dr. tang

Common Nutrient Deficiencies in Athletes

I am in constant awe of the rigor and dedication it takes for athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike to reach their goals. If you think about it, athletes are a little crazy (they are willingly putting their bodies through tremendous physical and mental stress daily) – but truly inspirational nonetheless. Because of this increased metabolic demand and lifestyle (as well as an increased risk of a “leakier” gut as per my previous article), athletes are susceptible to some nutrients deficiencies that can greatly impair their health. Basically, any gut problems put you at increased risk for all of the deficiencies mentioned below.

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By Dr. Priscilla Tang, Naturopathic Doctor, ago

Five Ways to Take Care of Your Heart

Since February has been arbitrarily designated “Heart Health Month”, I thought articles around heart health would be fitting. It’s an extremely important organ, and unfortunately cardiovascular morbidity affects the majority of our North American population. Whether in the form of hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease (CAD), atherosclerosis, etc, the good news is you can do something about it.

Here are some things you can do to help support your heart:

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By Dr. Priscilla Tang, Naturopathic Doctor, ago

Top 3 Things You Should Know About Lab Testing

Part of my “east meets west” approach to medicine involves the use of lab testing. Naturopathic doctors can order labs that MDs can (such as cholesterol, blood glucose, creatinine (to help assess kidney function), iron, thyroid, etc) and additional ones that family doctors don’t have access to (such as food sensitivities, saliva and urine hormone testing (a more accurate measurement of hormones vs. blood), stool and bacterial overgrowth analysis, etc). However, I don’t believe in using a lab test for each and every treatment. Individualized medicine is the cornerstone of naturopathic medicine! While lab testing is a fantastic tool that I believe in to get quantifiable measurements to help guide treatment and track progress, it can be tricky to navigate.

Here are some things to keep in mind before you do any lab test:

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By Dr. Priscilla Tang, Naturopathic Doctor, ago

“But what IS a naturopathic doctor, really?”

The beautiful (and sometimes frustrating) thing about naturopathic medicine is that each naturopathic doctor (ND) practices differently, so it can be difficult to know what to expect. You can go to 10 different NDs, each with a different way of treating and approaching care, and they can all be effective. This because naturopathic medicine is based on individualized treatment, and while NDs are all trained in a variety of modalities (herbal medicine, homeopathy, Traditional Chinese medicine, etc), each ND has a different experience with each one.

Another confusing aspect is that naturopathic medicine is not regulated everywhere. In Canada, the term “naturopathic doctor” is protected by law only in Ontario and British Columbia. This means that if you find a registered ND in either of these two provinces, you can be sure they have the proper education, passed all their licensing exams, and are governed by a regulatory body that helps to protect the public.

So… when I get asked “what is naturopathic medicine?”, my response is always “Good question.”

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By Dr. Priscilla Tang, Naturopathic Doctor, ago