Welcome!
My name is Dr. Alexa Birdgeneau, naturopathic doctor and nature nerd!
For years, I had symptoms that showed me that something wasn’t right in my body.
But it seemed like because my symptoms were fairly common and not life threatening, that they weren’t worthy of investigation to understand what was going on. Instead, I was left to navigate on my own, trying to deal with the discomfort, and searching for ways to feel healthy.
Now, I am here to support women who are also seeking to understand the WHY behind their symptoms. While I don’t promise to have all the answers, here’s what I DO promise: I won’t give up on you. If you are motivated to heal, I will be here to support you every step of the way.
How I can help
In my naturopathic practice, I now integrate my knowledge from my education in medical sciences, my naturopathic training, my personal experiences, and my experience with treating patients. I will listen to your story. Often, just understanding your symptoms can show us what is going on in your body. If we need to get a clearer idea of what is happening, we may choose to use diagnostic testing such as standard blood work, detailed hormone testing, and food testing. From there, we will discuss natural approaches that can work with your body, so that it can start to heal. This may include therapeutic nutrition (using food as medicine), herbal medicines, nutritional supplementation, and lifestyle supports. I am also trained in acupuncture, cupping, and other hands-on techniques to help facilitate healing.
Healing is not often easy or fast, but if you are ready to begin, I am here to support you.
Why I do what I do
My journey into naturopathic medicine began when I was a teenager. I had been dealing with some chronic symptoms for a several years, and the treatments that were offered to me just didn’t make sense. I had irregular and painful menstrual cycles, and I had a choice to start on birth control pills or to continue managing my symptoms as I had always been. I had an itchy skin rash that would come and go, and was offered a corticosteroid cream to settle it down. I had acne over my face, back, and chest but I had a knot in my stomach anytime I thought about treating it with medication. In all of these experiences, I never received answers as to WHY these symptoms were happening. Even as a teenager, I knew that these symptoms were telling me something about what was going on inside my body, and that if I understood what my body was telling me, then I could take the steps to heal.
Studying medical sciences in university gave me a deeper understanding of the human body, but did not explain my symptoms or how to heal. I did my own explorations of nutrition and trying different diets, with some improvements. I then pursued my training in naturopathic medicine, which is grounded in part on the fundamental belief that the body can heal if given the right conditions. Exploring nutrition, herbal medicines, physical medicines, and acupuncture finally started to offer some concrete changes to my health. But the journey continued, and I realized that some answers lie beyond our current scientific understanding of the body; in the complex processes we have yet to discover, and in the connection between body, mind, and spirit.
I have continually been called to help others heal. I don’t have all the answers, but I believe our bodies do have the answers if we know how to listen. The human body knows how to heal; we just need to give it the opportunity.
Qualifications & training
Education
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Diploma of Naturopathic Medicine (Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine (BINM))
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Bachelor of Medical Sciences - Honors Specialization in Medical Sciences (Western University)
Other
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Licensed by the College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta (CNDA)
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Member of the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND)
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Member of the Alberta Association of Naturopathic Doctors (AAND)
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Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine Academic Excellence Award
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In-depth seminars on SIBO Testing & Treatment
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Reiki Level I
I am always working on expanding my knowledge base in order to provide the best care to my patients through regularly attending seminars, conferences, and online training.
In my spare time, you'll often find me mountain biking, skiing, eating sweet potatoes, dancing in the living room, playing Mario Kart, or spending time with my family.