Changing my Career

[stylestacey]

HI All,

I have been thinking about this a lot lately and would like some advice. I am currently a fashion designer, but since the second I learned about raw food/food combining/natural hygiene I have been obsessed. I keep reading and reading, learning and learning, filling my head with information, and now I have a deep desire to help others regain their lives and be free from their illnesses.

I could become a certified chief and start my own raw food cooking classes....but I feel like I want and need to do more! I have been thinking of maybe going back to school to become a nutritionist or ???

I live in Los Angeles, and was wondering what college's I should start looking into? or is there an intern program somewhere that I could attend in different fields of these businesses so i could better decide what I would like to study, and meet like-minded people?

Any advice on internships, volunteer programs, career paths, or college's would be really helpful?

Thank you so much,
Stacey

[HolyGuacamole]

I have been thinking the same thing!
I can't wait to hear what people have to say!

[Christiana]

Lol...I've been thinking of that for a career as well! :eek: Wow.

[Crazy Healer Lady]

Same here. I'm starting by teaching uncooking classes in my community for the regular diet. Just helping people add more living foods to their diet.

[cherrypie]

why don't you get in touch with Alissa, she is offering that 5 day training and i think she is in Laguna Beach, only 1h (ok maybe 1.5 or 2 depending on traffic) south of LA. I have been contemplating taking her 5 day class as well.
But money is tight at the moment...

[ShantiLove]

I have been looking into this myself and found a couple of places:

http://www.unh-edu.org/

http://www.ccnh.edu/

http://www.thelivingcentre.com/index.php?section=pages.viewPage.74

http://www.transformationinstitute.org/

Its a little of everything ;-) I have no idear if any of them are any good. I just found them online and checked them out. But maby they could be of inspiration for you ? :)
I might take the course that the living center is doing, since I like the ayurvedic angle of it. Im in europe and have no idear about all thouse degrees you have at amarican colleges. Here they would count just as much as a weekend course in flute playing. So there is no profit for me in getting a doctor degreen in nutrition, eventhoug it looks really interesting :) I cant use it anywere.
Oh I almost forgot; Tree of life has a lot of courses and programes too
http://www.treeoflife.nu/spiritualnutrition
And im sure that you can find a whole lot more if you look into the raw food community and the different teachers.

[stylestacey]

that is exactly what I am worried about...going through all of the schooling and hard work to find out my degree is looked at the same way as a weekend seminar for flute playing (nicely put).

I do not want to go to normal medical schools where we all know the degrees are solid. (is that the only way to get a true degree in the field of healing)

does anyone know of any schools that teach natural hygiene that are looked highly upon?

has anyone or do you know of anyone that has done the http://www.livingnutrition.com/career.html
courses?

or the http://www.cula.edu/pg.asp?idCategory=103 courses?

[cocoanib]

I'm not exactly sure the avenues you should take, but there are a bunch of like minded individuals on meetup.com. I belong to a couple of the raw food groups and have gained so much info from those folks. I'm sure someone can steer you in the right direction as far as training and what not.

[Riiiya]

ah congrats on getting PASSIONAte about raw and natural health.. its changed my whole world view and i started to look for ways to at least tap into this wonderful world of alternative medicine and raw nutrition..

i have been trying to find universities, classes.. i haven't really (i' m in Indiana) but i've been offering my help at the local health food store.. until they suddently offered me one of the management positions there..and i quit my bank job the same week!!

what can i say. this is not even work, it's like a rawsome hobby. Good luck to you! i can't really recommend schools but just let raw opportunities find you too, it just happens! you'll attract the right situations. as someone's signature here says - that which you are seeking is also seeking you :o

[Dimples]

I am also very interested in the field of nutrition. I have been considering the Institute for Intergrative Nutrition program. Anybody with any experience and/or knowledge of the IIN program, good or bad? It's quiet pricey and I am looking for good information before I commit.
I have also looked at the Clayton School of Natural Health programs too. I am lacking any independent reviews from people. Anyone out there who may have some review for these programs? Any review is welcome.

[RawHeaven]

Stacey, there are a few raw restaurants in LA. Can you maybe go in and talk to them, intern/volunteer a couple of days a week with food prep - see how you like it first? Then go from there. I just had the feeling that might work out for you.

I'm not sure exactly where you are but I liked Juliano's and RAWVolution when I was in Santa Monica. Got a great vibe from them.

Best wishes.

Crystal

[RawKnitster]

http://www.bastyr.edu/ Click on the tab for Conference Services and take the virtual tour.

Bastry University in Washington State may be the best natural health school in the country. It's located in St. Edward's State Park on Lake Washington. It used to be seminary. Lots of forest and hiking trail on the grounds.

I'm going there next month for a series of luncheons with Graham Kerr. It's not about raw, but the school does emphasize good nutrition, including raw. I meet a woman who goes to the clinic there. The nutritional advice she was given to follow included raw recipes for brownies and sunflower seed power balls. My friend that is taking me told the organizer I was raw. She was assured that there would be a garden salad available at the luncheons. I'm looking forward to seeing inside the school and finding out more about the clinic and classes available.

[Raw Joy]

Graham Kerr? Is that (or was that) the Galloping Gormet? If so, what a blast from the past. I remember watching him as teenager. Almost all my friends did. Almost like a cult thing.

[RawKnitster]

Yes, the Galloping Gourmet! :) I watched him, too. I heard he stopped drinking and changed to healthy eating years ago when his wife was diagnosed with diabetes. Each luncheon will have a different topic centering around controling and improving your diet, and a question/answer session with Graham. The friend that asked me to go with her has a high blood sugar problem she is trying to control before it becomes full blown diabetes. I'm going to the luncheons mainly to support her. And no, she won't try a raw food diet, yet.

[michigan roman]

how you speak of some degree's in the field being looked down upon ide bet true . in my logic ide thusly look to schools for more common medical education such as anatomy , disease , etc . then on own get involved with groups / individuals in rawfood circles learning / searching til you determine your niche in the field and make your detailed movements towards your goals at that time . plus being in socal's a giant plus to learn from all the functioning raw food groups / folks on your own time and in your own way . then down the road a few years ide predict a person college studied in some standard medical fields , plus seriously involved in / functioning in the raw food society shall be looked on with serious respect .

and if looking at raw foods from a business angle its my opinion that a fast food type sprout outlet / outlets are needed . someone deveoping excellent mass production sprouting techniques / sprout mixtures / sprout recipes mixed with other things such as choped vegi's and herbs so people can go thru a drive thru window and get a paper cup full of sprouts they eat with a plastic fork and a smoothie and be good to go . some these sprout mixes though must contain alot of nuts / seeds / avacado in order to make them heavy fuel workin man type foods .

[juliesvoyage2]

I would even eat at a restaurant like that. :_

[stylestacey]

raw heaven- I use to work at CRU a raw food restaurant in silverlake which is actually how I was introduced to the lifestyle. :) I know that I don't want to be a chief or have a food service, I would more like to get into the medical path of it all.

Has anyone ever been to or know any one that has ever attended http://www.livingnutrition.com/career.html

seems like the degrees are right up my alley, but i would love to speak with a person who has taken the courses.

Thanks,
Stacey