What is reishi mushroom?
Reishi mushroom
(lat. Ganoderma lucidum) is one of the types of lacquered tinder fungus. The second name of the mushroom is Ganoderma lacquered. The culture has become widely known since ancient times due to its unique healing properties. Japanese healers called it the mushroom of spiritual power. In China, Korea and Japan, tinder fungus was widely used in folk medicine. Ganoderma supplements came to Russia relatively recently and have gained enormous popularity.
Video: Yuri Viktorovich Isaev, head of the “medicinal mushrooms” program, will talk in detail about the “mushroom of immortality”:
Edible species
The most common are tubular edible mushrooms, which grow everywhere in regions with a temperate climate and warm rains. Sandy soils, forest soils with the required amount of nutrients, illuminated by diffused sunlight are more suitable for their growth. They grow in mixed and coniferous forests, preferring pine, birch, aspen, oak, spruce, etc.
The spongy surface of the cap accumulates water
The following table displays a list of appearance features that characterize edible tube mushrooms.
Where in Russia does the reishi mushroom grow?
It is a mistake to believe that reishi mushroom can only be found in China or Japan. Many sellers explain the high cost of the mushroom due to expensive delivery from distant countries. This statement is not entirely true. Finding a reishi mushroom in the vastness of Russia is not as easy as boletus or boletus mushrooms, but it is quite possible. In the natural wild, it is found in Altai, in the forests of the Krasnodar Territory and in the North Caucasus.
Reishi mushroom can be grown artificially anywhere. Considering the high popularity and cost of tinder fungus, many mushroom growers create a suitable microclimate to obtain an exotic crop. The crop is grown on old stumps, old branches that have fallen to the ground, and dried tree trunks in conditions of significant humidity and high air temperature. Reishi almost never grows on living, healthy trees. If, after all, a mycelium has formed on the trunk, then the tree is sick and will soon die.
Clavaria pale brown
The tubular fruiting body of this species resembles graceful branches of sea corals. Its color varies from cream to rich lilac and pink. The internal “branches” differ in shade from the external ones, so the result is a real extravaganza of colors. This is the answer why pale brown clavaria (Clavaria zollingeri) is considered a multi-colored mushroom, although the name would seem to indicate the opposite.
This humus saprotroph grows in mixed forests, with a predominance of conifers and oak; meadow varieties are less common. The fruiting bodies, up to 10 cm high and about 7 cm long, form small bizarre groups, although single specimens are occasionally found.
Clavaria is a conditionally edible species, but does not have much culinary value and can only be consumed in small quantities. The taste is reminiscent of radishes or cucumbers. In some cases it has a laxative effect.
Widely distributed on both American continents, Asia, Australia and the Russian Far East. Europeans classify clavaria as an endangered species that has suffered from deforestation and reclamation work. And Irish farmers use it as a bioindicator showing how clean and suitable natural pastures are for livestock.
How to take reishi mushroom?
Some experts recommend taking Ganoderma supplements in the morning on an empty stomach. This contributes to greater effectiveness of the drug. For easy absorption, the mushroom should be washed down with water acidified with lemon. Vitamin C ensures better absorption of nutrients.
The dosage of tinder fungus may vary depending on the form of the active supplement. When taking the whole mushroom, the dose is usually between 25 and 100 grams. It depends on the size of the tinder fungus.
The most commonly used extract is dried reishi. The required amount of the drug in this case is approximately 10 times less than when consuming the mushroom itself. In other words, 50 grams of tinder fungus itself corresponds to 5 grams of extract. Typically, the required amount of concentrated supplement is from 1.5 to 9 grams per day.
In any case, it is important to know what type of mushroom you are consuming in its natural form or in extract form. These data will influence the determination of the optimal dosage.
When choosing a product containing reishi components, you should check whether it has an international quality certificate. It is better to give preference to those produced in Asian countries, for example, in Japan or China. Japanese products are characterized as high quality, with a high degree of purification from impurities. They are obtained using technologies that contribute to the preservation of all the healing properties of the phytocompounds of the fungus. Their use provides a pronounced therapeutic result. Medicinal supplements with reishi mushroom differ in the content of active substances, which are influenced by growing conditions and processing characteristics. Preparations in the form of an extract or essence are more effective and convenient to use.
You can purchase reishi mushroom supplements in specialized health food stores and on Internet sites. Study the product label to determine the type of mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum), extraction coefficient, presence of additives, and country of origin. Carefully read the recommended dosage, which depends on the concentration of the main substance.
Compound
Reishi mushroom gained its popularity due to its amazing composition, which impresses with a high concentration of beneficial chemicals. Scientists from countries such as Japan, the USA, Korea and Canada conducted a large study of reishi mushrooms, in which they studied the composition and effects of the mushroom on the human body.
The chemical composition of reishi contains a number of components that have a complex effect on the entire body. It contains a high concentration of active polysaccharides. They are a source of ganoderic acids, which prevent allergic reactions in the body, lower blood sugar levels, and increase resistance to stress disorders. The composition also contains beta-glucans, which have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Ergosterols found in the mushroom stimulate the immune system.
Reishi mushrooms also contain many water-soluble proteins, all essential amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, a number of vitamins B3, B5, C, D and minerals such as Ag, Ca, Fe, K, Na, Mn, Zn.
Reishi mushroom tea
You can use green and black teas. Reishi mushroom can be added to floral and fruit compositions, but it is important to remember that the taste of the drink may become bitter. Most often, the decoction is prepared in combination with green tea. This is explained by Eastern traditions.
- To brew tea in a thermos, you will need a 2-liter container. Pour 1.5 liters of water at a temperature of 45 degrees, add 50 grams of mushroom. Higher temperatures lead to the destruction of beneficial compounds. The thermos is closed and wrapped in a warm blanket. The drink is infused for 24 hours, shaking the thermos periodically. You need to take the prepared tea in diluted form - 2 tablespoons of infusion per 100 ml of water three times a day. For better absorption, it is recommended to drink tea 30 minutes before or after meals.
- The second method of preparing the drink is faster. To implement it, you need to cut the mushroom into small pieces, boil for about an hour and leave for 30 minutes. The finished infusion is filtered and consumed with honey or sugar. The drink is not highly concentrated, so it can be drunk like regular tea.
Amethyst lacquer
This small, elegant mushroom of intense purple color surprises rather than attracts lovers of “quiet hunting”. The instinct of self-preservation is triggered, warning that unnaturally bright colors in nature are often associated with danger; just remember the well-known fly agaric. But amethyst lacquer (Laccaria amethystina) belongs to the Ryadovkov family, almost all of whose representatives are tasty and healthy. The most famous among them are honey mushrooms, considered a forest delicacy.
A rich lilac color is characteristic of young lacquers; with age, their fruiting body lightens, acquiring a pinkish-white hue. Metamorphoses also occur with the shape - the cap, initially resembling a hemisphere, straightens over time, increasing its diameter from 2 to 5 cm. Amethyst varnish grows in groups, choosing moist, moss-covered areas of deciduous or mixed forests. It is clearly visible among the surrounding greenery.
Only the caps of the lacquers are eaten, which have a pleasant, delicate taste and aroma, while the legs are fibrous and very tough. From the purple “gift of the forest” you can prepare an excellent roast, surprising guests and household members.
Important: since the fruiting body of the varnish accumulates arsenic from the soil, it is recommended to consume it in small portions, adding it to prefabricated mushroom dishes.
Use of reishi mushroom in folk medicine
Tinder fungus preparations are presented in pharmacies in various forms, including dietary supplements and herbal preparations. The packaging of each product contains detailed instructions for use, specifying the recommended daily dosage. The most popular forms of use are still:
- Extract.
- Water infusion.
- Alcohol tincture.
Oil extract
To prepare the oil extract you will need:
- Dry crushed tinder fungus - 50 g.
- Flaxseed oil - 0.5 l.
The oil is heated to 40-45 degrees, mushroom raw materials are introduced into it, and mixed thoroughly. The solution is infused in a glass bottle in a dark, warm place, shaking thoroughly from time to time, for a week.
Shake the bottle before use. Take 1 tablespoon 30 minutes before meals, three times a day. It is correct to adhere to a certain treatment regimen: take the oil extract for three days, the alcohol tincture for three days, and so on alternately for 1-1.5 months. After a short break, the course of treatment can be repeated.
Water infusion
Required ingredients:
- Dry, ground in a coffee grinder, tinder fungus - 50 g.
- Melt water - 1.5 liters, heated to 45 degrees.
To obtain melt water, normal water is frozen in the freezer and left to thaw naturally. Pour prepared water into a thermos to ¾ of the volume, add mushroom powder. The thermos is wrapped, the contents are infused for 24 hours in a warm place. The thermos is shaken periodically to better penetrate the beneficial components of the mushroom into the infusion.
The resulting drink is not filtered before drinking. For oral administration, you need to dissolve two tablespoons of the infusion in ½ glass of water. Take between meals, 30 before or after.
Alcohol tincture
For preparation you will need:
- High quality vodka - 0.5 l.
- Dry mushroom, ground in a coffee grinder - 50 g.
The components are mixed in a glass container and left in a dark place for 2-3 weeks. The resulting tincture is not filtered. Take 1 teaspoon in 1/3 glass of water 30 minutes before meals three times a day.
The treatment regimen consists of alternately taking an alcohol solution (3 days) and an oil extract (3 days) for 1-1.5 months. This is followed by a break of 1 month, after which the course is repeated. Depending on the severity of the disease, courses may be repeated several times.
Distinctive features
The tubular mushroom has many distinctive features:
- strong, fleshy structure of the fruit stem and cap element, their structure suggests large sizes;
- attractive to parasites and pests;
- the spongy surface of the spore-bearing part can change color with age or when pressed;
- ability to accumulate large amounts of water;
- strong mushroom aroma and bright taste of the pulp;
- the number of edible species predominates.
Lamellar mushrooms differ from tubular mushrooms in their hymenophore, which is presented in the form of separate radial plates. The difference between them is also evident in the description of the pulp: spongy ones are denser, while plastic ones are susceptible to crumbling. Differences are also observed in the shape of the cap, where a convex hemisphere is more common for tubular ones, and a horizontal, flat upper part for lamellar ones. Similarities are observed in the color scheme of the edible fruiting bodies.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
The tubular-type hymenophore is characteristic of boletes and tinder fungi. It is represented by a mass of tubes opening downward, etc. sending ripened fungal spores into life. Almost always the tubes grow together, resulting in the formation of a solid mass, but in the liverwort the tubes are easy to separate from each other; they are free, because do not fuse with the side walls. Important systematic features are the size and shape of the pores. They can be regular, round or angular in shape. The color of the pores may differ from the color of the layer of tubules, which will be especially noticeable in the section of the hymenophore.
A less popular group of marsupials that grow above and below ground. The spores ripen inside the mushroom body, which looks like a ball or oval. Therefore, tubular saprotrophs, as well as lamellar saprotrophs, belonging to the same basidial group, are strikingly different from marsupials.
Contraindications and side effects
By following the recommended doses, you don’t have to worry about the safety of reishi mushroom for the body. Sometimes it is possible to develop some unpleasant symptoms:
- Minor digestive disorders.
- Skin rashes.
These manifestations are possible in people with high sensitivity to the components of the fungus or immune disorders. Before starting a course of treatment, you should consult your doctor.
Many studies have proven the safety of reishi mushroom preparations for adults when the preparation and dosage recommendations are followed. However, you should purchase supplements only from trusted manufacturers, as low-quality products can be toxic and dangerous to the human body.
Tinder fungus preparations are contraindicated for:
- Disorders of blood clotting processes.
- Postoperative period.
- Treatment with antihypertensive drugs.
- Use of anticoagulants.
- When treated with immunosuppressants.
These restrictions are recommended, since reishi can cause an increase in blood pressure, promote the development of thrombocytopenia, and increase the likelihood of bleeding of various origins.
Reviews from people who have undergone reishi treatment
Elizaveta, Krasnodar.
For me, meeting Reishi was a salvation. With a whole range of digestive problems (gastroduodenitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis), I experienced terrible pain every day. The medications made me feel sick, nothing helped, and left me feeling nauseous. I studied a huge number of articles, reviews and decided to take reishi tincture. Relief came on the first day of treatment. The pain has subsided. Today I am in my third week of the course. I stick to a bland diet. I am glad that there are no side effects or acute painful sensations. I hope for a good result.
Alexandra, Yeysk.
I am already taking my second Reishi course. I can firmly say that my general condition has improved significantly. Energy appeared, headaches stopped, weather dependence decreased, and most importantly, blood pressure normalized and hot flashes began to bother me less often. My nervousness decreased and I finally began to sleep normally. I can definitely say that the mushroom has improved the quality of my daily life.
Dmitry, Tambov.
Good day everyone! I am overwhelmed with emotions from taking the tincture of this wonderful mushroom! I want to share with everyone. I have been taking the tincture for four months now. All changes occur gradually, without leaps. I can firmly say that my endurance during sports training and performance have increased. I feel a surge of energy and a certain increase in emotional mood. I completely got rid of headaches, although before I had pills with me all the time. Good, effective remedy! Glad I came across it. Health to everyone!
Vladimir, Omsk.
I'm almost 40, I've always considered myself a healthy person. I go in for active sports, my work involves intellectual stress. I started taking mushroom tincture more for preventive purposes. I feel more physically resilient. Strength training is truly fun! Irritability disappeared, and I began to look at many daily problems more calmly. It’s not for nothing that our ancestors treated themselves with herbs and plant roots. Pharmaceutical companies simply make money from us, and drugs, by and large, only cause harm. I recommend turning to Mother Nature for help first! Be healthy!
Marianna, Moscow.
The drug with Reishi completely solved my problem of weather dependence. I can say that I have become calmer and my sleep has improved. It seems to me that I have begun to react calmly to everyday stimuli. The product has a peculiar taste and smell, but it’s worth being patient to experience its amazing effect!
