This first 10-week course explores the many different terrain-centric dietary, environmental, emotional, and lifestyle factors associated with increased cancer risk, development, and progression. Throughout this course, students will examine food from three perspectives - as cancer risk factors, as potential cancer inhibitors, and as metabolic cancer therapies. The goal of this course is for students to gain an understanding of how to apply nutrition therapy and lifestyle medicine to a myriad of internal and external cancer related factors within the biological terrain that can contribute to carcinogenesis or, ultimately, encourage prevention.

This course details the role various metabolic dietary therapies, macronutrients, phytonutrients, fibers, vitamins and micronutrients play in the cancer landscape. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind plant families, amino acids, lipids, and their roles in causing, preventing, and managing cancer. An introduction to several metabolic dietary therapies including the ketogenic, elimination, tube, AIP, GAPS, low FODMAPs, and TRE diets with the premise of bio-individualizing protocols to meet the ever-changing needs and side effects a client may experience. Classes on macronutrients provide guidelines around food quality considerations to maximize nutrient density and reduce toxicity.

This course details the principles, goals, and scope of practice in Oncology Nutrition Therapy. Class topics include performing and recording a proper intake, evaluation, assessment, lab evaluations, and drug-nutrient interactions. Introduction to terminology and protocols used in conventional medical settings is critical for the ONC in order to provide high value integrative consulting services. Students will gain confidence in how to safely use nutrition to support patient/client quality of life through conventional medical treatments including chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, surgery, transplants, and transfusions.

This course explores over a dozen different types of cancer, the associated risk factors, standard of care treatments, and evidence for systems-based nutrition and lifestyle intervention strategies. Students will learn a terrain, and systems-based framework that consists of a strategic process of targeted elimination, diet and lifestyle integrations, assessments, and safe supplementation. Students in this final 10-week course will gain mastery in viewing cancer types with a broader, terrain-centric view and the tools to safely integrate and customize oncology nutrition therapy protocols. 

The final step of demonstrating mastery over the program content is the final exam. It is the only multiple choice assessment in the entire program. Content is delivered via an extensive reading list, slide presentations, lectures and more. The exam questions are from slides that students have life-long access to.

This is an optional 10-week course open to ONC students and graduates only. The purpose of the case study is to provide practice and mentorship to students new to supporting clients/patients in the field of oncology nutrition. Students are expected to procure their case study, and will be provided with sample forms, as well as educational materials on topics including business, accounting, marketing, tax/legal considerations, motivational interviewing, diet tracking strategies, and much more. Additionally, students will be assigned to an ONI Instructor that will provide direct mentorship, feedback, and will grade materials on a pass/fail basis.