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# BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd.

Nutrition is BetterByDesign

## Posts

- [Why So Many Post Menopausal Women and Older Men Have Low Iron](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/08/04/why-so-many-post-menopausal-women-and-older-men-have-low-iron/) - NOTE: This article was written and posted on August 4, 2019, and was completely updated on November 7, 2025. Doctors are often hesitant to order blood tests for post menopausal women who report being more tired or having more hair loss than usual, simply because these women no longer have a period. While menstruation
- [Stages of Change and Why Most People Regain Weight Loss](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/11/06/stages-of-change-why-most-ppl-regain-wt-loss/) - Note: This article was originally posted on November 6, 2020 and was updated and reposted on November 27, 2025. Historically, studies have shown that more than half of weight loss is regained within 2 years, and more than 80% of weight loss is regained by 5 years [1]. Recent data indicate that within 1 year
- [Why Waist Circumference and Waist to Height Ratio Are So Important](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/05/22/why-waist-circumference-and-waist-to-height-ratio-is-so-important/) - Note: This article was originally posted on May 22, 2018 and was updated on November 25, 2025. Most of us get on the scale to determine if we are getting to, or staying at, our "goal weight" -- thinking that weight is the best way to assess risk. This article is about a more accurate
- [Why A Smoothie is "Pre-Chewed" Food](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/08/13/smoothie-as-pre-chewed-food/) - 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
- [Sugar Industry Paid to Shift Blame for Heart Disease to Fat](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/11/24/sugar-industry-paid-to-shift-blame-for-heart-disease-to-fat/) - Introduction Today I was reminded about a post that I wrote almost eight years ago (March 12, 2018), about an article that had been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in September 2016 [1]. The article revealed that the sugar industry had funded three renowned Harvard researchers to write a series
- [Researchers that Blamed Saturated Fat as Cause of Heart Disease - paid by sugar industry](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/03/12/researchers-that-blamed-saturated-fat-as-cause-of-heart-disease-paid-by-sugar-industry/) - A year ago, I found out from a fellow Dietitian that a recently published article in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that the sugar industry had secretly funded a group of renowned Harvard researchers to write an influential series of articles which downplayed, discredited or outright ignored research known at the time,
- [Dietary and Lifestyle Changes to Avoid "Old People Smell"](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/09/01/avoiding-that-old-people-smell/) - In Western culture, the main focus as we age is to keep ourselves “looking young,” usually pursued by buying special skin and hair-care products. In Japan, avoiding “kareishu”, or “old people smell,” is a significant focus in aging. There are special soaps and washing products promoted to meet this need, as well as research
- [Intermittent Fasting and Time Restricted Eating — duration and timing](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/08/17/intermittent-fasting-and-time-restricted-eating/) - People have heard about the benefits of intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating; however, the duration and timing of fasting are important considerations. Intermittent fasting refers to specific times for 'eating' and 'not eating' (fasting) on a set schedule. There are two main types, which are (1) partial fasting or alternate-day fasting, and (2) time-restricted
- [The Role of Protein in the Diet of Older Adults](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/03/01/the-role-of-protein-in-the-diet-of-older-adults/) - Note: This article was originally posted on March 1, 2018, and was edited on November 23, 2025 This article is based largely on a lecture given by Dr. Donald Layman, PhD – Professor Emeritus from the University of Illinois (Nutrition Forum, June 23, 2013, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) [1]. People understand it's important for children
- [Hemorrhoids — more than the butt of jokes](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/10/10/hemorrhoids-more-than-the-butt-of-jokes/) - [This article was written on November 10, 2024, and was updated on October 10, 2025.] We are finally breaking the stigma and talking about mental health. Men grow moustaches in November to raise awareness about prostate health, so it is time to move past embarrassment and talk about colorectal health. This is my first article
- [Is Animal-based and Plant-based Protein Equivalent?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/08/20/is-animal-based-and-plant-based-protein-equivalent/) - Note: This article was originally posted on August 20, 2023, and was revised and reposted on November 2, 2025. It now includes the latest research on protein quality, amino acid bioavailability, and the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS). References and recommendations for both plant and animal proteins have been updated for accuracy. Some people
- [Thyroid Function Assumed to be Normal When Only TSH is Tested](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/07/14/thyroid-function-only-tsh-tested/) - 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
- [Complex Carbohydrates as Long Chains of Sugar Molecules](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/04/09/complex-carbohydrates-as-long-chains-of-sugar-molecules/) - Note: This article was originally posted on April 9, 2019, and was updated and reposted on November 9, 2025. Introduction Did you know that "complex carbohydrates" are just long chains of sugar molecules, like pearls on a string? How quickly and how high blood sugar spikes depend on what those sugars are. This article
- [Standard Treatment for Diabetes Before the Discovery of Insulin](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/02/16/standard-treatment-for-diabetes-prior-to-the-discovery-of-insulin/) - Note: This article was originally posted on February 16, 2021, and has been updated and reposted on November 10, 2025. Introduction More than a hundred years ago, Dr. Russell M. Wilder and two Dietitians from the Mayo Clinic wrote a 69-page book titled A Primer for Diabetic Patients – A Brief Outline of
- [The Worst Carb For Blood Sugar You've Probably Never Heard Of](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/11/13/the-worst-carb-for-blood-sugar-youve-probably-never-heard-of/) - [Update, November 17, 2025: This article was updated to include several powerful graphics from a 2025 paper about the health implications of maltodextrin as an additive in processed foods] Introduction A recently updated article titled Complex Carbohydrates as Long Chains of Sugar Molecules, explained that “complex carbohydrates” are really just long chains of sugar molecules,
- [Types of Protein to Help Older Adults Retain Muscle](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/08/11/retain-muscle-types-protein-older-adults/) - Note: this article was originally posted on August 11, 2023, and has been updated and reposted on November 23, 2025. Understanding Sarcopenia 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
- [Is the Glycemic Index Reliable to Predict Blood Sugar Response?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/05/14/is-the-glycemic-index-reliable-for-predicting-blood-sugar-response/) - Introduction The infographic below has been making the rounds recently on social media and is based on the idea that high Glycemic Index (GI) foods can be represented by the effect those foods have on people's blood sugar, compared to teaspoons of sugar. Below is an infographic developed by Dr. David Unwin that describes the
- [The Perils of Food Processing (II) - what affects absorption of carbs](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/06/20/the-perils-of-food-processing-part-2-what-food-components-and-other-factors-affect-the-absorption-of-carbs/) - This article on the Perils of Food Processing is based on a lecture given by Gabor Erdosi, MSc, MBA— Food News Conference, May 19, 2018 — Prague, Czech Republic. Part 1 can be read here. INTRODUCTION In the first part of this article on the Perils of Food Processing, we considered the effect of different
- [The Perils of Food Processing - effect on absorption and hormones](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/06/08/the-perils-of-food-processing-how-the-preparation-of-food-affects-how-quickly-it-is-absorbed/) - This article is based on a lecture given by Gabor Erdosi, MSc, MBA— Food News Conference, May 19, 2018 — Prague, Czech Republic Introduction Gabor Erdosi, MSc, MBA, is a Molecular Biologist from Debrecen, Hungary, who is employed in the Food Industry but whose hobby is reading scientific publications and analyzing the available information. The
- [Hypothyroidism Signs and Symptoms Checklist](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/10/14/hypothyroidism-signs-symptoms-checklist/) - 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
- [A Keto Diet and a Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet are Very Different](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2024/06/27/a-keto-diet-and-a-therapeutic-ketogenic-diet-are-very-different/) - Introduction With the release of several books outlining a role in mental health, therapeutic ketogenic diets have grown in popularity. Some people think they are the same as keto diets for weight loss or blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes. They are similar but very different. A therapeutic ketogenic diet is
- [A Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet - treatment and adjunct treatment](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/04/13/a-therapeutic-ketogenic-diet-treatment-and-adjunct-treatment/) - 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
- [A 2:1 Ketogenic Diet for Mental Health](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/06/21/mental-health-use-of-ketogenic-diet/) - 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, can be challenging to follow because they involve eating two to three
- [Use of a Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet in Mental Health](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/05/11/therapeutic-ketogenic-diet-in-mental-health/) - 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 adjunct treatment for specific physical or mental health conditions that is either prescribed by
- [Treating Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/09/08/treating-small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth-sibo/) - In the first article in this series about Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), I covered what SIBO is, how common it is, as well as its symptoms. In the second article, I outlined different tests used to diagnose SIBO, some of the challenges with those, the difference between hydrogen-dominant and methane-dominant SIBO, and why Irritable Bowel
- [A Dietitian's Journey (Part III) - the next phase](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/07/06/a-dietitians-journey-the-next-phase/) - Thirteen months ago, I was diagnosed with an auto-immune condition and was the sickest I had been in many years. Thankfully, I am entering the next phase, where I hope to restore my health to what it was before my diagnosis. At the time of my youngest son's wedding on June 3, 2022, I was
- [Concerns with Polyunsaturated Vegetable Oils - Part 1](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/04/05/concerns-with-polyunsaturated-vegetable-oils/) - INTRODUCTION: Both the US and Canadian Dietary Guidelines encourage us to limit saturated fat in order to reduce the risk of heart disease and to eat unsaturated fat, including polyunsaturated vegetable oils instead but what are these fats, where do they come from and what role might these play in development of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and even
- [Significant Increase in Functional Dyspepsia Since the Pandemic](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/08/08/significant-increase-in-functional-dyspepsia-since-the-pandemic/) - Functional Dyspepsia is a disorder similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) which affects the stomach rather than the bowel and just like IBS, it is diagnosed after ruling out underlying structural, or biochemical causes such as peptic ulcers, gastritis, or Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disorder (GERD). Symptoms of Functional Dyspepsia may include pain or burning called
- [Green Tea Should not be like Buckley's®](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/03/24/green-tea-should-not-be-like-buckleys/) - Recently, I came across a social media post about someone that wanted to drink green tea for it's health benefits, but just couldn't get over it's "bad taste". I followed the origin of the thread to Reddit, where people guessed whether green tea's "off taste" for that person may be genetic, like the taste of
- [Hair Loss in Hypothyroidism  – nutrients of importance](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/11/17/hair-loss-in-hypothyroidism-nutrients-of-importance/) - In 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
- [Dietary Support for Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/03/19/dietary-support-for-hypermobile-ehlers-danlos-syndrome-heds/) - Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of genetic connective-tissue disorders that often present as symptoms of joint hypermobility (joints that bend in unusual ways), joint instability, stretchy, fragile skin, with accompanying gastrointestinal symptoms. There are approximately 13 subtypes of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, with the most common type and the one that I support being Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos
- [Vitamin B12 Levels May Be Set Too Low to Prevent Cognitive Decline in Older Adults](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/05/07/vitamin-b12-levels-may-be-set-too-low-to-prevent-cognitive-decline-in-older-adults/) - A recent study published in the Annals of Neurology on February 10, 2025, suggests that levels of vitamin B12 considered within lab-normal values may be too low to prevent cognitive decline in healthy older adults [1]. What is Vitamin B12? Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin found in foods of
- [Are You Pushing Your Pancreas Too Hard — estimating beta cell function](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/02/22/pushing-pancreas-too-hard-estimating-β-cell-function/) - Most people think of pre-diabetes as a 'warning sign’ that they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, but it is the final stage before diagnosis. The criteria for diagnosing prediabetes is having a fasting blood glucose between 6.1-6.9 mmol/L (110-12.4 mg/dl) and/or HbA1C between 6.0-6.4% [1], and the criteria for diagnosing Type 2
- [A Choice: Living With Diabetes, Seeking Remission From Diabetes](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/02/03/a-choice-living-with-diabetes-seeking-remission-from-diabetes/) - People come to me with different goals concerning type 2 diabetes. Many people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes come to see me to help them put their diabetes into remission, so they no longer meet the criteria for diagnosis. As stated throughout this website and on my forms, I do not counsel people
- [Achievements as a Journey not a Destination](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/03/30/achievements-as-a-journey-not-a-destination/) - I have come to realize that achievements in any area of life are journeys, and not destinations, and that the bends and bumps in the road are part of the journey. Over the past year, I have had to change how I do things, and also how I view the process. Those who have been
- [A Different Type of F.A.C.E. Time](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/03/16/a-different-type-of-f-a-c-e-time/) - Last weekend, I listened to a podcast that featured Dr. Vonda Wright, MD who is an orthopedic surgeon and longevity expert who spoke about our choice to do nothing and become frail as we age, or to implement mobility activity so we can retain and build muscle and bone mass. It was woth sharing.
- [Histamine Intolerance, MCAD and How Dietary Changes Help](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/07/23/histamine-intolerance-mcad-and-how-dietary-changes-help/) - INTRODUCTION: In the previous article about milk intolerance related to a novel beta casein protein found in commercial cow's milk, I mentioned both histamine intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD) -- which is also called MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome). Several people with these disorders reached out to me on social media looking for
- [The Best Time to Start is Now - a Dietitian's journey continues](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2025/01/03/the-best-time-to-start-is-now-a-dietitians-journey-continues/) - It's the beginning of January and many people are heading off to the gym to fulfill their New Year's resolution, but yesterday I quit the gym. Yes, I quit, but why? Sure, the gym will be over-crowded for the next 2 months until all those who were well-intentioned on December 31st find themselves too
- [Insulin Resistance, Hyperinsulinemia and Hyperglycemia](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/12/05/insulin-resistance-hyperinsulinemia-and-hyperglycemia/) - The distinction between insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia is often unclear because these terms are frequently lumped together under "insulin resistance", but they are separate concepts. Hyperinsulinemia ("too high insulin") is when there is too much insulin secreted from the pancreas in response to high levels of blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and insulin resistance is where the taking
- [To Hell and Back – recovering from hypothyroidism](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/10/31/to-hell-and-back-recovering-from-hypothyroidism/) - In the summer of 2019, I was feeling fantastic after losing 55 pounds and putting my type 2 diabetes and hypertension into remission. Fast forward to August 2020, when I got Covid. It was new at that point and none of us knew what to expect and it took months until I began to feel
- [From the Mountains Through the Valleys - 5 year update](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/03/04/from-the-mountains-through-the-valleys-5-year-update/) - 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 still continues today and that is the point behind this post. Five years ago, I was obese, had type 2 diabetes for the previous 8
- [Five Pounds or Fifty Pounds of Fat - in very real terms](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/01/27/five-pounds-or-fifty-pounds-of-fat/) - Whether one loses 5 pounds of fat or 50 pounds of fat, I think it is very helpful to visualize just how much that is. Yes, five pounds of fat is much larger than most people realize! This past week, I purchased a life-sized model of 5 pounds of fat from a well-known nutrition supplier;
- [DEXA Bone Density Scans - accuracy depends on where it is done](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2024/02/15/dexa-bone-density-scans-accuracy-where-it-is-done/) - If you are considering having a DEXA bone density scan to assess your risk of osteoporosis, where you have it done will significantly impact the accuracy of the results, and whether they will provide you with the information you want. While dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) bone density scans are considered the gold standard for assessing
- [Extended Benefits: What are Reasonable and Customary Charges?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2024/10/22/extended-benefits-reasonable-and-customary-charges/) - Approximately 90% of Canadians (87%) have extended health benefit plans; 64% of people have them through their employer, another 14 % access them through another type of group plan, and 9% of people buy private health insurance [1] and most major insurers (7 out of 10) cover Registered Dietitian services in their standard plan [2].
- [Three and a Half Years Later - 100 pounds weight maintenance](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2024/10/14/three-and-a-half-years-later-100-pounds-weight-maintenance/) - "In October 2019, I began my food addiction recovery and weight loss journey with Joy, and after recently rereading the post that I wrote for her website in May 2021, I was overwhelmed with gratitude." "I continue to be in remission of food addiction and disordered eating and have maintained a weight loss of
- [One Client Journey – down over 200 pounds](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/01/03/one-client-journey-down-over-200-pounds/) - Introduction: It’s been almost three years since I started working with Karen D. in February of 2018 and in that time she has lost over 200 pounds. Yes, two hundred pounds! When she came to see me the first time, I was only one year into my own weight-loss and health-recovery journey, and was still
- [Another Client Journey — freedom from food addiction](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/05/03/another-client-journey-freedom-from-food-addiction/) - After reading the journey of one of my clients, "J" asked if she could tell her story. I thought it would be good for others to hear of her past struggles with disordered eating and how she came to realize she was a food addict. This is "J", in her own words. "I could not
- [What Does Success Looks Like Now - A Dietitian's Journey](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/09/11/what-does-success-looks-like-now-a-dietitians-journey/) - This article is the fourth entry in A Dietitian's Journey and is about how I will measure success as I recover from hypothyroidism. A Dietitian's Journey - Part I "A Dietitian's Journey" (Part I) was my personal weight-loss and health-recovery journey that began on March 5, 2017 when I decided to make dietary and lifestyle
- [To Hell and Back - recovering from hypothyroidism (a Dietitian's Journey)](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/10/31/to-hell-and-back-recovering-from-hypothyroidism-a-dietitians-journey/) - Last Monday, I went to the lab for updated blood work, including a thyroid hormone panel, additional thyroid antibody tests, and an iron panel. I have moved past the frustration of there being no pricelist available for consumers who are self-paying for lab tests, and am now focusing on the lab test results, and the
- [A Keto Diet is Only About How Much Carbohydrate it Contains](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/01/04/a-keto-diet-is-only-about-how-much-carbohydrate-it-contains/) - The myth persists that a "keto" diet followed for weight loss or improved metabolic health is all about the fat...bacon, heavy whipping cream, and fat bombs. It's about adding butter and MCT oil to coffee, about eating fatty cuts of meat and lots of avocado. It isn't. What makes a diet "low carb" or "keto"
- [Dietary Saturated Fat is Not Associated with Increased Risk of CVD](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/04/07/new-study-dietary-saturated-fat-is-not-associated-with-increased-risk-of-cvd/) - A recently published meta-analysis of 43 cohort or nested case-control studies up until July 1, 2018 [1] did not find that higher saturated fat intake is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. This is the first study to examine the effect of total dietary fat intake and the intake of specific fatty
- [Lowering LDL and Saturated Fat to Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Disease](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/06/23/lowering-ldl-and-saturated-fat-to-lower-risk-of-cardiovascular-disease/) - INTRODUCTION: There much debate in the health community about the effect of dietary fat — especially saturated fat on cholesterol levels and whether there is an association between dietary saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease. In the first part in this two-part series titled High Cholesterol and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, I explained what cholesterol
- [International Diabetes Federation - evidence for 1-hour glucose assessor](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2024/04/08/international-diabetes-federation-1-hour-ogtt/) - International Diabetes Federation has just released a new Position Statement that indicates that an oral glucose tolerance test performed at 1-hour after a glucose load is more effective in screening at-risk individuals for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes than a 2-hour Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). The International Diabetes Federation is a non-profit umbrella organization
- [Assessing Insulin Resistance - Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA)](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/03/22/assessing-insulin-resistance-homeostasis-model-assessment-homa/) - 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 Long before
- [DEXA Body Composition Scans as Assessors of Bone Density](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2024/02/12/dexa-body-composition-scans-as-assessors-of-bone-density/) - DEXA Bone Density Scans are the gold standard for assessing the quality of the inside of bone, and determining whether a person has osteopenia or osteoporosis. More on those scans, soon. A DEXA Body Composition Scan is designed for assessing the amount of body fat and the distribution of that fat, yet often come with
- [Unreliability of Many Blood Glucose Monitors](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/02/22/unreliability-of-many-blood-glucose-monitors/) - Previous to today, I never gave the reliability of blood glucose monitors a second thought. I assumed that if they were sold in Canada, they were reliable. Not all are as good as others, it seems! Yesterday morning, as I always do, I tested my morning fasting blood glucose with my glucometer. As someone with Type
- [Bubby's Chicken Soup](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/01/11/bubbys-chicken-soup/) - Many people (including me) are sick with the flu and many are sipping soup, because it is warm and comforting and provides them with some protein, vitamins and minerals. I'm drinking chicken soup, made from my grandmother's recipe and this isn't any chicken soup, as you will soon find out. Whenever someone in my family is sick,
- [1977 Dietary Recommendations — forty years on](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2017/05/11/1977-dietary-recommendations-forty-years-on/) - Since 1977, the dietary recommendations in Canada and the US has been for people to consume a diet with limited fat and where ”complex carbohydrates" (starches) comprise the main source of calories. From 1949 until 1977, the dietary recommendations of Canada’s Food Guide were for people to consume ~20-30% of their daily calories as carbohydrate ~40-50% of
- [Humans - the perfect hybrid machine](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2017/04/27/humans-the-perfect-hybrid-machine/) - Long before the 'hybrid car" there was the human body - a hybrid 'machine' perfectly designed to use either carbohydrates or fat for energy. Like a hybrid car, we can run on one fuel source or the other at any one time. If we are eating a largely carbohydrate based diet, we will be in 'carbohydrate
- [Low Carb Green Tea Matcha Smoothie - role in weight and abdominal fat loss](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2017/04/24/low-carb-green-tea-matcha-smoothie-role-in-weight-and-abdominal-fat-loss/) - This delicious low carb high fat Matcha Smoothie can help you lose weight & abdominal fat. The science behind it, the recipe & the nutritional info in this article. Green tea is the unfermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and contains a number of biologically active compounds called catechins of which epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) makes up ~ 30% of
- [Role of Green Tea Powder (Matcha) in Weight and Abdominal Fat Loss](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2013/04/18/matcha-in-weight-and-abdominal-fat-loss/) - Based on a meta-analysis of studies, it has been found that people can lose ~ 3 pounds in a 12 week period (making no other dietary or exercise changes) by consuming 1 - 4 tsp of green tea (matcha) powder per day. The effect of green tea catechins contained in matcha powder on body fat composition is great even when weight loss is small (i.e. ~5 lbs in 12 weeks), Total amount of abdominal fat decreases 25x more with green tea catechin consumption & the fat just below the skin of the abdomen decreases 8x more than when green tea catechins are not consumed !
- [Diabetes Canada's 7-day Low Carb Meal Plan - includes bread, pasta, rice](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/02/02/diabetes-canadas-7-day-low-carb-meal-plan-includes-bread-pasta-rice/) - I was excited when I saw a thread on social media over the weekend about Diabetes Canada's new 7-day Low Carb Meal Plan. After all, last May they released a Position Statement summarizing the evidence for the role of low carbohydrate diets (
- [American Diabetes Association (ADA) is Making Sense of Carbs](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/07/26/american-diabetes-association-ada-is-making-sense-of-carbs/) - A June 2018 article written by Sacha Uelmen, RDN, CDE, Director of Nutrition at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) sheds much light on the expanded role for low carb diets in the treatment and management of Type 2 Diabetes [1]. In answering the question "should people with Diabetes cut back on carbs?", Uelmen says; "It’s true
- [10 Common Myths about a Low Carb Diet](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/06/13/10-common-myths-about-a-low-carb-diet/) - I keep coming across the same misconceptions about a "low carb diet" in online articles and on social media, so I decided to write an article dispelling the 10 most common myths. Myth 1: "A low carb diet will cause clogged arteries and heart attacks because it is too high in saturated fat." A recent
- [Nutritional Supplements With Evidence to Restore Hair Loss](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/12/28/nutritional-supplements-with-evidence-to-restore-hair-loss/) - 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 shortage of lotions, potions, and pills promising new hair growth. Are these safe and
- [Thyroid Medication can Worsen Blood Sugar Control in People with Diabetes](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/04/30/thyroid-medication-can-worsen-blood-sugar/) - 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 worsen blood sugar control in diabetics, and increase the need for diabetes medications, including
- [Is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) Linked to Fatty Liver Disease?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/06/19/is-high-fructose-corn-syrup-linked-to-fatty-liver-disease/) - A recent social media post about a Canadian woman living in the United States who discovered that the ingredients in a major brand of ketchup manufactured in Canada and the United States were different caused quite a stir. Online discussion centered around whether the inclusion of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in the US product posed
- [A New Study Explains Why Carbs and Fat Together are Irresistible](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/06/19/a-new-study-explains-why-carbs-and-fat-together-are-irresistible/) - A study that is due to be published on July 3, 2018 in the scientific journal Cell Metabolism is the first to demonstrate that compared to foods high in carbs or fat, foods with both carbs and fats together result in much more dopamine being released from the striatum, which is the reward-center of our
- [Why Smoothies Aren't the Same as Eating the Same Food](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/04/16/smoothies-not-the-same-as-eating/) - People are busy. I "get" that, and morning routines are often the most challenging. Taking time to have breakfast is often seen as "one more thing to do", so the idea of smoothies and "taking it with" may seem like a good idea. But is it? Are smoothies the same as eating the foods it
- [Allergies to Trees or Grasses can Result in Reactions to Food](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/03/09/allergies-to-trees-or-grasses-can-result-in-reactions-to-food/) - When people come to me because they think they may be allergic to certain foods, the first thing I ask is if they have an allergy to any trees or grasses. This may seem like a strange question but some people who are allergic to tree or grass pollen may have symptoms when eating certain foods
- [A Simple Guide to Different Types of Diet and Macros](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/04/12/a-simple-guide-to-different-types-of-diet-and-macros/) - 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 constraints,
- [What is a Low-FODMAP Diet and How Can it Improve Symptoms of IBS?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/04/23/low-fodmap-diet-and-ibs/) - 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 our
- [The Three Ways to Balance Carbohydrate and Fat as Fuel](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/06/15/the-three-ways-to-balance-carbohydrate-and-fat-as-fuel/) - The human body is able to use carbohydrate, fat or protein to generate energy, however 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. During digestion, carbohydrate, fat and protein from food
- [LDL Cholesterol is Not the Best Assessor of Cardiovascular Risk](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/04/25/ldl-cholesterol-is-not-the-best-assessor-of-cardiovascular-risk/) - There continues to be a reliance on LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) as the main means to assess cardiovascular (CVD) risk, despite the fact that apolipoproteinB (apoB) has been found to be a much better predictor. This new article looks at why total LDL cholesterol is inadequate to assess cardiovascular risk, what apoB is and why it
- [The Difference Between Food Sensitivity Tests and Food Allergy Tests](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/11/20/the-difference-between-food-sensitivity-tests-and-food-allergy-tests/) - One of the more frustrating things that I experience as a Dietitian who works with people with food allergy is when people come to me with a lab report listing foods they are 'allergic' to -- only for me to get a multi-page report that they paid $650-750 out of pocket for, and which measures
- [Staying Hydrated Without a Caffeine or Carbonated Drink - Limonana](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/06/21/limonana-staying-hydrated-no-caffeine-or-carbonation/) - This week, the weather forecast for the Vancouver area is for hot and hotter, so I thought it would 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 it's hot
- [Risk of Dehydration in Older Adults During Heatwaves](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/06/23/risk-of-dehydration-in-older-adults-during-heatwaves/) - 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 about the risk of leaving clear water bottles in
- [High Protein Matcha Drink — role in abdominal fat loss](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/08/23/high-protein-matcha-drink-abdominal-fat-loss/) - INTRODUCTION: Green tea which is high in the catechin EGCG (epigallocatechin gallato) has been associated in two meta-analysis with a reduction in body weight and body fat -- especially abdominal fat [1,2] and matcha powder is especially high in EGCG. Catechins make up ~ 30% of green tea’s dry weight and while ordinary brewed green
- [Type 2 Diabetes Remission - proposed definition from international experts](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/08/30/type-2-diabetes-remission-proposed-defn-intl-experts/) - 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] have proposes a standard definition for remission of type 2 diabetes. This new article outlines the different factors involved in that definition, as well as
- [Time to Stop Calling Type 2 Diabetes a "chronic, progressive disease"](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/09/01/time-to-stop-calling-t2d-a-chronic-progressive-disease/) - 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 (4)
- [Do You Identify as a Food Addict?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/10/01/do-you-identify-as-a-food-addict/) - As a Dietitian who supports people with food addiction, I was recently asked to speak at a food addiction summit. The evening prior to 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
- [Could Protein be the Appetite's Control - the Protein Leverage Hypothesis](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/10/11/protein-leverage-hypothesis/) - 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 it
- [Chronic Constipation — do we really just need more fiber and water?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/12/23/chronic-constipation-fiber-and-water/) - 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 apply
- [Symptoms of Hypothyroidism Mistakenly Blamed on Aging](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/08/09/hypothyroidism-symptoms-blamed-on-aging/) - DISCLAIMER (August 14, 2022): The information in this post should in no way be taken as a recommendation to self-diagnose, self-interpret diagnostic tests, or self-treat any suspected disorder. It is essential that people who suspect they may have symptoms of any condition consult with their doctor, as only a medical doctor can diagnose and treat.
- [Beyond Diet - the role of hormones in metabolic health](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/08/12/beyond-diet-the-role-of-hormones-in-metabolic-health/) - DISCLAIMER: (August 14, 2022): The information in this post should in no way be taken as a recommendation to self-diagnose, change one's diet, self-interpret diagnostic tests, or self-treat any suspected disorder. It is essential that people who suspect they may have symptoms of any condition consult with their doctor, as only a medical doctor can
- [More Than Skin Deep - skin symptoms associated with hypothyroidism](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/08/26/skin-symptoms-associated-with-hypothyroidism/) - 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 the
- [Hair Loss - root causes (Part 1)](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/09/04/hair-loss-root-causes-part-1/) - 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 nutrient
- [Blood Tests and Lab Frustrations - a Dietitian's Journey](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/10/27/blood-tests-and-lab-frustrations-a-dietitians-journey/) - NOTICE: This my personal experience as a private consumer of lab services, and is not related to my profession as a Dietitian. This article is posted in a separate section of the web page titled "A Dietitian's Journey" which is about my personal health journeys. "A Dietitian's Journey - Part I" was about my two
- [The Androgen Paradox of Hair Growth and Hair Loss](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/12/29/the-androgen-paradox-of-hair-growth-and-hair-loss/) - Androgens are male hormones and as explained below, contribute to hair growth in both men and women. But, androgens also contribute to hair loss, such as in androgenetic alopecia. This is known as the "androgen paradox". As explained in the previous article, one of the main contributors to both male pattern baldness and female pattern
- [Alopecia Universalis - a clinician's personal story of complete hair loss](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/01/23/alopecia-universalis-a-clinicians-personal-story-of-complete-hair-loss/) - 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 (link below), it struck a chord with me.
- [Hypothyroidism Update - six months of treatment since diagnosis](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/02/20/hypothyroidism-update-six-months-of-treatment-since-diagnosis/) - 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. At the beginning of June 2022, our family was in Tofino (Vancouver Island) for the marriage of my
- [Milk Intolerance May be Caused by A1 Beta-Casein](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/07/21/milk-intolerance-and-inflammation-may-be-caused-by-a1-beta-casein/) - Digestive issues that result from milk consumption are often attributed to lactose intolerance, but research indicates that it may be the result of an intolerance to a specific type of protein found in some types of cow's milk; specifically A1 beta-casein. Casein and whey are the two primary proteins found in milk, with casein accounting
- [The Death of Peers and Parents Should Change the Way We Live](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/07/20/death-of-peers-parents-should-change-the-way-we-live/) - Last week, I flew to Montreal to be with my mom in the last days before her death. While it was hard to see how much she had changed, it was sobering to be reminded of something I started to realize six years ago — that the death of friends and family should change the
- [How Much Protein is Best Depends on Different People's Needs](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/02/24/how-much-protein-is-best-depends-on-different-peoples-needs/) - I often hear the question, "how much protein is best?" but that depends for whom. Different people have a different protein needs. A healthy man or woman seeking to build muscle has a different protein need than an older adult wanting to reduce the risk of sarcopenia (muscle loss) or someone simply wanting to prevent
- [Success is All About "Showing Up"](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2023/07/07/success-is-all-about-showing-up/) - Whether it's achieving significant weight loss or recovering one's health, I believe that success is all about "showing up". As much as people would like to believe that eating certain foods or taking supplements will cause the "pounds to melt away" or for the symptoms of a health condition to "improve in just 6 weeks,"
- [Judging By Appearance - a Dietitian's Journey](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/08/28/judging-by-appearance-a-dietitians-journey/) - We form an opinion about someone's appearance when we haven't seen them in a while, or meet them for the first time. We do so unintentionally, but we judge by appearance. Sometimes the appearance of weight gain is not about diet but a diagnosis. DISCLAIMER: (August 28, 2022): This article a personal account posted under A
- [Measure of Health With a New Diagnosis - a Dietitian's Journey](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/08/18/measure-of-health-with-a-new-diagnosis-a-dietitians-journey/) - This article is the second entry in A Dietitian's Journey Part II, which began with my recent diagnosis of hypothyroidism and is about how I now measure health due to my diagnosis. NOTE: Articles posted under A Dietitian’s Journey are separate from referenced clinical articles (categorized as Science Made Simple articles) because these are about
- [When a New Diagnosis is a Long Time Coming](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2022/08/05/when-a-new-diagnosis-is-a-long-time-coming/) - Three weeks ago, I wrote an article about how a diagnosis of hypothyroidism is made and why it takes until someone has been unwell for quite a while before they are finally diagnosed. In one sense, that article laid the foundation for this one. DISCLAIMER: This article a personal account posted under A Dietitian's Journey. The information
- [American College of Cardiology: No Benefit to Lower Saturated Fat Intake](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/06/30/american-college-of-cardiology-saturated-fat-intake/) - The recommendation to lower the consumption of saturated fat in the diet to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been the central theme in both the US and Canadian since 1977, and has been carved into our respective Dietary Guidelines since the 1980s. A newly published report published by the American College of
- [Don't Try This at Home - when medical supervision is needed](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/05/08/dont-try-this-at-home-when-medical-supervision-is-needed/) - There are some things that people should not do on their own and one of them is to begin a very low carb (ketogenic) diet without first consulting with their doctor, especially if they take certain types of medication. Medical supervision is necessary before a person substantially decreases their carbohydrate intake if they are taking;
- [When Normal Fasting Blood Glucose Isn't Necessarily "Fine"](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/11/26/when-normal-fasting-blood-glucose-isnt-necessarily-fine/) - INTRODUCTION: When people have a fasting blood glucose test and the results come back normal they're told (or assume) that everything's fine. But is it? Certainly, a fasting blood glucose test is the least expensive test to find out if someone is already pre-diabetic, but for those wanting to avoid becoming diabetic and to lower
- [The Mediterranean Diet](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/01/07/the-mediterranean-diet/) - Most people have heard that a "Mediterranean Diet" is healthy, but what is it? According to the 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines from Diabetes Canada; A ”Mediterranean diet" primarily refers to a plant-based diet first described in the 1960s. General features include a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, cereals and whole grains; moderate-to-high
- [Distinguishing Food from Food-like Products](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/06/18/distinguish-food-from-food-like-products/) - INTRODUCTION: National dietary guidelines in both Canada and the US focus on the variety of foods available in each of several defined 'food groups' and make recommendations about "healthy eating" based on how much of particular nutrients are in specific foods. In Canada for example, foods that are rich in saturated fat, sodium or sugar
- [When Meat Prices Go Crazy - the best protein sources on a budget](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/11/05/when-meat-prices-go-crazy-the-best-protein-sources-on-a-budget/) - 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. A rib steak is only 60% protein but skipjack tuna is 92% protein — which is substantially more, and
- [What is IBS and Why Do Symptoms Improve on a Low Carb Diet?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/07/12/what-is-ibs-why-symptoms-improve-on-lchf/) - Quite a few physicians that I know that recommend a low-carb diet to their patients have mentioned to me that those who had previously been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and who suffered for years reported significant improvements within a short time of adopting the dietary changes and have asked me why. That is the
- [Why Is Type 2 Diabetes Still Called "a Progressive, Lifelong Disease"?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/03/26/why-is-type-2-diabetes-still-called-a-progressive-lifelong-disease/) - [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
- [Tyramine Intolerance - underlying cause of migraine headaches?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/08/07/migraine-headache-and-tyramine-intolerance/) - A migraine is more than just a really bad headache. While migraine is characterized by intense, debilitating headache, it also may include nausea, vomiting, difficulty speaking, sensitivity to light and sound, and may- or may not be preceded by an aura (sensory, motor, visual or speech symptoms that act like a warning signal that a
- [What is a Hiatal Hernia and How Can Dietary Changes Help?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/03/14/hiatal-hernia-and-dietary-changes/) - More than half of middle aged people have a hiatal hernia (sometimes referred to as a "hiatus hernia"), but most people are only diagnosed when their symptoms become a problem or when having medical tests for something else. A hiatal hernia is where part of the stomach bulges up through the space (called a "hiatus",
- [The Three Stages of Carbohydrate Intolerance — before type 2 diabetes](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/11/29/the-three-stages-of-carbohydrate-intolerance-before-type-2-diabetes/) - In the previous article titled When Normal Fasting Blood Glucose Results Aren't Necessarily "Fine" I explained how normal results on a fasting blood glucose (FBG) test may simply mask 'silent Diabetes' and that even when fasting blood glucose is normal and results from a 2-hour Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (2-hr OGTT) do not indicate glucose intolerance, a person can still have a very
- [Why Grazing Can Look Like a Scene From Hoarders](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/03/07/why-grazing-can-look-like-a-scene-from-hoarders/) - Most people know that prediabetes and diabetes is having "high blood sugar" but just how much sugar is actually in the human body? And how does grazing on food, rather than eating set meals affect this? An adult has 5 liters of blood circulating in their body at any one time. A healthy person's body
- [Negative Effect of Dietary Carbohydrate on the Gut Microbiome in IBD](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2021/01/14/negative-effect-dietary-carbohydrate-on-the-gut-microbiome-in-ibd/) - Several recent studies have found a relationship between the species of bacteria and fungi that live in our large intestine, carbohydrate intake and Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), including Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease. This article elaborates on how this knowledge may help improve symptoms for those with IBD. The Gut Microbiome & Mycobiome The trillions
- [No Underlying Health Conditions - likely assumed not assessed](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/12/13/no-underlying-health-conditions/) - News outlets highlight when someone has died of complications of COVID-19, stressing that the person "had no underlying health conditions", but the problem is that this is often assumed, not assessed. Just because a person wasn't diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure (or some other disease) does not mean that they have
- [Is a Diet High in Carbohydrate Appropriate for Humans?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/11/03/is-a-diet-high-in-carbohydrate-appropriate-for-humans/) - This post comes out of some recent lively discussion on social media where I was challenged to re-consider my position that a low carbohydrate or very low carbohydrate (keto) diet can put people into remission of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but does not reverse it, and is not a cure. The discussion centred around whether
- [Another Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet and How it Differs from "the Keto Diet"](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/08/30/another-therapeutic-ketogenic-diet-and-how-it-differs-from-the-keto-diet/) - In addition to the several types of therapeutic ketogenic diets mentioned in the previous post, such as the Classic Ketogenic Diet (KD), the Modified Ketogenic Diet (MKD) and the Modified Atkins Diet (MAD) used in the treatment of epilepsy and seizure disorder and as adjunct treatment in glioblastoma, there is another type of therapeutic ketogenic
- [Vitamin D Supplementation Can Help Protect Against the Flu](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/10/27/vitamin-d-supplementation-can-help-protect-against-the-flu/) - DISCLAIMER: This article does NOT recommend not getting a flu shot, nor does it recommend taking Vitamin D instead of getting a flu shot. This article is about the use of Vitamin D supplementation to help protect against the flu. Studies Showing that Vitamin D Attenuates the Flu There are two large-scale meta-analyses -- one
- [American Diabetes Association & European Association Approve Low Carb Diets](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/10/07/american-diabetes-association-european-association-approve-low-carb-diets/) - The American Diabetes Association (ADA) & the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) have just released their new joint position statement which includes approval of low carbohydrate diets for use in the management of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) in adults. This comes on the heels of Diabetes Australia having recently released an updated position statement in
- [The Stereotypical High Fat Keto Diet is Only ONE Type](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/08/23/the-stereotypical-high-fat-keto-diet-is-only-one-type/) - There is a common, but mistaken belief that there is such as thing as "THE keto diet" (singular) — which is high in fat of all types, including cream, butter, bacon, avocado and fatty cuts of meat. In fact, there are a wide range of "keto diets" (plural) — including several different therapeutic ones, as
- [The Keto Diet — a potentially dangerous and an unhealthy diet](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/08/16/the-keto-diet-a-potentially-dangerous-and-an-unhealthy-diet/) - INTRODUCTION: I've heard other Dietitians say that the keto diet is a potentially dangerous and an overall unhealthy diet because it focuses on 'high intakes of processed meat, butter and cream'. Some have said that harmful effects were seen as much as three years post keto — with one case involving symptoms of uncontrollable food
- [New Protocols for In-Person Clinical Operation for Health Professionals](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/05/31/new-protocols-for-in-person-clinical-operation/) - WorkSafeBC has just released what will be required of regulated health professionals such as myself, as a Dietitian to safely run an in-person clinical practice in British Columbia during the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak, and it is much more involved than I imagined when I wrote a recent article. As well, these protocols are in addition
- [(UPDATED Feb 23) Sixth Case of COVID-19 Coronavirus in Vancouver called a Sentinel Event](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/02/21/sixth-case-of-covid-19-coronavirus-in-vancouver-called-a-sentinel-event/) - Note: This article is a follow-up to an earlier article about COVID-19 coronavirus in the Vancouver area that was posted on February 6th, 2020. Please note this article was updated twice on February 23rd, with the updates posted below. Provincial health officer Bonnie Henry announced Thursday, February 20th that a woman in her 30s who
- [Canada Told to Prepare for Possible Pandemic Amidst 7th Case in BC](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/02/25/canada-told-to-prepare-for-possible-pandemic-amidst-7th-case-in-bc/) - Note: This article is a follow-up to two previous articles (this one and this one) about the presence of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the Vancouver area, as well as recommendations from the Federal Chief Medical Officer about preparing for an "outbreak" or "pandemic". Yesterday, Monday February 24, 2020, Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said
- [Why Underlying or Comorbid Conditions are Very Important in COVID-19](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/04/12/underlying-or-comorbid-conditions-in-covid-19/) - It is well-known that older adults are at greater risk of getting serious complications from COVID-19, but few people realize that the majority of people that require hospitalization in the US [1] (and presumably the data is similar in Canada) have very common underlying medical conditions (known as "comorbid" conditions), including high blood pressure (hypertension),
- [Obesity Poses Significant Risk to People less than 60 years with Covid-19](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/04/13/obesity-risk-factor-young-people-with-covid-19/) - As covered in the preceding article, we now know from US data between March 1-30, 2020 that older adults and those with hypertension (high blood pressure), obesity, diabetes and CVD are at an increased risk of requiring hospitalization should they contract Covid-19, but a new study finds that so are young people with obesity. A
- [Obesity Most Significant Risk Factor to Covid-19 Hospitalization after Age](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/04/16/obesity-most-significant-after-age/) - A new large-scale preliminary US study[1] looking at data from more than 4000 Covid-19 patients who sought medical care at Langone Health Hospital in New York City found that outside of older age (> 75 years of age), obesity was the single most significant risk factor that contributed to requiring hospitalization and critical care, such
- [My Three Year Health Recovery Anniversary — a Dietitian’s Journey](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/04/22/my-three-year-health-recovery/) - I delayed posting this update to due to the current Covid 19 pandemic, but thought by now we could all use with a little distraction. I hope that this post about my health and weight recovery serves as encouragement as to what is possible simply by eating real, whole food, and sticking with it. Three
- [Too Much and Too Little is Killing Us - reducing comorbidities](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/04/29/too-much-and-too-little-is-killing-us/) - I just got "the call" that my mother who lives on the other side of the country, has tested positive for Covid-19. She has all of the major comorbidities, so prognosis is not good. Following the news, most of us know that age, obesity, hypertension and diabetes are known to significantly increase the risk of
- [Better Outcome in Covid-19 and T2D with Well-Controlled Blood Sugars](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/05/03/better-outcome-in-covid-19-and-t2d/) - A new study published this past Friday (May 1, 2020) in the journal Cell Metabolism has reported that people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are at much greater risk of having a poor outcome in Covid-19 if they have poorly controlled blood glucose. The study looked at data from 7337 people who were hospitalized with
- [Now That Things Are Getting Back to Normal - clinical appointments](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/05/11/now-that-things-are-getting-back-to-normal/) - INTRODUCTION: Governments around the world are beginning to relax lock-down measures put in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic and with that, many people are looking forward to having life 'get back to normal'. But will it, and how soon? For the past few months, we've stayed at home and sheltered-in-place in order to keep
- [Diabetes Canada Deems Low Carb and Very Low Carb Diet Safe and Effective](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2020/05/14/diabetes-canada-deems-low-carb-and-very-low-carb-diet-safe-and-effective/) - Diabetes Canada has just released a new Position Statement acknowledging that a low carb and very low carb (keto) diet is both safe and effective for adults with diabetes. Reflecting back on their 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada released in April 2018 and covered in this article
- [An Accurate New Estimator of Whole Body Fat Percentage](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/08/28/an-accurate-new-estimator-of-whole-body-fat-percentage/) - While DEXA scans (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) are intended to measure bone mineral density, they also provide an accurate estimate of body fat percentage but not everyone wants to- or is able to go for this kind of testing to determine how much body fat they have. While most gyms and many pharmacies often have
- [New ADA Standards of Medical Care Includes Low Carbohydrate Diet](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/12/20/new-ada-standards-of-medical-care-includes-low-carbohydrate-diet/) - The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has just released its new Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes (2020) [1] which begins the section on Medical Nutrition Therapy by referring to the ADA's April 2019 Consensus Report[2] which emphasized that there is no ”one-size-fits-all" eating pattern for the prevention or management of diabetes (more in this article). In the
- [Is Your New Year's Resolution to Lose Weight or Improve Your Health?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/12/18/is-your-new-years-resolution-to-lose-weight-or-improve-your-health/) - Many people say they plan to lose weight, lower their blood sugar, pressure or cholesterol in the New Year, but the difference between a "wish" and a "resolution" is having a plan in place to actually do it. Wish or Resolution? A "wish" is really just a hope that something will occur — an "it
- [When to Eat and Not Eat, How Many Meals and Snacks](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/11/22/when-to-eat-and-not-eat-how-many-meals-and-snacks/) - The whole matter of 'when we eat' meals and 'when we don't eat' was historically a non-issue; we ate when it was daylight and we had food available, and we didn't eat when it was dark or had no food. With the creation of indoor lighting and electricity, "day" lasted as long as we keep
- [Why Eating Less and Exercising More DOES Matter As We Age](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/09/10/why-eating-less-and-exercising-more-does-matter-as-we-age/) - There is much "push back" when it comes to the standard advice to "eat less and exercise more" as a means of losing weight, and for good reason. For one, metabolism will slow as a result of caloric restriction — making it that much more difficult to lose weight when deliberately cutting calories. Another reason
- [Diagnosing Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/09/04/diagnosing-small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth-sibo/) - In the first article of this series about Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (posted here), I covered what SIBO is and how common it is, as well as its symptoms. If you haven't yet, I'd encourage you to read that article first as it will serve as a good introduction. In this second article, I cover the
- [What is Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/09/01/what-is-sibo/) - I used to believe that SIBO was a condition that only alternative medicine practitioners such as naturopaths identified & 'treated', and it wasn't a real diagnosis at all and it seems I was not alone in this belief. This is the first article about SIBO which will outline what it is, it's symptoms and risk
- [When Real Food is Deemed Offensive and Disturbing, not Processed Food](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/08/19/when-real-food-is-deemed-offensive/) - Note: This article is not one of my usual Science Made Simple posts, but a comment about something that occurred on social media yesterday. Yesterday, I posted a photo on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter of some fresh chicken that I had bought and that I had cut up into legs and breasts. Real food is
- [Stanford Blood Sugar Study Findings Known for More Than 45 Years](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/07/28/stanford-blood-sugar-study-findings-known-for-more-than-45-years/) - This week Stanford University published a study which substantiates the huge glucose spikes that "healthy" people with normal blood sugar levels experience and that Dr. Joseph Kraft began documenting 45 years ago [2,3,4] — until just before his death in 2017 [5]. To those of us that are familiar with the research of Dr. Kraft,
- [Arthritis is Not a Normal Part of Aging - it's a degenerative joint disease](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/07/19/arthritis-is-not-a-normal-part-of-aging-its-a-degenerative-joint-disease/) - Many people mistakenly believe that arthritis is a normal part of the aging process, but many older adults never get it and most of the people that are diagnosed with it are under the age of 65 years old. In fact, 2/3 of those diagnosed are not seniors, and some include children. US statistics report
- [Three Ways to Put Type 2 Diabetes into Remission](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/07/17/three-ways-put-t2d-into-remission/) - According to the scientific literature to date, there are three ways of putting type 2 diabetes into remission, but an article that was widely circulated on social media earlier this week implied that a ketogenic diet 'cures' type 2 diabetes. The article was titled "What If They Cured Diabetes and No One Noticed?"[1] and said;
- [Have You Been Diagnosed with Diverticulosis?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/07/11/have-you-been-diagnosed-w-diverticulosis/) - Have you recently been told by your General Practitioner (CP) or gastroenterologist that you have "diverticulosis" and wonder how you should be eating differently to keep it from getting worse? What is "diverticulosis"? Diverticulosis is where your colon (large intestine) has small "pockets" in it called diverticula which can cause a number of symptoms or
- [Trouble-shooting Ongoing Constipation on a Low Carb Diet](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/07/14/trouble-shooting-ongoing-constipation-on-a-low-carb-diet/) - Constipation is one of the most common problems that people face, with between 2 and 28% of the population in Western countries reporting having this [1-3]. In 2007 in the United States, 19.4% of people reported problems with chronic constipation[4] and in Canada between 15% and 27% of people reported having sought health care support for
- [Experts: WHO Draft Guidelines Excludes Key Facts and Studies](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/07/09/experts-who-draft-guidelines-excludes-key-facts-and-studies/) - An analysis was published last week in the British Medical Journal which raised several important concerns about the World Health Organization (WHO)'s draft guidelines on fatty acids; including saturated fat. The international group of 16 nutrition experts who wrote the paper are concerned as "many governments consider the WHO dietary guidelines to be state of
- [Low Carb Diet in 2019 American Diabetes Association Standards of Care](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/12/18/low-carb-diet-in-2019-american-diabetes-association-standards-of-care/) - On Monday, December 17, 2018, the American Diabetes Association released its new 2019 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes including its Lifestyle Management Standards of Care which includes use of a low carbohydrate diet saying it may result in lower blood sugar levels and also has the potential to lower the use of blood sugar lowering medications[1] in
- [Why I Suggest Avoiding These New Year's Resolutions](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/12/26/why-i-suggest-avoiding-these-new-years-resolutions/) - Why on earth would a Dietitian suggest to avoid making New Year's resolutions to lose weight, exercise more or eat healthier? The reason is that research indicates that half of those that make these types of health-related New Year's Resolutions give up just a week into the new year [1] and by the end of January, 83% will have given up [1].
- [A New Year's Resolution - a goal without a plan](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/12/28/a-new-years-resolution-a-goal-without-a-plan/) - It is said that the definition of "insanity" is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, yet with the best of intentions many of us make a New Year's Resolution each January 1st saying "this will be the year"! The problem is, that by the end of the first week in
- [New Canada Food Guide Drops Meat and Milk Groups](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/01/09/new-canada-food-guide-drops-meat-and-milk-groups/) - According to an article published in the Globe and Mail yesterday, the new Canada's Food Guide will have only 3 Food Groups; (1) Vegetables and Fruit (2) Whole Grains and (3) Protein Foods — and will have dropped the Meat and Alternatives and Milk and Alternatives food groups, along with dropping the recommendation for adults and children to
- [Background to the New  Canada Food Guide Draft](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/01/10/background-to-the-new-canada-food-guide-draft/) - This article is to provide background information to the article posted yesterday (available here) about the proposed changes to the new Canada's Food Guide. As I thought yesterday, I can confirm now that the source of the draft version of the new Canada's Food Guide was from the Earnscliffe Strategy Group's report titled "Healthy Eating Strategy
- [The New EAT Lancet Diet - healthy & sustainable for whom?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/01/18/the-new-eat-lancet-diet-healthy-sustainable-for-whom/) - A new report released on January 16, 2019 by the EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet and Health sets out what it calls a "healthy and sustainable diet" [1] for the whole world. The EAT-Lancet report proposes what it calls the "Planetary Health Diet"; a largely plant-based diet which aims to address the simultaneous global problems of malnutrition (under-nutrition)
- [EAT-Lancet Diet - inadequate protein for older adults](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/01/20/eat-lancet-diet-inadequate-protein-for-older-adults/) - We’ve come to expect that as people age they will gain more fat, loose bone mass and have decreased muscle strength which in time leads to difficulty in them getting around on their own, a greater risk of falls and eventually to physical disability. We commonly see older people with spindly little legs and bony arms and we think
- [The New Canada Food Guide at a Glance](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/01/22/the-new-canada-food-guide-at-a-glance/) - This morning at 10 AM EST, the new Canada Food Guide was officially released in Montreal. The suite of Food Guide resources includes: Canada’s Dietary Guidelines for Health Professionals and Policy Makers Food Guide Snapshot Resources such as actionable advice, videos and recipes Evidence including the Evidence Review for Dietary Guidance 2015 and the Food,
- [New Canada Food Guide - carbohydrate estimate of the sample plate](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/01/24/new-canada-food-guide-carbohydrate-estimate-of-the-sample-plate/) - There has been some discussion on Twitter that the macronutrient estimated in the previous article of an average ~325-350 g of carbohydrate per day based on a 2000 kcal per day diet for the new Canada Food Guide was "too high", so in the interest of determining whether it was accurate, I've evaluated the carbohydrate content of
- [Why I Posted My "Before" Pictures When I was Still Obese](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/02/13/why-i-posted-my-before-pictures-when-i-was-still-obese/) - INTRODUCTION: It is not uncommon for people to post their "before" pictures after they've reached their goal weight to show how much they've accomplished, but why on earth did I post pictures of myself when I was still obese and metabolically unwell? That's a good question. There's a saying that "it is not the healthy who
- [McGill Professor: Risks and Benefits of Low-Carb Keto Diets](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/02/15/mcgill-professor-risks-and-benefits-of-low-carb-keto-diets/) - INTRODUCTION: Last Friday, February 8, 2019, the Montreal Gazette published a special article with accompanying video by Dr. Joe Schwarcz, Professor of Chemistry from McGill University titled "Keto Diets Work, but is There a Catch?" and this morning the follow-up was published titled "The Known Benefits of Low-Carb Keto Diets". This post contains a summary of both.
- [American Heart Association: Some Kids & Teens at Risk for Premature CVD](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/03/01/american-heart-association-some-kids-teens-at-risk-for-premature-cvd/) - INTRODUCTION: It is well known that adults are at risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to having obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, but it is now known that children and adolescents are also at risk of premature coronary artery disease and stroke for the same reasons. According to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association
- [Now Licensed for Virtual Dietetic Practice Across Canada](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/03/18/now-licensed-for-virtual-dietetic-practice-across-canada/) - If you live almost anywhere in Canada and are looking for a Registered Dietitian with experience in food allergy or sensitivity, including celiac disease and IBS as well as the specific of providing low carbohydrate or ketogenic diet support, I can help. Whether you live in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova
- [The Connection Between Sugar and Cancer](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/03/22/the-connection-between-sugar-and-cancer/) - I've heard that some types of cancer feed on glucose (the sugar in our blood) and I know of a few people that started a ketogenic diet as adjunct therapy to be used along side surgery and chemotherapy in the treatment of glioblastoma (a form of aggressive brain cancer), but just came across an article that
- [New Study: Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Won't Help You Live Longer](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/04/11/new-study-vitamin-and-mineral-supplements-wont-help-you-live-longer/) - A newly published large-scale epidemiological study has reported that taking vitamin and mineral supplements does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and stroke, cancer rates or other causes of health-related death. The study published Tuesday, April 9, 2019 in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed US nutritional data from 30,
- [Eating one slice of bacon per day does NOT increase your colon cancer risk](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/04/18/eating-one-slice-of-bacon-per-day-does-not-increase-your-colon-cancer-risk/) - Yesterday, the headlines screamed out from around the world that a new study from Oxford University found that there is a 20% higher chance of developing colorectal cancer from eating as little as one strip of bacon per day. This sounds terrible, but is it true? To understand what this study is reporting, it is
- [ADA includes use of a Very Low Carb (Keto) Eating Pattern in New Report](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/04/23/ada-includes-use-of-a-very-low-carb-keto-eating-pattern-in-new-report/) - On April 18, 2019, the American Diabetes Association published a new Consensus Report which not only includes the use of a low carbohydrate eating pattern of 26-45% of total daily calories as carbohydrate, but in this report also includes the use of a very low carbohydrate (ketogenic) eating pattern of 20-50 g carbs per day. The
- [ADA: Brain’s Need for Glucose can be Fulfilled by the Body](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/05/05/ada-brain-need-for-glucose/) - In its recently published Consensus Report (April 18, 2019), the American Diabetes Association confirmed something that I have written about in several previous articles, including most recently in Part III of Carbohydrates are Not Evil and that is that it isn't biologically essential to eat carbohydrate containing foods in the diet. From the top of
- [Problems with Counting Net Carbs](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/05/31/problems-with-counting-net-carbs/) - People who eat a low carb or ketogenic diet often ask about calculating "net carbs" and are surprised by my reply, as it differs from what they've read online. The commonly held advice is to subtract "fiber" from the total amount of carbohydrate on the label to arrive at "net carbs" can lead to an
- [The Three Things that Canada's Food Guide Got (Mostly) Right](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/06/02/the-three-things-that-canadas-food-guide-got-mostly-right/) - Note: this article is both an editorial (expressing my personal opinion on the subject) as well as an article rooted in the literature. The new Canada's Food Guide (CFG) hangs on three Guidelines and unfortunately many people discount the Guide entirely because of the caveats to which they are linked. In my opinion, this is
- [Focus on Limiting Ultra Processed Food Not Saturated Fat & Sodium](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/07/02/focus-on-limiting-ultra-processed-food-not-saturated-fat-sodium/) - Note: This article is a combination of a Science Made Simple article, with the references below and an editorial which provides my opinion. Dietary advice ⁠— especially National Dietary Guidelines ought to give clear, consistent messages. It would seem that the new Canada Food Guide 'snapshot' outlined in the previous article may inadvertently cause considerable confusion
- [CFG Snapshot - conflating Ultra-Processed Food and Whole, Real Foods?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/06/28/cfg-snapshot-conflating-ultra-processed-food-and-whole-real-foods/) - Note: This article is a combination of a Science Made Simple article with references below and an editorial which provides my opinion. This past Monday, Health Canada released the Canada’s Food Guide "snapshot"[1] in 28 languages which is not intended to be a stand-alone resource, but to be used as a tool to guide people
- [Only Half of People Have Newer Gene that Controls High Blood Sugar](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/06/24/only-half-of-people-have-newer-gene-that-controls-high-blood-sugar/) - The maintenance of blood sugar is very tightly regulated; with a healthy person’s blood glucose being kept in the range from 3.3-5.5 mmol/L (60-100 mg/dl) between meals, however a new study indicates that it may be newer variant of a gene that determines how well (or not) we are able to maintain these levels. After
- [High Cholesterol and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/06/20/high-cholesterol-and-risk-of-cardiovascular-disease/) - INTRODUCTION: There is much debate in the scientific community about the effect of dietary fat — especially saturated fat on cholesterol levels and risk of cardiovascular disease. To best understand this complex topic, I have broken the subject into two articles. In this first part, I explain the different ways cholesterol values are assessed, what they
- [A Little Black Dress - a personal health and weight loss update](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/06/16/a-little-black-dress-a-personal-health-and-weight-loss-update/) - Yesterday I had an occasion to wear a new little black dress that I had bought, and remembered the last time I wore one. Ironically, it was for my Master's convocation just over 11 years ago, and the dress was a size 16. My degree was in Human Nutrition, yet I was very overweight and
- [Cancer Cases Related to Excess Weight Will Triple Over Next 20 Years](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/05/08/cancer-cases-related-to-excess-weight-will-triple-over-next-20-years/) - A new study published today in Preventive Medicine estimates that excess body weight, including overweight and obesity is expected to become the second leading cause of preventable cancer in Canada, after tobacco over the next 20 years. Cancer Rates Expected to Triple The results of the new ComPARe study (Canadian Population Attributable Risk of Cancer)
- [The Marketing of Polyunsaturated Vegetable Oils](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/03/15/the-marketing-of-polyunsaturated-vegetable-oils/) - Yesterday, in preparing to begin a new series of articles on the relationship between polyunsaturated vegetable fats to obesity, I came across an old, yellowed sheet titled "Comparison of Dietary Fats" that I was given as an undergrad Dietetic student at McGill, in 1989. It was designed to help us teach consumers how to choose the "healthiest" dietary fats.
- [Do Saturated Fats Cause Heart Disease?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/03/21/do-saturated-fats-cause-heart-disease/) - The Diet-Heart Hypothesis The diet-heart hypothesis is the belief that eating foods high in saturated fat contributed to heart disease was first proposed in the 1950s by a scientist named Ancel Keys who believed that by replacing saturated fat from meat, butter and eggs with newly-created industrial polyunsaturated vegetable oil (such as soybean oil) that heart disease and
- [Concerns with Polyunsaturated Vegetable Oils - Part 2](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/04/05/concerns-with-polyunsaturated-vegetable-oils-part-2/) - This article is Part 2 in a two-part series on concerns with Polyunsaturated Vegetable Oils. Part 1 can be read here. There are a few key things about polyunsaturates vegetable oils that need to be understood to understand this article, so I'll keep the science simple. There are two class of polyunsaturated fats; (PUFAs); omega 3 (ρ‰-3 also written
- [Are Some Carbs Better Than Others - Part 1](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/04/17/are-some-carbs-better-than-others-part-1/) - INTRODUCTION: Not all carbohydrate foods ("carbs") are created equal; some are broken down very quickly into simple sugars and others are broken down very slowly. In the past the terms "simple sugar" and "complex carbohydrate" were used to imply this concept there are newer terms that enable us to know how much eating these foods will
- [Are Some Carbs Better Than Others - Part 2](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/04/20/are-some-carbs-better-than-others-part-2/) - In Part 1 of the new series on "Are Some Carbs Better Than Others" I explained what Glycemic Index (GI) is; how it is a way to rate carbohydrates based how easily they raise blood sugar. If you recall, low GI foods (those with a value of 55 or less) are more slowly digested, absorbed and metabolized and cause a
- [Some Carbs are Better than Others (for Diabetics) - Part 3](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/04/26/some-carbs-are-better-than-others-for-diabetics-part-3/) - INTRODUCTION: In the first article in this series on carbohydrates, I explained that Glycemic Index (GI) is a way to rate carbohydrates based how easily they raise the blood sugar of healthy people and that some carbohydrates are better than others when they cause much less of a rise in blood sugar. I wanted to know how would
- [Two More Good Indicators of Cardiovascular Risk](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/05/24/two-more-good-indicators-of-cardiovascular-risk/) - In a recent article about why Waist Circumference and Waist-to-Height Ratio is so important, I explained that a meta-analysis from 2012 which pooled data from 300,000 adults of different races and ages found that the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease and shorter lifespan was associated with a Waist to Height Ratio (WHtR) of 0.5. That is, we
- [Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet in Type 2 Diabetes Lowers CVD Risk at 1 year](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/05/29/therapeutic-ketogenic-diet-in-type-2-diabetes-lowers-cvd-risk-at-1-year/) - As demonstrated in a previous article, a low carbohydrate or therapeutic ketogenic diet is a viable option for people to reduce their symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes, but does it increase the risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and stroke? Results of a peer-reviewed study of cardiovascular outcomes of people with Type 2
- [The Per Person Yearly Cost of Having Type 2 Diabetes](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/05/31/the-per-person-yearly-cost-of-having-type-2-diabetes/) - The most recent data available from 2011 indicates that the cost per person per year of having Type 2 Diabetes in Canada ranges from $1611 (Quebec) to $3427 (New Brunswick) based on an average income of $43,000 per year. Necessary medications, devices and supplies are expensive - costing more than 3% of income. While those with extended health
- [Evolving Theory of Obesity - the perfect storm of refined carbs and industrial seed oils](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/06/04/evolving-theory-of-obesity-the-perfect-storm-of-refined-carbs-and-industrial-seed-oils/) - Three years ago, my theory about the roots of the current obesity and Diabetes epidemic was simple. I believed that it was largely a matter of us eating too many carbs while having reduced the amount of healthy fat we ate. I now think it is a little more subtle than that, and that it is
- [Some Carbs Are Better Than Others - Part 4 - the Insulin Index](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/06/21/some-carbs-are-better-than-others-part-4-the-insulin-index/) - In previous articles in this series on Some Carbs are Better than Others, I've covered both Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) which are useful measures of how easily carbohydrate-based foods raise the blood sugar of healthy people. For those that are insulin resistant or have Type 2 Diabetes, Insulin Index is much more useful because it indicates how
- [Refined Carbohydrate with Vegetable Oil Was Known to Cause Weight Gain](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/06/26/evidence-that-refined-carbohydrate-with-vegetable-oil-cause-weight-gain/) - It has been my conviction for some time that the "perfect storm" which underlies the current obesity epidemic was the marketing of novel food products that were a combination of refined carbohydrates and manufactured vegetable oils and today I came across evidence that the food industry has known for some time that this specific combination results in significant weight
- [Update on My Own Weight Loss Journey](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/07/04/update-on-my-own-weight-loss-journey-personal-reflections/) - It's 16 months since I began my own weight loss journey and I thought it would be a good time to do updated "before" and "now" photos, as well as some measurements. The photo on the left was me "before". Not only was I very overweight, but I had Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure
- [Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes ARE reversible - a Dietitian's Journey](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/07/12/type-2-diabetes-is-reversible-a-dietitians-journey/) - For the last 16-months my goal has been to put my Type 2 Diabetes into remission and to no longer meet the criteria for Metabolic Syndrome. Towards that end, last year on July 11, 2017 I had complete lab work done, including fasting insulin, cholesterol, fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) and planned to
- [Consuming Dairy Fat Doesn't Increase the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease — may protect](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/07/13/consuming-dairy-fat-doesnt-increase-the-risk-of-cardiovascular-disease-and-may-protect/) - A new study published this week in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that long-term consumption of the saturated fat found in full-fat dairy products is not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, etc.) or other causes of death, and may actually be protective against heart attack and
- [Early Warning Signs that May Help Prevent Developing Type 2 Diabetes](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/07/30/early-warning-signs-that-may-help-prevent-developing-type-2-diabetes/) - INTRODUCTION: To avoid ignoring important warning signs that our body is not working as it should, we first need to understand how it is supposed to work and what begins to go wrong — long before we receive a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. That way we can make the necessary dietary and lifestyle changes to
- [When Fat Was Made the Villain](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/08/02/when-fat-was-made-the-villain/) - Those who are younger than 40 years old probably grew up hearing that saturated fat is ”bad" and polyunsaturated fat is ”good", but where did we get this idea and is it true? The process of what I call the ”vilification of fat" began when researcher Ancel Keys presented a graph at a talk at
- [Alzheimer's Disease as Glucose Dysfunction of the Brain](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/08/09/alzheimers-disease-as-glucose-dysfunction-of-the-brain/) - I’d heard of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) being referred to by some clinicians as ”Type 3 Diabetes" but until yesterday the link between AD and abnormalities in glucose metabolism in the brain was an academic interest. Now it’s personal. You see, yesterday I found out that my dad (90 years old) was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
- [The Tip of the Iceberg - what we can't see puts us at risk](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/08/16/the-tip-of-the-iceberg-what-we-cant-see-puts-us-at-risk/) - The US and Canada and much of the westernized world is in the midst of a Diabetes epidemic but this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes the underlying metabolic disruption caused by insulin. The part of the iceberg that is visible and that people know about is hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar) but the part
- [My Approach to Eating Low Carb and Links to Popular Recipes](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/08/21/my-approach-to-eating-low-carb-and-links-to-popular-recipes/) - Some people think there is only one type of "low carb" diet; one that includes lots of meat and lots of fat, but that's not the case. There are low carb diets that are higher in fat than protein, higher in protein than fat and those that are somewhat of a hybrid. The same thing
- [Low Carbohydrate Eating for People with Diabetes - important position statement](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/08/22/low-carbohydrate-eating-for-people-with-diabetes-important-position-statement/) - INTRODUCTION: Diabetes Australia, the national body responsible for making treatment and dietary recommendations for the 1.7 million people living with Diabetes in that country has just released a new Position Statement titled Low Carbohydrate Eating for People with Diabetes [1] said to be based on the latest evidence on the subject. The publication is designed to provide practical advice
- [Do Low Carb Diets Shorten Lifespan - a closer look](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/08/23/do-low-carb-diets-shorten-lifespan-a-closer-look/) - INTRODUCTION: Headlines warned people this week of the dire risks of a shorter lifespan by eating a low carbohydrate diet, but is it true? By asking a few simple questions it's easy to see that this newly published study cannot be used to support this claim. Headlines are designed to attract readers to a story,
- [Is Coconut Oil Pure Poison?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/08/24/is-coconut-oil-pure-poison/) - For the second time in the last few days, dire warnings about the dangers of eating certain foods and not eating others dominated the headlines. In a previous post, I addressed the Harvard-based study which claimed that low carb diets shorten lifespan. This post is about a claim made by an adjunct professor from Harvard that
- [Are Low Carbohydrate Diets Linked to Risk of Premature Death?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/08/29/are-low-carbohydrate-diets-linked-to-risk-of-premature-death/) - For a second week in a row dire warnings about the alleged dangers of "low carbohydrate diets" scream out from headlines across the internet. "Low-Carb Diets Linked to Higher Risk of Premature Death" ~Newsweek August 28, 2018, 12:51 PM "Low carbohydrate diets are unsafe and should be avoided, study suggests" ~ScienceDaily, August 28, 2018 The general
- [Low Carbohydrate and Ketogenic Diets - more information](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/09/04/low-carbohydrate-and-ketogenic-diets-more-information/) - There are many popular articles available on the internet, but if you are looking for researched, credible articles about a therapeutic use of Low Carbohydrate or Ketogenic Diets as well as articles with practical applications then this article is for you. I have written 100+ "Science Made Simple" articles related specifically to this topic — most
- [A Trial of the Evidence](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/09/28/a-trial-of-the-evidence/) - In a landmark decision yesterday the Australian Health Practitioner's Regulation Agency (AHPRA) dropped all charges of wrong-doing against orthopedic surgeon Dr. Gary Fettke for recommending a low carb high fat lifestyle to his patients. This is great news for a physician who had tired of amputating the gangrenous limbs of patients with uncontrolled Diabetes when lifestyle changes
- [Silver Bullet for Addressing Carb Cravings](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/09/30/silver-bullet-for-addressing-carb-cravings/) - I was asked an interesting question recently which was "have you found the silver bullet for reducing carb cravings"? This was an interesting way to phrase something I have been asked in many different ways the last few years. Some people have been told that it really doesn't matter what or how much they eat
- [American Diabetes Association & European Association Classify Low Carb Diets as Medical Nutrition Therapy](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/10/10/ada-and-european-diabetes-association-classify-low-carb-diets-as-mnt/) - The new joint American Diabetes Association (ADA) / European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) position paper [1] published online ahead of print on October 4th now classifies a low carbohydrate diet as Medical Nutrition Therapy. in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes in adults. What this means is these two organizations which are responsible for educating over 30 million
- [The Effect of Cannabis on Appetite, Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/10/16/the-effect-of-cannabis-on-appetite-blood-sugar-and-insulin-levels/) - As of October 17th 2018, marijuana (cannabis sativa, cannabis indica) will be legal to be sold to or possessed by adults 18 years or older in Canada and to be consumed for recreational use. Medical marijuana has been available for sometime in Canada (and in some US states) to those with authorization from their healthcare provider,
- [Finally Reaching Normal Body Weight - a Dietitian's Journey](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/10/17/finally-reaching-normal-body-weight-a-dietitians-journey/) - Today I reached "normal body weight" according to Body Mass Index (BMI) classification — no longer obese and not even overweight. Normal. It seems surreal. When I began my health and weight loss journey on March 5, 2017 (19 1/2 months ago) I was obese. My weight bordered between Class I and Class II Obesity and I had
- [There Are Now Two Stages BEFORE a Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/11/30/there-are-now-two-stages-before-a-diagnosis-of-type-2-diabetes/) - This past Wednesday (November 28, 2018) the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) announced publication of a new Position Statement which identifies 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 (disease of
- [The Difference Between Reversal and Remission of Type 2 Diabetes](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/12/14/the-difference-between-reversal-and-remission-of-type-2-diabetes/) - Some speak of having "reversed" Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) as a result of dietary changes whereas others refer to having achieved "remission". What is the difference and why is the distinction important? What is meant by Type 2 Diabetes "reversal" "Reversal" of a disease implies that whatever was causing it is now gone and is
- [Will You Achieve Your New Year's Resolution?](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/12/27/will-you-achieve-your-new-years-resolution/) - If you are one of the many people that will be making a health-related New Year's resolution this year, I've got some bad news for you. Half of people that make this type of resolution will have given up after only a week and 83% will have thrown in the towel by the end of January[1]. Why is that?
- [Carbohydrates are Not Evil](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/01/27/carbohydrates-are-not-evil/) - Much of the discussion about nutrition these days on social media seems to take an "all-or-nothing" stance on carbohydrates. On one hand there are those who promote a plant-based diet that necessarily comes with a large amount of carbohydrate as grains, legumes (pulses) such as beans and lentils as well as carbohydrate-containing vegetables and fruit,
- [Reflections of a Nutritional Centrist](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/02/01/reflections-of-a-nutritional-centrist/) - INTRODUCTION: In a recent article titled Carbohydrates are not Evil I referred to myself as a "nutritional centrist" and in this post I'll elaborate on what I mean by this. This post is more of an editorial than a standard 'Science Made Simple' article. References can be found in the previous articles by using the
- [Middle-Eastern Style Lentil Soup - whole food plant based](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2019/02/07/middle-eastern-style-lentil-soup-whole-food-plant-based/) - The new Canada Food Guide encourages a whole food plant-based diet which is a good option for those who are metabolically healthy — especially those who are insulin sensitive. The challenge is that I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes 10 years ago and while I am in partial remission now as a result of dietary changes
- [CBC Interview with a Low Carb Physician - five minutes and all the basics](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/2018/06/11/cbc-interview-with-a-low-carb-physician-five-minutes-and-all-the-basics/) - Dr. Miriam Berchuk is a Calgary-area physician and active member of the Canadian Clinicians for Therapeutic Nutrition who was interviewed today (June 11, 2018) on CBC Radio (Calgary Eyeopener) about her personal use and promotion of a Low Carb diet for weight loss and specific metabolic conditions related to insulin resistance. While the interview lasts

## Pages

- [Registered Dietitian - Home](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/) - BetterByDesign Nutrition Homepage
- [FAQs & Contact](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/faqs-contact/) - Contact Us form, email, phone
- [About](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/about-me/) - Tell me about Joy Erdile, your Registered Dietitian Joy is a full-time Registered Dietitian (RD) with a postgraduate degree in Human Nutrition, and her published research was in mental health nutrition. She has been in private practice in Coquitlam, British Columbia, since 2008. Joy has provided virtual services for over a decade, and in addition
- [My Services](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/) - BetterByDesign Nutrition offers several assessment and follow-up options to support clients wanting to focus on preventative nutrition and learning to eat healthier to those with specific clinical conditions.
- [Food for Thought](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/articles/) - blog
- [Comprehensive Dietary Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/routine-services/comprehensive-dietary-package/) - Comprehensive Dietary Package The Comprehensive Dietary Package is the package that transforms goals for healthy eating, weight management, lowering insulin resistance, and chronic disease management (including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and fatty liver) into a sustainable lifestyle. It is broken down into four separate, dated services, as follows; 1. In-depth
- [Routine Services](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/routine-services/) - ROUTINE SERVICES The heart of my practice, since opening 17 years ago, has been Routine Services available as packages and on an hourly basis. Routine Nutrition Packages Comprehensive Dietary Package is our basic package for healthy eating, weight management, as well as chronic disease management (type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatty liver). Prenatal
- [Digestive Health](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/digestive-health/) - Digestive Health I have over 15 years of experience supporting individuals with gut health and digestive issues, and I approach each person's needs and symptoms on an individual basis. In my experience, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. Digestive Health Packages Available Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Package uses a review of a Time Food Time Symptom
- [Structure of Services in Routine Packages](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/structure-of-services-in-routine-packages/) - While each Routine Health package has a different clinical focus, the structure of services in each package is similar and is outlined below. Assessment Visit The first service in all Routine Health packages is an in-depth clinical assessment, which is broken into two parts: a. The first part of the assessment includes review of
- [How to Complete the Intake Form on a Phone, Tablet or Computer](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/complete-the-intake-and-service-option-form-on-a-phone-or-table/) - No computer? No problem. The instructions below will enable you to complete the Intake and Service Option Form online using the free Adobe Acrobat online fill and sign tool on your phone or tablet, then send it to us. If you don't have Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader (free) on your computer, you can complete
- [A Dietitian's Journey - Part II](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/a-dietitians-journey-part-ii/) - In June 2022, I was diagnosed with profound hypothyroidism and looked as though I had regained all my lost weight and more, but hadn't. By necessity, I needed to re-evaluate what "health" looked like for me now, as well as what "success" looked like, too. I began writing about it, and A Dietitian's Journey
- [Therapeutic Diet Services](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/other-therapeutic-support-services/) - THERAPEUTIC DIETS A therapeutic ketogenic diet is a type of medical nutrition therapy (also known as ketogenic diet therapy or ketogenic metabolic therapy). It may be implemented by a Dietitian as an adjunct treatment for specific physical and mental health conditions, under a doctor's oversight. A therapeutic ketogenic diet is different than "keto" for weight loss
- [Celiac Disease Management Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/digestive-health/celiac-disease-management-package/) - The Celiac Disease Management Package provides detailed teaching for those newly diagnosed with celiac disease (IgA-mediated gluten intolerance) or those previously diagnosed with celiac disease but who are still experiencing symptoms or who have been unable to achieve a normal IgATTG test. These teachings will focus on how to eat to avoid accidental contact
- [Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/digestive-health/small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth-sibo-package/) - As outlined in this article, SIBO treatment with antimicrobials alone is significantly less effective than when combined with dietary modifications before, during, and after antimicrobial therapy. Furthermore, without both dietary support and antimicrobial treatment, SIBO is more likely to recur. The Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Package is designed for individuals diagnosed with SIBO, providing three
- [Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Package ](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/digestive-health/inflammatory-bowel-disease-ibd-package/) - The Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Package is designed for those newly diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease, with a focus on reducing symptoms as quickly as possible. Following that, there is a gradual reintroduction of foods to minimize the recurrence of symptoms. This package is provided as 4 separate services, including one
- [Low FODMAP Diet Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/digestive-health/low-fodmap-diet-package/) - The Low FODMAP Diet Package is designed for individuals who have been diagnosed by their doctor with IBS and are advised to follow a Low-FODMAP Diet. A low-FODMAP diet is implemented systematically in three stages so that we can determine which FODMAP foods contribute to their symptoms and which do not. The package is
- [Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/digestive-health/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs-package/) - The Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Package is designed for individuals who have had celiac disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) ruled out and who have been told by their doctor that they have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) The package uses a Time Food Time Symptom (TFTS) Journal to determine the specific foods or food
- [Hypothyroid Management Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/routine-services/hypothyroid-management-package/) - The Hypothyroid Management Package supports those with Hashimoto's disease and other types of hypothyroidism, with an emphasis on weight loss and ensuring adequate dietary intake of nutrients essential for the conversion of inactive to active thyroid hormones. Note: If you have a family history of hypothyroidism or other autoimmune conditions, and suspect you may meet the
- [Menopause Management Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/routine-services/menopause-management-package-2/) - The Menopause Management Package is specifically designed for ‘women of a certain age’ who are struggling with the symptoms of peri-menopause or menopause. It provides women with the tools to overcome the challenges of weight gain, sleep disruption, and fluctuating mood that are common during this life transition. The package is broken down into four
- [Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/routine-services/polycystic-ovarian-syndrome-pcos-package/) - The PCOS Package helps women address the underlying insulin resistance of PCOS, leading to fewer symptoms, the ability to lose weight, and to improve the likelihood of being able to conceive. The package is broken down into four separate, dated services as follows; 1. In-depth clinical assessment: The first service is an in-depth clinical assessment, which is
- [Healthy Aging Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/routine-services/healthy-aging-package-2/) - The Healthy Aging Package is where I empower middle-aged and older adults to maintain their health as they age, with a focus on retaining their muscle and bone mass. The Healthy Aging Package was initially for healthy older adults without health conditions and normal lab test results, but has been expanded with an option
- [Prenatal Dietary Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/routine-services/prenatal-dietary-package/) - The Prenatal Dietary Package enables women to optimally nourish themselves and their unborn babies throughout the three trimesters of pregnancy by providing 3 Meal Plan variations: one for each trimester. Already almost in your second trimester? No problem! The first trimester Meal Plan still needs to be designed, as it forms the basis for the
- [Book An Appointment](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/book-an-appointment/) - Information about discovery calls, booking services for couples and families, using your extended benefits, payment timing and options, how packages are broken down on receipts, splitting services between years, clinical hours, etc., is available on the FAQs page. Book An Appointment Getting started with hourly services or any of our packages is as easy
- [Shop Services](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/shop-services/) - NOTE: This Shop is only for paying for services via credit card. To learn about services, please click here. To learn how to save the credit card charges, please visit the book an appointment tab and learn about our Flexible Payment Option, as well as paying for services via secure e-transfer. Privacy Policy |
- [Hourly Services](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/services/routine-services/hourly-services/) - We offer three types of Hourly Services; The Initial Hourly Consultation is a non-clinical appointment for meeting together to discuss your goals and health background, to discuss service options, and see if we are a good fit for your needs. Any remaining time in the appointment can be “banked” for follow-up services when taking one
- [Comprehensive Dietary Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/comprehensive-dietary-package-2/) - The Comprehensive Dietary Package is for healthy individuals, or those with routine clinical conditions (e.g. type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol). The package is broken down into four separate, dated hourly services which are as follows. 1. In-depth clinical assessment: review of personal and family medical history, recent lab results, current medications and nutritional supplements, and
- [Food for Thought - archived articles](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/articles/archived-articles/) - Welcome to the archived articles page. This page contains most of the articles that I have written over the last 10 years. Like the bird, I don’t write because I can, but because I have something to say. The purpose of Food for Thought articles is to explain the science of health and nutrition
- [Thank You Page - Low Carb Breads of the World](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/thank-you-page-low-carb-breads-of-the-world/) - Please download your copy of Low Carb Breads of the World here.
- [A Dietitian's Journey - Part III](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/a-dietitians-journey-part-iii/) - Part III in "A Dietitian's Journey" documents my efforts (and hopefully my success) at restoring my health to what it was before my diagnosis with an autoimmune condition. My hope is that this series will encourage others in their individual journeys of physical and metabolic recovery. A Dietitian's Journey - Part III 07/20 -
- [Book Download - failure redirect](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/book-download-failure-redirect/) - We are sorry you are having difficulty downloading your book. Please send us an email at info@lowcarb-bread.com and someone will reply to you doing normal business hours.
- [Terms of Service and Use for the BBDNutrition Website](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/terms-of-service/) - Terms of Use - also see Privacy Policy Effective Date: 11/03/2021 Last Updated: 11/03/2021 1.0 — INTRODUCTION & ACCEPTANCE These terms and conditions govern your use of Bbdnutrition.com (the ”Website"). By using the Website, you accept and agree to these conditions in full. Do not use this Website if you do not agree with these terms and conditions.
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/privacy-policy/) - Privacy Policy for BetterByDesign Nutrition Ltd - (also see Terms of Use) Last updated: March 11, 2021 At BBDNutrition, accessible from https://www.bbdnutrition.com/, one of our main priorities is the privacy of our visitors. This Privacy Policy document contains types of information that is collected and recorded by BBDNutrition and how we use it. If you have
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## Products

- [All Add-on Options (including Complex Clinical)](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/all-add-on-options-except-pediatric/) - Add on Options to the following packages; Comprehensive Dietary Package Menopause Management Package Hypothyroid Management Package Constipation and Hemorrhoid Management Package Including the Complex Clinical Option and Nutrition Education for GERD/acid reflux, gout, hiatus hernia, kidney stones, migraine, etc.
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- [Credit Card Payment for 2:1 Therapeutic Package (GST exempt)](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/credit-card-payment-for-21-therapeutic-package/) - NOTE: this is for paying for services via credit card. To save the credit card charges, you can send an e-transfer when you book an appointment. For your security, the e-transfer will be automatically deposited.
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- [Flexible Payment Option - first installment - all packages](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/flexible-payment-option-first-installment-all-packages/) - NOTE: this is for paying for services via credit card. To save the credit card charges, you can send an e-transfer when you book an appointment. For your security, the e-transfer will be automatically deposited. We would be glad to send you an invoice with the tax already calculated to make it easy.
- [Credit Card Payment for Prenatal Package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/credit-card-payment-for-3-service-package-copy/) - NOTE: this is for paying for services via credit card. To save the credit card charges, you can send an e-transfer when you book an appointment. For your security, the e-transfer will be automatically deposited. We would be glad to send you an invoice with the tax already calculated to make it easy.
- [Flexible Payment Option - third installment - 2:1 package (tax exempt)](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/flexible-payment-option-third-installment-2to1-package/) - NOTE: this is for paying for services via credit card. To save the credit card charges, you can send an e-transfer when you book an appointment. For your security, the e-transfer will be automatically deposited. We would be glad to send you an invoice with the tax already calculated to make it easy.
- [Flexible Payment Option - third installment - 4 service package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/flexible-payment-option-third-installment-4-service-package/) - NOTE: this is for paying for services via credit card. To save the credit card charges, you can send an e-transfer when you book an appointment. For your security, the e-transfer will be automatically deposited. We would be glad to send you an invoice with the tax already calculated to make it easy.
- [Flexible Payment Option - second installment - 2:1 package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/flexible-payment-option-second-installment-2to1/) - NOTE: this is for paying for services via credit card. To save the credit card charges, you can send an e-transfer when you book an appointment. For your security, the e-transfer will be automatically deposited. We would be glad to send you an invoice with the tax already calculated to make it easy.
- [Flexible Payment Option - second installment - 4-service package](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/flexible-payment-option-second-installment-4-service-package/) - NOTE: this is for paying for services via credit card. To save the credit card charges, you can send an e-transfer when you book an appointment. For your security, the e-transfer will be automatically deposited. We would be glad to send you an invoice with the tax already calculated to make it easy.
- [Flexible Payment Option - third installment - 3 service package (Prenatal Pkg)](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/flexible-payment-option-third-installment-3-service-package/) - NOTE: this is for paying for services via credit card. To save the credit card charges, you can send an e-transfer when you book an appointment. For your security, the e-transfer will be automatically deposited. We would be glad to send you an invoice with the tax already calculated to make it easy.
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- [Getting Started](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/getting-started/)
- [Pediatric Option](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/pediatric-add-on/) - This is a required add-on to the Complete Assessment Package for clients aged 6-19 years in order to assess the adequacy of their growth and to compare their weight, height and BMI to established standards for their age.
- [Hourly Consultations - all types](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/hourly-consultation-services/) - NOTE: this is for paying for services via credit card. To save the credit card charges, you can send an e-transfer when you book an appointment . For your security, the e-transfer will be automatically deposited. We would be glad to send you an invoice with the tax already calculated to make it easy. Hourly Consultations are a great option for those who would like to meet me to discuss their needs, or the needs of a family member and to see if I am a ”good fit". Hourly Services are also ideal for taking the same services available as a packages, but billed on an hourly basis (as required by some extended benefits plans). Step-by-Step instructions for Booking Your Appointment: As easy as 1-2-3 Download the Intake and Service Option Form (available under the Services tab) to your desktop, and fill it out on your computer* (not by hand, please). Email the completed pdf form, any available recent blood test results to the email address on the form. Pay for your services below via credit card or send an e-transfer and save the credit card charges * NOTE: If you don't already have it, you can download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader here to complete the pdf form on a Windows-based computer. If you are on another type of computer, a phone or a tablet, then you can use Adobe Acrobat online fill and sign tools. If you would like a password-protected form, please send a note using the Contact Me form on the tab above.
- [Improving Iron Status - add-on option](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/iron-option-add-on-option-to-complete-assessment-package/) - The Iron Option is a two-part nutrition education add-on to the Complete Assessment Package, Comprehensive Dietary Package of the Menopause Management Package for those with low iron status. The first session occurs immediately after the nutrition education session for your Meal Plan, and the second part (which is more complex) occurs a few weeks later. This add-on option covers the same material as the Improving Iron Status from Food specialty hourly service, but at a savings for those also taking a package.
- [Low Carb Breads of the World - ebook](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/low-carb-breads-of-the-world-ebook/) - Low Carb Breads of the World is a full-colour recipe book for a unique category of homemade low carb bread. These do not contain nut flour, psyllium or chia seed, or any gums (such as xanthan gum or guar gum) as these often cause people digestive issues. The book was released in July 2022 and has sold worldwide. Low Carb Breads of the World book is a 120 MB full colour pdf file that can be viewed on a smartphone, tablet or e-reader that supports pdfs. Here is a short video of some of the low-carb breads that you can make with these recipes. Definitely not your average "low carb bread" made with melted cheese or whipped egg white! https://www.bbdnutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Low_Carb_Breads_of_the_carousel.mp4 There is more information about the book, below. NOTE: Upon payment, you will be directed to a page where you will be able to download your copy, so please be sure that you are on the computer that you want to receive the download. Please contact the office for the book at info@lowcarb-bread.com should you need help and someone there will assist you. Please do not contact the author.
- [Add-on Options](https://www.bbdnutrition.com/product/add-on-options-to-the-complete-assessment-package/) - For those with specific nutritional needs who are taking the Complete Assessment Package, there are several add-on options to provide targeted nutritional education within the context of your individual Meal Plan.

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