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 with hypothyroidism. This article explains the role of specific vitamin and mineral deficiencies … Read more
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
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, no testing of thyroid hormones occurs, and thyroid function is presumed to be … Read more
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 article will address strategies for helping to restore hair loss through diet and … 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
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 Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid Axis diagram] The thyroid and the hormones it produces play an important … 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 was originally posted on July 14, 2022, and was completely updated and reposted on November 3, 2025. 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 guidelines have established that even if … Read more
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) The old song “All I Want for Christmas (is my two front teeth)” may … Read more
Introduction Meat prices have gone crazy and many people are wondering how to eat well on a budget. Steaks and chops are familiar, but they aren’t the only source of protein — or even the best sources. Comparative Protein Density in Animal Sources A rib steak is only 60% protein but skipjack tuna is 92% … Read more
Introduction 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 it was too much of the same food or too much of a variety of foods, we often eat until we are stuffed. Wouldn’t … Read more
Introduction As a Dietitian who supports people with food addiction, I was recently asked to speak at a food addiction summit. The evening before speaking, I was given a list of the questions I would be asked. The first one was “How has food addiction impacted your life? How old were you”? The opening question … Read more
Introduction 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 disease will persist (i.e. is chronic), (2) will only get worse (i.e. is progressive), (3) that medication to manage the disease is inevitable, and … Read more
Introduction 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] has proposed a standard definition for remission of type 2 diabetes. This article outlines the different factors involved in that definition, as well as … Read more
Introduction 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 [1,2] and matcha powder is especially high in EGCG. Catechin Concentration in Matcha Catechins make up ~30% of green tea’s dry weight and while … Read more
Introduction 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 higher, which is almost 105°F. One of the people that follows me on social media mentioned the risk of leaving clear water bottles in … Read more
Introduction 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 to help cool off and replace fluids. This week’s weather forecast – hot and hotter (from the Weather Network) Most people know that when … Read more
Introduction 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 acids needed by the body to make its own proteins, for structure and function. How the Body Generates Energy During digestion, carbohydrates, fats, and … Read more
Introduction 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 apolipoproteinB (apoB) has been found to be a much better predictor. This article looks at why total LDL cholesterol is inadequate to assess cardiovascular risk, what apoB is, and why … Read more
Introduction FODMAP is an acronym for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols which are the types of carbohydrate that are fermented by the microorganisms that live in our intestines know as the ”microbiome“, resulting in increased gas production (methane), abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, or sometimes a combination of both. The carbohydrate fermented by … Read more
Note: This article was originally posted on August 13, 2023, and was updated and reposted on November 25, 2025. 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 … Read more
Introduction A therapeutic diet is used to treat a medical condition, and when prescribed by a Physician and implemented by a Dietitian, it is referred to as Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) [1]. Therapeutic ketogenic diets are a form of medical nutrition therapy using a specific ratio of fat to protein plus carbohydrate. These diets are … Read more
Introduction People on social media argue about which is the “best diet” for humans — vegan or carnivore? Low carb or keto? Vegetarian or vegan? I avoid these “diet wars” largely because I don’t believe there is a “best” diet for everybody. Some diets are preferable over others for a variety of reasons, including religious … Read more
[NOTE: This is a combination Science Made Simple article and editorial, expressing my opinion.] This past Wednesday March 24, 2021, Dr. James Muecke, a South Australia ophthalmologist who was the 2020 Australian of the Year, posted on Facebook that Diabetes Australia reworded their webpage from ”Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition” to ”Type 2 … Read more
Introduction In November 2018, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) released a Position Statement [1] which identified four separate disease stages associated with an abnormal glucose response, including Type 2 Diabetes: Stage 1: Insulin Resistance Stage 2: Prediabetes Stage 3: Type 2 Diabetes Stage 4: Vascular Complications — including retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy The … Read more
