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The Nutrition Nerd YMM, Fort McMurray, AB (2026)

09/05/2026

🍈💛 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝘀. 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗲

I recently bought a French canary melon—and when I cut it open, I was surprised to find orange flesh inside! 😂🤦‍♀️

A traditional canary melon normally has pale green-to-white flesh, but the French canary is a specialty variety with a smooth yellow rind and peachy-orange centre.

So, how does it compare with cantaloupe?

• Both are hydrating, low-calorie fruits that provide vitamin C, potassium and a little fibre.
• Both likely contain beta-carotene—the orange pigment our bodies can convert into vitamin A.
• Cantaloupe has a rough, netted rind and a stronger musky aroma.
• French canary melon has a smooth yellow rind and a sweet, juicy flavour that falls somewhere between honeydew and cantaloupe.

There isn’t enough nutritional data on this particular variety to claim that one is healthier than the other. The biggest differences are really their flavour, aroma, texture and appearance.

Apparently, my melon was wearing a canary-yellow outfit with a cantaloupe-coloured surprise inside 😂🍈

Happy Friday!

09/04/2026

🧠✨ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗗𝗛𝗗 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘅

“I can achieve anything I put my mind to… unless it’s boring or too hard”

Honestly, nothing captures ADHD quite like being capable of researching an obscure topic for six straight hours—but somehow unable to make a two-minute phone call 😂

(Phone calls are the worst… I have to call the bank today 😩)

ADHD isn’t a lack of intelligence, ambition or caring. It can make it harder to activate and sustain attention when a task feels repetitive, unrewarding, unclear or overwhelming.

The ADHD brain is often motivated more easily by:

• Interest
• Novelty
• Challenge
• Urgency
• Immediate reward

So yes, I can do extremely difficult things…

But first, that simple boring task must sit untouched until it becomes an emergency. Then suddenly, I possess the focus of a neurosurgeon 😂

Anyone else?

09/04/2026

🧬 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻… 𝗢𝗿 𝗔𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝗶𝗱𝘀?

One thing I learned through canine nutrition is that we don’t just think about protein…

We think about amino acids!

Technically, both dogs and humans don’t have a dietary requirement for “protein” itself—they have requirements for the amino acids that protein provides, especially the essential amino acids that the body can’t make on its own.

For most people (and most dogs eating a variety of animal proteins), this usually isn’t something you need to think much about. A varied, protein-rich diet generally provides everything the body needs.

Where it becomes more important is when protein sources are limited.

🐶 In canine nutrition, this might be when formulating homemade diets with only one or two protein sources, or when a dog requires a higher-carbohydrate diet for medical reasons. We pay much closer attention to whether all of the essential amino acid requirements are being met—not just the total grams of protein.

👨‍🦱 The same concept applies to people!

If you eat very little meat, or follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, it’s worth putting a little more thought into your protein choices. Different plant foods contain different amino acid profiles, so eating a variety of protein-rich foods throughout the day helps ensure you’re getting all of the essential amino acids your body needs.

🌾 Grains tend to be lower in lysine but provide more methionine, while 🫘 legumes are generally richer in lysine but lower in methionine. This is why combinations such as rice and beans, lentils with whole grains, or hummus and pita have long been considered complementary proteins.

The good news? You don’t need to combine them in the same meal. As long as you’re eating a varied diet over the course of the day and meeting your protein needs, your body can draw from its amino acid pool to build the proteins it needs.

🦴 A quick note on collagen…

Collagen is not a complete protein because it doesn’t contain the essential amino acid tryptophan. That doesn’t make it “bad”—far from it. It can be a great way to increase total protein intake and provide amino acids like glycine and proline, especially for people who don’t enjoy traditional protein powders.

Just don’t rely on collagen as your main protein source. It works best alongside a varied diet that includes complete protein sources or complementary plant proteins.

🧠 Sometimes looking beyond the nutrition label and asking “Which amino acids does this food provide?” gives us a much better understanding of protein quality than simply counting grams.

09/03/2026

🫖🧬 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗜𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱

I got a peppermint tea from McDonald’s today—which I absolutely love! 🤓

(Why is it sooooo good? When I make it, it is never as good!)

But it also made me think about something we often overlook.

I couldn’t confirm exactly what their tea bag is made from. Depending on their construction, tea bags may contain polymer fibres, plastic-based sealants or other food-contact materials.

Then there’s the “paper” cup. Disposable paper cups generally require a thin coating to prevent liquid from soaking through, and that coating is often plastic-based. Add a plastic lid and very hot water, and there’s potential for microplastics and other compounds from the packaging to migrate into the drink.

Does this mean my occasional peppermint tea is going to ruin my health?

No 😂

For most people, having something like this occasionally is unlikely to be the most meaningful exposure in their lives. But exposure isn’t limited to one cup. We encounter food-contact materials through disposable cups, plastic lids, takeout containers, tea bags, wrappers, canned-food linings and many other sources—often without thinking about them.

That’s why reducing exposure where it’s practical is important to me. I don’t frequently drink from takeout cups, I use glass or stainless steel at home, and I prefer loose-leaf tea or tea bags with clearly identified materials when possible.

This isn’t about achieving perfect, zero-chemical living. That isn’t realistic—and the health significance of many individual exposures is still being studied.

It’s about remembering that nutrition isn’t only about 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 we consume.

How our food and drinks are grown, processed, cooked, packaged, stored and served can also influence what eventually enters our bodies.

Enjoy the peppermint tea—but reduce the exposures you can, where you can, without becoming afraid of every cup 🧬🫖

09/02/2026

🧬 𝗠𝗧𝗛𝗙𝗥: 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲

A few years ago, I decided to have genetic testing done.

I already suspected I might have a few genetic variants (SNPs) affecting some of my nutrient pathways, and I wanted some clarity… but, let’s be honest, I also really wanted to nerd out over my genetics 🤓

One of the things I discovered was that I carry two copies of the common MTHFR C677T variant.

You’ve probably heard of MTHFR—especially if you’ve spent any time in nutrition or supplement circles.

But it often gets reduced to:

“You have MTHFR? Take methylfolate”

It’s a little more interesting than that!

💡 And don’t forget: EVERYONE has the MTHFR gene! 🧬 What can differ from person to person are the SNPs (genetic variants) within that gene and how they may influence enzyme function.

🧪 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗧𝗛𝗙𝗥 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗼?

MTHFR is an enzyme involved in folate and one-carbon metabolism.

One of its important jobs is converting a form of folate called 5,10-methylene-THF into 5-MTHF.

5-MTHF can then provide the methyl group needed for the vitamin B12-dependent recycling of:

Homocysteine → Methionine

Methionine can then be used to make SAM (S-adenosylmethionine), one of the body’s major methyl donors.

And methylation is involved in a LOT—gene regulation, phospholipid metabolism, neurotransmitter metabolism and many other processes.

🧬 𝗦𝗼… 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲?

Because MTHFR doesn’t work in isolation.

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is especially interesting. MTHFR requires FAD, which our bodies make from B2, as a cofactor.

The common C677T variant produces a less-stable MTHFR enzyme that has a greater tendency to lose its FAD cofactor. So riboflavin status can actually influence how this genetic variant behaves.

Then we have B12, which is needed downstream to transfer that methyl group and recycle homocysteine back into methionine.

And there’s even another pathway that can bypass MTHFR altogether.

TMG (betaine) can donate a methyl group through an enzyme called BHMT:

TMG + Homocysteine → Methionine

Choline can also be converted into betaine, connecting foods containing choline and phosphatidylcholine to this system.

So instead of thinking:

MTHFR = folate

I prefer to think:

MTHFR is one part of a much larger nutrient-dependent metabolic network.

B2, folate, B12, choline/betaine, B6 and other nutrients all interact with different parts of homocysteine and one-carbon metabolism.

🧠 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘆

Having an MTHFR SNP doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong with you, nor does it mean everyone with the variant needs the same supplements.

Your nutrient status, diet, lifestyle, health, medications and other genes all influence what your actual metabolism looks like.

That’s why I like combining genetics with things like symptoms, diet history and relevant bloodwork—rather than treating a genetic report as a supplement prescription.

For me, the testing was useful because it gave me another piece of my biochemical puzzle.

And yes… it also gave me approximately 1,000 new rabbit holes to research 😂🧬

09/01/2026

🦴🧬 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀: 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗲

If you buy marrow bones for soups or broth, there’s a lot more going on in there than just flavour!

🦴 Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside the bone. The fatty yellow marrow commonly found in large beef marrow bones is particularly rich in fat and contains fat-soluble compounds and other nutrients.

You can scoop the marrow out and eat it, add it to soups or broth, or gently render the fat for cooking.

And a nerdy distinction: rendered marrow fat and tallow aren’t technically the same thing. Tallow traditionally refers to rendered hard fat—particularly suet—from around organs such as the kidneys. Rendered marrow fat comes specifically from bone marrow and tends to have a somewhat different fatty-acid profile and texture.

But here’s the REALLY cool part:

🧬 Bone isn’t just structural scaffolding!

Bone is living, metabolically active tissue. It’s constantly being broken down and rebuilt, communicates with other tissues, houses marrow involved in blood-cell production, stores minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, and even has endocrine functions through signalling molecules produced by bone cells.

So when you look at a marrow bone, you’re looking at what was once a remarkably active little biological system—not just a chunk of calcium 😂🦴

Food gets much more interesting when you start looking at the physiology behind it!

08/31/2026

These ads for cheap supplements are taking over my feed, so irritating (but the songs are catchy 😂)

But, since I was talking about iodine a bit yesterday… would anyone be interested in learning more about that essential nutrient?

I love iodine 🤓

08/30/2026

🔎💊 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 “𝗔𝗹𝗹-𝗶𝗻-𝗢𝗻𝗲” 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀

I recently saw a post about this “thyroid support” supplement and wanted to use it as an example of what I look for when evaluating products.

At first glance, it seems impressive. It contains iodine, selenium, zinc, vitamin D, tyrosine, ashwagandha and several other herbs—basically everything commonly associated with “supporting the thyroid”

But more ingredients don’t automatically mean a better supplement!

A few things immediately raised red flags:

🚩 Pyridoxine hydrochloride is incorrectly labelled as vitamin B8. Pyridoxine is vitamin B6.

🚩 “Iodine” appears to be misspelled on the company’s own bottle image.

🚩 It provides 500 mcg of iodine from potassium iodide—more than three times the standard adult daily requirement—plus kelp and bladderwrack, which may contribute additional iodine.

🚩 It combines several ingredients that may affect thyroid activity, including ashwagandha, guggul and Coleus forskohlii.

🚩 It also contains 200 mcg of selenium and 5,000 IU of vitamin D, without knowing whether the person taking it actually needs those amounts.

A spelling mistake alone doesn’t prove that a supplement is dangerous. However, when a company incorrectly identifies a vitamin and misspells one of the primary nutrients it is marketing, it makes me question the overall quality-control process.

My biggest concern is that Hashimoto’s is a complex autoimmune condition—not simply a thyroid that needs every “thyroid-supporting” ingredient thrown at it.

Is the person deficient in iodine, selenium or vitamin D?

Are they taking thyroid medication?

Is their TSH elevated, normal or already suppressed?

Do they experience palpitations, anxiety or insomnia?

If they react poorly, which ingredient caused it?

This is why I generally don’t love large all-in-one formulas for specific health conditions. Everyone is an individual, and they deserve to be treated like one—not matched to a generic bottle because they share the same diagnosis.

I also understand why these products are appealing. When you’re dealing with chronic fatigue, brain fog and other ongoing symptoms, one bottle promising to cover everything sounds much easier.

Could someone take this product and feel better? Absolutely! Perhaps they were deficient in one of its nutrients, an herb helped their stress, or something else changed at the same time.

But someone feeling better while taking a product doesn’t prove that every ingredient was necessary—or that the same formula will be appropriate for the next person.

When choosing supplements, I want to know:

🔬 Is there a clear reason for each ingredient?

🔬 Is the form and dose appropriate?

🔬 Could it interact with medications or health conditions?

🔬 Can we monitor whether it is actually helping?

🔬 If something goes wrong, can we identify why?

Supplements can be incredibly useful—but more ingredients don’t automatically equal more support. Sometimes they simply create more variables, more potential interactions and a much more expensive experiment.

If you ever have questions about a supplement, please don’t hesitate to ask! I’m always happy to help you examine the ingredients, dosages and potential red flags so you can make a more informed decision 😊

08/30/2026

🧬 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗠𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻 🍗

This isn’t because I think chicken or pork are bad foods. They’re not!

But on average, today’s chicken and pork contain more omega-6 fat than they did decades ago.

🐔🐖 Why?

Unlike cattle and sheep, chickens and pigs are monogastric animals. That means the fats they eat are incorporated much more directly into their own tissues.

Modern commercial feeds often contain ingredients like corn and soy, which are naturally rich in linoleic acid (an omega-6 fat). As a result, the fat in these animals tends to contain more omega-6 than it once did.

🐄🐑 Beef and lamb are different!

They’re ruminants, meaning they have a rumen full of microbes that transform much of the fat they eat before it’s absorbed. Their fatty acid profile is therefore much less influenced by the feed compared with chicken or pork.

⚖️ Does that mean omega-6 is bad?

Not at all.

Omega-6 fats are essential. We literally need them for normal health.

My concern is simply that they’re already everywhere in the modern food supply—especially in ultra-processed foods, restaurant meals, fried foods, sauces, dressings, baked goods, and snack foods.

So rather than fearing omega-6, I prefer to reduce processed foods first. That naturally lowers my omega-6 intake while still leaving plenty from whole foods.

For me, that also means I don’t build my diet primarily around chicken. I enjoy it, but I tend to rotate in more beef, lamb, fish, eggs, and other whole food protein sources to create a little more balance.

🥩 It’s less about avoiding one food and more about looking at the overall dietary pattern.

Just as a note: If omega-6 intake is something you’re mindful of, choosing skinless chicken breast is an easy way to reduce it. Most of the fat is found in the skin and darker meat, so even removing some of the skin can make a difference (It’s actually the same approach I often recommend in canine nutrition! 🐶)

08/29/2026

My partner and I found this sign at Home Hardware…

It did not come home with us—but honestly, it definitely belongs in our house 😂

In all seriousness, I don’t believe mental illness itself is a joke. My partner and I have both struggled with our mental health, and we understand how difficult it can be—not only for the person experiencing it, but also for the people who love them.

Sometimes, though, being able to laugh at ourselves helps make the hard stuff feel a little less heavy. Humour can open conversations, reduce stigma, and remind people that there’s no shame in struggling—or in getting help!

Anyway… who else needs this sign? 😂

The Nutrition Nerd YMM

09/05/2026

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