Samantha Pryor, ND.
As a young child I had a very inquisitive mind. My parents used that trick, go ask your mom or go ask your dad, on me when they would tire of answering how and why questions. So, I am sure you can imagine, that lead me to become a bookworm since our parents only know so much. Ultimately it was that love of learning and books that led me to the reason I became a naturopathic doctor. See, when I was in the Army stationed at Fort Bragg, NC, I was in a small group at church, and one day we met at a bookstore. It was at that bookstore that I bought a book called, “The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods” written by Dr. Michael Murray, Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno, M.A. and L.M.T. Once I figured out what their credentials meant and figured out what a naturopathic doctor does, I knew this was my calling!
What led me to this conclusion, however, is a little more complicated, but I am sure you will understand. See, as a teenager I went to a year-long school to get a licensed vocational nursing degree. While working as a nurse I remember the doctors being so condensing to me for no reason. I would call the prescribing doctor when the elderly patients had new drugs and they were not reacting to them well. This would cause the doctors sometimes to tell me I didn’t know anything, or I was overreacting. So, I really did not like that, and I started to hate polypharmacy which all the elderly people had. At the same time, I was going to the University of Texas at Arlington to get a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. In the last couple years, when it became time to decide what I was going to do I was confused. See, as a teenager I thought I would go to school be a medical doctor but working in that field I had decided that was not for me anymore. So, I started praying a lot and I felt led to go to the Army. So, when I graduated, I joined the Army where I was trained to be a medic. Stationed in South Korea, that is the first time I was introduced to herbal medicine. Everywhere around me I saw Red Ginseng. The KATUSAS which are Koreans who work with the US Army explained Red Ginseng was for men when they reached 50 to help with sexual vigor. I thought that’s interesting. On Thanksgiving that year, I went on a 4-day trip to Beijing, China which resulted in me getting a bad case of diarrhea a couple days in country. I needed something to take so I could go to the events planned that day, so I found a place nearby with a mortar and pestle sign that looked like a pharmacy. I go in, and in front of the person behind the counter I grab my stomach and then turn and wave my hand around my backside. The person doesn’t say anything, but hands me a box of stuff. I take it back and I take some of it. Within 30 minutes I feel the cramping getting better and within the next few hours my diarrhea ceased so I was able to go on the excursion for the day. How exciting! Once back in S. Korea, I was able to figure out it the remedy was Hydrastis canadensis. Now that really sparked my interest in herbal medicines. Also, around this time, I had randomly started to get a publication called “The Nutrition Action Newsletter” and became interested in nutrition as well. At this point, I had a couple of years left in my contract, so I just kept learning more about nutrition and herbs.
While working as a medic, most of my patients were young men and women. Most would get better, but I just could not understand why some people just never healed from certain injuries even with profiles (which are orders for modified activity) including myself. See, I was suffering from TMJ dysfunction, and nothing was helping me. So, at this point my confidence in medicine was at an all-time low when I picked up that book “The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods” at that bookstore in Fayetteville, NC that day. As you see, my desire to be a healer, my empathy for other’s pain, my love of nutrition, and my peeked interest in medicinal herbs all came together that day when I learned what a naturopathic doctor was. Now as a Naturopathic doctor, I have been able to use these skills to help hundreds of people get back to health at this point. So, thank you Dr. Murray, Dr. Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno for showing me there is a better way and system of health care out there.
Samantha Pryor, ND graduated from UBCNM in 2019. Currently she is completing a 1.5-year residency at her alma mater that will finish spring of 2021. Coming into the naturopathic program having served 6 years in the United States Army as a medic prepared her for the rigors of school where she excelled and graduated at the top of her class. Specializing in Generative Medicine and nature cure she is excited to see where life takes her next.
