Sidney Shindle BA, CNP

Department(s): Faculty

Sidney received her undergraduate in French and Linguistics from UBC before deciding to follow her passion in health and wellness. She studied at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition’s Vancouver Campus, where she graduated at a Certified Nutritional Practitioner with honours, after a long and rewarding career as the head coach of a national level synchronized swimming club. A lifelong teacher, she equips her clients and students with the tools they need to set strong foundations, in health and wellness and beyond. Sidney has been able to combine her passions by working privately with clients, co-founding a corporate wellness company, teaching cooking classes and co-authoring a sports nutrition course for personal trainers. When she’s not teaching, you can find her whipping up healthy gluten-free treats and searching for single origin chocolate bars. Sidney teaches Nutrition & Health: The Fundamentals, as well as Comparative Diets at Institute of Holistic Nutrition’s Online program.

: FN 001 Nutrition & Health: The Fundamentals

Nutrition and Health: The Fundamentals changes the lens for how the world of health and healing is viewed. It sets the stage for the examination of nature’s power within the holistic paradigm. It is IHN’s foundational course, providing students with an understanding of “food as information” and orthomolecular concepts in the prevention of disease and the acquisition of optimal health. Fundamentals offers students a framework for the study of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), energy-yielding nutrients (carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins), metabolism, digestion, absorption, and energy balance. The syllabus provides an in-depth analysis of their functions, classification and dietary requirements within an evidence-based model. This course teaches the mechanics and principles of essential nutrients for restoring the body’s ability to heal.

Learning Outcomes

• Assess the relationship between soil, cell, environment and human health
• Identify the structure and function of the GI tract, common digestive disorders, and links to major fatal diseases that are restored through the gut
• Explain functions of macronutrients and micronutrients, their requirements, sources, reasons for deficiencies, and use in disease prevention
• Understand the importance of water, antioxidants and detoxification
• The knowledge of how isolated nutrient interventions work against acute and chronic health condition

Nutrition and Health: The Fundamentals is a foundational axis course that lays the groundwork of knowing how to determine root cause—a key tenant of functional nutrition. This course stresses the importance of knowing “by which mechanism” essential nutrients orchestrate ideal physiological functions and optimal health.

: CD011 Comparative Diets

Comparative Diets provides a critical assessment of the many therapeutic benefits and limitations of several alternative diet approaches, including low-carb diets, high-protein diets (Paleo Diet, Dr. Atkins, Keto, Carnivore), Plant-based approaches (Vegetarian, Vegan, Fruitarian, Raw Food, Rainbow), Longevity and Cultural diets (Okinawa, Mediterranean, Macrobiotic, Fasting), Condition-based diets (Glycemic Index, Intermittent Fasting, Food Combining, Low-FODMAP-Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols, GAPS-Gut and Psychology Syndrome, AIP-Autoimmune Protocol). This course will also address, in detail, the main detoxification diets from caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. Students are taught and evaluated on succinctly identifying dietary imbalances as well as analyzing micronutrient propositions to design custom health-promoting diets and lifestyle programs.

Learning Outcomes:

• Explore kinetics of living systems, the law of opposites and the effects on the body and feelings of certain foods, the meaning of cravings
• Distinguish the models of food dynamics including expansive/contracting and acid/alkaline food products
• Describe how holistic individuality, metabolic typing, and the blood type diet are rooted in personalized biochemistry
• Explain the benefits of cold-pressed juice to address both acute and chronic health conditions and increase vitality
• Develop insights into the fundamental knowledge of mechanistic principles and complementary effects of several alternative diet regimens on health

Comparative Diets informs future practitioners to recommend specific dietary protocols that are determined by biochemical individuality. To promote optimal health, this course instructs practitioners to safely and effectively recommend nourishing and cleansing diets.

: PSD01 Professional Skills Development
Professional Skills Development equips students with effective communication skills as a key factor in building a professional practice. Theories of communication are taught as concepts to provide students with the supportive tools needed to engage their audiences and clients. Experiential in nature, one of the core elements of this course is to help students overcome their fear of public speaking through a gradual, supportive and enjoyable introduction to sharing information verbally. Students will be given insight, encouragement, positive reinforcement and constructive feedback. This course dives into strategies that have students become more confident communicators and influencers through their spoken word, social media, print or digital media, and in their ability to effectively network. Developing a strong and unique presence within their chosen niche is another core element of this course. Positioning, messaging, business etiquette, affirmations for success and connection to prospective audiences and clients are covered.

Learning Outcomes

• Acquire a range of skills to apply to public or clinic-based lectures, educational workshops, webinars, programs
• How to create eye-catching promotional material using accessible graphic design platforms
• Increase confidence to deliver a well-structured message to an audience and how to respond to impromptu questions
• Foundations of effective communication (i.e. confidence, enthusiasm, eye contact, body language, logic, clarity, flow, pace, reading the room and using humour)
• To transform any fear of public speaking into a powerful act of being heard, understood and valued
• How to research, write, remember presentations and prepare accompanying PowerPoint visuals
• Critical view of developing networks, niches, and how to grow visibility to a targeted audience on social media platforms
• Learn how to prepare and deliver a professional food demonstration in front of a live audience

Professional Skills Development contributes to a concrete understanding of the communication process and the relevance of interpersonal connection. This course initiates, and fosters, a commitment to finding your authentic voice to speak and engage with passion, power, and connection. The class is taught in a warm and supportive environment where students can comfortably express themselves. This class is a wonderful opportunity to step out of a preconceived comfort zone in a safe environment. Whether in writing word, in-person or online communication, this course focuses on empowering students to meet their goals of personal and professional expression.