Note: This article is 5 of 6 articles that have been posted to this website and are in a separate category from research articles, and that category is called “A Dietitian’s Journey”. These 6 articles document my recovery from profound hypothyroidism (June 3, 2022 – October 31, 2022) and represent only my personal experience. They … Read more
Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 23, 2026. Introduction As outlined in a previous article, the standard screening test for abnormal thyroid function is thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), but if those results come back within normal range and a person has no known risk factors or obvious symptoms of thyroid disease, … Read more
Note: This article is 4 of 6 articles that have been posted to this website and are in a separate category from research articles, and that category is called “A Dietitian’s Journey”. These 6 articles document my recovery from profound hypothyroidism (June 3, 2022 – October 31, 2022) and represent only my personal experience. They … Read more
Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 23, 2026. Introduction Hair loss can be a very distressing symptom, especially when it is noticeable to ourselves and others. However, before outlining strategies for addressing it, we first need to understand what’s causing it. That is the purpose of this article. The next … Read more
Note: This article is 3 of 6 articles that have been posted to this website and are in a separate category from research articles, and that category is called “A Dietitian’s Journey”. These 6 articles document my recovery from profound hypothyroidism (June 3, 2022 – October 31, 2022) and represent only my personal experience. They … Read more
Introduction According to the American Thyroid Association, 6% of the population have some type of thyroid disease and 60% of them (~12 million people) are unaware of it. Assuming the same rate applies in Canada, 2.3 million people in Canada have thyroid disease and almost 1.4 million people are unaware of it. Since changes in … Read more
Note: This article is 2 of 6 articles that have been posted to this website and are in a separate category from research articles, and that category is called “A Dietitian’s Journey”. These 6 articles document my recovery from profound hypothyroidism (June 3, 2022 – October 31, 2022) and represent only my personal experience. They … Read more
Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 23, 2026. Introduction The role of diet in metabolic health is well-known, but many people do not realize that hormones, including those from the thyroid, impact that health significantly. The Role of Thyroid Hormones from The Merck Manual of Medical Information (1997) [Image of … Read more
Introduction NOTE: This article contains aspects of my personal story which are clearly marked. My personal experience is not objective data. The pictures are provided only so that people can better understand what the “weight gain” of hypothyroidism can look like, and how different it is from ordinary weight gain. In-person visits to the doctor … Read more
Note: This article is 1 of 6 articles that have been posted to this website and are in a separate category from research articles, and that category is called “A Dietitian’s Journey”. These 6 articles document my recovery from profound hypothyroidism (June 3, 2022 – October 31, 2022) and represent only my personal experience. … Read more
Note: This article was originally posted on July 14, 2022, and was completely updated and reposted on November 3, 2025, and reviewed on April 26, 2026. Introduction When people have blood tests to “check their thyroid,” the test that is performed is a TSH test. TSH is a pituitary hormone, not a thyroid hormone. Provincial … Read more
Introduction I never planned to write a low-carb bread book, but it came about due to both interest and need. Beginning in September 2021, I started experimenting with low-carb breads not made from nut flour. By mid-December, I was finally successful and posted the recipe for Low Carb High Protein Yeast Bread, and it turned … Read more
Introduction Tomorrow, March 5, 2022, it is five years since I began my personal health and weight recovery journey that I’ve dubbed “A Dietitian’s Journey”. While it began in 2017, it continues today, and that is the point behind this post. Five years ago, I was obese, had type 2 diabetes for the previous 8 … Read more
Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 24, 2026. Introduction I have been wanting to write an article about constipation and the role of fiber for a while, but yesterday I saw a cartoon drawn by Glenn McCoy that was the final motivation. (posted with written permission from Glenn McCoy) … Read more
This article was written on November 5, 2021, and was reviewed and updated by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD, on April 24, 2026. Practitioner’s Preface In the last 5 years of my almost 18 years of private clinical practice and my licensure in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, I have seen meat prices rise more … Read more
This article was written on October 11, 2021, and was reviewed and updated by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD, on April 24, 2026. Practitioner’s Preface The idea that there is a specific food that acts as the “off switch” for appetite is very compelling. Who hasn’t eaten more food than they planned or wanted? Whether … Read more
This article was written on October 10, 2021, and was reviewed and updated by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD, on April 24, 2026. Practitioner’s Preface As a Dietitian who supports people with food addiction, when I was asked to speak at a food addiction summit, the evening before, I was given a list of the … Read more
This article was written on September 1, 2021 and was reviewed and updated by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD, on April 24, 2026. Practitioner’s Preface For as long as I can remember, type 2 diabetes has been called a chronic, progressive disease and people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have been taught that (1) the … Read more
This article was written on August 30, 2021, and was reviewed and updated by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD, on April 24, 2026. Practitioner’s Preface A new consensus report from an expert panel made up of representatives from the American Diabetes Association (ADA), European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), and Diabetes UK [1,2,3] … Read more
This article was written on August 23, 2021, and was reviewed and updated by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD, on April 24, 2026. Practitioner’s Preface Green tea, which is high in the catechin EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), has been associated in two meta-analyses with a reduction in body weight and body fat — especially abdominal fat … Read more
This article was written on June 23, 2021, and was reviewed and updated by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD, on April 24, 2026. Practitioner’s Preface This morning, I posted on social media about the extreme heat wave that the Vancouver area will be having over the weekend, with temperatures hitting as high as 40°C or … Read more
This article was written on June 21, 2021, and was reviewed and updated by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD, on April 24, 2026. Practitioner’s Preface This week, the weather forecast for the Vancouver area is for hot and hotter, so I thought it would be good to revisit a wonderful summer drink that I enjoy … Read more
This article was written on June 15, 2021, and was reviewed and updated by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD, on April 24, 2026. Practitioner’s Preface The human body can use carbohydrate, fat, or protein to generate energy; only carbohydrate and fat are major fuel sources. Protein’s role in the diet is mainly to provide amino … Read more
Note: This article is 2 of 3 anecdotal accounts of a former client’s personal health journeys. It represents their unique experience and is not intended as medical advice or scientific evidence. Introduction After reading the journey of one of my clients, “J” asked if she could tell her story. I thought it would be good … Read more
This article was written on May 25, 2021, and was reviewed and updated by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD, on April 24, 2026. Practitioner’s Preface There continues to be a reliance on LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) as the main means to assess cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, despite the fact that apolipoprotein B (apoB) has been found … Read more
