Queen of the Mushrooms
Reishi aka Ganoderma Lucidum aka Lingzhi. Reishi is known as the queen of mushrooms (Chaga is the king), the mushroom of immortality, and the mushroom of spiritual potency. It has been used for over 2000 years and it is one of the most important adaptogen herbs in Chinese medicine.
In the wild, Reishi is a large, dark mushroom with a glossy exterior and a woody texture. It’s not directly edible. Consume as a tea, powder or tincture.
Medicinal benefits include:
Longevity – why it has the nickname the mushroom of immortality
Healty Liver Function
Anti-inflammatory
Stress reducer
Soothes nervous system – great before bed
Immune health
Adjunt to traditional cancer treatments – in a 2012 study Reishi demonstrated antitumor and immunomodulating activity such as apoptosis or cell death of cancer cells
Antioxidant – protects DNA from oxidative stress and fights free radicals in the body
Seasonal allergies
Regulates blood sugar
How to consume:
Reishi tea – simmer a small amount of dried reishi in hot water for 30 min to 2 hours. The longer you simmer, the more medicinal benefits but also the more bitter the taste. Add honey or stevia to taste if desired. You can also stir the powder into hot water.
Stir into soups – stir a small dried amount into soups. Remove before consuming
Powder – stirred into water, tea, coffee or smoothies
Capsules – take daily
Tincture – take daily. To make a tincture I recommend a double extraction method. Add dried reishi chopped mushrooms to Everclear in a mason jar and allow to soak in a cool dark place for 6 weeks. This is the ethanol part of the double extraction that will extract the triterpenes like ganoderic acid which are shown to have cancer fighting benefits. Shake the mason jar every couple days. Strain alcohol through cheese cloth and set aside. Note the volume. Add the reishi fruiting bodies to a pot of water and cook slowly for 30 min-2 hours. This is the decoction part of the double extraction necessary to extract the beta-glucans from the reishi. Beta-glucans are important for the anti-inflammatory benefits. Simmer until the volume of the water is about 1/3 the volume of the alcohol amount you noted. After the water mixture has cooled strain out the water and mix the water with the alcohol and store in an amber tincture vial. Store in a cool dry place and shake well before use. Take 1 dropperful per day.
