I made some changes at the clinic during the first COVID shutdown. I spaced appointments further apart in order to clean more and maintain social distancing. Having a bit more space blocked out through my day allowed me to add additional services as needed. Overall however, it reduced my appointment calendar by 20-25% a day.

Since then I have been paying more attention to my fee structure relative to my long range goals. What I’ve learned is that I need to change the way I apply charges in order to meet those goals. I think these changes will help enhance my services, your healing, and our experience at the clinic. Some of the changes that I want you to be aware of are fees for added therapies, consultations, and case evaluations.

“All diseases are rooted in the shen-spirit.”

Chapter 8, Ling Shu (475-221 BC)

I have always been drawn to this medicine because of its comprehensive and integrated understanding of mind and body. During COVID when my practice was closed, I began studying this aspect of the medicine more deeply. This is a rich area of practice. It’s built upon a deeper study of each individual, and a deeper cultivation of my capacity for facilitating change. It will also require some changes in how I manage the clinic. Thank you for your patience and support as I move deeper in this direction.

The new fee structure will start with the Chinese New Year, February 1st.

NEW FEE SCHEDULE

The post New Year’s Fee Changes appeared first on Red River Health.

Robert Angotti, Lic. Ac. Herbalist

“I am wondering if you have any suggestions for boosting an immune response to the vaccine?”

Your question about the herbs and vaccinations is a good one. Here are my recommendations. The vaccines contain the molecule which carries instructions for the production of the “spike” protein on coronavirus. This spike protein is essential for the coronavirus to enter our cells and begin replication of itself. The current vaccines encourage our body to produce this protein without the attached replicating virus. The increasing proliferation of the protein after vaccination then allows our body to begin building antibodies to the that protein. This is the process by which we create some immunity.

Chinese Herbs with Vaccines

There is growing research indicating that among the actions of Chinese herbal anti-virals is some disruption of this spike protein. Therefore I am concerned that anti-viral herbs may target the vaccine’s production of the spike protein. If these herbs do compromise the production of this protein, they may inhibit the immune response we are looking for from the vaccine, at least to some degree. It is important for me to point out that this is speculative. Nevertheless, my advice is to stop taking anti-virals just prior to and in the first two weeks after vaccinations.

Antiviral Remedies by Name

These remedies (and their varied names) are:

Cold Stop 1

Cold Stop 2

Yin Qiao Wan 

Gan Mao Ling

Initial Defense

Wu Han Formula

Immune Enhancement

Conversely, research indicates that some Chinese herbal remedies enhance the immune system function in part through the increased production of antibodies. Among the formulas most notable for this is the classic remedy know as Yu Ping Feng Wan. It is my suggestion that taking this formula in advance of, and during the vaccination phase could potentially enhance the immune response to the vaccine and thereby increase ones immunity to the coronavirus. 
I must say clearly here that I haven’t seen specific studies that would support this conclusions. For instance, I have seen no study where antibody production post vaccination was evaluated in two control groups. One group taking the immune enhancing herbs and the other not. Nevertheless, my recommendation to patients is that taking the Yu Ping Feng Wan formula is likely beneficial during the vaccination phase. 

Immune Enhance Remedy Names

Yu Ping Feng Wan

Yu Ping Feng San

Jade Windscreen

Immune Enhance

Immune Tonic

Other Remedies

Please contact me directly if you have questions about your herbal remedies.

The post Chinese Herbs and Vaccinations: Patient Questions appeared first on Red River Health.

Robert Angotti, Lic. Ac.

In a prior posting I described methods for dosing exercise in a manner that supports optimal health. I have directed patients towards these methods of dosing exercise so that they can use physical activity as a part of their strategy for enhancing vitality and promoting longevity.

I recently listened to an interview with Dr. Phil Maffetone. He advocates for optimizing health through a specific exercise protocol known as the MAF 180 Formula.

This formula helps to establish the heart rate zone appropriate for you during workouts. The first step in the calculation is to subtract your age from 180. Learn more below.

The post Dosing Your Exercise Medicine with a steady Heart Rate appeared first on Red River Health.

Robert Angotti, Lic. Ac., Herbalist, Hemp Farmer

I started getting questions about the use of hemp-cannabis over two years ago. Patients had begun accessing various products from the plant. Meanwhile, the CBD (cannabidiol) industry was growing. However, after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, things changed rapidly. The bill re-introduced hemp-cannabis as a crop in the United States. Moreover, it brought cannabis back to my medical pharmacy. Recorded use of cannabis in Chinese medicine goes as far back as two thousand years. What an interesting year it has been.

Before the start of 2019, I was deep into the research of this herb. To be clear, Chinese herbalists have been allowed to prescribe cannabis seed (Huo Ma Ren) since my earliest days with Chinese medicine. However, herbalists could only prescribe the seeds not the flowers. The seeds are great for nourishing the fluids, the blood and the yin. Cannabis seeds are a chief herb in formulas used for constipation for example. Additionally, the seeds are legal because they have very low concentrations of the molecules known as cannabinoids, unlike the flowers.

The cannabinoids are what the fuss has been about with this plant over the years. CBD or THC or both? CBD is often the most prominent cannabinoid in the legal “hemp”, cannabis plant. There are hundreds of cannabinoids however and the future of cannabis as medicine is promising. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) however is the cannabinoid that would make “hemp” cannabis illegal. For a farmer, that could be the difference of just a few extra days in the field, and the loss of tens of thousands of dollars. Although “hemp” cannabis strains have very low concentrations of THC, the concentrations of the cannabinoids increase naturally late in the growing season. 

Hemp Farming

How do I know? I am a hemp farmer! For the 2019 growing season I applied for a license in the state of Minnesota. By May, we had several hundred seeds germinating. By October, we had harvested half an acre of plants. Then, over the past several months, we have been turning that plant material into beneficial medicine for patients. It was a lot of hard work, and almost all of it was done by hand. But it was enjoyable!

I must have touched each of our plants 10 or more times from seed to harvest. Meanwhile, at the clinic, I was prescribing hemp products from other companies to learn more about their clinical value. In short order, I heard many compelling stories. Patients were seeing benefits in pain, sleep, mood and digestion just to name a few. Because cannabinoids like CBD work through our endo-cannabinoid system (more on this in a future post), the dose can vary quite significantly from person to person. Finding the optimal therapeutic potential can take some fine tuning. 

At the farm, I learned about fine tuning the needs of the plant as well. Cannabis is a great plant for collecting substances from the soil. It’s called a “bio accumulator” meaning it absorbs the elements from the soil around it. This means it does a wonderful job cleaning the soil, but it also means it will take in surrounding toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides and more. For example, hemp was used in Russia to clean the soils of Chernobyl after the radiation fall out. Plants grown this way are toxic for consumption. To avoid these dangers, we used organic growing methods on the farm and then tested our plants for toxicity. I am proud to say that our plants were clean of heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, mycotoxins and solvents. 

Throughout last year, I continued to study the best ways to administer this medicinal plant to patients. Cannabis is famous for being smoked and inhalation is the quickest way for the medicine to enter the bloodstream. However, smoking is only one method of administration and has some downsides. I wanted to find not only the fastest method but the safest.

Hemp Processing

I finally settled on an oil infusion process. This means we cook the hemp-cannabis flower with an organic, MCT, carrier oil. The plant’s oils then move into the carrier oil. This method preserves some of the other medicinally active ingredients, balances the taste, and enters the bloodstream reasonably quickly. Especially when administered under the tongue.

The clinic now has a variety of hemp-cannabis products available for patients including oils and balms. Active patients can purchase products at the clinic for themselves and when the do, they have been and will continue to be given a 20% discount at checkout. Others are welcome to purchase products through the online shop. The shop is now integrated into the clinic website. Now is a great time to tell a friend about the shop. With the “grand opening discount” online shoppers get 20% off. This offer runs for the next two weeks. Please share this post with some friends to pass that news along.

Additionally, for those patients who have been using the clinic’s hemp-cannabis products, I have a 10% discount available if you are willing to help build the shops appeal with a review. Just find the product you’ve been using and add your review. On your next purchase, we can apply the 10% discount on top of your normal 20% discount. We would really appreciate it!

In addition to helping you feel better, I am hoping to earn enough selling these products to pay for last year’s grow and make some investments toward the future. I would love to get a tractor!

Hemp herbal combinations

Looking ahead, I am really excited about creating some specialized oils with classic Chinese herbal combinations. I’ve been researching these traditional formulations and contemplating three different combinations. The herbs in each combination would enhance certain functions and add focus to the formula. One combination would be for vitality and longevity. Another would be focused more intensely on pain management and tissue restoration. The final formulation would be focused on calming the mind and improving sleep. I will keep you informed.

We love your comments! Please understand that they may be published publicly. If you would like us to keep your comments private, please let us know in the comment itself. You are also welcome to contact the clinic directly by email. Thank you!

The post A year with hemp-cannabis. What have I learned? appeared first on Red River Health.

Red River Health’s slow return to normal

Robert Angotti, Lic. Ac., Herbalist

Dear Patients,

I have been getting regular questions about when I will resume services at the clinic. I closed the clinic to in-house services on March 19th simply because I felt I could not longer guarantee the safety of my patients. I try to embrace the notion that my fundamental responsibility as a physician is to first “do no harm”. The Governor of North Dakota issued an order for all “personal care” businesses to close 10 days after I had closed. 

Currently the number of cases in North Dakota remains on a steady climb upward. This is the case even if you discount the surge in cases from an uptake in tests at the Fargodome last weekend.

 The national guidelines for re-opening america, issued by the White House, include the following.

• Downward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses (ILI) reported within a 14-day period
• Downward trajectory of covid-like syndromic cases reported within a 14-day period
• Downward trajectory of documented cases within a 14-day period
• Downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period (flat or increasing volume of tests)

Cass County is by far the most severely effected county in the state. With a total of 431 cases. “Positive cases statewide rose 75 from the previous day to 942, according to the health department. Cass County had 34 new cases,” 

Despite the governors enthusiasm for “North Dakota smart” and avoiding a “one size fits all” approach to the pandemic, the situation in Cass County is worsening not improving and it is the epicenter of the pandemic in the state. Cass County has nearly twice the number of known cases as the next closest county. 

I remain cautious about his suggestions for opening certain sectors of the economy. I’m certain that the Governor has much more qualified people advising him than me, but the data clearly indicates that his state approach may not be the “right size fit“ for Cass County. Either way, I can only hope that the Governor is motivated more by falling cases of COVID-19 than he is falling oil prices. 

Although it’s important for me personally to open my doors again I can clearly see that I have no way of knowing how much I compromise the safety of my clients when I do. To be clear, the financial implications are very real for me as well. Nevertheless, I don’t want that economic pressure to push me towards a decision that compromises your health. As you can imagine, I serve a community of people who are more vulnerable to this virus. I must think of all my patients when I consider opening.

My Graduated Opening Process

The state will be issuing guidelines for businesses this week and I will review those. However, what is clear to me is that I need to start small with scheduled appointments. Here is what I’m asking of patients.

1. If you are sick, please stay home and consult with me early for herbal therapy.

2. If you’ve been exposed to anyone that has been sick (COVID positive, or could not get a test) for a period less than 14 days ago, let’s wait to schedule until after that 14 day period has passed.

3. If you are immunocompromised, suffer from chronic lung conditions, or are over 80 years of age, let’s wait another week before setting appointments.

Before proceeding I want to emphasize again that despite all the efforts I will make, and with regard to COVID-19, I do not feel I can guarantee your safety at the clinic. I will be spacing appointments further apart to help. I will also be cleaning the space before and after each visit. These added precautions will slow down my normal appointment calendar so I will be scheduling 3/4 fewer visits per day to begin. I will also be wearing personal protective equipment. 

4. Please plan on wearing a mask. If you don’t have one please let me know. I will see if I can get access to masks for you.

5.  Finally, please consider providing payment information in advance by phone. The waiting room at the clinic is the mostly likely place for cross contamination. I want to limit your exposure in that area as much as possible. 

Patients should strongly consider carrying a supply of anti-viral herbs at home. I am very confident in this herbal therapy for prevention and early stage treatment, especially for those of you who are more vulnerable.

In conclusion, I want to first say that I greatly appreciate your trust, patience and loyalty during this time. For those of you receiving my blog posts, I know I have barraged you with information and concern the past several weeks. Based on all the evidence, an over reaction is the only plausible reaction to this pandemic if we want to stop the spread. I see the plan I have outlines as a testing of the waters. After two weeks with this protocol I, will adjust the strategy based upon data like that above. 

Thank you all for your support!

We love your comments! Please understand that they may be published publicly. If you would like us to keep your comments private, please let us know in the comment itself. You are also welcome to contact the clinic directly by email. Thank you!

The post A small opening appeared first on Red River Health.

Robert Angotti, Lic. Ac., Herbalist

Whenever I first meet with patients or consult with them over them phone about a course of treatment, I try to outline for them a path forward toward some improved wellness. I do this in order to answer some basic questions and establish some shared expectations. I explain that in my clinical experience there are three stages of treatment. The first stage is the “is this therapy helping stage”. The second is the “how much better can it get” stage. And the third is the “what do I have to do to maintain these benefits” stage. I think these three stages may be a useful way for us to map a path forward in this pandemic individually and collectively. I also think this is the process I need to go through in order to assess how I can best assure the safety of my clients before resuming treatment. 

Is this helping?

The first stage of treatment really sets the stage for the progression of a treatment plan. Getting an answer to the “is this helping” question helps both my patient and I get some measure of the future of treatment. If the patient is feeling 50% better after 6 treatments, indications for future wellness are pretty promising. If however we do 6 or 8 treatments and the patient is no better, I am usually admitting to patients that I don’t think I can help them.

I say “usually” here because there are cases where patients may not be the best at avoiding aggravating factors or the appropriate lifestyle changes, or they may be sporadic in treatment frequency. How does the handling of COVID-19 compare to this in what is still clearly the first stage of treatment?

No doubt, the first stage of treatment has been botched. There is plenty of blame to go around but the combination of a slow response both globally and federally, misinformation, division and spin, along with inadequate supplies have riddled this first stage of treatment with failures. Given these failures the only treatment we had for the pandemic was isolation. I should clarify here that the subject of treatment here is the pandemic, not the viruses effect on individuals but the destructive nature of its spread through the global and national society. So when we ask “is the treatment helping” we are really asking, “are we slowing or stopping the spread?”

For any assessment of the spread the best measure are the increasing number of infections. Unfortunately this data point still remains obscured by the inadequate number of available tests. This relates to the example I provided earlier when a patient may not be consistent enough in the recommended treatment interval for example. If I suggest treatment a couple times a week but the patient is only able to get in a couple times a month, my data for assessment is obscured. Moreover, the first stage of treatment is prolonged. What would take 3 weeks takes 3 months. Sound familiar?

Still looking at the data can be useful and important. What we are looking for is the “flattening of the curve”. Here are two diagrams of today’s case reports nationally and in North Dakota specifically. (These are active images by the way so if you click it you will get the most up to date information)

There are people much more qualified to interpret these graphs than me, but what we know is that for as long as the line of infections is climbing up, the risk of exponential spread is high. Therefore since our only way of limiting the spread is by limiting contact, “stay at home” strategies are the treatment, especially when adequate testing is limited. 

Now the good news is that it does appear the national curve is starting to flatten some. But let me paint a picture for you. Let’s say I have a patient who comes in for treatment of a digestive imbalance. With this patient I might suggest that in addition to treatment, I would like them to avoid the consumption of sugar during the first stage. After a few weeks, this patient may report that their symptoms are much improved and ask if they can enjoy the holiday meals that are coming up which are sure to involve sugar. My clinical experience tells me that this is likely to aggravate the condition and prolong stage one. Many times patients may “experiment” at this stage, see an aggravation in symptoms, and then decide that the treatment isn’t working or that it is too difficult to sustain if it involves avoiding sugar. Sound familiar?

Now to be fair, I don’t mean to equate some of the severe economic hardship with avoiding sugar. The economic toll we are paying is hard but it is the only treatment we have given our preparedness. 

What remains clear to me is that we are still in stage one of treatment. We haven’t calmed the original fires so why would we want to let campers back into the forest? For the first stage of treatment against COVID-19 we need to stay the course and avoid sugar. Lot of metaphors sorry but the point is when the curve starts to bend downward consistently than we can start to implement stage two strategies of treatment. We are not there now but now is the time to start talking about what stage two treatment involves. The bad news is that it still doesn’t involve sugar!

This stage one treatment plan applies to me and my clinic as well. Although I have a full schedule of appointments next week, I can’t afford the risk to patients. I will continue to keep up with the posts and providing herbs and consultations. Each week I am seeing new information regarding promising treatment of COVD-19 with Chinese herbs… for all three stages by the way. Next week there will be more talk nationally about moving to stage two and I hope to outline some of that strategy in a post. 

The post Moving forward with COVID-19. What are the stages of pandemic treatment? Part 1 appeared first on Red River Health.

This is a must listen interview with Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota.

“If you don’t know where you are going, anything will get you there.” Dr. Osterholm on the need for a plan against this enemy.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/102-michael-osterholm-ph-d-covid-19-lessons-learned/id1400828889?i=1000470102859

The post COVID-19 “Know your enemy and know yourself.” ~Sun Tzu, The Art of War appeared first on Red River Health.

This notice was originally provided to patients starting March 17, 2020.

Listening to a news report last Tuesday, I had every reason to see the decision I have made, and am about discuss, as an easy one. It was a report from a Doctor in Italy. He is currently resting at home with his family after three weeks of constant emergency care dealing with severe cases of COVID-19. Among the many horrible tragedies he reported, several stood out. He said that they (the hospital) had 20 deaths from the virus yesterday and 50 new admittances. He said the staff is constantly compromised by illness or exhaustion. He said they must decide regularly who gets administered intensive, life saving care and who doesn’t because of a lack of supplies. He says that only weeks ago this was unimaginable, even as the numbers of cases grew.

He went on to describe the most painful parts of his journey. He described caring for colleagues stricken with the virus. He described having to prevent family from visiting loved ones, even in the hours of their deaths. He described how physicians from entirely different fields of medicine were getting quick courses on respiratory disease in order to administer care. He described how often, lost in the chaos of all of this suffering, it was not uncommon that the first time family might find out about the passing of a loved one is when they call the hospital themselves. The staff can at times get so overwhelmed with urgent responses to other crisis that they occasionally and mournfully fail to make the call. 

Here is the simple truth. There is a risk that by keeping my clinic open, I invite infection to the clinic. The minute that happens the clinic becomes a place that spreads this virus. Although my clinic is a simple, place with little traffic, I have to evaluate that risk. 

When I do a cost/benefit evaluation, I have to be honest with myself. The care that I can provide in treatment currently has to be evaluated against the risk. This disease spreads exponentially and will only be slowed by aggressive “social distancing”. Moreover, we have limited resources when it comes to testing for this virus. Although it is said that we have only one case in North Dakota, I feel certain that the actual number is much higher. What is now 100 cases becomes 1000 within days and then 1000 rapidly 10,000. There are not enough resources to provide care for this many patients. Many will die. The only frightening cost for me closing my doors is my loss of income and the toll that will take over time financially. Although I know many of my patients are suffering, I believe I can continue to provide herbal therapy in order to assist. Hopefully, if supplies stay strong throughout the whole quarantine phase of this outbreak, I can provide therapeutic herbal care for those with more mild infections. In the end, keeping my doors open to provide treatment has to be balanced against the greater fear of contributing to the loss of someones loved family member by creating a vector for the spread of this disease. 

I hope that a month from now, I can look at this and laugh. I hope that this turns out to be the anxious manifestation of someone wrapped in a media frenzy. But really in the end, I hope to save lives.

Red River Health will be closed to providing treatments until further notice. Please keep any currently scheduled appointments, however I anticipate the clinic will be closed for treatment for at least two full weeks. If you have scheduled appointments during that time I will send updates on the closure I have outlined in the same way that I send reminders.

I will be available at the clinic by phone and email as usual. I will be available to provide herbs at the clinic by appointment (I would prefer all visits for herbs be arranged) and can have them shipped directly as needed. I will monitor the outbreak regularly, along with any innovations in treatment in order to determine my strategies and availability. I will continue to work on a social media presence during the outbreak where I can communicate more details and focus on wellness through this challenge. I would be happy to provide all the necessary support for your health through correspondence and herbal prescriptions. With any free time, I will continue to work on creating a clinic blog, and further developing my cannabis products. 

We are in the midst of the greatest challenge of my lifetime although I hope that statement is quickly proven as horrendously hyperbolic. Our price now may be isolation, inconvenience, economic hardship, and the intense fear of an unknown future. But the lives of all of our most vulnerable, and the lives of the health care providers that will be on the front line of this challenge are greater by an order off magnitude than any of those hardships.

Thank you and stay well!

The post A very hard- easy decision. appeared first on Red River Health.

My research indicates that there are a few commonly administered Chinese herbal formulas that can be used preventatively for COVID-19.  Below are some excerpts from that research for those that are interested. Here are my recommendations.

This research indicates that preventative treatment, as well as influenza stage and pneumonia stage treatment with specific Chinese herbal remedies can play a “definitive role” in treatment outcomes. My own clinical experience has indicated that these formulas have been very successful in treating a variety of viral presentations. For preventative stage treatment I suggest the following herbal formulas. This applies to COVID and all other cold/flu exposure concerns.

• Yu Ping Feng San- immune enhancement, names used at clinic- Jade windscreen, Immune Enhance
• Gan Mao Ling- anti viral, respiratory- names used at clinic, Cold Stop 2
• Yin QIao San- anti viral, respiratory, names used at clinic, Cold Stop 1, Initial Defense
• Huo Xiang Zhen Qi Wan – digestive, names used at clinic Early Comfort

My recommendation for administration of these formulas is as follows. Anyone with an immune deficiency, chronic allergies, colds, asthma etc., or exposure to cold/flu/COVID, should begin administration of Yu Ping Feng San now. Standard dosing is acceptable. This applies as well to anyone providing health care, elderly care or other essential services that increase your exposure to strangers and/or environments frequented by the public. This recommendation also applies to anyone exposed to a carrier of COVID-19, however such cases should also incorporate the additional two recommended formulas above immediately. Such individuals should also contact their doctor and request testing and contact my office as needed for therapeutic recommendations. Anyone experiencing cold or flu like symptoms should also administer all three of these formulas immediately. Such individuals should also contact their doctor and my office for recommendations.

I have been stocking my pharmacy with these products as often as they are available, and I have developed a means for safe pick up as needed. I will draft a blog in the near future aimed at addressing the administration of herbs in a case where a COVID-19 infection progresses. 

“There were 3 studies using CM for prevention of SARS and 4 studies for H1N1 influenza. None of the participants who took CM contracted SARS in the 3 studies. The infection rate of H1N1 influenza in the CM group was significantly lower than the non-CM group (relative risk 0.36, 95% confidence interval 0.24–0.52; n=4). For prevention of COVID-19, 23 provinces in China issued CM programs….Based on historical records and human evidence of SARS and H1N1 influenza prevention, Chinese herbal formula could be an alternative approach for prevention of COVID-19 in high-risk population. Prospective, rigorous population studies are warranted to confirm the potential preventive effect of CM.” -Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine

“In the fight against the pandemic of pneumonia from 2019-nCoV Novel Coronavirus infection, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine diligently used the specialties of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), in cooperation with relevant departments to study and formulate pneumonia prevention and treatment programs revealing that Chinese herbs played a definitive role in positive treatment outcomes. Chinese herbal formulas harbor the unique potential to reduce fever and cough symptoms, limit disease progression, and improve overall immunity, and thus a person’s ability to mount an essential immune response to the virus.”  -John K. Chen, Pharm.D., PhD., OMD, LAc and Lori Hsu, MTOM, MS 

The post Herbal Therapy for Prevention of COVID-19, Part 2 appeared first on Red River Health.

Patient Questions

“Sorry to bother you but I keep asking myself ‘do I have enough herbs to protect my family’…survival mode..I am just wondering if there is anything herbal you suggest to take to enhance the immune system. We eat really healthy but I keep second guessing myself of what supplements to buy or not. I am just willing to take any suggestions.”

I have been receiving emails like the one above consistently for the past several weeks. Let me share with you some of my response to this patient.

These are good questions.There are really three things I hear you asking in these questions. First, I hear your level of concern for prevention and overall immune enhancement from an herbal therapeutic standpoint.

Second, I hear you are curious about your level of engagement with lifestyle strategies to achieve the same ends. And third, I hear the worry and anxiety that are arising for you now in the face of this pandemic and how those emotions effect decision making. I would like to address each of them individually in what follows. Let me start be explaining more about prevention and treatment with herbal therapy.

I have been studying the herbal protocols used in China preventively and for treatment of COVID-19 during the influenza and pneumonia stages. I have researched the herbal treatment used by three different hospitals in China, including in the area most tragically effected by this virus in Wuhan. The outbreak there has included the administration of herbal therapy for 85% of infected patients, along with preventative herbal care for health care workers. The good news is that before this outbreak research was done using similar herbal combinations during the SARS epidemic. An herbal concoction was used by several thousand health care workers caring for infected patients. Those who used the remedy had no infections, while many of those that did not use preventative herbal therapy became infected. This research was so promising that of the 31 hospitals in China that were treating patients with COVID-19, 24 of them had established comprehensive herbal pharmacies to treat the disease. The herbal combinations used include herbs that I have been recommending for years generally, and more recently in defense of COVID-19. 

Now the bad news, supplies for these remedies have been limited. Each time my provider has them, they vanish. In the meantime, I have ordered the herbs in the raw form. In other words, the actual plant materials that I portion out individually creating a tea that patients take home and cook. The supply issue puts me in the same position our health care system faces generally, and the potential need to prioritize distribution of care. My first priority is for patients I consider more vulnerable to this virus, including my elderly patients, or patients with pre-existing immune deficiencies, or health care workers on the front lines. The second priority would be for those who have been exposed or may expose someone more vulnerable. Lastly, would be my broader and generally more healthy patient base. While I wait for supplies I will create a list of patients requesting herbs in the categories above. I will distribute that stock based upon the hierarchy I have outlined. There may be additional fees associated with this process as I am finding myself frequently consulting patients in this area.

Some more good news however is that my clinic serves a small population. I sincerely hope to be able to supply all patients with everything they need going forward. I can also outline in coming posts, the herbal protocols available for second stage treatment involving those who have been infected and are dealing with the first round of influenza symptoms.

The post Herbal Therapy for Prevention of COVID-19- Part 1 appeared first on Red River Health.