Course Descriptions

Online Professional Certificate in Nutrition for Optimal Health, Wellness, and Sports

Course 1: Nutrition and You: Functional Foods
Instructor: Melissa Halas-Liang, MA, RD, CDE
Heard about the health benefits of cocoa on cardiovascular health?  What do garlic, tomato sauce, and tofu have in common?  Which spices and herbs need to be consumed in your daily diet?  There is truth to the expression “you are what you eat”.  In this course you will learn what to eat and how to decrease the incidence of many common diseases such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer and heart disease.  Whether you are a health/medical/or fitness professional who wants the latest on functional foods or an individual seeking to improve your overall health, this course will help you meet your goals by providing a foundation for wellness nutrition based on current scientific research.


Course 2: Weight Management and Nutrition in the Lifecycle
Instructor: Melissa Halas-Liang, MA, RD, CDE
Applying the principles of good nutrition starts at Day 1, whether working with clients or designing a personal healthy eating program.  With almost 20% of America’s children and 60% of America’s adults classified as overweight/obese there is an ever-pressing need to understand the influences on both child and adult food habits and nutrient intakes.  Bad habits that start from an early age often continue into adulthood and can lead to weight issues, diabetes and chronic disease.  This course teaches students the principles behind helping a client in any stage of their lifecycle to set and achieve weight goals while working in conjunction with a registered dietitian in a team approach.  You will obtain tools and handouts which can be effective when teaching and reinforcing positive food habits and behaviors.  In addition, discover how the right nutrition can help you feel young while growing older and what specific nutrients need to be increased in your diet as you age.  Dispel the myths of fad diets as you learn how to personalize your own meal plan and those of your clients.

Course 3: Introduction to Sports Nutrition and Performance
Instructor: Jane Burrell Uzcategui, M.S., RD
If you currently work as a fitness professional, need a refresher or introduction to sports nutrition as a health care provider, need to improve your competitive edge as an athlete, exercise enthusiast, weekend warrior, or are a sports nutrition dietitian looking for new information, this class will help meet your personal or professional goals.  Learn what to eat before competing, understand the principles of healthy meal planning for athletes and be able to identify safe sport supplements such as protein powders/bars, creatine, and sport drinks.  Find out if you’re providing the best fuel for your body in the short or long term and gain insights into how proper nutrition can provide optimal muscle recovery and sports performance. 

Course 4: Public Nutrition and Wellness Education
Instructor: Melissa Halas-Liang, MA, RD, CDE
This course delves more deeply into nutrition and disease prevention.  Master the tools needed to provide educated answers on how to stay healthy, become healthier, reduce the risk of chronic disease, prevent disease, and improve the overall well-being of your clients or yourself.   Whether you’re educating the public as a health/medical/or fitness professional or teaching your family how to live healthier, this course helps you navigate through the media’s mixed messages on nutrition and diets.   Learn to effectively interpret nutrition news and understand critical information on the truth behind vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

About the Instructors

Melissa Halas-Liang, MA, RD, CDE
Melissa Halas-Liang, MA, RD, CDE is the Program Coordinator and an Instructor for the Professional Certificate in Nutrition for Optimal Health, Wellness and Sports and an instructor for the Professional Certificate in Advanced Personal Fitness Training. She is a Certified Diabetes Educator, holds a Bachelors of Science in Clinical Dietetics and Masters degree in Nutrition Education and practiced as Certified Nutrition Support Dietitian for 10 years. She has the Certificate of training for Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management. Melissa has 15 years of diverse experience in clinical care, nutrition management, nutrition counseling, critical care curriculum, nutrition education, media and writing, and currently serves as Co-President of the Los Angeles District of the CDA and spokesperson for the California Dietetic Association. In 2006, she started SuperKids Nutrition Inc…to save the world one healthy food at a time™ a company and mega Website resource for easy-to-read credible nutrition information and activities for families. If you have questions about the certificate program and courses, you may contact the her at mhalasliang@gmail.com

Jane Burrell Uzcategui, MS, RD
Jane Burrell Uzcategui M.S., RD, is a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition.  She has had extensive experience as a Didactic Program Director at the collegiate level where she was responsible for the placement of dietetic students in clinical and community nutrition rotations.  In addition, as a Certified Nutrition Support Dietitian for 10 years, she taught Medical Nutrition Therapy to medical and surgical residents in teaching hospital settings.  Jane’s experience as a distance runner has prompted her specialization in sports nutrition to teach to students about the role of nutrition in maximizing performance and altering body composition.

Registration Information

The cost for each course is $249. The cost for the entire certificate is $996.

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