naturopath

Pap Smears, Breast Screening, STIs, and More – Female Screening Guide

A screening test is defined as: “The examination of a group of usually asymptomatic individuals to detect those with a high probability of having or developing a given disease”. In other words, screening tests are done to assess risk, NOT for already symptomatic individuals.

A good screening test has the following attributes:

  • Investigates an important health problem
  • Effective and acceptable treatment is available
  • The screening test itself is accurate and acceptable to patients
  • Natural history of the condition should be adequately understood
  • Overall benefits of screening outweigh harm
  • Ensures informed choice, confidentiality and respect for autonomy for the patient
 
Naturopathic medicine is all about prevention and being pro-active in your health. Screening tests are a big part of this, and while not all are worthwhile to do (e.g. for some, the cons outweigh the pros), there are some that you should be including as part of your routine check-ups.

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By Dr. Priscilla Tang, Naturopathic Doctor, ago

Periods – What’s “Normal” Anyway?

While I’m not particularly a big fan of the word “normal” in medicine, it does seem to be a word thrown around a lot as a level to attain. However, even being in the “normal” range in your blood work doesn’t mean you are in the clear. That’s why I prefer using the word “optimal” – optimal levels, optimal symptoms, optimal health, and so forth. While a “normal” period doesn’t actually exist (our bodies are incredibly complex and beautiful), there is optimal measures for your menses (short form for menstruation aka your period).

Now, I want you to keep in mind that just because your menses doesn’t follow all of these criteria, it doesn’t mean there’s reason for concern. As always, the definition of health and optimal is individual to you. It is advised to speak to a naturopathic doctor before jumping to any conclusions and to discuss your healthcare concerns.

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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

Gut Health in Athletes – The Missing Link to Optimizing Performance

Gastrointestinal (GI) complaints in athletes can include vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, bloating, abdominal pain, and everything in between. These are very common during training and competitions – but why? Athletes work hard to fine tune their “machine” of a body, so they should be “stronger” than the average population, right? It is exactly because of the hard work they put into their goals that makes them more susceptible to gut issues. Strenuous exercise and dehydration influence muscle glycogen depletion and puts the athlete at risk for gut ischemia (reduced blood flow to the intestines) [1]. This is because there is a redistribution of blood flow from your viscera to your skeletal muscle, brain, heart and lungs [1].

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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