Clayton College Interview

Cory Holly’s five–word affirmation, I want to be well is the rock–solid foundation on which his robust lifestyle is built. Through self–motivation he devotes at least an hour each day to researching the latest news in nutrition and then crystallizes his findings into phrases, headlines and multi–part articles for newsletters, magazines and book chapters.

Cory Holly is a world–renowned bodybuilder who is training to compete as Grand Master in the 2007 Natural Olympics in Greece. With more than 50 of his own scientific articles, how–to books and motivational CDs and DVDs available online through the Cory Holly Institute, his intellectual substance and bulk are natural by–products of sound nutrition and devotion to exercise.

Lifestyle choices help to form powerful links in one’s biological chain — creating an internal bridge that, still, is only as strong as its weakest link. The body’s cellular connecting points that we ourselves engineer are often stretched and strained by situations beyond anyone’s control. So, if we do indeed create much of our own internal circuitry, why are humans so prone to self–imposed internal meltdown?

It’s a question that Cory addresses by asking clients to think about and assess, moment–by–moment, whether their freedom of choice is supporting life or death.

“The thousands of choices that we make in 24 hours truly represent an ‘embarrassment of riches," he says with a good–natured laugh. “Who in their right mind would choose to starve their cellular development by not drinking enough water?"

“The point is that we aren’t in our right minds when we’re constantly running–on–empty. The typical diet in my native Canada and in the U.S. has been called ‘the white death diet’ because it’s overly processed, poisonous and artificial. Its followers live short and die long."

“Specifically,” he adds, “choosing to consume empty calories self–sabotages mental as well as physical ability and overall life expectancy by increasing free radical production. Commercial sources of animal protein are usually high in saturated fat, laden with fat–soluble toxins and can contain harmful microorganisms. Conversely, whey proteins are low in fat and lactose (milk sugar), provide superior amino acid ratios which resist oxidation, and enhance immunity by raising antioxidant levels of glutathione.”

It’s no coincidence that the Cory Holly Institute is nicknamed CHI.

“The word chi is synonymous with the flow of natural energy. Inherent Chi encompasses the energies of our parents at our point of conception. Acquired Chi is the energy accumulated by the quality of life we choose to lead, including the air, food and water that we choose to ingest. To deeply absorb and integrate the wisdom of Universal Chi, we must first support our fundamental life force within. I learned this concept of homeostasis from a physician and orthomolecular researcher named Emanuel Cheraskin — who was CCNH’s first director of naturopathic research."

“This was years before he worked for Clayton College,” Cory concludes, “and he was practical as well as brilliant. He suggested I could ‘earn while I learn, and vice–versa’ by studying the science of holistic nutrition through distance–learning, while traveling the world as a natural bodybuilder, naturalist and free spirit.”

by Mary Grace McCord
Clayton College of Natural Health
Birmingham, Alabama USA

This article was based on an interview with the graduate.