Paul C. Tijerina is a Nutritional Therapist & ATAVIST Life Coach based in Las Vegas, NV.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME AN NTP?

In 2006 I had my first checkup since being out of the military. I was metabolically deranged. I had high blood pressure, I was pre-diabetic, I was 270lbs (heaviest ever), I had inflammatory markers, I took claritin every day, zantac every day, I felt like crap, slept like crap. This forced me on a path of self discovery trying to fix my own health issues.

I started by transitioning to vegetarian, then to vegan, thinking meat and fat were the problems. During this transition, because I gave up processed foods, I naturally felt better and saw results… However, they were temporary and I knew something was missing.

In trying to learn as much as I could, and starting with an evolutionary approach to health, I stumbled across some papers written by Dr. Loren Cordain, Boyd Eaton, and a few others. I read Dr. Cordain’s The Paleo Diet. I was also involved with MovNat who had recommended a way of eating advocated by Robb Wolf. I followed Robb and learned as much as I could. When he came out with his first book, The Paleo Solution, I read it, absorbed it, reintroduced meats and fats, and immediately started to feel better. I felt Paleo was intuitively too restrictive, so kept learning, kept digging. I found the Weston A. Price foundation, and started combining everything I learned into a hybrid methodology.

Once I started to learn some of the basic principles of real food, and once I started to see such amazing results, I knew I wanted to help others, so I searched for an education or certification that would help me do this. NTA was one of the few things I could find at the time.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHY YOU CHOSE NTA FOR YOUR HOLISTIC NUTRITION EDUCATION?

It was one of the few that I could find that actually aligned with what I knew to be true.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND WHY?

I liked a lot of it. I liked the distance learning and the convenience. I liked the reading of all the books, which all confirmed much of what we learned, and gave it validity. I liked the videos by Gray. And I liked the NTP hands-on Functional Clinical Assessment , because I always loved the mind-body connection and getting in touch with this connection. I loved the foundational approach (Gray’s foundations), because it gave everything a structure and a flow. Lastly, I loved the time spent on client consultation process.

HOW ARE YOU CURRENTLY USING THE EDUCATION YOU RECEIVED THROUGH THE NTA?

It was my foundation for sure. It gave me a method for learning, teaching, and working with clients. It was the catalyst for everything I’m doing today.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PRACTICE.

I started out with nothing but private clients, doing a ton of one-on-ones, FE’s, etc. I have a background in workplace insurance, and so I’m very comfortable in front of groups. I always had a desire to do seminars and group programs.

Today I still see private clients, but I do a lot of seminars and group programs. I have a 10-week program called the SuperHuman Transformation (SHT)  where we walk people through a series of progressions to address our foundations for health.

I work with anyone who wants to feel better, who wants to feel amazing. My mission is to empower people with freedom – freedom that allows them to live as they were truly meant to live – with vibrancy, clarity of mind, purpose, and the ability to dream again. So ANYONE wanting to feel better in any way is a great prospect for a client.

If I had a “specialty” it would be getting people to feel amazing and make the connection with feeling good being synonymous with good health. And also I’m a master with fat burning, ketosis, and fasting protocols. We blend this into everything that we do.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE ANY OBJECTIONS YOU HAD TO OVERCOME BEFORE STARTING THE PROGRAM OR YOUR BIGGEST FEAR BEFORE TAKING THE LEAP?

For me it was only a financial issue. Everything else felt right.

IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU CAN SHARE WITH NEW GRADUATES?

Dream. Think outside the box. Think to yourself, “What is it I really want? Over the long-term, what do you want, based on what you know now?” And then take some steps to move in that direction! You don’t have to be limited to the private practice office with a receptionist typical setup, although that’s fine too. Who do you want to help? Where is your passion? Create a unique service that fulfills a unique need! And of course your services will evolve as you evolve, but always think like this. Think creative.

WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE CLIENT SUCCESSES THUS FAR?

I have a TON. My favorite are seeing people completely transform from a vegan / vegetarian mindset, to one of omnivorous, focusing on nutrient density, egg yolks, meat, fat, butter, stock, etc. To see their health and bodies transform, and to see their mindset and wisdom transform. Just mind blowing.

WERE THERE ANY HEALTH CHALLENGES YOU WERE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCING PRIOR TO ENROLLING IN THE PROGRAM?

I had fixed most of them. my biggest issues at the time of the program were dealing with my ties to some of my indulgences such as drinking too much.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH JOURNEY IN APPLYING THE PROGRAM’S CONCEPTS TO YOUR OWN SITUATION AS YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THE CURRICULUM?

Digestion was improved dramatically, especially after having another NTP do the Functional Clinical Assessment on me and get me specific supplemental support.

Also, each piece of information learned, whether through Gray’s presentations, or from the required reading, added to my cumulative wisdom and so we were always “experimenting” with this new information.

WHAT ARE A FEW OF YOUR GO-TO SNACKS?

Bacon is #1. Butter #2. Cheese #3.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TREAT OR INDULGENCE?

I make my own “butter cubes” which is blended butter, heavy cream, coconut milk, cococnut flakes, and sunbutter, poured into ice cube trays.

WHAT’S THE LAST BOOK YOU READ?

The Complete Guide to Fasting and Fight Cancer with a Ketogenic Diet.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE WHO IS THINKING ABOUT BECOMING AN NTP/NTC?

Go for it! It’s such a great foundation to build from. You learn all the basics of health, and you learn all the basics that you’ll need from a client consultation process standpoint. I can see they are always updating things, so I feel like the cert stays current.

You can find out more about Paul and his company, Paul C. Tijerina, LLC, by visiting http://www.paulctijerina.com.

WATCH PAUL’S NTA LIVE INTERVIEW

EVEN MORE FROM PAUL

Paul also shares some excellent information on his own website including book and podcast recommendations. For more information, please visit www.paulctijerina.com/nta-facebook-live-event/