Dr. Christal

Hi, I’m Christal Blanchard and understanding the “why” of every case is my approach to addressing your concerns rather than managing symptoms.

 I’m Christal Blanchard and understanding the “why” of every case is my approach to addressing your concerns rather than managing symptoms. Your symptoms are simply the compass that points us in the right direction so that we can bring balance to the mind and body by addressing the root cause of the condition. This realization occurred to me at a very young age after many appointments, medications, surgery and left with no answers or relief. You’ll often hear me say how naturopathic medicine changed my life! I did a complete overhaul of my diet and lifestyle and felt better in my 30s (now in my 40s) than I ever did as a child. As my naturopathic experience grew, so did my questions and my search for more answers, personally, for my family and for my patients. I soon discovered the significance of the digestive tract and all the complexities that come with it. There are many triggers that can disrupt the natural order of your microbiome such as food intolerances, stress, hormones and pathogens like bacteria, molds/mycotoxins, viruses and parasites to name a few. If this system is out of balance, then many other systems are out of balance as well.

I earned both a Bachelor and Master of Science degree in Biochemistry from Laurentian University. During this time, the importance of evidence-based medicine became evident to me and taught me how to delve deeper into the biochemistry of the body. I then graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in 2011 and passed the Ontario Prescribing and Therapeutics exam in July 2015 allowing me to prescribe natural substances that are regulated under federal legislation. I received specialized training in women’s health, metabolic diseases, thyroid disorders and endocrine dysfunction through different organizations like the AARM and PCCA. Much success in optimizing hormonal balance is seen with both natural supplements and bio-identical hormones (such as topical estrogen and progesterone) as well as dessicated thyroid extract. I also have a passion for sports and physical activity as I am a former university basketball player, avid ballroom dancer and gym rat to name a few. This led me to be accepted on the Sports Medicine clinical rotation shift in my final year at CCNM, train in Applied Kinesiology (ICAK) and complete my certification with the ISSN (international society of sports nutrition) in order to help athletes thrive to their fullest potential.

When I’m not listening to a podcast or reading a book, you can find me spending time with my husband and our 2 boys, running our dog, learning how to garden, meditating/praying, discovering new recipes and continuously learning how to live clean in a toxic world.  I love teaching and empowering people to take control of their health and I am honored to take this journey with you to help bring you back to your optimal self!

Many times patients complain of gastrointestinal issues ranging from heartburn, IBS, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, low energy and brain fog, etc.. These symptoms often have “no cause” despite a plethora of testing performed at the conventional level and patients are left confused, frustrated and dismissed. Symptoms may come from the same root cause (i.e. infections in the gut, stress, heavy metal toxicity, etc..) and difficult to prove using conventional testing due to either having no test available or false negative results like parasite testing for example.

Nonetheless, Naturopathic Doctors do not base their treatment solely on testing and can address these symptoms successfully with antimicrobial herbs, changes in diet/lifestyle, mindset, to name a few. Just because we don’t receive a “diagnosis” does not mean that the body is healthy and in balance. The body will give clues that it is trending towards “dis-ease” long before a disease is diagnosed.

Naturopathic Doctors can also provide excellent preventative medicine to re-direct the body on the right path to health.