Is It Value It? (2026)

Final up to date: 2026 | This put up incorporates affiliate hyperlinks. If you enroll through my link and use the code FITNESSISTA, you’ll stand up to $250 off and I could earn a fee at no additional value to you.

Hiiii mates! I hope you had an exquisite weekend and that you just’re having fun with the morning. Immediately I wished to speak about one in every of my favourite matters: IHP.

If you happen to’ve been following alongside right here for some time, you understand that I’ve spent years constructing out my diet and health teaching follow and that I’m somebody who genuinely loves studying. I’ve collected quite a lot of certifications over time (Precision Vitamin, NASM Private Coach, Weight Loss Specialist, Ladies’s Health Specialist, Corrective Train Specialist, 200-hour yoga RYT, and extra), and every one has added one thing significant to the best way I work with shoppers.

However there was at all times a niche.

Working with diet shoppers on-line, I saved operating into conditions the place I knew one thing deeper was happening – a hormonal imbalance, a intestine concern, a mineral deficiency – and all I may do was refer out. Suggesting particular labs or deciphering take a look at outcomes is just not throughout the scope of follow for a diet coach or private coach. I’d added different practitioners to my crew who may run these exams, however as my on-line follow grew, I wished to have the ability to do that work myself.

That’s what led me to the Integrative Well being Practitioner (IHP) certification, and after finishing each Stage 1 and Stage 2 (over 100 hours of coursework, persevering with training, and a few very difficult exams later), I can provide you a radical, sincere image of what to anticipate.

Fascinated by Enrolling? Start Here.

Use code FITNESSISTA for $100 off Stage 1, or $250 off each ranges.

IHP Certification Evaluation: What I Discovered, What It Prices, and Is It Value It (2026)

What Is the IHP Certification?

The Integrative Health Practitioner certification was created by Dr. Stephen Cabral, a Board Licensed Physician of Naturopathy, founding father of EquiLife and the Integrative Well being Practitioner Institute, and creator of the worldwide bestseller The Rain Barrel Impact. (If you happen to haven’t learn it but, get it. It’s free!) After almost 20 years, over 600,000 pages of analysis, dozens of certifications within the pure well being area, and over 1 / 4 of 1,000,000 personal consumer periods…. Dr. Cabral is the actual deal.

I’d been following him on Instagram for a few years and had him as a visitor on the podcast earlier than I enrolled. After we wrapped up the podcast, I knew I wished to be taught as a lot as I may from him, and when the partnership got here collectively, I took it as an indication that the timing was lastly proper.

This system is constructed on 7 integrative disciplines:

Ayurvedic drugs – the science of life and body-typing

Bioregulatory drugs – the science of self-healing and rebalancing

Chinese language drugs and herbalism – unlocking nature’s therapeutic knowledge

Jap philosophy – utilizing the thoughts to heal the physique

Conventional naturopathy – “proper residing” to reverse sickness

Orthomolecular drugs – nutritional vitamins and minerals as drugs

Purposeful drugs – state-of-the-art lab testing to uncover underlying root causes

Every thing is taught by Dr. Cabral himself, and I genuinely loved the best way he presents complicated data, making it accessible and straightforward to implement. His real-world medical expertise is invaluable, and it comes via in each lesson.

The Two Ranges: What’s the Distinction?

IHP Stage 1: The DESTRESS Protocol

Level 1 focuses on Dr. Cabral’s DESTRESS technique: a root-cause way of life framework constructed round Weight loss program, Train, Stress administration, Toxin elimination, Relaxation, Emotional steadiness, Supplementation, and Success mindset.

Every lesson runs about half-hour, and Dr. Cabral contains urged studying, complementary podcast episodes, and tons of client-ready handouts and sources all through. The total Stage 1 course can take round 6 months relying in your tempo. It’s tremendous complete.

I beloved Stage 1. I discovered myself studying one thing beneficial from each single lesson. But it surely’s the big-picture basis and it builds your framework and vocabulary. The appliance actually is available in Stage 2.

Need the complete breakdown? Learn my full IHP Level 1 review here.

IHP Stage 2: Purposeful Labs

That is the place issues obtained actually thrilling for me. Throughout every module I saved pondering: that is precisely what I wish to be taught. That is how I wish to assist my shoppers.

Level 2 is sort of completely centered on purposeful drugs labs. You discover ways to advocate particular house lab exams, analyze outcomes, and recommend motion plans based mostly on what you discover.

Right here’s what’s coated:

Meals Sensitivity Testing: IgG reactions to 190 meals on a scale from not important to excessive. These are sensitivities (not allergy symptoms) and may present up as complications, joint ache, pores and skin rashes, poor temper, and extra.

Parasite and Micro organism Stool Testing:  key intestine micro organism and parasite markers linked to mind fog, low power, physique ache, and complications.

Natural Acids (OAT): an analysis of intestinal yeast and micro organism that may contribute to fatigue, habits points, immune dysfunction, and extra. Many individuals with power sickness and neurological points present up right here. I run this take a look at with shoppers nearly each single day.

Omega-3 Testing – your Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio, which has actual implications for coronary heart well being, irritation, temper, power, pores and skin, and muscle and joint ache. (Enjoyable truth: analysis exhibits that when Omega-3 ranges within the blood attain 9% or extra, the chance of sudden cardiac dying drops dramatically. That alone was eye-opening.)

Adrenal Hormone Testing – estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol patterns all through the day.

Thyroid Adrenal Hormone Testing – provides testosterone, DHEA, thyroid markers (T4, T3, TSH, TPO antibodies), insulin, A1C, and vitamin D. Weight reduction has much more to do with hormone steadiness and metabolism than most individuals notice.

HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Evaluation) – a foundational lab utilizing only a hair pattern that appears at mineral ranges, electrolytes, and poisonous heavy metals, and provides perception into how your physique is responding to emphasize and whether or not you’re a sluggish or quick oxidizer.

Word: these labs usually are not supposed to diagnose, forestall, deal with, or treatment any illness, however they supply extremely particular and actionable details about your particular person physique. I truly love this side of the labs; we’re searching for underlying imbalances however nothing scary.

About two-thirds of the best way via Stage 2, I spotted that if I saved making an attempt to grasp each module earlier than shifting on, I’d by no means end, since you may actually spend a lifetime going deep on any one in every of these exams. The easiest way to essentially be taught this materials is to do it: learn actual outcomes, re-watch the related module as you undergo every marker, and preserve layering in podcasts, books, and persevering with training. That’s nonetheless how I strategy it.

For the complete Stage 2 breakdown, learn my IHP Level 2 review here

How A lot Does the IHP Value?

Pricing can change, so I at all times advocate checking present enrollment particulars straight.

That stated:

Stage 1 is the lower-cost entry level, with cost plan choices accessible

Each ranges collectively is the place the larger funding (and larger low cost) is available in. I believe that Stage 2 is ABSOLUTELY price it. (Value saying right here that I’m at present working my manner via Stage 3 and loving each second)

Use code FITNESSISTA for $100 off Level 1, or $250 off both levels

IHP additionally periodically runs enrollment specials, so it’s price conserving a watch out if timing is an element for you.

For context on worth: the purposeful lab coaching alone – one thing only a few coach-level certifications supply at this depth – would value considerably extra if pursued via particular person programs or medical coaching packages.

What I Really Love In regards to the IHP Program

It fills an actual hole in conventional well being teaching. As a diet coach and private coach, there’s a tough ceiling on how deep you’ll be able to go along with shoppers. The IHP certification – particularly Stage 2 – gave me instruments to really get to root causes, not simply supply common way of life steerage.

Dr. Cabral is genuinely one of many good ones. If you happen to observe him on Instagram or take heed to his podcast, you already know this. He’s extremely educated, however you can even simply inform that he’s a genuinely good one who actually needs to assist folks heal. That comes via in each lesson.

The assist construction is great. There’s a non-public Fb group for IHP candidates and authorized practitioners, reside Zoom Q&A calls, and – for Stage 2 graduates who full a further mentorship program – they’ll even refer shoppers to you straight. The handouts and sources are one other enormous plus; Dr. Cabral shares the precise protocols he makes use of in his personal follow, which makes it straightforward to start out implementing with shoppers straight away.

Self-paced with lifetime entry. No cohort deadlines to emphasize over. You’ll be able to transfer shortly when life permits and decelerate when it doesn’t. (Because of this it’s taken me 18 years to finish Stage 3 lol.) They’re additionally continuously including new modules, handouts, and content material to the platform.

You don’t want a well being background to start out. We have now IHPs who utterly modified careers due to this program, and likewise bodily therapists, nurses, docs, private trainers, and dental professionals. It actually spans backgrounds.

The mission behind it’s stunning. The thought is that you just heal your self after which go on to heal others. That’s one thing I consider in utterly, and it’s been additional significant to me as I’ve been alone therapeutic journey.

What I’d Inform You to Know Going In

The teachings require your full consideration. This was my solely actual frustration: Dr. Cabral goes into quite a lot of data (much more so in Stage 2), and I felt like I wanted to be at my desk taking notes, not listening on a stroll or throughout a commute. The upside is it forces you to really take up the fabric, however you’ll be able to’t blast via it as shortly as you would possibly wish to.

It’s not a medical credential. The IHP doesn’t provide the authority to diagnose, deal with, or prescribe. That is true of all well being teaching certifications, and it’s one thing to go in realizing. You’re working throughout the scope of a well being practitioner, which continues to be significant and impactful; it’s only a totally different lane than drugs.

You’ll must buy your personal insurance coverage after Stage 2. Most grads undergo an organization like Different Steadiness. It’s pretty straightforward to arrange, but it surely’s an ongoing value to issue into your planning. (I believe I pay about $160/12 months)

It takes actual time. Stage 1 sometimes takes round 6 months; Stage 2 can take 6 months to a 12 months. There’s no shortcut, and actually, that’s applicable for the quantity of fabric coated.

Is the IHP Value It in 2026?

For me, 10000% sure.

I wish to be sincere about why, although. I got here to this already working within the well being area, with a selected hole I wanted to fill and a real ardour for one of these work. IHP stuffed that hole. I’ve been in a position so as to add a brand new layer to my 1:1 teaching, work with members of the family and mates utilizing these instruments, and deepen my very own therapeutic course of with information I didn’t have earlier than. (The timing was additional significant for me personally. Coping with some surprising well being problems with my very own made the purposeful lab materials really feel extremely related.)

I’ve additionally been the one who was instructed “nothing is fallacious” or “you’ll simply need to reside with it” by a number of physicians. I do know firsthand how a lot it issues to have somebody in your nook who thinks in root causes, who doesn’t quit on you when customary labs look “regular.” That’s the form of practitioner I wish to be, and IHP gave me actual instruments to get there.

If you happen to’re a well being skilled searching for one other technique to serve your shoppers, or should you’re somebody who needs to heal your self after which assist the folks round you, I genuinely can’t advocate this program sufficient. I’d do each ranges, particularly if purposeful labs are your aim. That’s the place the actual magic occurs.

Take a look at the IHP program and use code FITNESSISTA for as much as $250 off

I solely advocate packages I’ve personally accomplished and consider in. Enrolling via my hyperlink helps this weblog at no additional value to you.

Fast FAQs

Do I want a well being background to enroll?

Nope! This system is open to everybody: profession changers, well being professionals, and genuinely curious folks alike.

Can I simply do Stage 1?

Sure. Stage 1 is its personal certification. But when purposeful lab work is your aim, you’ll need each ranges. I’d begin with Stage 1 to verify the fabric resonates, then proceed to Stage 2. (If you are going to buy each on the identical time, the pricing is healthier, although.)

How lengthy does it take to complete?

Stage 1 is usually round 6 months at a cushty tempo; Stage 2 is analogous or a bit longer. There’s no time restrict, so you’ll be able to go at no matter tempo works to your life.

What can I truly do with this certification?

You’ll be able to add purposeful well being teaching to your present follow, create new 1:1 or group choices, use it to deepen your personal private well being information, and contribute to content material you create. Stage 2 graduates even have the choice to obtain consumer referrals via the IHP community.

Is there group assist when you’re going via it?

Sure! The personal Fb group is energetic and genuinely useful. And Dr. Cabral’s podcast (The Cabral Idea) is an ongoing useful resource that I nonetheless use frequently.

Check out the details here and my code is FITNESSISTA to your low cost

Have questions in regards to the IHP that I didn’t cowl right here? Drop them within the feedback. I learn each single one and am joyful to assist!

xo,

Gina

I’ll be updating this put up yearly to mirror any adjustments in pricing, curriculum, or program particulars.