Learn about the fundamental principles of nutrition and its impact on human health. We will look at how food affects the body and the relationship between diet, disease prevention and overall well-being. That includes gut microbiome and bioactive compounds to diet patterns that influence disease and longevity. Why is nutrition so often confusing or contradictory? The instructor will debunk common myths and misconceptions about nutrition using scientific evidence and discuss how to apply practical, evidence-based approaches to dietary choices. Students will learn about personalized nutrition, optimal diets for overall health and fad diets. They will develop a clearer, more confident framework for evaluating food and health information, while recognizing that nutrition science evolves over time.

Class 1: Introduces macronutrients, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds, explaining their roles, recommended amounts, effects of deficiency or excess, and the distinction between nutrient density and calorie intake.

Class 2: Explores how fiber, the microbiome, and gut health affect digestion, overall health, and conditions like constipation and reflux, including roles of pre/probiotics and links to immunity, mental health, and chronic disease.

Class 3: Examines how diet influences major diseases; reviews healthy eating patterns and popular diets; evaluates supplement use; and explains concepts like oxidative stress and free radicals.

Class 4: Evaluates personalized nutrition, with a focus on how genetics, microbiome and lifestyle drive individual differences in dietary responses; and the overall shift toward tailored diet strategies.

Class 5: Explains why nutrition research can be conflicting; teaches how to apply a critical eye to interpret studies and headlines; and covers current topics like ultra-processed foods, dietary guidelines, brain health and smart food shopping/label reading.