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Why A Smoothie is “Pre-Chewed” Food

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Note: This article was originally posted on August 13, 2023, and was updated on April 19, 2026. Introduction In the interest of time, many people throw a cup or more of fruit, some green veggies, and maybe some protein powder into a blender to make a smoothie for breakfast. But most people don’t realize how … Read more

Older Adults Need More Protein to Prevent Muscle Loss

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NOTE: This article was originally posted on August 11, 2023, and has been updated and reposted on April 19, 2026. Introduction The inability to retain muscle and strength associated with aging is called sarcopenia. Since adults lose approximately 1% of muscle mass each year after the age of thirty [1], knowing how to retain muscle … Read more

A 2:1 Ketogenic Diet for Mental Health

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Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 23, 2026. Introduction In the last several years, there has been increased interest in the use of a ketogenic diet to support mental health; however, some types of therapeutic ketogenic diets used in mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder with psychosis and schizophrenia, … Read more

Use of a Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet in Mental Health

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Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 23, 2026. Introduction Most people have heard of the high-fat, low-carb “keto” diet for weight loss and blood sugar control, but a therapeutic ketogenic diet (TKD) is different (read more here). A therapeutic ketogenic diet is a type of medical nutrition therapy used as … Read more

Thyroid Medication can Worsen Blood Sugar Control in People with Diabetes

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Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 23, 2026. Introduction Did you know that thyroid medication can worsen blood sugar? The “highlights of prescribing information” sheets available to pharmacists and doctors for medications such as Synthroid® (generic: levothyroxine) and Cytomel® (generic: liothyronine) warn that both these types of thyroid medication can … Read more

Hypothyroidism Update – six months of treatment since diagnosis

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Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 23, 2026. Introduction This update marks just over six months since I was diagnosed with profound hypothyroidism and began medication and nutritional treatment. It is written from a subjective perspective and thus is categorized as part of my personal story, “A Dietitian’s Journey.” At … Read more

Alopecia Universalis – a clinician’s personal story of complete hair loss

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Introduction Three years ago, Tim Rees, a clinician from Germany, lost all his hair a second time to alopecia universalis (AU). As a registered clinical nutritionist, he felt he had lost his credibility to help others with autoimmune conditions, and when he expressed those feelings in a recent blog, it struck a chord with me. … Read more

The Androgen Paradox of Hair Growth and Hair Loss

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Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 23, 2026. Introduction People’s identity is tied to their appearance, which makes significant hair loss at any age or gender devastating, but can nutritional supplements help? Those experiencing different types of hair loss are often desperate to find a solution, and there is no … Read more

Nutritional Supplements With Evidence to Restore Hair Loss

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  Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 23, 2026. Introduction People’s identity is tied to their appearance, which makes significant hair loss at any age or gender devastating, but can nutritional supplements help? Those experiencing different types of hair loss are often desperate to find a solution, and there is … Read more

Hair Loss in Hypothyroidism – nutrients of importance

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Last clinically reviewed by Joy Y. Erdile, MSc, RD on April 23, 2026. Introduction The previous article titled “Hair Loss – Root Causes” was about the three most common types of hair loss, including androgenic alopecia, alopecia areata, and the most common form of diffuse hair loss, telogen effluvium, which is the type often associated … Read more

To Hell and Back – recovering from hypothyroidism (a Dietitian’s Journey)

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Note: This article is 6 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

Hypothyroidism Signs and Symptoms Checklist

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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

Hair Loss – root causes (Part 1)

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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

More Than Skin Deep – skin symptoms associated with hypothyroidism

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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

Beyond Diet – the role of hormones in metabolic health

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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

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism Mistakenly Blamed on Aging

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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

Low Carb Breads of the World – the book

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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

Could Protein be the Appetite’s Control Mechanism

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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

Do You Identify as a Food Addict?

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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

Type 2 Diabetes Remission – expert proposed definition

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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