east meets west

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

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

Atherosclerosis: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

I used to work in a supplement store, and I had people come in all the time asking for things that would “clear their arteries” because their doctor said it put them at risk for a stroke. This is absolutely true, but unfortunately there’s also no magic supplement that will help “unclog” those arteries. The best approach is through a combination of lifestyle, diet, and potentially supplementation if warranted. To understand how to approach atherosclerosis, we first have to know what exactly it is.

What is atherosclerosis? (The Ugly)

The basic bottom line is that atherosclerosis is a disease of inflammation and immune system activation. It involves a series of steps that start with your risk factors (many of the things I have mentioned this month already on my Instagram posts) and end in restricted blood flow due to plaque formation [1]:

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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