Expand your knowledge in nutrition with this online nutrition course. Whether you’re looking to improve your own health through diet or add nutritional expertise to your professional development skills – this course is ideal for you.

While food as medicine isn’t new, many of us lack knowledge of how nutrition can boost health and ward off disease. Nutrition as a complementary therapy is fascinating and is an excellent professional development skill for your portfolio.

Therapeutic nutrition is the delivery of nutrients through diet to maintain or restore optimal health and wellbeing. Many conditions benefit from therapeutic nutrition, from Diabetes to cardiovascular disease and food allergies.

The Certificate of Therapeutic Nutrition will teach you how to create diets to help heal the body of common complaints and manage health conditions alongside other treatments.

Why study online nutrition courses?

• Personal gain – understand how to protect your health through nutrition
• Manage disease, allergy or common health complaints
• Gain professional development in your career
• Expand your knowledge in the health, fitness and food industries
• Discover exciting business opportunities as a food producer/suppler or health coach.

Learning Outcomes

When you study our online nutrition course, you will gain the following learning outcomes:

• Discuss the nature and scope of therapeutic nutrition, and identify circumstances where diet may need modification
• Types of food allergy and intolerance and provide information on diagnosis, clinical symptoms and appropriate dietary modifications.
• Diabetes – appropriate dietary adjustments for people with Diabetes.
• Appropriate dietary adjustments that should be made for people with cardiovascular disease
• Dietary adjustments that should be made for people with heart disease, hyperlipidemia or arteriosclerosis
• Therapeutic diets for people with Kidney conditions
• Dietary adjustments that should be made for people with different types of cancer, digestive disorders and diseases of the liver, gall bladder and pancreas
• Evaluate the dietary requirements of a client or patient who has a medical condition, giving appropriate consideration to that condition, and identify responsible options for diet planning in response to the situation.

What is a Therapeutic Diet?

A therapeutic diet is a modified diet plan that is part of the treatment for a medical condition. The meal plans are usually designed by a doctor, dietician or other health professional to control the intake of certain foods and nutrients.

History of Food as Medicine

“Let medicine be thy food, and let food be thy medicine.” You may recognise this famous quote from a Greek physician in 400 B.C. Hippocrates was the first person to advise people to prevent disease by eating nutrient-dense foods. Today, we understand that this ancient affirmation is the beginning of modern dietetics in the health profession – and still holds!

Eating for Gut Health

Gut health is crucial for the overall health of the body. The CSIRO Healthy Gut Diet is one therapeutic diet backed by decades of scientific research to heal and protect the gut.

The diet includes increasing fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts and whole grains, which feed healthy bacteria and probiotic-rich foods – such as live yoghurt – and reducing processed foods.

The benefits of a healthy gut include strengthening the immune system, increasing good bacteria to reduce toxins in the body and decreased the risk of colorectal cancer.

Healthy gut superfoods

Fermented foods – such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yoghurt, and kombucha

Leafy greens – such as kale, collard greens and Swiss chard

Ginger – helps improve digestion and prevents nausea

Mediterranean Diet for Heart Health

The Mediterranean diet is a therapeutic diet that helps reduce the risk of heart disease. A Mediterranean diet typically includes fruits and vegetables, oily fish – such as sardines and salmon – wholegrain breads and cereals and limited amounts of meat and low-fat dairy products.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found the Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of heart disease, strokes and deaths from heart disease by 30 per cent compared with a regular low-fat diet

 

MIND Diet for Dementia Protection

New research suggests that the MIND diet, a combination of the Mediterranean diet and DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) diets, can reduce cognitive decline and disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and certain dementias.

But can a therapeutic diet reduce the chance of getting dementia? According to a new Australian study, the answer is yes! In a study led by researchers from Neuroscience Research Australia (NEURA), UNSW Sydney and ANU, the  Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet showed a 19 per cent reduced odds of developing clinically diagnosed mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

The MIND diet has 15 dietary components focusing on green leafy vegetables, whole grains, olive oil and small portions of red meat.

Several dietary factors might affect dementia risk, including:

Limiting intake of – saturated and trans-unsaturated fats.

Higher intake of – monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, omega-3s, antioxidants and vitamins, fruits and vegetables.

Light/moderate consumption – alcohol.

 

7 Superfoods to Boost a Healthy Diet

You’ll earn about many different therapeutic diets in our online nutrition course, and you’ll also discover superfoods. These foods have a high nutritional profile and are usually loaded with antioxidants.

1. Berries – a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants

Try raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries and goji berries!

2. Oats – contains soluble fibre that helps lower cholesterol

Try organic, quick oats for a fabulous fast meal on the go!

3. Legumes – loaded with various minerals, protein and fibre

Try canned organic lentils in soups and stews!

4. Turmeric – a bright yellow spice potent in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Try: adding turmeric to smoothies or stews (enhance its absorption by pairing it with black pepper).

5. Salmon – packed with healthy omega-3 fats, protein, vitamin B, potassium and selenium.

Try Smoked salmon salad with olive oil dressing and bright vegetables!

6. Ginger – contains powerful antioxidants, such as gingerol.

Try Ginger herbal teas.

7. Olive Oil – high levels of good fats, such as monounsaturated fatty acids and polyphenolic compounds.

Try: Making Greek lentil soup which includes olive oil, lots of Mediterranean veggies and balsamic vinegar!

 

Gain knowledge in therapeutic nutrition to help manage disease and common conditions through diet with an online nutrition course, such as our Certificate of Therapeutic Nutrition.