Course
14

Conditions

Overview
Manage common metabolic, GI, hormonal, inflammatory, and fatigue conditions without guesswork and know when to escalate testing or refer.
Format
Online
Units
6
Recommended for
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • NAFLD
  • UTI’s
  • Hair loss
Conditions

The learning framework

1
Why diagnosis-based care limits clinical reasoning
This module translates six common health conditions into pattern-based reasoning, teaching practitioners to address the underlying mechanisms driving dysfunction rather than focusing on the diagnosis itself, moving beyond symptom management to root-cause resolution by understanding how cardiovascular, neurological, infectious, hepatic, hormonal, and genitourinary systems interact.
2
The problem with treating conditions in isolation
Most practitioners are taught to manage conditions by diagnosis, treating cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's, fatty liver, or hair loss as isolated problems with standardised protocols, overlooking the upstream drivers: metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation, nutrient depletion, hormonal imbalances, gut dysfunction, chronic stress, environmental toxins, and immune dysregulation that create the conditions in the first place.
3
A framework for pattern-based condition assessment
The Conditions module trains you to evaluate six common presentations through the Priority Order of Dysfunction framework, using symptom patterns, laboratory data, and client history to apply sequence-based reasoning, deliver effective educational guidance, and complement conventional care within scope.

What you'll learn

By the end of this module, you will be able to:
Reframe cardiovascular disease beyond "high cholesterol"
Understanding CVD as driven by vascular inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, lipid particle imbalance, insulin resistance, hypertension, chronic stress, poor sleep, and nutrient deficiencies,applying evidence-based lifestyle and nutritional interventions while recognising red-flag symptoms and referral triggers.
Understand Alzheimer's as a lifelong metabolic and inflammatory process
Recognising the condition as metabolic brain dysfunction driven by insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, vascular damage, and environmental toxins,applying evidence-based prevention and support strategies within educational scope.
Assess Epstein-Barr Virus across its three phases
Recognising primary infection, latency, and reactivation triggered by stress, immune suppression, nutrient depletion, or other infections,correlating clinical presentation with immune burden and applying immune-supporting and antiviral strategies while recognising when medical evaluation is required.
Address fatty liver disease through foundational interventions
Understanding NAFLD and NASH as driven by insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, high-sugar diets, omega-6:omega-3 imbalance, oxidative stress, poor bile flow, and gut dysbiosis,applying dietary strategies, weight loss, physical activity, bile flow support, and liver-supportive nutrients while knowing when hepatology referral is needed.
Evaluate hair loss by type and driver
Distinguishing between androgenic alopecia, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, and scarring alopecia,assessing nutrient status, hormonal context, stress history, and scalp health,applying targeted nutritional and lifestyle interventions while recognising when specialist evaluation is required.
Assess recurrent urinary tract infections
Differentiating uncomplicated versus recurrent UTIs, evaluating behavioural, anatomical, hormonal, and immune factors,applying preventive and supportive strategies while recognising when urgent medical evaluation is needed.
Apply the Priority Order of Dysfunction framework
Sequencing interventions by addressing foundations first before condition-specific protocols, recognising when upstream imbalances require prioritisation.

Why this matters

The ability to address common presentations with confidence
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CVD, Alzheimer's, EBV, fatty liver, hair loss, and UTIs are among the most frequent concerns clients bring to functional practitioners.
Skills in identifying early dysfunction
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Recognising metabolic, inflammatory, and immune patterns before conditions become irreversible allows proactive, preventive intervention.
Better client outcomes
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Addressing root causes creates sustainable improvement and often reverses or slows disease progression.
Professional differentiation and credibility
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Practitioners who understand conditions mechanistically and know when to refer are trusted as knowledgeable, responsible experts.
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Cardiovascular Health
Heart Disease
Alzheimer’s Prevention
Cognitive Decline
Epstein–Barr Virus
EBV
Chronic Fatigue
Fatty Liver Disease
NAFLD
Hair Loss
Your path to becoming a Certified Practitioner

How to get started

1st Step
Submit your Application
Apply online in just a few minutes. Our team will review your experience, education and goals to ensure this certification aligns with your professional path.
2nd Step
Join the IOH community
Once accepted, you’ll gain instant access to our global network of practitioners, mentors and resources that support your learning from day one.
3rd Step
Begin your first module
Start your studies inside the IOH learning portal — with guided mentorship, live calls, and access to the Oracle AI system that turns knowledge into action.

Expand your knowledge

All Courses
What does an Integrative Nutritional Therapist do?
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An Integrative Nutritional Therapist utilises the latest evidence-based research to create an integrative approach to optimising each client’s health and wellbeing.

They design bio-individual nutrition plans, personalise supplementation where appropriate, and interpret functional laboratory data, including blood work, to gain deeper insights, achieve better accuracy and tailor every intervention to the individual.

How is functional medicine different from conventional medicine?
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Conventional medicine often waits until a disease is clearly present before intervention begins. Treatment is focused on managing or suppressing a diagnosed condition.

Functional medicine looks upstream. It assesses the early drivers of dysfunction and works to prevent disease from developing in the first place, or restore balance in the body. It uses a whole-systems view of the body, then applies personalised, preventative nutrition and lifestyle interventions to support long-term health rather than only reacting once things have gone wrong.

What will be my scope of practice after completing this certification?
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After completing the certification, you will be recognised and insured as a Integrative Nutritional Therapist inclusive of Nutritional Therapy and Functional Blood Work, with a clearly defined scope of practice.

You will be trained and insured to:

  • Design bio-individual nutrition plans
  • Recommend and prescribe over-the-counter supplementation up to safe, optimal intake thresholds
  • Utilise functional blood work from a wellness perspective to guide your reasoning and recommendations
  • Collaborate with and refer to medical professionals when red flags, pathology or out-of-scope conditions are identified

Our scope of practice has been aligned with nutritional therapy standards and externally audited, so you can work with confidence and clarity.

Is your course accredited?
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Yes. Our certifications are accredited by multiple independent professional bodies, including the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT) and the Complementary Medical Association (CMA).

To receive these accreditations, our curriculum undergoes forensic external auditing to ensure every component is up to date, evidence-informed, ethically delivered and aligned with recognised Nutritional Therapy and Functional Health standards. This includes rigorous evaluation of our academic content, assessments, delivery methods and scope of practice frameworks.

This external oversight gives you confidence that the qualification you are investing in is credible, robust and widely recognised within the industry, with clear pathways for insurance, professional membership and global practice.

Will I be able to practise internationally?
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Yes. Our graduates are eligible for insurance through IICT that is recognised across 36 countries, including:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden & United Kingdom.

This allows you to work with clients internationally, including in online practice, provided you respect local regulations and the scope of practice defined by your insurer and professional associations.

Need help?
Get in touch with us
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