Integrative Health Practitioner Level Two certification review

Sharing a full review of my experience completing the Integrative Health Practitioner Level Two course. You can read about my level one experience here! If you’re interested in getting certified, check out the details here and use the code FITNESSISTA for up to $250 off. 

Hi friends! How’s the morning treating you? I’m off to a Pilates class and have a couple of coaching calls later today. Today, I wanted to chat a little bit about my IHP certification and the process for becoming a certified health coach if this is something you’re interested in doing!

Integrative Health Practitioner Level Two certification review

Over 100 hours of coursework, continuing education, and some very challenging tests, and I’m now a Level Two Integrative Health Practitioner. I’ve been so excited to add functional medicine labs to my current offerings, share them with clients, and also use these for myself and our family. The timing was also interesting, especially with my sudden eye issues and previous autoimmune symptoms. I’m working with my medical team, but also doing my own deep dive to bring my body back to balance to the best of my ability. <3

While I LOVED Level One of the Integrative Health Practitioner program, Level Two was everything I’d been wanting and more. I couldn’t wait to study the material each day, and during each module, I was like, THIS is exactly what I want to learn. This is how I want to help my clients. I’m so pumped to have this health coaching certification under my belt.

Here’s a list of the other fitness/health certification programs I’ve completed: Precision Nutrition level 1, NASM Personal Trainer, NASM Weight Loss Specialist, NASM Women’s Fitness Specialist, NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist, Les Mills BODYPUMP, Zumba and Aqua Zumba, Barre Body, Schwinn, Yoga RTY-200 hr, Level One Raw Foods Chef, and AFAA Group Fitness Instructor. I want to continue to learn as much as possible, and have my eye on the High Performance Health certification next. 

Here’s how Level Two differs from Level One:

IHP Level One is focused on Dr. Stephen Cabral’s DESTRESS protocols (diet, exercise, stress management, toxin removal, rest, emotional balance, supplementation) and Level Two is purely based on functional labs. We learned about the specific home lab tests, how to run them, and how to analyze the results and recommend corresponding protocols. Everything is taught by Dr. Cabral himself, and I enjoy the way he presents complex information, making it accessible and easy to implement. In my opinion, his real world clinical experience is invaluable.

You can check out my review of the Integrative Health Practitioner Level One certification here.

Here are the labs I learned how to read:

Food Sensitivity Testing

This test shows your IgG reaction to 190 foods on a scale from not significant to high. IgG reactions are sensitivities, not allergies, and represent a delayed response to the food. This could be something like headaches, itchiness, poor mood, irritability, joint pain, muscle weakness, and skin rashes.

Parasite and Bacteria Stool Testing

This test looks at key gut bacteria and parasite markers that can contribute to health issues like body pain, brain fog, low energy, and headaches.

Organic Acids (Metabolic and Minerals):

The Complete Candida, Metabolic & Vitamins Test provides an accurate evaluation of intestinal yeast and bacteria. Abnormally high levels of these microorganisms can cause or worsen behavior disorders, hyperactivity, movement disorders, fatigue and immune function. Many people with chronic illnesses and neurological disorders often excrete several abnormal organic acids.

(Photo above is from my personal test results)

Omega-3: 

Many people understand the importance of keeping inflammation in check within their bodies. But here’s the thing, not too many of us actually take the time to check our Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratios to see how balanced we truly are. That’s where this specialized lab test comes in, allowing us to get a real glimpse into our overall health.

Now, here’s a pretty astonishing fact: Research has shown that if the Omega-3 levels in your blood reach 9% or more, your chances of experiencing sudden cardiac death drop by a whopping 90%. It’s a surprising statistic because it tells us that merely looking at plaque or cholesterol levels doesn’t give us the full picture. What really matters is whether our arteries can expand properly, and that depends largely on inflammation, which often results from having too many Omega-6s.

So, the idea here is to boost our Omega-3 levels to strike a balance with our Omega-6s. Not only does this benefit our heart health, but it also has a positive impact on our overall well-being. Plus, this same test can be super helpful for addressing issues like muscle and joint pain, skin problems, nervous system troubles, energy levels, mood, + more.

Adrenal Hormone:

This lab tests estrogen and progesterone levels and their relationship to each other, in addition to cortisol patterns throughout the day.

Thyroid Adrenal Hormone:

This is the same as the adrenal hormone lab, with testosterone, DHEA, thyroid levels (T4, T3, TSH, TPO antibodies), insulin and A1C, and vitamin D included.  Losing weight has less to do with the amount of calories you eat or how much you exercise, and everything to do with hormone balance, cortisol levels, and metabolism. By looking at the hidden inflammatory triggers and hormone imbalances we can discover what may need to be rebalanced in the body.

HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis):

This is an amazing foundational lab and is easy to test with just a hair sample. Your minerals levels include your electrolytes which provide you with the energy you need to get through your busy day, as well as buffer the effects of stress. It includes minerals, electrolytes, and toxic have metals, which can indicate how your body is responding to stress and whether you are a slow or fast oxidizer.

These labs are not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any diseases or illness; however, they can provide you with unique information about YOUR body.

Learning the IHP2 course material:

As I went through the material, I wanted to MASTER everything. I realized about 2/3 through that if I kept this up, I would never finish the certification, because you can always be learning about these topics. You could also pick one test and spend the rest of your life learning about that particular test. I also realized that the best way for me to master this material is to do it!

It took me many months to finish this certification, and I’m continuing to learn by actually reading the test results. Each time I get a result back, I re-watch the module as I go through each marker. This way, I can really get it cemented into my brain, and I’m continuing with podcasts, books, and continuing education.

How you’re set up for success:

Dr. Cabral provides the exact protocols and handouts that he uses with his clients, which makes it easy to provide resources along the way. I love that they’re constantly adding new information, handouts, and modules to the platform! They also frequently have Q&A calls on Zoom, and our private Facebook group is another helpful resource.

How to become a certified health coach:

If there’s a little voice in your head saying that maybe this is for you, I can’t recommend the IHP program enough. I would definitely do Level 1 and level two, particularly if you want the ability to read functional labs. You also don’t need to currently work in the health and wellness field to become an IHP. We have many IHPs who started completely new careers because it’s something they’re passionate about! We also have a lot of physical therapists, nurses, doctors, personal trainers, and dental professionals in IHP.

The mission behind IHP is that you’re able to heal yourself and go onto heal those you love. And help those you care about to live their healthiest and most vibrant lives. This is something I want to be able to do more than anything. And have been extra grateful for this knowledge as I’m on my own healing journey. I’ve been able to add a new layer to my 1:1 coaching, and also work with family members and friends.

Once you finish your Level Two certification, you have to purchase your own insurance in order to be able to do the testing. I did my insurance through Alternative Balance and it was fairly easy to set up. Most of my wellness clients are virtual with a handful of in-person clients.

If you have any questions about the IHP program, please let me know and I’d be happy to answer! Also, you can use my link and code FITNESSISTA for up to $250 off here.

So, tell me, friends: have you ever done any functional testing? How’d it go??? I’m going to share some of my personal test results in an upcoming post!

xoxo

Gina

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154: 8-step process to whole health with Udo Erasmus

Hi friends! I’m so excited to welcome Udo Erasmus back to the show today! He’s someone who genuinely inspires me, and has so much wisdom to share, and I’m thrilled he agreed to come back to another episode. You can check out the previous episode, #152, here. 

His 8-step process that takes into consideration all of the elements of whole health, including mental health, presence and awareness, life energy, and being in harmony with nature and humanity.

The legendary Udo Erasmus is the co-founder of Udo’s Choice line, which can be found in Whole Foods and other health food stores worldwide. Udo designed the machinery for making oils with health in mind and pioneered flax oil, a billion dollar industry. However, Udo walked a difficult path tobecome the man he is today. Being a child of war, Udo’s life began with intense struggle. As an adult, he got pesticide poisoning in 1980, leaving doctors at a loss regarding treatment. Deciding to take his health into his own hands, Udo began researching, and his discoveries led him to a passion for finding the answers to life’s big questions which would hopefully one day bring him and the world peace.

Today, Udo is an acclaimed speaker and author of many books, including the best-selling Fats That Heal Fats That Kill, which has sold over 250,000 copies. He teaches at events hosted by Tony Robbins and Deepak Chopra, has keynoted an international brain health conference, and has traveled to over 30 countries to conduct thousands of live presentations, media interviews, and staff trainings impacting more than 25,000,000 lives with his message on oils, health, peace, nature, and human nature. Udo has an extensive education in biochemistry, genetics, biology, and nutrition, including a master’s degree in counseling psychology.

You can connect with him on his website and on Instagram.

Partners:

I’ve been using Nutrisense on and off for a couple of years now. I love being able to see how my blood sugar responds to my diet and habits, and run experiments. You can try out Nutrisense here and use GINA50 for $50 off.

Join us for Fit Team! This is my online fitness community and you can try it free for 7 days.

I love love love the meals from Sakara Life! Use this link and the code XOGINAH for 20% off their meal delivery and clean boutique items. This is something I do once a month as a lil treat to myself and the meals are always showstoppers.

If any of my fellow health professional friends are looking for another way to help their clients, I highly recommend IHP. You can also use this information to heal yourself and then go one to heal others, which I think is a beautiful mission. You can absolutely join if you don’t currently work in the health or fitness industry; many IHPs don’t begin on this path. They’re friends who are passionate to learn more about health and wellness, and want to share this information with those they love. You can do this as a passion, or start an entirely new career.

You can use my referral link here and the code FITNESSISTA for up to $250 off the Integrative Health Practitioner program. I highly recommend it! You can check out my review IHP Level 1 here and my review of Level 2 here.

I’m still obsessed with my sauna blanket. This is one of my favorite ways to relax and sweat it out. I find that it energizes me, helps with aches and pains, I sleep better on the days I use this, and it makes my skin glow. Link to check it out here. You can also use my discount FITNESSISTA15 for the PEMF Go Mat, which I use every day, and the red light face mask, which is a staple in my weekly skincare routine.

Get 20% off Organifi with the code FITNESSISTA. I drink the green juice, red juice, gold, and Harmony! (Each day I might have something different, or have two different things. Everything I’ve tried is amazing.) I’m currently obsessed with the shilajit gummies!

Thank you so much for listening and for all of your support with the podcast! Please be sure to subscribe, and leave a rating or review if you enjoyed this episode. If you leave a rating, head to this page and you’ll get a little “thank you” gift from me to you. 

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Side Crow Pose in Yoga

Sharing tips on how to get side crow pose!  

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re enjoying the morning so far! I’m getting in a quick workout and then getting to work here.. our floors are being replaced and that means we have to move everything downstairs. It’s a mess, but will be amazing when it’s done!

For today, let’s talk about yoga things. Yoga has been something that has felt consistently good to me for many years. I can’t believe I started practicing 20 years ago!! I’ve loved my yoga journey, especially yoga teacher training. It’s taught me a lot about patience, presence, and grace. Sometimes a yoga practice feels amazing, and other times, it feels incredibly difficult and challenging.

One of my favorite arm balances: side crow! In today’s post, I thought I’d do a lil how-to for this post if it’s something you’re working on.

Exploring different yoga poses not only diversifies your practice but also builds physical strength in various parts of your body. The Side Crow Pose, also known as Parsva Bakasana or the ‘twisted crow pose’, is a powerful arm-balancing posture that not only strengthens your upper arms, core, and wrists but also engages your lower body in a deep twist.

*Note: it’s helpful to go over this pose with a certified yoga instructor, so they can check your form and give you tips!

Side Crow Pose In Yoga

The Side Crow Pose is an advanced arm balance that involves lifting your feet off the floor and bending your elbows deeply while maintaining a deep twist.

It’s a variation of the Crow Pose, but with a more challenging twist, literally. While it can be intimidating at first, mastering the Side Crow Pose is deeply satisfying and rewarding.

Here are some tips on getting started! As always, move within a range that works for your body. Talk with a doctor before making any fitness changes.

Benefits Of Side Crow Pose

Builds upper body strength

Engages core muscles

Enhances balance and coordination

Improves focus and concentration

Stimulates digestion

How To Do Side Crow Pose: Step by Step

Step 1: Chair Pose to Twisting Torso

Start in a Chair Pose, bringing your palms together at heart center. Begin to twist your torso to the side, hooking one elbow outside the opposite knee.

Step 2: Deep Squat and Palms Placement

Sit your hips down lower into a deep squat, bringing the hands down to the floor. Place the palms shoulder-width apart, fingers spread wide. Create a deep bend in the elbows, making a “shelf” for your legs.

Step 3: Lifting Your Feet

Keep the deep bend in your elbows as you start to transfer balance into your hands. Gently lift your feet off the floor, just a couple of inches at first. This will help you get a feel for the balance and strength required for the pose.

Step 4: Holding the Pose

Maintain the deep bend in your elbows as you continue to lift your feet higher off the floor. Find a focal point to gaze at to help with balance. Hold the pose for a few breaths, feeling the engagement in your core and the strength in your upper arms.

Step 5: Exploring Variations

Once you feel stable in Side Crow Pose, you can explore variations like extending both legs out in front of you, creating a straight line from your head to your heels. Keep the deep twist in your torso and focus on keeping the engagement in your core and arms.

Step 6: Release and Rest

To release from the pose, gently lower your feet back down to the floor and untwist your torso. Take a moment to rest in a seated position, bringing your palms together at heart center, and take a few deep breaths.

Remember to approach this pose with patience and mindfulness. It’s important to listen to your body and not force yourself into a position that feels uncomfortable or unsafe

Side Crow Variations

Side Crow With One Leg Extended

In this variation, you extend one leg back while maintaining the pose. This requires more core strength and balance.

Side Crow With Both Legs Extended

Extend both legs, straightening as much as possible.

Side Crow With Deep Twist

Focus on creating a deep twist in your torso, rotating your chest towards your bent arms. This variation enhances spinal mobility.

The Side Crow Pose is a challenging yet deeply rewarding yoga pose that takes practice to master. Remember to listen to your body and approach the pose with patience and perseverance. You’ve got this!

For more yoga flows and strength-building workouts, check out my 30-minute power yoga and yoga strength workout.

Tell me, friends: what’s your favorite yoga pose?

xo

Gina

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wearing makeup with blepharitis, dry eye, and MGD

Sharing how I got back to wearing makeup after being diagnosed with dry eye, blepharitis and MGD, as well as my favorite brands. This is not medical advice; I’m just sharing my experience!

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re having a wonderful morning! We’re finishing up Rodeo break (wah) so the kids are back to school and it’s back to the swing of things around here. I hope you have a great day!

For today’s post, I wanted to do a reader’s request after a comment I received last week. Ever since I posted about my eye issues, I’ve been overwhelmed by amazing messages and comments, but also saddened to hear that so many of you have found yourselves in a similar boat with sudden flares, autoimmune issues, and painful, red eyes.  While I was in the depths of all of this last year, I was so frustrated and sad. I couldn’t see myself ever wearing contacts or eye makeup again. (I have no foresight whatsoever, so in my mind, what is happening now means it will be happening forever.)

I couldn’t wear makeup for many months and slowly made my way back to contacts and eye makeup. It’s taken a lot of work and healing – I’ll share more on my healing journey and everything I’ve done to decrease my histamine responses and inflammation in an upcoming post – but *knock on wood* I can finally make it through the day without constantly thinking about my eyes. Just putting that hope out there for my dry eye friends — it can and will get better. This won’t be forever. Hang in there, friends.

Please remember that I’m not a doctor and this isn’t medical advice. At the same time, many traditional eye doctors were mystified by my situation and didn’t know how to help me. I was determined to get to the root cause and improve the issue, and have done a lot of research and experiments on myself along the way. Shout out to my beloved dry eye specialist who gave me some answers and guidance! Also shout out to the beauty of functional testing, because I learned so much about how stress was affecting me, my gut imbalances, toxicities, and deficiencies.

wearing makeup with blepharitis, dry eye, and MGD

Here’s the comment I received:

I was recently diagnosed with Dry Eye, MGD and Blepharitis and found your post so incredibly helpful! I am using a heat mask twice daily, the wipes and spray you have recommended (a variety of different kinds of wipes) and have ordered the disposable masks you use as well. I also use Optase drops several times a day and before bed as well. Questions for you – do you wear any eye makeup at all? If so, what kind? (I have refrained and am trying not to put anything else on or around my eyes or on my lids such as pressed powder or bronzer.) My other question is under eye cream for wrinkles, circles and puffiness…is there anything you use that you would recommend? At this point, I have stopped using that as well in an effort to put the least amount of anything on or around my eyes not associated with the treatment, but my eyes looks so worn and tired and I really don’t want to stop using my eye cream, at least under my eyes. Any suggestions or products you might recommend? Thanks so much!

Can you wear eye makeup with blepharitis?

Soooo here’s the deal: you can’t wear eye makeup when your eyes are flaring and when you have active blepharitis. (I learned this the hard and expensive way lol.) Blepharitis is an overgrowth of bacteria on the eyelids and in the eyelashes, so you’re contaminating your brushes, eyeliner, face cream, and makeup if you try to wear wear makeup during this time. The first step is to get the blepharitis OUT OF THERE and under control! I did ZocuZest cleaning at the dry eye specialist and this made a huge difference. Every day, I also clean my eyelids in the morning and before bed to make sure they stay clean and healthy. My go-to eyelid cleaning products are in this post. 

Once I had my blepharitis under control and was given permission to wear contacts again, I waited many weeks to make sure I wasn’t having flares. (I still had eye flares from histamine response, which wasn’t related to this. It made it super confusing and a pain! It was a huge lightbulb moment when I decreased my histamine response.) I made sure my eyes were clear and not dry or itching all day when I harnessed the bravery to add makeup back into my life.

Here’s my makeup strategy:

– Make sure eyelids are clean before starting. (I love Cliradex. It burns a little, especially at first, but it works the best.) I’ll wait about 15 minutes and the pop in my contacts (contacts in before makeup).

– Use an eyeshadow primer. Thrive Causmetics is my favorite. You want the eyeshadow to stick on the primer so it’s less likely to fall into the eye, get trapped, and cause inflammation.

– Use gentle eyeshadows. Tarte has been always the best for my sensitive eyes. (These are two palettes I use daily and it’s $40 for both!)  I don’t use a ton of the glittery shadows as the glitter can get in your eyes, but the shimmery neutrals are all perfect.

– Tarte pencil eyeliner. The liquid started making my eyes itch after using it for years! It’s a double-sided eyeliner, so I only use the pencil side

– Tarte mascara primer and mascara, only on special occasions, only on the edges.

– No more eyelash glue. When I have to take blog photos, I attach eyelash clusters on the outer portion of my eyes using the adhesive that’s already on them. They don’t last super long, but it’s better than trying to get glue out of my eyelashes later, or flaring from the ingredients.

– At the end of the night, I use a makeup eraser towel, clean my face and eyes with Fresh cleanser, and then use Oasis Lid and Lash cleaner to remove the remaining makeup. It’s wild to see how much the Lid and Lash cleanser will remove, especially when you think you got it all. I basically went 37 years without properly removing every bit of makeup from my eyes. Yikes. Sanitize brushes often, too.

* Makeup and contact breaks: I don’t wear eye makeup everyday anymore. I’m usually wearing sunglasses at school pickup, so I only wear makeup on the nights we have something going on, I’m filming blog content, or I’ll be out in public for an extended amount of time. During the day, I wear glasses while I’m working at the computer and put my contacts in around noon. I have at least 1-2 days each week that I solely wear glasses now.

Skincare with blepharitis and dry eye

I’ve simplified my skincare routine because I wanted to make sure that it wasn’t contributing to my allergy responses. I used the Glow Blueberry Bounce cleanser – a new bottle and one of my old favorites – and both eyes swelled almost completely shut. I contacted the company and they couldn’t tell me what changed with the formula, so no more Glow products for me.

Right now, here’s what works on a daily basis:

– Fresh cleanser

– NOW serum (use FITNESSISTA)

– NOW eye cream (use FITNESSISTA)

– Beautycounter Supreme Cream

Occasionally:

All Bright C serum or overnight peel

Masks:

Eminence turmeric mask

AHA mask or Charcoal mask

Red light face mask (use FITNESSISTA15). There are promising studies coming out about the benefits of red light for dry eyes, but I still wear eye protection when I use this mask.

I think that’s it! If you have any questions, or anything I can share in my upcoming post, please let me know. If you’re going through this, pleeeeease  don’t take “I don’t know, here’s your steroid drop” as an answer. Find another doctor, seek alternate opinions, look for a dry eye specialist in your area with good reviews. If you can swing it budget-wise, functional testing can give amazing perspective on what’s going on in your unique body, too. I’m always happy to help with the testing side of things – just send me an email gina@fitnessista.com subject TESTING.

Hope you have an amazing day and I’ll see ya soon!
xoxo

Gina

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