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Reishi Mushroom Tea
Participants of our survey reported taking Reishi mushroom supplements in order to enhance overall wellness.1
Reishi mushrooms, commonly referred to as Lingzhi or Ganoderma Lucidum in Asia, are revered for both their health benefits and attractive appearance.
They thrive in the dense forests of East Asia, such as China, Japan and Korea.
Boiling
Reishi mushroom benefits include mood-enhancing and sleep inducing properties. Many individuals who struggle with sleeping disorders find reishi a natural solution that can help restore restful nights’ rest; furthermore, its relaxing qualities may reduce stress.
Reishi is a tough woody fungus composed of complex polysaccharides and chitin, an adhesive substance similar to insect exoskeletons and crustacean shells, making digestion of it challenging for our digestive systems. If boiled properly however, its hard texture becomes soft enough for our bodies to easily break down and digest.
To create Reishi tea, bring 8 cups of water to a boil and mix in 1 cup of chopped or dried Reishi mushrooms. Allow this mixture to boil for approximately half an hour, and let it steep for another half. Pour the liquid into a glass and drink once or twice daily as soon as it has set – the taste may be bitter but is offset by its many health benefits!
Reishi can enhance both your immune and sleep systems, providing a boost to both. By relieving stress and encouraging relaxation, reishi helps people fall asleep faster and stay asleep through the night; making it an excellent addition to take before bedtime.
Reishi can stimulate white blood cells – the body’s first defense against bacteria and pathogens – which may increase in number thanks to Reishi therapy, making it beneficial for anyone suffering from chronic illnesses that affect the immune system such as arthritis or IBD.
Reishi can help protect against hair loss by inhibiting 5a-reductase activity. This enzyme converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which damages scalp tissues and leads to hair thinning and miniaturization of follicles – leading to male pattern baldness in men. Reishi is known for being an effective DHT blocker so it should come as no surprise that its use as treatment for male pattern baldness is commonplace.
Pulverizing
Reishi (commonly referred to as Lingzhi or the Mushroom of Immortality) has long been recognized for its many health benefits, from supporting immunity and relieving anxiety to use in cosmetic products and more. Native to forested regions in East Asia and long used by traditional medicine practices alike.
Reshi is a polypore mushroom with complex polysaccharides and chitin that are hard components responsible for its woody, tough texture and difficulty digesting by our digestive systems. To facilitate digestibility more easily, Reishi must often be processed so as to be digested more readily.
One traditional preparation method for Reishi involves boiling it to produce herbal tea, which can result in bitter flavors and smells while also diminishing some of its medicinal benefits.
As an alternative method for making reishi, another way is to crush or pulverize it before extracting with hot water or alcohol for easier extraction of its product – leaving behind a powder that can be integrated into foods or beverages.
Reishi powder is easy to use and retains many of its medicinal properties, making it suitable for adding into teas, beverages or as a supplement.
For easy reishi tea preparation, bring 8 cups of water to a boil and combine 1 teaspoon of powdered mushrooms with it. Cover and let steep for approximately an hour before refrigerating to preserve its effects for several days. Your results should yield an appealing yet slightly bitter tasting brew!
Make reishi powder using either a coffee grinder or blender and use it in smoothies, or as a supplement, adding it to smoothies and eating as part of their regular regimen. Reishi is also available as capsules and tablets; please read labels closely when purchasing these products to ensure you are receiving high-quality products at an appropriate dosage – taking too much can be harmful!
Extracting
Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) has long been used in traditional Eastern medicine to promote health and prolong lifespan. Reishi contains numerous beneficial components that work synergistically in our bodies such as polysaccharides, beta-glucans, triterpenes and sterols that provide an important balance for wellness tea blends.
Reishi is well-known for enhancing immune system functioning. One possible explanation may be its stimulating white blood cells to attack abnormal cells in the body and kill tumor-forming tumor cells before they grow further. Reishi may also help lower blood pressure and insulin levels to reduce risks for chronic conditions like heart disease or diabetes.
Reishi has long been used as an effective natural healing solution to cancer and other autoimmune diseases due to its natural anti-cancer properties, as evidenced by laboratory tests which demonstrated its ability to inhibit cancer cell growth while inducing apoptosis in healthy cells. Furthermore, its antioxidant properties allow it to neutralize free radicals that damage immune systems and lead to premature aging.
Reishi is best known for its antitumor effects; however, it also helps to alleviate symptoms of chronic fatigue and stress by increasing energy by balancing body hormones and immunity systems. Furthermore, reishi has also been proven to decrease DHT production which contributes to hair loss among males.
Reishi mushrooms have long been used as a dietary supplement, and its various forms are readily available on the market – powders, capsules, tablets and liquid extracts are among the many choices available to consumers. But for most individuals the ideal form is tinctures which involve distilling the mushrooms into liquid form for easy dosing – these contain both water- and alcohol-soluble compounds, making them more bioavailable than other preparations.
Northwoods Tea offers a Reishi Dual Extract Tincture that uses both hot water and alcohol extraction processes to capture more of its medicinal properties than single extraction products. Our flavorless solution makes enjoying these ancient herbal treasures both convenient and flavorless!
Ingestion
Reishi mushroom supplements have quickly gained in popularity across the US due to their many health benefits. Reishi contains natural compounds which have been shown to boost immunity, regulate stress hormone levels, improve energy, support the endocrine system, lower inflammation levels, blood pressure levels and detoxify the body – benefits which have earned reishi the nickname of the “mushroom of immortality”.
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is an edible and medicinal mushroom widely used in traditional Eastern medicine for its many therapeutic benefits. Usually sold in extract form and multi-ingredient dietary supplements, it has been studied and demonstrated its anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory properties; cell culture models support them further still. Reishi’s antioxidant properties make it powerful enough to help lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as lower blood pressure while slow down blood clotting functions significantly.
Reishi mushrooms may also help alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea, enhance radiotherapy for cancer patients, and protect kidneys against cisplatin-induced toxicity. While most adults take Reishi as a supplement without side effects such as stomach upset or dizziness from taking Reishi supplements. But some individuals may experience side effects like stomach upset, dizziness or liver damage after consuming Reishi mushrooms.
To prevent adverse side effects from medications, always read and follow the directions on the product label. Before beginning any new herbs or supplements, be sure to notify both your doctor and pharmacist of their use; furthermore, maintain a list of your prescription and over-the-counter meds.
Preparing Reishi Mushroom Tea may vary by product, but usually involves boiling the mushrooms with water until they soften, which allows them to release their beneficial chemicals into the water and be drunk as tea. You can make Reishi mushroom tea yourself but professional herbalists should be consulted for optimal results if brewing at home fails – especially in cases involving serious medical conditions where dosage must be specifically tailored for each individual patient.