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D-Day
27th May 2012, 11:31
It is said that wild Reishi mushroom benefits your spirituality more than any other herb or substance known.


http://www.secrets-of-longevity-in-humans.com/images/wild-reishi-mushroom-benefits.jpg

http://www.secrets-of-longevity-in-humans.com/images/the-health-benefits-of-reishi-mushrooms.jpg

In addition to that, it is also known that Reishi mushroom benefits your immune system more than any other herbal adaptogen on the planet (with the exception of other similar medicinal mushroom species). Through the millennia it has been seen as the single most important herb for Chinese longevity. Chinese herbalism nicknamed the Ganoderma mushroom "the mushroom of immortality" because of the rumoured mystical powers that it granted to those who consumed it. Among the "superior class" (the top of three classes) of herbal adaptogens in Chinese herbalism, the Linzhi (a.k.a. Reishi in Japanese a.k.a. Ganoderma Lucidum in Latin) mushroom ranks at the number one position.

Traditional properties:

Reishi supplements all 3 treasures (Jing, Chi and Shen) but has the most tonic action on Shen (spiritual radiance). Many Chinese herbalists recognize that wild Reishi mushroom benefits Shen more than any other herbal adaptogen known. The Ganoderma mushroom is a Chinese symbol for longevity. It is often compared to the lotus flower from the Buddhist traditions in terms of its significance as a spiritual symbol. For the Chinese, longevity was inseparable from spirituality and those who pursued life-span development were also seen as spiritually "advanced". The two pursuits definitely go hand in hand since the longer you live, the more time you have to meditate, pray and do other spiritually advancing practices!

Although it is tonic to the whole body, red (the most commonly cultivated and most medicinally active) Reishi mushroom benefits the Liver and Heart organs foremost. Chinese medicine capitalizes certain organs since they are seen as a group of two or more organs that work in tandem (for further information, google TCM organ systems!).

From the scientific properties listed below,it is clear that the Chinese classification that Reishi mushroom benefits the whole body is accurate. It's heart and liver actions are listed below along with its immunomodulating (the Lung organ system), spleen and stomach protecting (the Spleen organ system) and adrenocorticol improving (the Kidney organ system) qualities. This demonstrates that traditional herb information is often quite accurate despite the difference in methods of study between older herbal systems and modern science.

Scientific properties:

The benefits of Reishi mushrooms are as follows: analgesic, anti-allergic, bronchitis (preventative and regenerative), anti-inflammatory, antibacterial (Staphylococci, Streptococci and Bacillus Pneumoniae), antioxidant (again hydroxyl free radicals), antitumor, antiviral, lowers blood pressure, bone marrow nucleated cell proliferation enhancement, cardiotonic, central depressant and anticholinergic (relaxes muscles and reduces the effects of caffeine), natural killer cell enhancement, expectorant and antitussive, immunomodulatory, anti-HIV, adrenocortico function enhancement, interleukin 1 and 2 production increased, liver protective and detoxifying, prevents B monoamine oxidase effects, ionizing radiation protection, anti-ulcer, white blood cell and hematoglobin in peripheral blood increased.

Spleen (spleen, stomach and pancreas): The polysaccharides in Reishi mushroom benefits the spleen by increasing DNA synthesis in its cells. It has been found that the Ganoderans A and B, glycans of the fruiting body of the Ganoderma mushroom are able to significantly reduce blood plasma sugar levels in hyperglycemic mice (pre-diabetic) which helps take some burden off of the pancreas. One human study found it effective in treating duodenal ulcers (stomach).

Lung (lung and large intestine): In mice Reishi mushroom benefits the lungs as an expectorant by helping clear them of mucus. In the 1970's over 2000 patients with chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma were part of clinical studies in China. They found that after 2 weeks on Reishi supplements, 60-90% of patients had a marked improvement, many even having an increase in appetite. The immune system is seen as seated in the Lung organ system according to TCM. The benefits of Reishi mushrooms are most apparent with its immunomdulating effects. This means that if the immune system is under reacting, the Ganoderma mushroom will boost immunity and if it's over reacting, it will calm it down! Beta-D-glucan, a type of polysaccharide, appears to be the main contributor to this valuable effect.

Kidney (kidneys, bladder, genes, adrenals and endocrine system): In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that Ganoderma Lucidum extracts improves adrenocortical function (the adrenals are responsible for many of the important hormones of youth as well as regulating body temperature). The various sterols found in Reishi mushroom benefits the endocrine system by acting as hormone precursors. One study showed that taking reishi supplements before and after exposure to ionizing radiation helped prevent and minimize the negative effects of the radiation. This naturally helps protect the DNA from becoming damaged and causing accelerated aging.

Liver (liver and gallbladder): The benefits of Reishi mushroom on the liver are demonstrated with the favorable results attained with its use in cases of hepatitis (especially before severe impairment of liver function has occurred). One study of 355 patients with hepatitis B who were treated with reishi supplements (which contained other herbal adaptogens as well) showed that 92.4% of the patients had positive results! The compounds in Lingzhi that cause these benefits for the liver are quite likely Ganodosterone (a plant steroid) and Triterpenes R and S. These antihepatotoxic compounds protect and detoxify the liver and are some of the best health benefits of Reishi mushrooms.

Heart (heart and small intestine): It has been shown that Reishi mushroom benefits patients with coronary heart disease and hyperlipidemia, resulting in varying degrees of improvement in symptoms. One controlled study showed a Ganoderma extract being capable of reducing blood and plasma viscosity in hypertensive patients with hyperlipidemia. Yet another study showed the Ganoderma Lucidum extract was capable of lowering blood pressure and reducing cholesterol. Also, Reishi mushroom benefits those in high altitudes (such as mountain climbers) as it increases oxygenation of the blood (both an effect on the Heart system as well as the Lungs for TCM).

Here are some things to keep in mind when seeking the benefits of Reishi mushrooms for your health and longevity.

The quality and benefits of medicinal mushrooms like Reishi come into question when they are cultivated, but can also be better quality then low quality wild specimens when cultivated properly. You have to be absolutely certain that the reishi supplements are in the form of organic tinctures, organic supplements or the organic raw herb. Mushrooms have a tremendous ability to act as sponges and unfortunately lock up pesticides, fungicides, etc in their tissues. A good quality, certified organic product will give you good quality results your body deserves! If you're looking specifically for the well known wild Reishi mushroom benefits, then make sure it is deep forest Reishi and not a specimen that has been growing beside a highway absorbing all the toxins the tree has been filtering out of the air.

The Ganoderma mushroom is completely non-toxic (if it has been grown in a healthy environment) and the only known negative side effects reported have been from people who had allergies to mushrooms. This makes Reishi a true herbal adaptogen. It can be taken every day for the rest of your life... this might be a pretty good idea!

If you have allergies to anything (including mushrooms) it might be worth experimenting with the benefits of Reishi mushrooms. It has many anti-histamine type compounds in it and has been used clinically for the purpose of helping people eliminate their body's autoimmune response to their allergies. If your allergy is specifically to mushrooms then it would be best to experiment with Reishi under the care of a knowledgeable health care professional and increase your dosage very slowly.

Reishi mushroom benefits virtually everyone who tries it, if it's from a high quality source. It's calming and spiritually expanding qualities have been discussed for many millennia. The commonly accepted theory about all mushrooms is that they are an extra terrestrial species. Spores (microscopic mushroom seeds) are easily carried on the wind and "become lighter than air" with the slightest gust of a breeze.

They have been found up in the furthest reaches of our atmosphere and can even survive in outer space in their dormant state! This suggests the possibility of otherworldly origins and is a commonly accepted theory in the field of mycology. Perhaps you might choose to think of your Reishi consumption as a type of shamanistic alien space medicine...

Source: http://www.secrets-of-longevity-in-humans.com/reishi-mushroom-benefits.html

According to the above source, the best quality reishi (ganoderma) extract and whole herbs you can buy online is from either of these two sources:

http://hyperionherbs.com/?ap_id=zak

http://coldfusion.affiliateshop.com/AIDLink.cfm?AID=108396&Redirect=/bulkherb/r.php#h_r_rei_s

http://tinyurl.com/medicinal-mushrooms

My personal comments: I have only just become aware of the existence of the Reishi Mushroom and have now started conducting some research into it's various uses and potential health benefits. I would be very interested to hear from any Avaloniian's who have had direct personal experience/s with the Reishi Mushrrom.

On first look, I must admit that it almost feels like one of those "too good to be true" kind of deals ~ but my interest is most definitely piqued and I am very curious to know/learn more about it.

With the research I've done so far, the Reishi Mushroom seems to be ticking all the right boxes. I've found a wide variety of medical studies that have been conducted over the years where the results seem to corroborate the claims being made by many of the websites that are selling Reishi Mushroom products.

I would be very happy to hear from anyone who has information (or a constructive opinion) to share regarding this topic....

delfine
27th May 2012, 13:01
Thanks a lot. Sounds interesting, will definitely try it out..

WHOMADEGOD
27th May 2012, 13:50
This mushroom is an adaptogen, it senses what needs to be brought into balance.

Mycologists wil tell you that shroom.spores can exist in outer space and that is how they got here.
If you look at the magic variety some will say that as our species ventured from the jungle on to the plains these were waiting and in fact facilitated our leap in concioisness and intellect.

Cordyceps is another astonishing adaptogen, in that its spores will land in the centre of a certain catepillar forehead and use it as a host and then grow outwards while resembling the catepillar for survival!

I have tried both but to be honest it is an accumalitive thing and I did not really give it a chance but I know a few who.swear by them.

meat suit
27th May 2012, 20:02
great thread,
I am keen to find out more about Reishi shrooms, food guru David Wolfe talks about them..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DjuksWkoLI is one vid to start looking around for more on youtube.
my shiitake spawn supplier can get Reishi spawn too, so I may look into growing some...

bearcow
27th May 2012, 21:30
Reishi supplements all 3 treasures (Jing, Chi and Shen) but has the most tonic action on Shen (spiritual radiance). Many Chinese herbalists recognize that wild Reishi mushroom benefits Shen more than any other herbal adaptogen known. The Ganoderma mushroom is a Chinese symbol for longevity. It is often compared to the lotus flower from the Buddhist traditions in terms of its significance as a spiritual symbol. For the Chinese, longevity was inseparable from spirituality and those who pursued life-span development were also seen as spiritually "advanced". The two pursuits definitely go hand in hand since the longer you live, the more time you have to meditate, pray and do other spiritually advancing practices!


in china the mushroom is called Lingzhi. This refers to the ling chi stored inside it. The ling chi feeds the development of the Shen in the upper dan tien. For best results eat it fresh.

D-Day
28th May 2012, 04:11
@ delfine: No worries at all. If you do happen to buy/try Reishi mushrooms please let us know how it all works out for you.

@ WHOEMADEGOD: Thanks for those insights - much appreciated. Interesting that you mentioned cordyceps as I was also considering starting a thread on them as well ;)

@ meat suit: Thanks for the vid, I havn't watched it yet... but i wll. If you do decide to try growing some Reishi of your own I'd be very interested to hear how that pans out for you...

@ bearcrow: Thanks for the insights and the tip... I find fresh is almost always better when it comes to food consumption :)

General comments: I am not yet completely convinced about Reishi (or Cordyceps). But, the wealth of scientific and anecdotal evidence suggesting these food sources produce/promote amazing health benefits seens quite significant. I have tried to find information that raises questions/concerns/red flags about them... but I can't seem to find anythign that warrants further investigation or serious concern.

Given the above, I am pretty much at the point of wanting to purchase and try both products for myself- the Reishi and the Cordyceps.

If there are any members here who are currently using (or have used in the past) either of these products and can recommend a reputable supplier I would love to hear from you...

StarDust
28th May 2012, 04:21
I'm giving it a shot. Found some in pill form at my local GNC store (health supplement store here in the States). I figure it can't hurt to try.

toad
28th May 2012, 19:22
I've been picking lingzhi for ages, and use it quite often. Its best if you dry em out, in a mix of older and younger fruits, and grind them into a fine powder, boil them all day, and I put the liquid in ice cube trays and have a bunch of reishi cubes. Its an incredibly easy way to dose it often, its very bitter and has a very mushroomy/earthy ness to it., these mushrooms are also good suvival fruits, as they can harness a bunch of water and be squeeze fresh and you can get about a shots worth of not only water but its full of antioxidants and proteins. They are an incredibly easy fungus to hunt, once you are familiar with them, only thing to really look for is older Hemlock forests and dead hemlocks, old hemlocks tend to die quite spontaneously and a season later the entire tree will be littered with reishi, the delicious ganoderma.
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs16/i/2007/179/a/c/tree_of_ree_shee_by_tactimus.jpg
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs17/i/2007/186/f/0/Finger_of_medicine__by_tactimus.jpg
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs16/i/2007/186/4/1/555_by_tactimus.jpg

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Actually if anyone is interested in finding wild reishi or actually wants some dried fruits hit me up, pay shipping and you can have all you want. Alot of people dont realize how many of these I could actually pick, and I usually just powder them up, but I can only give away so many and keep so many for myself. I dont want anything for them just pay shipping and you can have whatever you want.

D-Day
29th May 2012, 02:45
Toad, thankyou for sharing your knowledge/experience with reishi mushrooms.
I would be very happy to try some of your locally sourced reishi - in whatever form you think best for transportation purposes.
However, I think I read somewhere that there are some regulations/restrictions around importation of reishi here in Australia.
I will need to look into that side of things first before going ahead with anything, I guess.
I was going to buy them in tablet/capsule form off an internet store because I don't have access to wild varieties here in Australia.
But, if I can find a way to get my hands on some fresh/natural stuff I would definitely prefer that.

Mu2143
31st May 2012, 13:04
http://www.spiruella.nl/reishi-paddenstoel-poeder.html

http://www.mushroomharvest.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=36_39
14 Mushroom Blend Powder Cert. Org 1 lb.
We have produced a blend to combine the benefits of 14 different mushrooms. Our combination of mushrooms is rich in 1,3 and 1,6 beta glucans, arabinoxylans, glycoproteins, triterpenes and antioxidants. Our full spectrum 14 mushroom blend powder has a minimum beta glucan content of 20%.

Suggested Use: Take 1 tsp twice daily

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 tsp
Servings per Container: 227

Amount per Serving ______________ 2,000 mg ______ %DV
Organic Reishi*** __________________200 mg _________ *
Organic Cordyceps** .______________200 mg _________ *
Organic Chaga*** ._________________ 200 mg _________ *
Organic Mesima** ._________________200 mg _________ *
Organic Lion's Mane*** .___________ 200 mg _________ *
Organic Turkey Tail** _____________ 120 mg _________ *
Organic Maitake** .________________ 120 mg _________ *
Organic Shiitake** _________________120 mg _________ *
Organic Blazei** .__________________ 120 mg _________ *
Organic Poria** ____________________120 mg _________ *
Organic Agarikon** ________________100 mg _________ *
Organic Suehirotake** .____________ 100 mg _________ *
Oyster Mushroom** _______________ 100 mg _________ *
Organic True Tinder Polypore** ___ 100 mg _________ *
*Daily Value not established
** Activated mushroom preparation of mycelium.
*** Activated mushroom preparation of mycelium and fruiting body.
Other ingredients: organic myceliated brown rice.

20% Beta Glucan (polysaccharide)


USDA Certified Organic

Grown in the USA

No Imported Mushrooms in our Products

No Fillers

Full Spectrum Mushroom Powder

Certified Kosher

sigma6
17th June 2012, 20:43
I bought a huge bag of dried mushrooms from Chinatown a year ago, (don't know what kind, can't read the bag) sometimes I put one or two in a soup to give it flavour, I usually take it out, before eating and cut it up into some pieces and put it back in again... I forgot how good they are for you. thanks for this link.