Reishi Mushrooms 40 g, 20 g

Reishi Mushrooms – 40 g ($14.99), 20 g ($9.99)

Benefits:

Reishi has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for at least 2,000 years and is regarded as the “elixir of life.” It still ranks as one of the premier Chinese tonics and has been reported to boost energy, help the body resist disease and stress, and promote longevity.

Contemporary Western herbalists regard reishi as an adaptogen and recommend it as an immune stimulant that activates several different phases of immune defence. It is used to treat allergies and altitude sickness, and it is effective against leukemia cells in cell line studies. It has also shown an ability to fight age-related symptoms such as memory problems.

Alcoholism and cirrhosis of the liver Reishi, when fed to rats, helps protect liver cells from damage induced by carbon tetrachloride poisoning. It may be beneficial for people in earlier stages of alcoholic liver disease who have not yet experienced severe loss of liver function.

Bronchitis Reishi stimulates the maturation of immune cells known as macrophages, which engulf and digest infectious bacteria. This may prevent secondary infections from developing into cases of chronic bronchitis.

Cancer Reishi may be a useful agent to fight cancer. The most important components of reishi are its triterpenes and polysaccharides, which inhibit tumor invasion by limiting metastases. Reishi can increase plasma antioxidant capacity and enhance immune response in advanced-stage cancer patients. In one study, patients with advanced cancer in different tissues who took 1,800 milligrams of oral Ganopoly (an extract of reishi) three times a day experienced an increase in T cells and of natural killer (NK) cells. Reishi may counteract the suppression of red and white blood cells that can result from cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar) treatment by stimulating the creation of protein in the bone marrow. However, more work is needed to determine whether reishi should be used for patients with cancer.

High blood pressure There is evidence that reishi can lower both blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Scientists at Oklahoma’s Oral Roberts University found that compounds in reishi reduce the flow of nerve impulses through the sympathetic nervous system, the portion of the nervous system activated by emotional stress. Russian scientists screening mushrooms as potential cholesterol-lowering drugs have found that reishi extracts stop the accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries of laboratory animals. Two controlled clinical studies have investigated the effects of reishi on high blood pressure in humans. Both found it could lower pressure significantly as compared with a placebo. The subjects with high blood pressure in the second study had not previously responded to medications.

Stress Eastern physicians have recognized for centuries that reishi can reduce emotional outbursts during long-term stress. Exactly how reishi does this has not been studied, but it is likely due to the herb’s effects on the central nervous system. Additionally, doctors at the Hijitaki Clinic in Tokyo have found that reishi helped to decrease physical pain dramatically in two people with neuralgia and two other people with shingles (herpes zoster).

 

Recommended Use

Reishi is probably the most widely available medicinal mushroom in the world. It is available not only as a foodstuff, but also in teas, syrups, tablets, and tinctures. Do not use raw pulverized reishi. It is best to boil the mushrooms to kill any bacteria that may have been growing on them while they were being cultivated.

Although side effects of reishi are extremely rare, they are not unknown. High doses are potentially toxic. Three to six months of continuous use may result in dryness of the mouth, throat, and nasal passages; chronic itch; stomach upset; or nosebleed. These complications occur so seldom that their exact causes are not known, but they may be manifestations of an allergy to the mushroom.

Reishi should be avoided by people who have known allergies to other mushrooms or molds. It should not be used continuously for more than three months at a time. If you take reishi on an ongoing basis, you should take a one-month break every three months, and then resume. If you are taking blood-thinning medications such as heparin or warfarin (Coumadin), you should use reishi only under a doctor’s supervision. Do not use reishi with immunosuppressant drugs, antihypertensives, or chemotherapy.

Botanical Name: Ganoderma lucidum
English: Reishi
Also, known as: Lingzi, Ling Zhi, Ling Chi
Habitat: Asia
Origin: China
Harvested: Wild or cultivated
Parts Used: Fungus

General Information:
Ganoderma lucidum, commonly known as the Lingzi mushroom, is frequently used as a medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest mushrooms known to have been used medicinally. Its popularity extends to Japanese and Korean medicine, and it has been making Ganoderma is a member of the Polypores, a group of fungi characterized by the presence of pores, instead of gills on way west. the underside of the fruiting body. G. lucidum, considered by many mycophiles to be one of the most beautiful shelf fungi, it is distinguished by its varnished, red surface. When it is young it also has white and yellow shades on the varnished surface. Parasitic on living hardwoods (especially oaks) and saprobic on the deadwood of hardwoods; causing a white butt and root rot; growing alone or gregariously, usually near the base of the tree.

How to use:
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.

Food Preparation: You can add powdered herbs to any super food, herbal smoothie, sauces, spreads and even cookies. Also, for children, you can mix powdered herbs with honey or glycerin to make a paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help the medicine go down. This method is also known as “Electuaries”.

Capsules: Encapsulating your own powdered herb at home, give you assurance that the contents of the capsules are pure herb and no filler or any other products. These capsules can be taken with liquid.

Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.

Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purposes ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.