Food As Medicine

The Most Common Reasons Why Your “Healthy Diet” Isn’t Working

Addressing your diet is one of the most powerful things you can do for your health. There is nothing more we do on a regular basis (except breathing, I guess) that has such profound impact on your cognition, immunity, mental/emotional health, and overall wellness.

“Every time we eat, we send our body a signal towards health or illness”

There is power in this quote. This means that our journey towards health can start as early as the next time we take a bite. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Whether you’ve thought about going on a “healthy diet”, or have done so unsuccessfully before, the following list can be reasons why you aren’t getting the results you want:

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By Dr. Priscilla Tang, Naturopathic Doctor, ago

Rest Your Gut With The Elimination Diet

Although the word “diet” is often synonymous with “wanting to lose weight”, there are numerous reasons why someone would choose to follow a certain diet. The important thing to always remember is that there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach in terms of what the “best” diet out there is, and there never will be. Each body is different in terms of responsiveness, environmental and genetic factors, personal goals, lifestyle, etc.

However, whether it be due to enhancing athletic performance, overall health, or due to a specific health concern, one of the diets I constantly recommend is called “the elimination diet”. From auto-immune disease, to skin concerns such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne, to digestive symptoms including bloating, constipation/diarrhea, acid reflux, etc, the elimination diet is a fantastic way to help your body reset, decrease inflammation, and help you feel like your best self.

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By Dr. Priscilla Tang, Naturopathic Doctor, ago

Food Allergy vs. Sensitivity vs. Intolerance – What’s The Difference?

Food sensitivity testing (FST) is a blood test many naturopathic doctors do in practice to measure the level of an immune response a patient has to certain foods. With the increasing evidence on the link between your gut and many chronic diseases, this can be a very useful tool in finding the root cause of your health concerns. Consumption of foods that your body negatively reacts to initiates an inflammatory cascade that can contribute to many skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis, acne, etc), cognition problems (poor memory, concentration and focus issues, etc), osteoporosis/arthritis, joint pain, asthma, weight gain, fatigue, as well as gut concerns (including poor nutrient absorption, constipation/diarrhea, bloating, etc), and many more.

There is some resistance in the medical community about this test, and a large part of this is because many don’t understand what FST is truly measuring. First and foremost, even though the test is measuring an immune response, it is NOT indicating a true “allergy”. There are specific tests that the conventional medical system does (such as the skin prick test) that DOES measure an allergic response. Confused? Take a read below as I dive into what a food allergy vs. sensitivity vs. intolerance is.

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By Dr. Priscilla Tang, Naturopathic Doctor, ago

Tomatoes – Men’s Health Superfood?

If there were ever a time to be able to eat your way to better health, it would be now. And, if you’ve been around the block long enough, you’ve probably heard that tomatoes are good for you, especially if you’re a male. The main compound that gives tomatoes a good name is called lycopene. Lycopene is what gives tomatoes its red pigmentation, and is responsible for the staining of your cutting boards (although not all red fruits/vegetables contain lycopene). It has been studied a lot in relation to things like prostate cancer and semen quality. A study published in 2014 showed that although a group of 130 men were uncertain about the function of the prostate and about prostate cancer, they had positive beliefs on the effect of lycopene on prostate cancer prevention [1]. In all honestly, not all of the evidence supports the protective effects of lycopene, but a good chunk of it does.

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By Dr. Priscilla Tang, Naturopathic Doctor, ago