During the last 25 years, we’ve certified over 110,000 professionals. To celebrate our 25th year in business, we’re selecting 25 grads to showcase this year. Meet our next featured grad, Remy Park, an AFPA Certified Holistic Nutritionist, who has used her certification to help inform her blog and writing over at Veggiekins.
Why did you originally become interested in health and wellness?
I became interested in veganism for health reasons, as I was working to figure out some chronic issues such as stomach pains and frequent nausea, which I later learned was a dairy allergy. After becoming vegan, I started to pay more attention to ingredients and nutrition and, consequently, my health and well-being as a whole. Slowly, my attention to ingredients began to apply to other areas of my life, such as skin care products and medicine, and I started to understand health from a holistic point of view.
Why did you choose the AFPA Holistic Nutritionist Certification program?
I chose the program because it focuses on a whole food plant-based diet, which is how I eat and what I believe is the healthiest approach to eating. I wasn’t interested in learning about nutrition centered around a Standard American Diet and was so excited to find a program that taught health in a way that aligned with my own values. In addition, the program touches on topics beyond just food (e.g., lifestyle, activity, alternative medicine/healing).
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What was the certification process like?
It was flexible and easy to complete on my own time. I happened to be traveling a lot, so being able to study online made it possible for me to stay on track no matter where I was. Although we were given plenty of time to complete the course, I ended up finishing earlier than I had expected because the course texts were so fascinating to me and I loved everything that I was learning. In addition to reading, I loved the integration of hands-on learning through assignments requiring you to create a tincture or practice cases that involved practice clients.
What was your favorite part of the program?
My favorite part of the program was the inclusion of herbology and healing plants. I highlighted and saved countless recipes for infusions, ointments, and healing teas.
How has your career changed since getting certified with AFPA?
As a health and wellness writer, I feel more knowledgeable as I write about topics relating to well-being, and as a recipe developer, I feel qualified to share nutrition information alongside recipes I create. I think it’s important and responsible to have a solid understanding of the content you share.
What is your day to day career like?
I usually start my day with a matcha latte and yoga or a workout class. I recipe test in the first half of the day, responding to emails and doing admin work in between, and then I shoot photos in the early afternoon. Later in the day, I edit content and write out recipes and articles, and I love to end the day with an evening walk. I work from home, so my schedule is fairly flexible, but I like to stick to a general routine each day because I find I’m most productive that way.
Do you have any advice for others who might be considering getting certified?
If you’re looking for a well-rounded course that focuses on a whole food plant-based diet, this is it. Not only will you be able to delve deep into plant-based nutrition, but you will also learn to use plants and their healing properties in several modalities.
Becoming a yoga teacher online provides a flexible and convenient way to deepen your knowledge and skills in yoga instruction, without the constraints of a traditional classroom setting.
Check out Remy Park on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.
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