Dr. Cristal Salcido, ND was born and raised in Indio, California. She graduated from La Quinta High School in 2011, where she was a member of the Medical Health Academy. She earned her associate degree in Biology from College of the Desert in 2014 and her bachelor’s degree in Chicano Studies from UC Riverside in 2016.

During her undergraduate years, Dr. Salcido participated in several pipeline programs and internships, including OneFuture Coachella Valley, Health Career Connection (HCC), UCR’s Future Physician Leaders Program, Mini Medical School, and the Medical Scholars Program. As an HCC intern, she worked with the Desert AIDS Project on the Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign in 2014 and with the Regional Access Project (RAP) Foundation in 2015. At RAP, she developed a blueprint for a youth-focused mental health app, which was later adopted by SafeHouse of the Desert and transformed into the "What’s Up" App.

After completing her undergraduate education, Dr. Salcido returned to the Coachella Valley and worked at the Latino Commission Counseling Center in Coachella as a program coordinator for the Strengthening Families Program-- an evidence-based practice that uses a parent, youth, and multi-family group format to prevent teen problem behaviors and substance abuse, strengthen parenting skills, and build family resilience in communities such as Mecca, Thermal, Coachella, and Desert Hot Springs. During this time, she also volunteered as a health coach at the Indio Community Health Center, assisting primarily Spanish-speaking patients managing metabolic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.

Inspired by her mother who appreciated nature as medicine, and her own observations of the interconnectedness of physical and mental health within her community, Dr. Salcido decided to pursue a career that combined her passions for medicine and mental health. She returned to school to complete a dual-degree track at Bastyr University San Diego, graduating this spring as both a Naturopathic Doctor and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. Dr. Salcido is dedicated to treating the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—and is eager to give back to the communities that helped raise her.

Dr. Salcido currently serves on HCC’s Distinguished Pathway Alumni Advisory Committee-- a 5-year initiative to build a robust, diverse health workforce for California through expansion of regional health workforce collaboratives and pathway programs.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Salcido enjoys spending time with her husband and best friend, Erik, attending music and art festivals, dancing, and going on hikes. On Sunday mornings, you can find her at her home parish, St. Francis of Assisi in La Quinta, or appreciating other parishes while traveling.

Formal Training and Education:

• Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine- Bastyr University, San Diego, California

• Bachelors of Art in Chicano Studies- University of California, Riverside

• Associates of Science in Biology- College of the Desert

Licensure:

• Licensed Naturopathic Doctor in the State of California

Professional Memberships:

• American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP)

• California Naturopathic Doctors Association (CNDA)

• Psychiatric Association of Naturopathic Physicians (PychANP)

• Movement Disorder Society (MDS)

Publications:

• “Prospective Outcomes Trial in Patients Undergoing Care with Naturopathic Providers (POT PNP),” Bastyr University, 2024

• “Comparison of Associations between MIND and Mediterranean Diet Scores with Patient-Reported Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease,” Bastyr University, 2023

• “Piecing the Puzzle: Autism Outreach,” Future Physician Leaders Program, August 2013

• “Using Play Activities for Heart Health Education,” Future Physician Leaders Program, August 2012

Medical Practice Interests:

Primary Care/Family Medicine, Community Health Advocacy, Brain Health, Intravenous Nutritional Therapies

Languages Spoken:

• English

• Spanish