American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) announces two new courses for 2010 starting January 18, Personal and Community Health (HLTH 101) and Introduction to Nutrition (NUT 101), in response to the growing demand for accredited health and nutrition training.

As interest in complementary alternative medicine (CAM) and “emphasis on disease prevention through improved dietary habits,” increases, so is the demand for health care and wellness professionals with accredited training to provide food and nutrition counseling in hospitals, residential care facilities, schools, prisons, community health programs, and home health care agencies, as reported by “Top 10 Fastest Growing Allied Health Careers” featured on HealthDegrees.com.

“Prevention is the future of health care,” says ACHS President Dorene Petersen. “It’s not just about curing a particular problem, but about using a series of health-related tools to identify the root cause of health challenges so that we can make valuable lifestyle changes to help promote optimum health. Health and nutrition education are key for making healthy lifestyle choices. Most people aren’t taught how to read food labels, for example. If we don’t know how to evaluate our food, we can’t make the best choices. There’s a gap in our education. These new courses will teach students how to make good choices for their own health and life, and how to help others do the same for sustainable, long-term wellness.”

ACHS’s new courses—Personal and Community Health and Introduction to Nutrition—are designed for personal interest and as an introduction to holistic health and wellness for healthcare professionals who want to integrate CAM.

Personal and Community Health (HLTH 101) introduces concepts and skills to identify and help students develop a healthy lifestyle for themselves, their family, and their community. The focus of the course is on day-to-day choices and challenges, and includes stress management, basic nutrition, physical fitness, substance abuse, reproductive health, body weight, environmental health, and death and dying.

Introduction to Nutrition (NUT 101) focuses on introductory nutrition concepts and tools for healthy eating. The components of food (including protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals) are examined, and curriculum includes discussion of hunger in the U.S. and abroad.

Both courses earn credit towards the Associate of Applied Science in Complementary Alternative Medicine (AAS), and can be applied to some certificate programs, including the Certificate in Holistic Nutrition Consulting. 

American College of Healthcare Sciences is an accredited, fully online college offering degrees, diplomas, and career-training certificates in complementary alternative medicine. Founded in 1978, ACHS is committed to exceptional online education and is recognized as an industry leader in holistic health education worldwide. For more information about ACHS courses, enrollment, and community wellness events, visit www.achs.edu, call Admissions at (503) 244-0726, or stop by the College campus located at 5940 SW Hood Ave., Portland OR 97239.

flag