This program is a powerful blend of lectures, emails, herbs, recommendations, and notes to help you navigate food challenges. Comprised of 8 presentations introducing you to new ways of understanding your body and emotions, as well as Ayurvedic approaches to weight loss and food cravings, along with our entire library of supplemental lectures on weight loss and cleansing - this course brings newfound insight into your relationship with your body.
Presentations will be followed by exercises to explore how the topic applies to you. You will also be given foods to explore, journal assignments, and simple exercises you can practice throughout the week to facilitate your personal discovery process. You'll also benefit from a private online discussion forum for members only so that you receive as much hand-holding and support as you need. Instructors Natalie & John Immel are available throughout the course to offer discounted one-on-one consultations ($80) to further guide you in your unique discovery process.
- Convenient distance learning format
- Study in the comfort of your home or office
- Learn from anywhere in the world, on your schedule
- Access to ALL of our supplemental lectures on weight loss and cleansing
- Choose between simple and advanced cleansing options
- Enjoy a community of support with fellow students
Daily Emails & Exercises
You'll receive short daily emails with tips, ideas, and insights drawing from the wisdom of Ayurveda, yoga, nutritionists, therapists, and health practitioners. Some emails will include questions to inspire self-awareness and body-awareness. Others will include breathing techniques and simple yoga exercises.
We will also recommend an optional supplementary book list for those wishing to read more on the topics we will cover, either during or after the course. Recommended breathing and simple stretching exercises will greatly facilitate your personal progress.
Through the course of our time together, we will provide tools to reprogram your relationship with food and the causes of weight gain, a project you can work on independently each week as well.
About the Course Instructors
Drawing on years of research and clinical experience specializing in digestive disorders,
John Immel directs the Joyful Belly Institute's Master of Ayurvedic Digestion 500 hour program. He is the founder of Joyful Belly, an educational Ayurvedic healthcare website, and oversees the Joyful Belly Clinic.
John studied Ayurveda under Dr. Vasant Lad and is specialized in the advanced treatment of digestive tract pathology. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. He first discovered Ayurveda while working on a public health project in Bangladesh. John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel.
After witnessing Ayurveda's compelling efficiency and practical ease in treatment of his own digestive disorder, John was convinced he could help others. He wanted to introduce Ayurveda to his Appalachian mountain home and America. This was the genesis of Joyful Belly. Using ingredients familiar from his childhood, John created Joyful Belly to recast Ayurveda in the context of our American food traditions. Joyful Belly proves Ayurveda is accessible and necessary for everyday health & wellness. His simple, practical and familiar approach has helped thousands on their journey to health.
John's love of life, his commitment to the health & dignity of the person, and his humanitarian pursuit of inexpensive health care comes from his Catholic roots and identity. His creativity in the kitchen, and absolute dedication to the epicurean delight of eating comes from his Italian heritage. He is fluent in Bengali and French, and an avid student of Sanskrit & Arabic. He is a member of NAMA, the National Ayurvedic Medical Association.
Natalie Immel is the chief editor of Joyful Belly where she offers her expertise in emotional eating and eating disorders to the field of Ayurveda. Natalie herself used the principles of Ayurveda to heal from severe anorexia and digestive disturbances which at one time left her hospitalized. She is grateful to share her insights with other women searching for freedom from unhealthy eating patterns and body shame. Natalie graduated Phi Beta Kappa with general and departmental honors from Vassar College. She is a fluent speaker of Swedish and has been practicing yoga for over 10 years.
Natalie recently co-authored the book Explore Your Hunger with her husband John Immel, which is the basis of this course. She has been director of the Explore Your Hunger Weight Loss Program for over two years and has helped hundreds of women break the vicious yo-yo diet cycle, change the way they think about their bodies, improve their diet without feeling deprived, and reclaim their lives. Natalie received her Ayurvedic training from the Asheville School of Massage and Yoga and from Joyful Belly's 500 HR Mastering Digestion & Ayurvedic Nutrition Program. She is also a certified Body Positive Health Trainer.
What People are Saying
"I love, love, love this website and John Immel is the best! After 30 years of practicing & teaching nutrition, my eyes were opened WIDE to eating for my dosha and I enjoy it so much. I'm losing weight effortlessly, feel amazing (at 52), adore his recipes and I'm happy knowing I'll eat this way the rest of my life. Joyful belly is now my favorite online resource (encyclopedia) and I trust John wholeheartedly. If you are considering taking his cleanse, course, a consult or just using his recipes - I say YES! My 76 year old Mom is loving this with me, it has changed her life too, Yippee! Thank you John, many blessings"
Massage Therapist - Glenwood springs, CO
"So happy I joined this class! it was a great combination of (1) intellectual content on ayurvedic philosophy, nutrition, physiology: (2) behavioral guidance on approaches to eating and hunger; (4) psychological exercises on how I use food to comfort, discharge emotions, and numb out emotional pain; and last but not least (5) herbs and dietary cleansing practices. I highly recommend it as a way to change how one operates in relation to overeating."
Randolph, MA
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