| Hailed in ancient Eastern medicine as the "mushroom | | | | triglyceride levels, remove excess cholesterol from the |
| of immortality" and the "medicine of kings," you'd | | | | blood, lower blood pressure, reduce platelet stickiness |
| expect reishi to offer you some pretty astounding | | | | and even help correct arrhythmia. In fact, for 54 people |
| health benefits, right? Your assumptions are correct. | | | | with hypertension unresponsive to medication, taking |
| This prized fungus may be able to boost your immune | | | | reishi extract three times a day for four weeks was |
| system, fight cancer, ward off heart disease, calm | | | | enough to significantly lower blood pressure, according |
| your nerves and relieve both allergies and inflammation. | | | | to a study reported by Burton Goldberg in "Heart |
| | | | Disease." Just imagine how the incidence of |
| "Reishi indeed sounds like a cure-all," writes Rebecca | | | | cardiovascular disease could be reduced if using reishi |
| Wood in her book "New Whole Foods Encyclopedia." | | | | really caught on in the Western hemisphere. |
| She goes on to explain reishi's wide range of uses: "An | | | | While you protect your body against infectious |
| immunostimulant, it is helpful for people with AIDS, | | | | disease, cancer and heart disease, your use of reishi |
| leaky-gut syndrome, Epstein-Barr, chronic bronchitis | | | | can also help relieve your everyday discomforts. Do |
| and other infectious diseases. It is used as an aid to | | | | you have allergies? Japanese researchers discovered |
| sleep, as a diuretic, as a laxative and to lower | | | | that the lanostan in reishi acts as a natural |
| cholesterol." It almost seems too good to be true. | | | | antihistamine. Do you suffer from muscle aches or |
| How can one fungus help the human body in so many | | | | arthritis? Dr. William B. Stavinhoa of the University of |
| ways? Traditional Eastern medical science explains | | | | Texas Health Science Center found that reishi is as |
| reishi's wide range of medicinal applications better, | | | | powerful as five milligrams of hydrocortisone, but with |
| perhaps, than mainstream medicine ever could. | | | | minimal side effects. What about anxiety or insomnia? |
| According to Eastern thought, the body needs to | | | | According to "Mind Boosters" by Dr. Ray Sahelia, the |
| defend itself against threats to its "equilibrium." These | | | | reishi mushroom can calm the mind, as well as improve |
| threats can be physical, such as viruses and bacteria | | | | memory, concentration and focus. With all these |
| that cause infection; emotional, such as stressors that | | | | benefits, reishi truly is the "medicine of kings." |
| cause anxiety; or energetic, in that they reduce | | | | Different types of reishi |
| alertness. Whatever the threat, reishi helps the body | | | | Though there are six different types of reishi, all |
| maintain its defense against these threats to its | | | | classified by color, herbalists generally call red reishi the |
| equilibrium, helping the body to maintain balance. In this | | | | most potent and medicinal variety, and thus it is the |
| sense, diseases like heart disease and cancer mean | | | | most commonly used form of reishi in North America, |
| that the body is out of balance, which is why an | | | | Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea. In the wild, the |
| equilibrium-enhancing remedy such as reishi can help | | | | mushroom grows on deciduous trees in heavily |
| so many diverse ailments. | | | | forested areas of China and Japan, but it's now easily |
| Skeptics can doubt the previous explanation as Taoist | | | | and widely cultivated commercially, so you don't have |
| "mumbo jumbo," but laboratory research proves many | | | | to venture into the forest to enjoy the benefits of |
| of reishi's medicinal applications. As Dr. Andrew Weil | | | | what "Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook" author |
| writes, reishi "has been the subject of a surprising | | | | James Green calls a "remarkably beneficial fungus for |
| amount of scientific research in Asia and the West." | | | | the human body." |
| Research shows that the polysaccharide | | | | However, keep in mind that reishi isn't exactly the kind |
| beta-1,3-D-glucan in reishi boosts the immune system | | | | of mushroom you'll want to put in your next salad, |
| by raising the amount of macrophages T-cells, which | | | | either. Since it's more than 90 percent indigestible fiber, |
| has major implications for people suffering from AIDS | | | | reishi has an extremely wood-like texture and to top it |
| and other immune system disorders. | | | | off, it's unpleasantly bitter. In spite of this bitter flavor, |
| This immune-boosting action also works wonders in | | | | many reishi enthusiasts use ground reishi to make a |
| the prevention and treatment of cancer, as the T-cells | | | | life-enhancing tea or even use the mushrooms in |
| are then able to fight cancer cells more effectively. | | | | soups. For the less daring, many health food stores |
| However, reishi may help the body defeat cancer in | | | | offer reishi capsules, tablets and extracts, and |
| not just one, but four ways. In addition to boosting the | | | | Japanese research suggests taking vitamin C along |
| immune system, the glucan in reishi helps immune cells | | | | with it may enhance reishi's medicinal effects. |
| bind to tumor cells. Many experts believe that it also | | | | So, how much reishi should you take? In the "Vitamin |
| actually reduces the number of cancerous cells, | | | | Bible for the Twenty-first Century," vitamin expert Earl |
| making it easier for T-cells and macrophages to rid the | | | | Mindell advises an average dose of 100 milligrams of |
| body of them. Another substance in reishi, called | | | | reishi extract daily to boost your immune system, |
| canthaxanthin, slows down the growth of tumors, | | | | reduce inflammation and ease joint pain. On the other |
| according to "Prescription for Dietary Wellness" author | | | | hand, Dr. Linda B. White recommends up to three |
| Phyllis A. Balch and other experts. As a result of these | | | | 1,000-milligram tablets up to three times per day in her |
| amazing anti-cancer abilities, laboratory research and | | | | book "The Herbal Drugstore." Because of this wide |
| traditional medicinal usage of reishi to fight cancer is so | | | | range of dosage suggestions and additional risks it |
| positive that the Japanese government officially | | | | might pose for pregnant or lactating women (even |
| recognizes it as a cancer treatment. | | | | though reishi has no known toxicity) you should check |
| Besides cancer, reishi can help and treat another of | | | | with a physician, preferably a naturopath, before |
| America's top killers: cardiovascular disease. The | | | | adding reishi to your regimen. Similarly, you should be |
| protection reishi offers against heart disease and | | | | aware that reishi does have some side effects, |
| stroke is truly remarkable because it helps prevent so | | | | including abdominal upset, dizziness, nose bleeds and |
| many different risk factors, due to its high content of | | | | dry mouth and throat, according to "Natural Pharmacy" |
| heart-saving substances like sterols, ganoderic acids, | | | | author Schuyler W. Lininger. In other words, it's up to |
| coumarin, mannitol and polysaccharides. Experts | | | | you and your naturopath to decide which dose of |
| believe that the ganoderic acids in particular lower | | | | reishi is right for you. |