Naturopathic Doctor Brings Extensive Training and Expertise to the Treatment Table

PORTSMOUTH — While naturopathic medicine sometimes gets a bum rap, naturopathic doctors in reality receive very much the same training as medical doctors in their first two years of medical school. 

What really separates the two professions is both the philosophy as well as the additional training naturopathic doctors get in their third and fourth years of medical school, which includes in-depth training about ancient medical practices such as botanical medicine, nutrition, homeopathy and physical medicine along with specialized training in cardiology, gynecology, and other disciplines. Many naturopathic doctors — or NDs, for short — often pursue post-doctoral training allowing them to specialize in therapies that have proved their value over time. 

Naturopathic physicians learn a lot in school. They have a minimum of seven years of post-secondary education, which requires four years of naturopathic medical education from one of six recognized schools in North America. Naturopathic and conventional physicians receive similar training in the basic sciences during the first two years of medical school. Both study modern physical, clinical and laboratory diagnosis, and are trained to diagnose disease. Upon completion of this education, naturopathic physicians are qualified to work as primary care physicians.  

Dr. Angela Lambert of Ancient Traditions Natural Medicine in Portsmouth earned her bachelor’s degree in music education and music therapy from the College of Wooster in Ohio, and received training as a licensed massage therapist from the Brian Utting School of Massage in Seattle, Wash. 

Before entering the National College of Natural Medicine in Oregon to become an ND, Dr. Lambert had to fulfill the same prerequisites as medical doctors — or “allopaths,” as they are called. These courses included chemistry, physics, biology and organic chemistry. 

In her third- and fourth-year studies, Dr. Lambert studied botanical medicine, homeopathy, naturopathic manipulation therapy, nutrition and pharmacology. She also studied cardiology, neurology, geriatrics, pediatrics, gynecology, proctology and laboratory diagnosis — she can draw blood and interpret labs as well as interpret imaging, including x-rays, CT scans and MRIs. She was trained extensively about the interactions between conventional pharmaceutical drugs and naturopathic herbs, allowing her to prescribe both herbs and pharmaceuticals safely. 

She also holds a Master’s of Science in Oriental Medicine — MSOM for short — learning acupuncture; Classical Chinese medical theory; Qi Gong, a Chinese form of meditation; and Chinese herbal medicine. 

“In fact, I’m a far better Chinese herbalist than a Western herbalist as result of the extent of my Chinese herbal training,” she said recently inside her high-ceilinged office at 249 Islington St., a beautiful Federalist-style building. 

Dr. Lambert is also schooled in stress management techniques of various types.  In addition, she utilizes many forms of hydrotherapy — use of water in different forms to work with a patient’s physiology. “And I use it a lot in my practice,” she said. 

Dr. Lambert must complete 50 hours of continuing education training every year to keep her Oregon naturopathic doctor license current, which she holds in addition to her New Hampshire license. 

In post-doctoral study, Dr. Lambert learned about biotherapeutic drainage (called homotoxicology in Germany), which focuses on maximizing the health of cells. 

“It’s like cleaning the body on a deeper cellular and energetic level,” Lambert said. “It encourages the body to let go of toxins that are preventing a patient’s physiology from functioning optimally. It’s a much more specific method than, say, taking a sauna, which expels toxins at a more superficial physical level.” 

While schooling in most acupuncture techniques is part of traditional Chinese medicine, Dr. Lambert started studying Classical Five Elements Acupuncture four years ago and came away impressed. It is a system that views each person as having a particular way of interacting with the world. “The goal is to try to strengthen that interaction and make it balanced,” Dr. Lambert said. 

According to the philosophy of Classical Five Elements Acupuncture, each person predominately exhibits different elements but is prevented from a healthy display of his or her elements through a dysfunction. Each person’s elements are based on the person’s spirit; the discipline doesn’t just focus on physical symptoms. 

“People are doing their jobs, but their hearts are not into their lives,” Dr. Lambert said. “They’re involved on a physical and mental basis, but not spiritually or passionately. 

When encountering an elemental dysfunction, Dr. Lambert will ask such questions as: “Are you living from your heart? Is your spirit truly present in your life? Do you feel engaged in your life?” She tells patients: “Let’s wake up your spirit, your passion, and get you truly living your life. It’s not what you’re doing but rather how you are engaging in life.” 

Dr. Lambert attempts to stimulate in patients their spirit through the use of specific acupuncture points. 

“The focus is on returning patients to their mandate, to who they truly are before they have been knocked down by life events. I see it all the time,” she said, adding, “That because I myself live life so passionately, I love seeing people reconnect with their own spirits.” 

Ancient Traditions is a business partner of the Green Alliance, a union of local sustainable businesses promoting environmentally sound business practices and a green co-op offering discounted green products and services to its members. GA members get a 20 percent discount on all naturopathic services at Ancient Traditions. 

For more information about Ancient Traditions Natural Medicine, visit www.naturalmedicinenh.org.