Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Joshua Rosenthal Attract Nation's Top Health, Wellness Experts

NEW YORK, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Andrew Weil. Barry Sears. Debbie Ford. Deepak Chopra. Geneen Roth. Mark Hyman. Mehmet Oz. Michael Jacobson. Neal Barnard. Walter Willett.

They share at least two things in common: They're all educators at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and they've all chosen to work with the school's founder and primary instructor Joshua Rosenthal to develop students into health counselors. These health and wellness elite are part of the largest nutrition school in the world and the only nutrition school whose curriculum addresses all dietary theories.

For more than 15 years, Integrative Nutrition has combined the knowledge of more than 100 different dietary theories -- teaching traditional philosophies as well as modern concepts such as the USDA pyramid, the glycemic index, The Zone, the South Beach Diet and raw foods.

"We are witnessing a health crisis in America today," Rosenthal said. "We spend an exorbitant amount of money on medications and operations while spending virtually nothing on prevention, education and holistic health. Wouldn't it be better to spend money asking the question, 'What would it take to have a country full of healthy, happy people?"

While Chopra, Oz and Weil can usually be found talking to a large consumer audience through their books, conferences or the Oprah Winfrey Show, they speak at Integrative Nutrition to mentor a growing generation of health counselors.

"This is not just a lecture," said Willett, chairman of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. "We are teaching new ambassadors of health and wellness to take the collective knowledge they're gathering at Integrative Nutrition and have an impact on the health of our nation."

Rosenthal, who handpicks his guest lecturers and personally invites them to be a part of his school, has more than 25 years experience in the fields of whole foods, personal coaching, curriculum development, business and nutritional counseling. He is author of books such as The Energy Balance Diet, Integrative Nutrition: The Future of Nutrition and the latest, Integrative Nutrition: Feed Your Hunger for Health & Happiness.

    The roster of more than 30 guest speakers includes:    -- Andrew Weil, MD: A Harvard Medical School graduate, Weil is a       world-renowned expert on medicinal herbs, mind-body interactions and       healing systems. He is a best-selling author, whose books include       Spontaneous Healing and Eight Weeks to Optimum Health.    -- Debbie Ford: An internationally recognized expert in the field of       personal transformation, Ford leads inspirational workshops and       retreats that empower people to become the conscious designers of their       lives. She is the author of five books, including the bestsellers The       Dark Side of the Light Chasers and The Best Year of Your Life.    -- Deepak Chopra: One of the world's greatest leaders in the field of       mind-body medicine, Chopra integrates the best of Western medicine with       natural healing traditions. He has authored more than 45 books,       including Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide and Ageless       Body, Timeless Mind: The Quantum Alternative to Growing Old.    -- Mehmet Oz, MD: Professor and vice-chairman of surgery at Columbia       University, he is annually selected as one of the best physicians in       the United States. Author of You: the Owner's Manual, You: On a Diet       and You: The Smart Patient, he appears regularly on Dateline, CNN,       Discovery Health and the Oprah Winfrey Show.    -- Walter Willett, MD: Chairman of Nutrition at the Harvard School of       Public Health and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School,       Willett is the author of Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard       Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating.

Educators are part of a year-long professional training program with classes meeting one weekend a month. Students receive training in all aspects of health counseling and develop the necessary skills to start their own business or otherwise apply their learning in their professional or personal lives.

The student body is comprised of a combination of health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, nurses, social workers and massage therapists -- as well as other professionals seeking career change. As health counselors, they will work with clients to make diet and lifestyle recommendations that are tailored to the individual, because no one diet works for everyone. Integrative Nutrition's graduates work with clients to make gradual, lifelong changes that support their current and future health goals.

"Students come seeking a well-balanced education in nutrition, so they can either begin their own practice, advise their patients or help their friends, families and themselves," Rosenthal said. "The world is waking up to the fact that healthy food creates healthy people. We welcome opposing dietary viewpoints, and we discuss the pros and cons of each theory."

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition is the largest nutrition school in the world, offering access to the world's foremost authorities on health and nutrition, accreditation from the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and a comprehensive education that will help students launch a career as a health counselor. For more information, visit http://www.integrativenutrition.com.