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Robert Angotti, Lic. Ac., Herbalist

Happy New Year, and Happy Lunar New Year!

I wish the best for you all in health and happiness this year. Thank you so much for your trust and support. I continue to learn so much about the beauty and potential of Eastern medicine through your confidence and your willingness to share.

As usual, I have my eye on several projects for the year. Meanwhile however, my two young, and strong sons have made it clear that they are not available for my projects anymore. New beginnings. This lack of labor will change things for me. On the farm, I can’t manage a planting season or harvest without help. This may be why I have taken to calling the farm “Forty acres and a fool”. Most of my efforts this year will be focused on my attempt to re-establish native plants on the land.

Three Sisters

Nevertheless, I may channel Tom Sawyer and see how many volunteers I can coax into some farm labor. It would be interesting to try a collective “three sister” planting if we had the hearts and bodies. For a wonderful review of what a three sister planting is, I suggest the chapter of that name in Robin Wall Kimmer’s book Brainding Sweetgrass. Let me know if you would like to learn more.

“Fresh Start” Session

This year, I am adding a treatment in honor of my first teacher Angela Wu. I volunteered at her clinic to learn as much as I could from this gifted women. Each of her patients were given layers of treatment followed by acupuncture. The first two layers of treatment were administered by volunteers like me who had been trained by Dr. Wu. First we administered Chi Nei Tsang. This is an invigorating abdominal massage which opens flow throughout all the organs. It is grounding and cleansing, assisting in the bodies process of transforming what I have taken to calling our “unfinished business”.

The second layer involves cupping of the whole back. We use the fire cupping method to stimulate all the shu (organ connection) points along the spine. We also release and the many pockets of tension throughout the shoulders, back and hips. Cupping feels wonderful, especially when it is over.

Finally, the appropriate acupuncture protocol is administered. This is a very comprehensive treatment and I will be adding it as a 90 minute service this year. I recommend this monthly for those who are in need the “tune up” phase of therapy.

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Paleo-cise

This is my word for the combination of self care exercises I am encouraging many patients to embrace. The paleo part references the significance of our ancestral history when considering health. Our bodies have many evolutionary inclinations. We have evolved to be healthiest when eating in certain ways, being active in certain ways, socializing in certain ways and resting in certain ways. Modern society has lost touch with much of this. “Paleo-cise” is my exploration of movements and activities the awaken our ancestral restorative energy, and invigorate health. I would like to begin by offering a class in some basic but powerful practices which align our center, disperse the accumulating stories of tension and pain in our bodies, and root us in the present. Let me know if you are interested and I can begin planning the first event. If you remind me, I will tell you about my paleo-cise logo above as well.

And much more…

I clearly have more ideas than time. I would enjoy hosting some cooking events to learn ways to eat healthier. I am interested in creating a yoga collective so that people can explore how yoga is communicating to them. Part of this would include an open studio session in our aikido training hall where members can practice yoga or meditation privately in a restorative space. Stay tuned as I work to bring some of these ideas into action. Your support, interest, and encouragement is always helpful.

New Few Schedule

Starting February 1st, I will be modifying the clinic few schedule. Below you can see these adjustments and the addition of the new “Fresh Start” session. I am truly grateful for all your support!

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Robert Angotti, Lic. Ac., Herbalist

I thought I would take a moment as we head into the winter and the holidays to identify some basic facts that might help families making tough decisions. Frankly, like many of you, I am tired of the COVID phase of life. My practice continues to be compromised by exposures that might increase risk for patients. I apologize to those of you whose appointments have been disrupted by this.

In addition to widespread pandemic fatigue, the delta surge has come with a new variety of information distortions. Meanwhile, countless differences continue to pull strongly upon the divisions inhibiting our collective effort.

Let me outline some of my basic goals. I intend to do what I can to reduce the spread of COVID in order to protect the vulnerable in our population from unnecessary illness and or death. I extend that intention to the various medical personal who have been inundated for months by what are often unnecessary COVID cases.

Once, Americans clapped for health-care heroes; now, “we’re at war with a virus and its hosts are at war with us,” an ICU nurse told me.

`By Ed Yong, The Atlantic

Finally, I intend to continue communicating the importance of social cohesion and common purpose in the face of this pandemic because I believe COVID is only one of many challenges we must learn to face collectively.

Spread in our area

As exhausting as it has been, we must still keep an eye on cases in order to evaluate or decisions. I find it helpful to remember the days of flooding we have faced in our area. Looking at the current river level and the anticipated crest was imperative for deciding where to dump the sand and whose house to save. I’m certain we threw hours into bags we didn’t need and sand walls that were never necessary. However, we willingly put our shoulder against the flood and did what was best for our neighbors; even when we didn’t know them.

So…the COVID river is still too high. Although cases in North Dakota (as seen above) have flatlined, the overall numbers remain high.

“There are eight states here in this Upper Midwest group that are beginning to see major surge activity. Minnesota, unfortunately, is leading the way with 54 cases per 100,000 population, almost twice the number of the national average, a 35% increase in the last two weeks in cases.”

“And while North Dakota has only had a 7% increase, its overall incidence of 67 cases per 100,000 is one of the highest in the entire country.”

Dr. Michael Osterholm, CIDRAP director

Vaccine efficacy reducing transmission

Recently, I was informed of some information being spread in our community about vaccine effectiveness which I found problematic. In a local publication a health care provider described COVID vaccines as “ineffective”. This is simply not true and can lead to both unnecessary illness, hospitalization, prolonged illness and death. For a detailed analysis you can review this article published by the Yale school of medicine. Important information is regularly available confirming vaccine effectiveness.

“data released by this Texas Department of Health this past Monday, showing that unvaccinated Texans were 13 times more likely to become infected and 20 times more likely to die from COVID compared to fully vaccinated individuals. So if there’s one thing I can say with 100% certainty, it’s get vaccinated.”

Dr. Michael Osterholm, CIDRAP director

Booster recommendations

I recommend that you consult with your Doctor about a booster shot. Waining immunity for people who have had either natural infections or vaccinations is a significant concern and will only prolong the pandemic. Booster shots will be essential in managing the anticipated winter spread.

Happy Thanksgiving

Given the rising COVID waters, it can be hard to feel at ease let alone happy. Nevertheless, I am often most grateful when the things that bring comfort and joy in life have been unavailable long enough to be more appreciated, less taken for granted. I am a bit of an ingrate that way.

Please enjoy sharing gratitude with family this week. If you are gathering with family members who you don’t see regularly, ask everyone to get a rapid COVID test before meeting. This will help insure everyones safety and expand the reach of protection.

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This growing season put my willingness to identify as a “farmer” to the test. Hot weather virtually no rain were some of the first things educating me in on the challenges farmers face. I have taken to calling our farm “40 Acres and a Fool”. The nickname fits for many reasons. Firstly, it’s clear that I am, and always will be, a student of the land. In fact, my first (and only) rule on the farm currently is to admit that I know nothing. I look forward to telling you more about how the land is educating me on this future posts. In fact, anyone who purchases crops from this growing season will be automatically enrolled for free as a member of the “40 Acres and a Fool Newsletter”. I hope to find more time to work on this through the winter. In the meantime, I want to tell you a bit of the story about this growing season and our harvest.

Legacy Farming

We added some orchards to the farm this year. Our primary focus was on hazelnuts, also known as filberts. As a kid my Great Aunt Jenny would bring us hazelnuts from her Washington state gardens each Christmas. My mother would also put out a bowl of mixed nuts in the shell during the holidays season. The mix featured hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, almonds and brazil nuts. As a voracious nut eater, I found the “shell challenge” an important tool for curbing my holiday nut allotment.

The hazelnut is tasty and tremendously nutritious. The nuts are rich in omega-3, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. Moreover, they store well and if I fail as a farmer, the nuts will support wildlife year ’round.

After researching some hybrid hazelnut options, we invested in 100 saplings suitable to our area. After working the soil and building fencing we installed weed fabric and drip irrigation. By we, I mean my son Giulio and many of his strong, young friends who toiled in the ground doing the truly hard work.

Hard work is another important lesson I’m learning about farming. I have tried to make working the farm an extension of my exercise and physical therapy protocol. Someday I can tell you about the health benefits of “pocket gopher mountain climbing”. Today I just want to tell you how much I appreciate you buying some produce so that I can pay young people to do a good portion of this physical labor for me.

Toiling in the Drought

The labor of planting took us all the way to the end of June. Without the irrigation, we would have been in big trouble trying to establish these plants. I tried several rain dances through the season, but the one that finally seemed to do the trick was the “thistle twist”. This dance involves a high step move where one brings their boot down upon a growing thistle plant and then twists it into the ground before stepping upon the next thistle plant while simultaneously avoiding squash and pumpkins hidden below. I seem to grow thistle really well, but like so many invasive plants, thistle is aggressive and prickly – not the kind of neighbor I want to keep on the farm.

In the end, it seems that the great majority of the hazelnut plants survived the season. If they can survive the winter, and the deer, and the pocket gophers, and lord knows what else….we could start to see nuts from these bushes within two more growing seasons. In addition to the hazelnuts we added a handful of walnut trees. In ten years, we may get a few walnuts!

Cucurbitaceae Field in the “Fertile Crescent”

We decided to take advantage of the irrigation lines used for our hemp fields in order grow pumpkins and winter squash both members of the Cucurbitaceae for cucurbit family. This family of plants which includes gourds, and summer squash is native to North and Central America. With hills on the farm, we have basins and valleys where the nutrients accumulate. One of these basins I refer to as “the Fertile Crescent”. I will write more about that name in the future but it’s clear we have work to do restoring the fertility of the soil, even is this nutrient basin.

We settled on two varieties of pumpkins. One for Halloween decorations and one for eating. We donated the majority of our large pumpkins to the Moorhead Spud football program. We gave pumpkins away to children who came to one of the games. We also grew the “cinnamon girl” pumpkin. This small pumpkin has excellent flavor for pies, breads and even soups. The small pumpkin also makes a nice holiday ornamental.

We experimented with growing several different squash as well. Butternut is a favorite of mine so we planted seed for those. We also tried to grow some Buttercup and two interesting Japanese squash; Kabocha and Tetsukabuto. Both of these squash winter well with a hard shell to allow for a very long shelf life. These varieties have a sweet flaky flesh that can be used in all the classic ways. Winter squash has an excellent nutrient profile and is among the varieties of plants that help invigorate digestive function and restore vital energy. All of these produce are now available for purchase at the clinic. Although all of these varieties have a long shelf life, the Tetsukabuto can keep well for up six months getting sweeter through storage.

Squash Soup Recipe

I am making this up from memory with some improvisation.

Ingredients:

1 large Butternut or two medium Buttercup, Kabocha, or Tetsukabuto squash

2 yellow onions

4 Cloves fresh garlic

Spices as you like. Paprika and Cumin for instance.

Broth to desired thickness- chicken or vegetable.

Some greens for end garnish: green onions, parsley, kale.

I like to add some roasted nuts as well; walnuts, or pumpkins seeds are nice. Maybe slices of avocado.

Process:

Pre-heat the over to 375 or 400°. Slice the squash down the middle stem to bottom. Remove the seeds. Coat with olive oil, avocado oil or butter. Salt and pepper to season. Place flesh up in an oven tray and roast for 40-45 minutes. The squash flesh should give to a fork throughout when cooked. Cool and then spoon out the flesh.

Slice the onions in half. Line another oven tray with foil and oil the foil. Place face down with the skin on and bake for 45 minutes at the above temperature.

Puree the squash and onion together in a blender or food processor with the fresh garlic. Adding broth during this process may make blending easier. Transition to a pot and set at a simmer as you prepare your garnishes. Stir regularly to avoid scalding.

Enjoy!

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RA Angotti, Chief Instructor

If you are interested in Aikido, we are offering an introductory course on Wednesday evenings in February.

Aikido can be a powerful tool for optimizing health. The practice involves the development of core strength, balance, flexibility and power in martial encounters with sustained mindful attention on the moment.

Click on the flyer below for more information or call the dojo at 701-232-2785.

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“We are in the second inning of a nine inning game (with this pandemic).” ~Dr. Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, Director of the CIDRAP (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy)

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/sites/default/files/public/downloads/cidrap-covid19-viewpoint-part3.pdf

The above link will provide a great evaluation of the CIDRAP criteria for “smart testing”. I am sorry I haven’t been providing more information like this and sooner. With the clinic opening up, and the planting season, I have been very busy. Nevertheless, I am working on several articles that might be useful.

Free antibody and COVID virus tests

Meanwhile, I have had a couple patients get to the downtown testing station. There you can get an anti-body test, followed by a COVID swap. The antibody test report is available with 10-15 minutes. The results of the COVID swap take between 2 and 7 days. Mornings are said to be better with things growing more busy, and crowded, after lunch.

Unfortunately, there are several complications with testing. Depending on the test, there can be a higher number of false positives or false negatives. This suggests to me that multiple types of tests, and multiple rounds of testing may be required in some instances. The testing is further complicated by the need to focus testing on the most appropriate populations. Nevertheless, this is a valuable resource in the fight agains the virus. If you think you might have COVID, I suggest using this facility. Where a mask when you go.

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Robert Angotti, Lic. Ac., Herbalist

A look at the effect of wheat on our health, and why it’s happening.

I love bread! When I moved from the midwest to the Bay Area, the thing that I loved the most were the exceptional, European style breads. In fact, I spent 7 or 8 years working at a bakery in Berkeley. We made breads similar to what you see above, and I lived off the stuff.

I was spoiled by fresh breads warm from the ovens. I tore pieces and dipped them in olive oil, salt and pepper as I worked. I’m certain however that my daily consumption of bread, combined with prior years of exposure to refined grains in the form of cereals, pastas, crackers, pastries and more, created a norm of chronic inflammation in my system.

In fact, wheat is probably one of the most influential foods on our health. But for most of us, that means we really shouldn’t eat it, or at least much of it. What happened?

Medical perspectives on wheat

The Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) view on wheat is that it’s slightly cool and sweet. These attributes describe it’s medicinal and nutritional actions. The cooling attribute speaks to wheat’s ability to clear heat (infection and inflammation). The sweet attribute speaks to wheat’s ability to nourish the body and generate qi. Wheat has been a healing food for centuries. The cultivation of wheat and other grains brought forward civilization and have lead to the modern industrial era. However, like anything, too much wheat consumption can be a cause for dysfunction.

In TCM pathology, too much wheat consumption weakens the spleen qi. Our ability to “transform and transport” the nutritive essence of digestion relies upon strong spleen qi. Critically, failure in this “transformation” process results in the accumulation of impure, lingering substances. We call these substances dampness, and in more severe concentrations we call it phlegm. 

I have often pondered what dampness and phlegm look like at a cellular level. Patients with these issues often suffer with things like, frequent sinus problems, or chronic phlegm in the throat. They may have more frequent, watery stools, or swelling of the legs, or gurgling sounds in the abdomen. These patients may also have more cysts apparent on the body and difficulty losing weight or a cravings for sweets. Most patients can usually see the meaning of dampness and phlegm when framed this way. Often, they just feel heavy and damp.

Dampness in the cells

I consider dampness, and specifically the effect of wheat consumption, to be even more pernicious than the outward manifestations. I have imagined dampness to be disruptive at a molecular level, making the fluids of our cellular matrix gummy and viscous, gradually slowing down cellular functions. At this level dampness disrupts the essential mechanisms for life.

I gathered more insight into this when studying the cellular dynamics of aging. Dr. David Sinclair was describing the power of proteins in his book “Lifespan”. He was explaining how at every instant hundreds of thousands of molecular interactions are occurring in our bodes to sustain life. Proteins are the essence of that molecular mix and yet, he went on to say that sugars act on the proteins to gum up that process. Too much sugar in the body essentially “caramelizes” the proteins. That image has stuck with me as a way of appreciating the damaging effect of sugar and the formation of dampness. This process is called gylcation and I have found interesting information about it in relation to aging. 

Meanwhile however, I was concerned about what might have changed with wheat to make it more disruptive. How could something that nourished our species beyond sparse hunter gather populations and into large civilizations be so problematic today nutritionally.

Too much of a good thing

A simple explanation for the problem with wheat is the refining of the grain. We strip much of the nutritional essence off the kernel at processing. Interestingly, removing the brown parts and leaving the white parts of the seed also remove some of the bitter flavor. In TCM, the bitter flavor helps to drain dampness from the body. Having both the yin and the yang in the plant food is more healthy and balanced.

Another easy answer to the wheat problem is the general overabundance of sugar in our diet. Enough said there…well, maybe not. Start at any location in the city and see how far you have to walk to get a “food” with sugar. Start in that same location and see how far you would have to go to get a bowl of slightly bitter greens.

Still one more answer to the “what happened to wheat” question falls less on wheat itself and more on the society in general. Frankly, we are over-nourished and under exercised. As hunter gatherers we spent hours in physical pursuit of food. Today we drive up to it, and it usually has some form of refined, sweetened wheat in it.

4 problems with modern agricultural wheat

For me, it was Dr. Mark Hyman who best articulated an answer to the question of “what happened to wheat?”. In an interview with Peter Attia, Mr. Hyman succinctly outlined the problem and provided some solutions. Below I have included his four concerns with modern wheat production. I have also added some relevant research on the topics where I could find it.

1. Dr. Hyman correlates many of the modern medical challenges associated with wheat to the focus on yield production and the reliance on fewer and fewer plant strains in modern agriculture. Dwarf wheat is the main strain produced by our farmers. This strain has been hybridized for drought resistance and starch production. However starches are sugars and the primary wheat grown in the United States produces high levels of the starch amylopectin. This particular starch raises the blood sugar like normal granulated white sugar. As we know, too much sugar leads to dampness, thereby gumming up cell functions.

2. Another problem with the modern breeding method of wheat is the formation of extra proteins. These proteins enhance the gluten structure of the wheat, but they can agitate many people. Gliadin proteins are found in wheat and they frequently lead to more inflammation. This inflammation disrupts the digestive system and leads to chronic illnesses like leaky gut syndrome. In other words, these excessive proteins weaken the spleen qi and lead to the accumulation of dampness.

The further I go here in this essay, the more I fear insulting my farmer friends. Let me be clear, I have great admiration for farmers. Through modern farming, we have lifted millions out of famine. There are many consequences as well however. So far, what I have outlined are medical complications associated with a focus on yield instead of a focus on health. But in my opinion, no farmer is to blame for that. We have created a no win situation for the modern farmer who is often perpetually in debt, and bond by contracts to corporate seed companies. Healing the food system is as much about healing the modern farm system as it is the food itself. Nevertheless, that food system does have some issues. The next one Dr. Hyman addressed is herbicides.

3. The herbicide Glyphosate has been extremely valuable in modern agriculture. I farmed organically last year, and spent countless hours managing weeds. There is no way a modern farm can invest in human bodies weeding fields. The use of glyphosate seems controversial, however the research on its relationship to cancer needs to be looked at. Moreover, according to Dr. Hyman, in the case of wheat, glyphosate is often applied at harvest to defoliate the plants. This late application moves glyphosate much more readily into the food. Our modern cheerios contain more glyphosate than either vitamins A or D.

4. Finally, calcium propionate is preservative added to wheat during processing. This preservative has been shown to lead to neurological toxicity and subsequent “irritability, restlessness, inattention and sleep disturbance” in children. I think we’re having enough trouble keeping the attention of our youth right now. No doubt the morning cereal isn’t helping.

Giving up bread

No, I’m not giving up bread. However, I have restricted wheat in my diet quite a bit. Dr. Hyman recommends considering heirloom wheat varieties, and I plan to try that before giving up baking bread. I’ve had patients tell me they have success with some other flour sources. Feel free to add those experiences in the comments below. But, as a former baker, and an occasional weekend baker, I can’t see those flours producing the breads I love. I am more likely to get ahold of some kernza wheat seed and try growing that at the farm. When I do, I’ll let you know!

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