Learn natural wellness from someone who actually does the science
Self-paced online courses developed and taught by Dr. Jessie Cavanaugh, PhD. Harvard-trained clinical researcher, 30 peer-reviewed publications, founder of the Nutraceuticals Research Institute. Evidence-based education grounded in published research, not wellness mythology.
The wellness world is full of noise. You deserve clarity.
Every time you look for answers on natural health, you find conflicting information, marketing disguised as education, and tips without any explanation of why something works or when it does not. Most natural wellness education comes from people who have never read the actual research, let alone conducted it.
NRI's online courses are built on the same evidence base that powers Dr. Cavanaugh's published clinical trials. When she explains why elderberry works, she is drawing from the world's largest elderberry RCT, a study she designed and ran. When she explains lavender safety, she is citing her own epidemiological research. The evidence comes directly from the researcher.
You do not need another list of top ten natural remedies. You need to learn from someone who conducts the research and can teach you to evaluate claims for yourself.
Start with Foundation. Go as deep as you want from there.
The program is structured so you always know where to start and what comes next. Everyone begins with Foundation. Continue into Application and Specialization tracks based on your goals.
Build your framework. Learn to evaluate evidence. Make your first evidence-based preparations. The starting point for everyone.
Go deeper into herbalism, aromatherapy, and nutraceuticals. Advanced application methods. For those who want the complete picture.
Focus on what matters to you. Mental Wellness, Women's Health, Pediatric Health, Healthy Aging, Environmental Health, or Advanced Research Evaluation.
Foundations of Natural Wellness
The starting point for everyone. Five weeks of evidence-based education taught by a clinical researcher who has published on the topics you are learning about.
Everything you need to begin thinking about natural wellness the way a researcher thinks about it. A holistic framework for health, the skills to evaluate claims, and practical preparation methods based on actual trial protocols. Eight botanicals covered in depth with a full evidence-based materia medica.
- Week 1The holistic health framework. What health actually means, how to think like a researcher, and how to assess your own wellness across physical, mental, and social dimensions.
- Week 2Your body's defense systems. Immune function, the stress-immunity connection, and three materia medica entries: elderberry, echinacea, and astragalus. Including exclusive insights from Dr. Cavanaugh's published elderberry research.
- Week 3Evidence-based natural preparations. Make herbal teas, elderberry syrup, healing salves, and aromatherapy inhalers using the same methods tested in clinical trials. Peppermint and eucalyptus materia medica.
- Week 4Becoming a critical consumer. Evaluate health claims, spot statistical manipulation, and read research abstracts. Lavender materia medica with published safety research.
- Week 5Integration and your path forward. Personalized action plan. Final materia medica entries: ginger and chamomile. Continuing education options and what comes next.
Application: The Complete Natural Wellness Program
For those who want to go deeper. Comprehensive coverage of herbalism, aromatherapy, and nutraceuticals with advanced safety training and application protocols. Includes everything in Foundation plus significantly more.
Everything in Foundation plus a comprehensive deep dive into herbalism, clinical aromatherapy, and nutraceutical science. Advanced safety protocols, drug-herb interactions, special populations, and the research methodology to evaluate new claims as they emerge.
Designed for practitioners who want a complete evidence-based natural health toolkit and serious enthusiasts who want the same education without the clinical practice component.
Specialization tracks
After completing Foundation or the Complete Program, choose a specialization track based on your clinical focus or personal interest.
Mental Wellness
Stress, anxiety, sleep, cognitive function, and mood. Adaptogens, nervines, and the neuroscience behind botanical interventions for mental health support.
Women's Health
Hormonal health, menopause, cycle support, pregnancy, and postpartum. Evidence-based botanical and nutritional interventions across the female lifespan.
Pediatric Health
Safe, evidence-based natural health for children. Age-appropriate dosing, safety considerations, and published research on botanical interventions in pediatric populations.
Healthy Aging
Cognitive aging, longevity research, mitochondrial function, and the evidence behind Mediterranean lifestyle interventions. Built on published geroscience.
Environmental Health
Toxin exposure, detoxification pathways, and evidence-based approaches to reducing environmental health burden. What the research actually shows.
Advanced Research Evaluation
For practitioners who want to read and critically evaluate primary research. Study design, statistical literacy, and how to assess the quality of any clinical trial.
The same standards across every program
Every lesson is taught by Dr. Cavanaugh personally. When she says something works, there is a citation behind it. When there is not, she says so.
Questions about NRI online courses
Anyone who wants to learn about natural wellness from someone who actually conducts the research. The Foundation course is appropriate for complete beginners. The Complete Program and specialization tracks are well-suited for practitioners, health coaches, and serious enthusiasts who want comprehensive evidence-based education.
Most natural wellness education is taught by practitioners who interpret research created by others. NRI courses are taught by the researcher who conducted some of the primary studies behind the content. When the elderberry lesson references an RCT, it is Dr. Cavanaugh's own trial. That is a different level of primary knowledge.
No. The Foundation course is specifically designed for people without a science background. Research concepts are explained in plain language. The goal is to give you the tools to evaluate evidence, not to make you a researcher.
CE credits are available for certain programs and professional bodies. Contact us for current CE accreditation status for your specific credential.
Yes. If you start with Foundation and want to continue, you can upgrade to the Complete Program and pay only the difference. You will not lose your progress or need to repeat content you have already completed.
You access the course material any time, at your own pace, for the duration of your access period. Six months for Foundation, twelve months for the Complete Program. Most students complete Foundation in three to six weeks.
Start with Foundation
Five weeks. Evidence-based. Taught by a clinical researcher. The clearest natural wellness education available.