Mushrooms: ‘Plant of immortality’ has history of healing powers
BY SUZY COHEN Dear Pharmacist
Saturday, November 03, 2012
I asked an elderly Japanese friend
why she looks so young for her age.
She said she drinks tea made with
reishi mushrooms. Is there anything to
this? — A.F., Castle Rock, Colo.
The short answer is yes.
The Chinese name for reishi
mushrooms is ling zhi, meaning
“plant of immortality.” These
medicinal mushrooms have a
history that goes back at least
2,000 years. Mushrooms and
fungi with incredible healing
powers are now starting to
gain attention from integrative
physicians.
Right now there are more
than 800 scientific studies on
reishi mushrooms on file in the
National Institutes of Health’s
database. According to these
studies, reishi offers potential
support for cardiovascular
issues, infectious disease, liver
detoxification, arthritis pain,
asthma and other respiratory
and immune system disorders.
Overseas, it’s common for cancer
patients to purchase these
mushrooms, and sometimes
insurance covers.
If reishi has even half of the
healing and disease-preventing
power that traditional Asian
healers claim for it, one could
easily see why it would be considered
a longevity herb and
part of your anti-aging arsenal.
Studies have shown that
reishi can help improve cholesterol
ratios and control blood
sugar. It has anti-inflammatory,
antihistamine, antiviral, and
anti-bacterial properties.
One study published just
last year in the medical journal
Nutrition and Cancer found
that reishi has the ability to
stunt the growth and spread
of inflammatory breast cancer
(IBC) cells.
Researcher and professor
Michelle Martinez Montemayor,
Ph.D. (who conducted the
study) came to this conclusion:
“Our findings suggest that
reishi extract could be used as
a novel anticancer therapeutic
for IBC patients.” If you have
cancer, of any kind, I’d discuss
reishi as an adjunctive treatment
with your oncologist.
I take reishi supplements
(True Reishi brand), and I also
buy dried herbs that I soak in
water and then cook in my slow
cooker on low for 12 hours.
This makes a more potent
blend.
info@dearpharmacist.com
Associated Images:
|
