WEforum Health and Wellness Conference 2018
Oscar Coetzee, PhD, DCN – Clinical Director, Nutrition Department, Natural Healthcare Center
Genetics and Health: What Your DNA Can and Cannot Tell You About Your Path to Health
Wednesday, November 14 11:30-12:30 AM – SPEAKER SERIES (LECTURE HALL)
Eating a healthy diet should be simple but nutrition news can make your head spin. Let’s clear up the confusion. Let’s figure out how you put a healthy and delicious meal on the table every night. Let’s combine what nutritionists know about healthy diet with what chefs know about a delicious meal. Eating healthy food that doesn’t taste great is impossible to sustain; let’s be honest: life’s too short not to enjoy great food.
Dr. Oscar Coetzee was born and raised in South Africa, where he completed his military schooling and bachelor’s degree with majors in criminology and psychology. A formidable force on the golf course, he reached national amateur colors as one of the highest-ranked amateur golfers in South Africa.
Dr. Coetzee began his professional career at Fair Oaks Hospital in Summit, N.J., where he served as a drug counselor, suicide intervention advisor, and co-dependency specialist for two years. In 2006, Dr. Coetzee joined forces with Dr. James Proodian at Natural Healthcare Center in Long Branch, N.J. He currently serves as the Nutrition Department’s Clinical Director. Together, they have built a Clinical Nutrition Department whose work is rooted in scientific research and whose 30 dietary protocols are based on Dr. Coetzee’s 20 years of clinical experience. His specialties are metabolic syndrome, intestinal permeability, Type II diabetes, Sports Performance and almost all chronic inflammatory diseases. Dr. Coetzee’s clinical intuition has made him known for unraveling some complex medical cases.
Dr. Coetzee developed his own golf performance enhancement business, which includes nutritional, psychological and recently genetic coaching. He currently works with top-level club professional golfers, LPGA members, and International Asian and European Tour players. Dr. Coetzee coached Paul Peterson to his first European Tour win, the 2016 Czech Masters, with not only nutrition and mental coaching but also serving as his caddy – Paul recently added the Myanmar Open 2018 (Asian Tour) title to his flourishing career.
Dr. Coetzee was awarded the best thesis award for his case series trial on Metabolic Syndrome Reversal in his master’s degree at UB. Dr. Coetzee finished his second doctorate from Maryland University of Integrative Health, with a specialization in nutrigenomics. Dr. Coetzee is heavily involved with research and peer review publications specializing in individual case studies and case series trials.
In 2012, Dr. Coetzee joined the faculty at Maryland University of Integrative Health, where he was offered a full-time faculty position and received ranking as “associate professor” in 2018. Dr. Coetzee is also the Associate Director of the Nutrition Tract in the Doctor of Health Science Degree at the University of Bridgeport and an adjunct faculty member. Dr. Coetzee has done consulting work and frequent guest lectures at West Point Academy and Georgetown University Medical School.
Dr. Coetzee is a Certified Board Supervisor for the CNS (Certified Nutrition Specialists) and is currently on the national board exam committee for the National Association of Nutritional Professionals (NANP). He also served as legislative chair for the NANP from 2009 to 2011.
In 2017, Dr. Coetzee received the “Great Esteem Award” at Maryland University of Integrative Health for his dedication and devotion to student performance and their academic evolvement. This award is voted on and recommended by the student body representing all students.
