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Health coaches are garnering an increasing amount of attention. In a society where physicians often must limit the time they spend with their patients, where there exists an ever-stronger connection between our diets and our health, and where too few medical professionals have adequate education in nutrition (specifically whole foods nutrition), health coaches fill in the gaps between what the healthcare industry traditionally provides and what many people need.

Photo: Author, Mary Tomback >

Consider a recent HumanKind radio documentary, “The Search for Well-Being: Treating the Whole Person in the New Healthcare Era”. In a discussion with medical students about their lack of education in nutrition, and the limited time they will spend with their patients, the narrator highlights the emerging role of health coaches:

“Health coaching is one of the promising new ideas to surface in the field of integrative medicine. It recognizes that unhealthy lifestyle behaviors often resist change. Overcoming the blockage around choosing better foods to eat, for example, often takes time and personal support.”

Dr. Mark Hyman, renowned integrative physician and best-selling author, would agree. ““I don’t see how we can have a future of healthcare without Health Coaches.”

Health coaches come from many educational backgrounds. Although some are medical professionals, most are not registered dietitians or nutritionists and do not hold professional medical degrees. Certification programs, such as the one offered by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (where most of Healthful Elements’ coaches were trained), teach an expansive variety of dietary theories, as well as coaching methodology and technique. Many health coaches go on to receive further education in their specialized fields.

Sessions with health coaches can’t substitute for professional medical treatment. Instead, working with a health coach augments the care you receive from the rest of your health care team. As medical writer Monique Brouillette describes in her article, “Can health coaches fix our healthcare system?”, “[w]hile physicians serve as advisors, defining agendas, and treating disease, health coaches serve as partners, eliciting [a] patient’s agenda and co-discovering solutions. One is helpful for treating illness, the other for changing habits.”

Indeed, health coaches offer a unique blend of direction, motivation, and encouragement as they partner with clients seeking to implement dietary and lifestyle changes.

Here at Healthful Elements, many of our clients come to us knowledgeable about whole food, nutrition, and healthy living. Yet they struggle to put all the puzzle pieces in place to experience sustainable change.

Other clients may have tried implementing generalized advice, but have faltered when they don’t experience the same results as others. Some have been bouncing around from medication to medication, experimenting with different dosages, desperate to find relief from their symptoms.

And some clients come to us so overwhelmed and confused, they don’t even know where to start.

That’s the place I found myself in when I reached out to Jill several years ago. I ate a local, organic, whole-foods diet. I exercised. Yet I was overweight, exhausted, and infertile. I suspected a thyroid problem. I knew my symptoms, but I didn’t know how they fit together. Jill did. She offered me explanations I hadn’t heard from my doctor, and she educated me such that I could advocate for myself. She gave me sound, practical advice based on my lifestyle, my needs and my body. She served as a shoulder to cry on when I stumbled and a helluva cheerleader when I rallied.

Hiring a health coach was a huge leap of faith. And it turned out to be a life-changing decision – one that was worth every penny. And that’s why I became a health coach myself.

The truth is that almost everyone can benefit from health coaching, but not everyone is ready for health coaching.

Why not? Because working with a health coach means you’re ready to: commit to yourself 110%, accept your diagnosis or condition, improve your relationship with your body, put yourself on the path to sustainable healing, stop sinking in the emotional quicksand of “I’ll do this myself” internet research, and admit that you’re worth the time and financial commitment. 

As you search for the health coach that is right for you, keep the following in mind:

• There should be no one-size-fits-all program. Every body and every situation is unique. Be wary of any health coach who suggests he or she has a program designed to work for everyone.
• There are no guarantees. Although most people working with a reputable coach experience positive results, be skeptical of the health coach who overpromises.
• Ask about a coach’s experience with your individual health concerns. At Healthful Elements, our team is trained and experienced in coaching clients with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s), adrenal dysfunction, and other hormonal imbalances such as PCOS, perimenopause, and infertility. It would be unethical to claim we are qualified to address the concerns of, say, a person with cancer or cardiovascular disease. To maximize your likelihood of success, only work with a coach who is well-versed in the complexities and challenges of your condition.
• Ask for references of the coach’s previous clients, and read a coach’s testimonials.