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Hi there! I'm Chris Bigelow, owner of Innova Vita and creator of the Innova Vita Health and Wellness Course. I wanted to start this behind the scenes look at what went into making this course. When I set out to build this course, I had one clear goal: focus on the lifestyle factors that heavily influence chronic disease development while giving you practical tools to live healthier, no matter what stage of life you're in.
If you're new to exercise or honestly not sure how much you actually need to move your body, this first module is designed specifically with you in mind. Let's get into what makes our "Lifestyle Chronic Disease" module the perfect starting point for your health journey in our nine module course.
I'll be upfront with you: this module is probably the most academic of all nine modules in our course. But there's a really good reason for that. Before we can effectively prevent or manage chronic diseases through lifestyle changes, we need to understand what we're actually dealing with.
This module covers the basics of the most common chronic illnesses with significant lifestyle connections, particularly cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. We establish what risk factors are, how they work, and most importantly, how they stack up over time. Understanding this foundation helps you realize that small, consistent changes in your daily routine can create real shifts in your long-term health outcomes that may have seemed out of reach before.
We also tackle two topics that create massive confusion online: chronic stress and inflammation. The stress component examines how our modern lifestyle creates persistent stress responses that our bodies simply weren't designed to handle long-term, and we provide practical frameworks for identifying your personal stress patterns.
The inflammation section might be one of my favorite parts of this module because it addresses so much misinformation that circulates online. Social media has turned "inflammation" into a buzzword that gets blamed for everything from weight gain to brain fog, often without any real scientific backing.
Our course helps you understand the crucial difference between acute inflammation (which is actually protective and necessary for healing injuries and fighting infections) and chronic low-grade systemic inflammation (which can contribute to disease development over time). This distinction matters because it prevents you from falling for expensive "anti-inflammatory" supplements or extreme dietary approaches that promise to eliminate all inflammation from your body.
Your body needs inflammation to function properly. What we want to address are the lifestyle factors that contribute to persistent, low-level inflammatory responses that serve no protective purpose and may increase disease risk over time.
Here's where our course offers a distinct advantage over those standalone articles or blog posts you might find elsewhere. You've probably read quick posts about preventing heart disease that end with generic tips like "eat better and exercise more." While that advice isn't wrong, it's not particularly helpful either (and we have that basic advice in this module). Where our course is different is after we cover the foundational knowledge in this chronic disease module, we show you exactly how to act on that information. There are dedicated modules on creating your own exercise programs similar to what you’d get from a personal trainer that fits your current fitness level and life schedule. You’ll also learn what healthy eating actually looks like in real life, and develop practical stress management techniques that work with your lifestyle.
Even though our descriptions in this chronic illness chapter are designed for absolute beginners, you have a clear pathway through the rest of the course to chart out a personalized plan of action for yourself. No more wondering "okay, now what?" after reading about risk factors and then searching through handfuls of articles and social posts for more advice.
This module introduces several features you'll find throughout all nine modules of our course, designed to make your learning experience more engaging and practical.
Some lessons work better when you hear them explained conversationally. You'll encounter short episodes from our "Healthy Habits Unlocked Podcast" featuring AI podcasters Alex and Casey. Their unique personalities bring the material to life and break down concepts in a different way than I would in my normal writing style. If you're someone who likes learning during walks or commutes, these episodes are perfect for you.
This module includes access to a comprehensive stress log designed to help you reflect on your current coping mechanisms and daily stress management patterns. The questions are based on research I encountered while studying physician burnout, adapted to apply to everyday life situations.
This isn't just busy work like you’d get in a normal academic course. Many students find this exercise genuinely eye-opening because it reveals stress patterns they hadn't consciously recognized. If you're working with a therapist, they'll likely appreciate seeing your completed stress log as it provides concrete data about your stress experiences. Alternatively, you can share your completed log with AI tools for general lifestyle suggestions (not medical advice).
One unique feature of the Innova Vita Health and Wellness Course is that it's built to work alongside AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Anthropic's Claude, and Grok. Rather than leaving you to figure out how to use these tools effectively, I provide engineered prompts that serve as templates for getting useful, specific information instead of generic advice from plain English prompting or what is commonly called "AI slop."
This module introduces two AI integrations:
First, you'll get a tool to help you prepare more effectively for primary care visits with your doctor by generating focused questions based on your specific health concerns and health history. Many people want to ask their doctors better questions but don't know where to start. This tool helps you maximize those valuable consultation minutes with your physician.
Second, we introduce investigation activities, these are structured research questions designed to be explored using AI deep research tools. Each investigation includes four beginner-level, four intermediate-level, and two advanced-level questions, allowing you to dive as deep as your interest and time permit. Many tools offer at least limited free access to Deep Research functions, and I include a link to a strong open-source model that doesn't require an account, ensuring every student can participate.
This Lifestyle Chronic Disease module establishes the groundwork for the entire course. By understanding how lifestyle factors contribute to disease development, you'll be better equipped to make informed decisions about goal setting, exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress management throughout the remaining eight modules.
The module emphasizes that chronic disease prevention isn't about living a perfect clean lifestyle or making extreme lifestyle changes. Instead, it's about understanding your personal risk factors and making sustainable modifications that fit your life circumstances. Some students discover their biggest opportunity lies in improving sleep quality, while others benefit most from adding structured physical activity or developing better stress management techniques.
If you're tired of conflicting advice online and want a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to preventing chronic disease and optimizing your wellbeing, the Innova Vita Health and Wellness Course might be exactly what you're looking for. This chronic disease module provides the scientific foundation you need to make informed decisions about your health, while the remaining modules give you practical tools to implement lasting changes.
Check out our course page to see if our approach aligns with your health goals. I'll be continuing this blog series with detailed looks at each of our nine modules, so you can get a complete picture of what the course offers.
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Chris Bigelow brings 14+ years of experience teaching health and exercise science in higher education at Bryan University. He holds a Master's degree in Kinesiology (exercise science) from AT Still University and is the Founder and Owner of Innova Vita Fitness, LLC. His evidence-based approach to health and wellness is backed by extensive academic training and practical experience helping people achieve their health goals.
Medical Disclaimer
The Innova Vita Health and Wellness Course is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with qualified healthcare providers regarding any health concerns or before making significant changes to your diet, exercise routine, or lifestyle.
