stand out from the rest.

So what do you need?

• Great communication skills: verbal, written and also the ability to use a computer. Whenever we are offering people a service (such as nutritional guidance for example) they are looking for someone with a professional approach and who instils a feeling of confidence.
• Problem solving skills: no matter what profession you work in you need to be able to problem solve – in nutritional health this is important so that you can construct programs to suit each individual. ACS courses are based on developing problem solving skills and you do this through your set tasks and assignments throughout the course.
• Knowledge and skills demanded of the job. In any job that involves people’s health you must know what you are doing – this is something you cannot do without the correct skills and knowledge and the only way to get this is by undertaking a course and gaining personal experience.
• A passion for the work and willingness to learn.
• Presentation and grooming - people who present as being well organised and well-groomed will impress.

How Will A Course Help Me To Gain those Skills?

Choosing the right course will help i.e. one that develops knowledge, practical and also your problem solving skills. Not all courses do this. At ACS our courses focus on Problem Based Learning so this enables the student to develop these skills and at the same time using this learning method also improves you knowledge retention and recall.