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This easy Pasta with Asparagus is the perfect spring dinner. A light, creamy sauce made with egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and pasta water—no cream needed.
Pasta with Asparagus
When asparagus is in season, this Pasta with Asparagus is one of my favorite ways to use it. Tender asparagus gets tossed with hot pasta in a light, silky sauce made from egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and pasta water—similar to carbonara, but brighter and perfect for spring. It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner and comes together with just a handful of ingredients. Add your favorite protein, like shrimp, chicken, or fish, or serve a larger portion as a satisfying meatless main. If you love this recipe, you should also try my Pasta with Asparagus and Marinara or my Asparagus and Poached Eggs over Pasta.
Why This Easy Asparagus Pasta Recipe Works
I’ve been making this pasta with asparagus for years! It feels elegant but is made with simple pantry staples. The sauce comes together the classic Italian way: egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and hot pasta water create a silky coating without any cream.
Seasonal: Make this dish in spring, when asparagus is at its peak.
Minimal ingredients: Four main ingredients, plus some pantry staples
Simple: Boil the asparagus and pasta, prepare the sauce, and then combine!
Quick: The longest step is waiting for the water to boil. Then, it comes together pretty fast.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Create a crave-worthy meal with just a few basic ingredients. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
Asparagus: Rinse under cold water, snap off the tough ends, and cut into 2-inch pieces. This recipe is written for thin asparagus, but if yours are thicker, cook them for an extra minute or two.
Pasta: Any type of pasta will work. Try spaghetti, linguine, or angel hair. You can use regular (DeLallo is my favorite), gluten-free, whole-wheat, or high-protein pasta like Barilla Protein+.
Olive oil for sautéing garlic and asparagus
Garlic: Crush the cloves to release their flavor.
Seasoning: Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Egg yolk makes the asparagus pasta creamy without adding dairy or much fat.
Parmigiano-Reggiano: Buy the good stuff for this simple pasta dish!
How to Make Pasta with Asparagus
If the pasta seems too dry, stir in more of the reserved asparagus water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
Cook the asparagus in salted, boiling water until tender-crisp. Drain the asparagus, reserved 1 cup of the liquid.
Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Sauté the garlic until it’s golden, then add the asparagus and cook for a minute.
Make the pasta sauce: Combine the yolk, cheese, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup of the asparagus liquid, then mix with the pasta. Cook for 2 minutes on medium-low until the sauce thickens. Stir in the asparagus, and taste for salt and pepper.
Variations
Vegetable swaps: Replace asparagus with sugar snap peas or broccoli. Feel free to add more vegetables, like mushrooms, grape tomatoes, zucchini, or spinach. Sauté them with the garlic.
Save water and time: Use a strainer with a handle to remove the asparagus, then boil the pasta in the same water. Don’t forget to reserve the cooking liquid when straining the pasta.
Egg allergy? The egg yolk makes the asparagus pasta sauce creamy, but if you’re allergic, you can substitute oil or butter.
Boost the protein by adding shrimp, diced chicken, or Italian chicken sausage to the pasta.
Add some heat: Sprinkle in crushed red pepper.
Brighten it with citrus: Squeeze lemon juice into the sauce or zest a lemon over it before serving.
Herbs: Garnish with fresh basil, chives, or parsley.
Need to feed more people? Double the recipe. You can also increase the uncooked pasta to 8 ounces, for a meatless main dish, adding a little more pasta water as needed.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this healthy asparagus pasta as a side dish with a protein, or as the main course with a salad or bread.
Storage
Refrigerate asparagus pasta for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat. If the pasta has absorbed too much sauce, add a splash of water or broth to thin it.
More Asparagus Recipes You’ll Love
For more spring dinner ideas, check out these five delicious asparagus recipes to inspire your next meal!
Prep: 10 minutesmins
Cook: 20 minutesmins
Total: 30 minutesmins
Yield: 4servings
Serving Size: 1¼ cups
In a large pot boil 4 cups water with salt. When boiling, add asparagus and cook 3-5 minutes, until tender crisp.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain asparagus in colander.
Add the pasta then cook according to package directions for al dente.Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook until golden, add asparagus, salt and pepper and sauté about 1-2 minutes, tossing with oil and garlic.
In a small bowl combine egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, salt and pepper. Mix well.
After pasta is drained return to pot and mix with egg mixture. Cook on medium-low about 2 minutes, until sauce thickens and sticks to pasta.
Toss in asparagus and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
If pasta seems too dry add more reserved liquid a tablespoon at a time.
Serve with additional grated cheese.
Last Step:
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What did randomized, controlled human trials find about the ways we may—or may not—benefit from eating onions?
Onions are potentially a good source of antioxidants, which, interestingly, are concentrated in the outer layers just beneath the papery peel. White onions, for example, contain more than ten times the antioxidants in the outer layer compared to the inner core. Unfortunately, most people discard the most nutrient-rich outermost layers, “thus losing a valuable part of the antioxidant-rich material.” In general, yellow onions have more antioxidants than white onions. Red onions beat them both, based on three different antioxidant testing methods, as seen at 0:39 in my video Are Onions Beneficial for Testosterone, Osteoporosis, Allergies, and Cancer?
Though red onions are indeed slightly better, yellow and white onions are no slouches, containing considerable levels of antioxidant activity. We know they’re nutritious, but are there any particular clinical benefits to eating onions? There are all sorts of headlines in the medical literature touting miraculous benefits, but what are these claims based on?
For example, there’s a review purporting to have evidence that testosterone levels in males are enhanced by onion, but the researchers were referring to studies like one on the effects of onion juice after testicular torsion in rats. Who cares what happens after a rat’s testicle is rotated 720 degrees counterclockwise? (Except, of course, the rat.) You don’t know what happens in people until you put human testes to the test. Only then was it discovered that onion extract doesn’t appear to affect men’s testosterone.
What about bone health? Evidently, older white women who ate onions at least once a day had an overall bone density that was 5% greater than women who ate onions no more than once a month. Now, 5% might not sound like a lot, but that improvement in bone density could potentially mean decreasing their hip fracture risk by more than 20% if, indeed, it is cause and effect.
Daily administration of onion for four weeks did cause a big bump in bone density. This could lead to a safe, effective, and low-cost approach to osteoporosis in—you guessed it—rats. Another rodent study!
Great strides have been made in treating osteoporosis with drugs, but they have the potential for serious adverse side effects, so scientists have turned their attention to natural remedies. In one study, researchers randomized people to drink onion juice or placebo onion juice for 8 weeks. Improvement was noted for a marker of bone health; however, they didn’t actually follow participants long enough to compare osteoporosis rates.
Do shallots exhibit anti-allergy activity or offer any therapeutic effects for relieving allergic runny noses? Sixteen patients were randomized equally into an antihistamine group or a group that got antihistamines and capsules containing dried shallot powder. It looked like the shallot group did better after four weeks, but there was no statistically significant difference in total symptoms between the two groups. So, another #onionfail.
What about testing the effects of eating fresh yellow onion to try to decrease the toxic effects of a chemotherapy drug called doxorubicin in breast cancer patients? Unfortunately, no significant benefit was found in decreasing damage to the liver or heart. But eating fresh yellow onion was found to help reduce high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance in breast cancer patients during doxorubicin-based chemotherapy. The drug isn’t just toxic to the liver and heart—it may also contribute to insulin resistance.
So, researchers performed a randomized, triple-blind, controlled clinical trial, randomizing patients to eat a whole onion a day or a third of an onion a day for eight weeks. What happened? The higher-dose onion group experienced a significant decrease in blood sugars and insulin resistance compared to the lower-dose group. Levels rose in the lower-dose group but fell in the higher-dose group, as you can see below and at 4:28 in my video.
So, make onions your friend. What’s the worst that can happen—a little onion breath and body odor?
Doctor’s Note
What else can we do for breast cancer? See related posts below.
In the Sutra Sthana section, chapter 21, it was already stated that the doshas spread throughout the body in fifteen different ways. In this context, sixty three categories of tastes shall be described for the purpose of treatment of those doshas (which are spreading in different ways).
Tastes are six in numbers. Each individual taste and in different combinations with other tastes become sixty three in number. Only after carefully considering the sixty three combinations of tastes in the herbs (medicines), the physician should bring them into use.
Thus, the sixty three categories of combinations of tastes have been described. These sixty three tastes should be administered in accordance with the categories of combinations of doshas as described in chapter 66.
इति श्री सुश्रुतसंहितायामुत्तरतन्त्रे तन्त्रभूषणाध्यायेषु रसभेदविकल्पाध्यायो नाम (प्रथमः, आदितः) त्रिषष्टितमोऽध्यायः।।६३।।
Thus ends the sixty-third chapter by name Rasabheda Vikalpa in Uttara Sthana of Suśruta Samhita.
Practice this mudra daily to gain weight and healthy Skin and Hair#clearskin#hairgrowth #weightgain#psychesurfwithsheetal #youtubeshorts #glowingskin #healthyskin #weightgaining #yogamudra #yogainfluencer
Sleepless nights, endless feeds, and no time for the gym? Mama, you’re not alone
The truth is — postpartum weight loss doesn’t need fancy diets or long workouts. By sneaking in tiny changes into your daily routine, you can lose baby weight naturally and safely while bonding with your little one.
Here are 10 easy tricks for new moms to lose weight after pregnancy
1. Take your baby for stroller walks – best post pregnancy cardio.
2. Breastfeed if possible – it helps burn calories naturally.
3. Replace refined sugar with jaggery or honey.
4. Do gentle squats or stretches while rocking your baby to sleep.
5. Drink a glass of water before every meal to avoid overeating.
6. Keep fruit & veggie snack boxes ready for quick healthy bites.
7. Try 10-min postpartum workout at home when baby naps. Need one ? Comment ‘EXERCISE’ and we’ll send you a MAMA FRIENDLY POSTPARTUM EXERCISE PLAN
8. Cut late-night snacking – switch to herbal tea.
9. Sleep when your baby sleeps – rest fuels weight loss.
10. Dance with your baby – a fun way to burn calories and bond
Remember mama: it’s not about a quick “snap back.” Losing weight after pregnancy is about feeling healthy, strong, and confident in your new body.
Save this post & share with a mom friend who’s on her postpartum fitness journey!
Dr. Santoshi Nandigam is a Gynecologist and Obstetrician at TheBirthwave clinic, Nungambakkam, Chennai. With 13 years of overall experience, Dr Santoshi is one of the best gynecologists in chennai. She passionately supports natural birthing and normal delivery and has been conducting Childbirth Education Workshops in Chennai and Hyderabad for over a year.
This space is dedicated to women holistic wellness related topics. From pregnancy, childbirth to PCOS and laparoscopy, we have covered it all.
Address:
The Birthwave
8/15, Mahalingapuram Main Road,
Mahalingapuram,
Nungambakkam,
Chennai – 600034.
Ph : 9840798472
This Mango Margarita is refreshing and tropical, with fresh lime juice for just the right amount of bright balance. Made with frozen mango, it’s a recipe you’ll bring out anytime you’ve got Mexican food on the menu!
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You’re 5 minutes away from the best mango margarita you’ve ever tasted!
Step away from the bottled mango margarita mix! It takes the same amount of time to make a mango marg from scratch when you start with frozen mango.
This, my friends, is the secret to mango margarita success. Fresh mangoes can be finicky, but frozen mangoes are always perfectly sweet because they’re picked and packaged at the peak of ripeness.
It’s also the secret to this margarita’s ease. No slicing and pitting and dicing, just throw some frozen mango cubes into a blender. You can do this!
Let’s talk about what makes this recipe a standout.
Bright and Balanced. I’m not a fan of cloyingly sweet cocktails, so you’re not going to get that here. It’s fruity, sweet, and tropical, but each serving has the juice of a whole lime to bring lots of tart brightness to balance the mango.
No Special Equipment Needed. Just a blender! If you don’t have a full bar set-up, you’ll appreciate not having to improvise a cocktail shaker and such.
Never Disappoints. When you start with sweet frozen mango (and not a bottled mixer!), you can’t go wrong.
If you adore margaritas as much as I do, don’t miss my Spicy Margarita Recipe and this St. Germain Margarita!
Ingredients and Substitutions
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
Frozen Mango. If you want to use fresh mangoes, you’re still going to have to freeze it to get that thick frozen margarita vibe. (If they’re not frozen, the margarita will still be delicious, just not quite as thick.)
Blanco Tequila. Clean and crisp to let the mango shine.
Fresh Lime Juice. Don’t use bottled! Fresh has a more vibrant, dynamic flavor.
Cointreau or Triple Sec. Adds a subtle orange flavor.
Agave Nectar. You can swap in simple syrup if you’d like, but agave is the more authentic choice.
Ice. More ice will make a thicker margarita, but just keep in mind it will also water down the flavor, so be careful about how much you add.
Salt. Just a pinch enhances all the flavors.
Tajin and Lime. For rimming the glass.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Rim the Glass (photo 1). Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip it into Tajin to coat.
Blend the Base (photo 2). In a high-speed blender, combine the frozen mango, tequila, lime juice, Cointreau, agave, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.
Adjust the Texture (photo 3). Add a couple of small handfuls of ice and blend again. Continue adding ice until you reach your desired thickness. Taste and adjust.
Serve. Pour into glasses, garnish with lime wedges, and enjoy immediately. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
Heat Things Up. Add jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne to the blender.
Make It Mocktail. Skip the alcohol and add a little extra lime juice and sparkling water.
What to Serve with Mango Margaritas
Tacos. Taco night is so much better when it includes a mango margarita! Try my Salmon Tacos or Shrimp Tacos
Other Tex-Mex Faves. Like this Healthy Taco Salad or Vegetarian Enchiladas.
Chips and Dip. My Homemade Guacamole and Corn Salsa are always wins.
This frozen mango margarita blends sweet mango with lime and tequila into a refreshing cocktail that’s perfect for warm days and gatherings.
Course Drinks
Cuisine American, Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Total Time 5 minutesminutes
Servings 2drinks
Calories 356kcal
Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated
Ingredients
2cupsfrozen mango chunksabout 8 ounces
½cupblanco tequila4 ounces
¼cupfreshly squeezed lime juice2 ounces; about 2 limes
2tablespoonsCointreau1 ounce or triple sec
2tablespoonslight agave nectar2 ounces
Ice
Pinchkosher salt
Lime wedgesfor serving and rimming
Tajinfor rimming
Instructions
If desired, rim your glasses with tajin by running a lime wedge around the edge to moisten it, then dipping it in tajin to adhere.
In a high-speed blender, combine the mango, tequila, lime juice, Cointreau, agave, and salt. Blend until smooth.
Add 2 small handfuls of ice and blend. Blend, then taste and adjust the margarita as desired. If you'd like it thicker, continue adding ice until your desired consistency is reached.
Pour into glasses and enjoy immediately, garnished with additional lime.
Last updated: 2026 | This post contains affiliate links. If you enroll through my link and use the code FITNESSISTA, you’ll get up to $250 off and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hiiii friends! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that you’re enjoying the morning. Today I wanted to chat about one of my favorite topics: IHP.
If you’ve been following along here for a while, you know that I’ve spent years building out my nutrition and fitness coaching practice and that I’m someone who genuinely loves learning. I’ve collected a lot of certifications over the years (Precision Nutrition, NASM Personal Trainer, Weight Loss Specialist, Women’s Fitness Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, 200-hour yoga RYT, and more), and each one has added something meaningful to the way I work with clients.
But there was always a gap.
Working with nutrition clients online, I kept running into situations where I knew something deeper was going on – a hormonal imbalance, a gut issue, a mineral deficiency – and all I could do was refer out. Suggesting specific labs or interpreting test results is simply not within the scope of practice for a nutrition coach or personal trainer. I’d added other practitioners to my team who could run those tests, but as my online practice grew, I wanted to be able to do this work myself.
That’s what led me to the Integrative Health Practitioner (IHP) certification, and after completing both Level 1 and Level 2 (over 100 hours of coursework, continuing education, and some very challenging tests later), I can give you a thorough, honest picture of what to expect.
Interested in Enrolling? Start Here.
Use code FITNESSISTA for $100 off Level 1, or $250 off both levels.
IHP Certification Review: What I Learned, What It Costs, and Is It Worth It (2026)
What Is the IHP Certification?
The Integrative Health Practitioner certification was created by Dr. Stephen Cabral, a Board Certified Doctor of Naturopathy, founder of EquiLife and the Integrative Health Practitioner Institute, and author of the international bestseller The Rain Barrel Effect. (If you haven’t read it yet, get it. It’s free!) After nearly 20 years, over 600,000 pages of research, dozens of certifications in the natural health field, and over a quarter of a million private client sessions…. Dr. Cabral is the real deal.
I’d been following him on Instagram for a couple of years and had him as a guest on the podcast before I enrolled. When we wrapped up the podcast, I knew I wanted to learn as much as I could from him, and when the partnership came together, I took it as a sign that the timing was finally right.
The program is built on 7 integrative disciplines:
Ayurvedic medicine – the science of life and body-typing
Bioregulatory medicine – the science of self-healing and rebalancing
Chinese medicine and herbalism – unlocking nature’s healing wisdom
Eastern philosophy – using the mind to heal the body
Traditional naturopathy – “right living” to reverse illness
Orthomolecular medicine – vitamins and minerals as medicine
Functional medicine – state-of-the-art lab testing to uncover underlying root causes
Everything is taught by Dr. Cabral himself, and I genuinely enjoyed the way he presents complex information, making it accessible and easy to implement. His real-world clinical experience is invaluable, and it comes through in every lesson.
The Two Levels: What’s the Difference?
IHP Level 1: The DESTRESS Protocol
Level 1 focuses on Dr. Cabral’s DESTRESS method: a root-cause lifestyle framework built around Diet, Exercise, Stress management, Toxin removal, Rest, Emotional balance, Supplementation, and Success mindset.
Each lesson runs about 30 minutes, and Dr. Cabral includes suggested reading, complementary podcast episodes, and tons of client-ready handouts and resources throughout. The full Level 1 course can take around 6 months depending on your pace. It’s super comprehensive.
I loved Level 1. I found myself learning something valuable from every single lesson. But it’s the big-picture foundation and it builds your framework and vocabulary. The application really comes in Level 2.
Want the full breakdown? Read my complete IHP Level 1 review here.
IHP Level 2: Functional Labs
This is where things got really exciting for me. During each module I kept thinking: this is exactly what I want to learn. This is how I want to help my clients.
Level 2 is almost entirely focused on functional medicine labs. You learn how to recommend specific home lab tests, analyze results, and suggest action plans based on what you find.
Here’s what’s covered:
Food Sensitivity Testing: IgG reactions to 190 foods on a scale from not significant to high. These are sensitivities (not allergies) and can show up as headaches, joint pain, skin rashes, poor mood, and more.
Parasite and Bacteria Stool Testing: key gut bacteria and parasite markers connected to brain fog, low energy, body pain, and headaches.
Organic Acids (OAT): an evaluation of intestinal yeast and bacteria that can contribute to fatigue, behavior issues, immune dysfunction, and more. Many people with chronic illness and neurological issues show up here. I run this test with clients almost every single day.
Omega-3 Testing – your Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio, which has real implications for heart health, inflammation, mood, energy, skin, and muscle and joint pain. (Fun fact: research shows that when Omega-3 levels in the blood reach 9% or more, the risk of sudden cardiac death drops dramatically. That alone was eye-opening.)
Adrenal Hormone Testing – estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol patterns throughout the day.
Thyroid Adrenal Hormone Testing – adds testosterone, DHEA, thyroid markers (T4, T3, TSH, TPO antibodies), insulin, A1C, and vitamin D. Weight loss has far more to do with hormone balance and metabolism than most people realize.
HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) – a foundational lab using just a hair sample that looks at mineral levels, electrolytes, and toxic heavy metals, and gives insight into how your body is responding to stress and whether you’re a slow or fast oxidizer.
Note: these labs are not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease, but they provide incredibly specific and actionable information about your individual body. I actually love this aspect of the labs; we’re looking for underlying imbalances but nothing scary.
About two-thirds of the way through Level 2, I realized that if I kept trying to master every module before moving on, I’d never finish, because you could honestly spend a lifetime going deep on any one of these tests. The best way to really learn this material is to do it: read real results, re-watch the relevant module as you go through each marker, and keep layering in podcasts, books, and continuing education. That’s still how I approach it.
For the full Level 2 breakdown, read my IHP Level 2 review here
How Much Does the IHP Cost?
Pricing can change, so I always recommend checking current enrollment details directly.
That said:
Level 1 is the lower-cost entry point, with payment plan options available
Both levels together is where the bigger investment (and bigger discount) comes in. I think that Level 2 is ABSOLUTELY worth it. (Worth saying here that I’m currently working my way through Level 3 and loving every second)
Use code FITNESSISTA for $100 off Level 1, or $250 off both levels
IHP also periodically runs enrollment specials, so it’s worth keeping an eye out if timing is a factor for you.
For context on value: the functional lab training alone – something very few coach-level certifications offer at this depth – would cost significantly more if pursued through individual courses or clinical training programs.
What I Actually Love About the IHP Program
It fills a real gap in traditional health coaching. As a nutrition coach and personal trainer, there’s a hard ceiling on how deep you can go with clients. The IHP certification – especially Level 2 – gave me tools to actually get to root causes, not just offer general lifestyle guidance.
Dr. Cabral is genuinely one of the good ones. If you follow him on Instagram or listen to his podcast, you already know this. He’s incredibly knowledgeable, but you can also just tell that he’s a genuinely good person who truly wants to help people heal. That comes through in every lesson.
The support structure is excellent. There’s a private Facebook group for IHP candidates and certified practitioners, live Zoom Q&A calls, and – for Level 2 graduates who complete an additional mentorship program – they’ll even refer clients to you directly. The handouts and resources are another huge plus; Dr. Cabral shares the exact protocols he uses in his own practice, which makes it easy to start implementing with clients right away.
Self-paced with lifetime access. No cohort deadlines to stress over. You can move quickly when life allows and slow down when it doesn’t. (This is why it’s taken me 18 years to complete Level 3 lol.) They’re also constantly adding new modules, handouts, and content to the platform.
You don’t need a health background to start. We have IHPs who completely changed careers because of this program, and also physical therapists, nurses, doctors, personal trainers, and dental professionals. It truly spans backgrounds.
The mission behind it is beautiful. The idea is that you heal yourself and then go on to heal others. That’s something I believe in completely, and it’s been extra meaningful to me as I’ve been on my own healing journey.
What I’d Tell You to Know Going In
The lessons require your full attention. This was my only real frustration: Dr. Cabral goes into a lot of information (even more so in Level 2), and I felt like I needed to be at my desk taking notes, not listening on a walk or during a commute. The upside is it forces you to actually absorb the material, but you can’t blast through it as quickly as you might want to.
It’s not a clinical credential. The IHP does not give you the authority to diagnose, treat, or prescribe. This is true of all health coaching certifications, and it’s something to go in knowing. You’re working within the scope of a health practitioner, which is still meaningful and impactful; it’s just a different lane than medicine.
You’ll need to purchase your own insurance after Level 2. Most grads go through a company like Alternative Balance. It’s fairly easy to set up, but it’s an ongoing cost to factor into your planning. (I think I pay about $160/year)
It takes real time. Level 1 typically takes around 6 months; Level 2 can take 6 months to a year. There’s no shortcut, and honestly, that’s appropriate for the amount of material covered.
Is the IHP Worth It in 2026?
For me, 10000% yes.
I want to be honest about why, though. I came to this already working in the health space, with a specific gap I needed to fill and a genuine passion for this type of work. IHP filled that gap. I’ve been able to add a new layer to my 1:1 coaching, work with family members and friends using these tools, and deepen my own healing process with knowledge I didn’t have before. (The timing was extra meaningful for me personally. Dealing with some unexpected health issues of my own made the functional lab material feel incredibly relevant.)
I’ve also been the person who was told “nothing is wrong” or “you’ll just have to live with it” by multiple physicians. I know firsthand how much it matters to have someone in your corner who thinks in root causes, who doesn’t give up on you when standard labs look “normal.” That’s the kind of practitioner I want to be, and IHP gave me real tools to get there.
If you’re a health professional looking for another way to serve your clients, or if you’re someone who wants to heal yourself and then help the people around you, I genuinely can’t recommend this program enough. I’d do both levels, especially if functional labs are your goal. That’s where the real magic happens.
Check out the IHP program and use code FITNESSISTA for up to $250 off
I only recommend programs I’ve personally completed and believe in. Enrolling through my link supports this blog at no extra cost to you.
Quick FAQs
Do I need a health background to enroll?
Nope! The program is open to everyone: career changers, health professionals, and genuinely curious people alike.
Can I just do Level 1?
Yes. Level 1 is its own certification. But if functional lab work is your goal, you’ll want both levels. I’d start with Level 1 to make sure the material resonates, then continue to Level 2. (If you purchase both at the same time, the pricing is better, though.)
How long does it take to finish?
Level 1 is typically around 6 months at a comfortable pace; Level 2 is similar or a bit longer. There’s no time limit, so you can go at whatever pace works for your life.
What can I actually do with this certification?
You can add functional health coaching to your existing practice, create new 1:1 or group offerings, use it to deepen your own personal health knowledge, and contribute to content you create. Level 2 graduates also have the option to receive client referrals through the IHP network.
Is there community support while you’re going through it?
Yes! The private Facebook group is active and genuinely helpful. And Dr. Cabral’s podcast (The Cabral Concept) is an ongoing resource that I still use regularly.
Check out the details here and my code is FITNESSISTA for your discount
Have questions about the IHP that I didn’t cover here? Drop them in the comments. I read every single one and am happy to help!
xo,
Gina
I’ll be updating this post annually to reflect any changes in pricing, curriculum, or program details.
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