Over 2000 years ago, people in China called reishi mushrooms “the mushroom of immortality.”
In China, records show that it was used as a medicine as early as 220 AD. This was written in a book called “Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing.” It was one of the first books in China to talk about the different medicines used to treat illness.
Many of these medicines are still used today because they are still very good at what they do. Over the years, reishi mushrooms have been praised for their ability to help the body get rid of toxins, boost energy, improve heart health, sharpen the mind, and slow the ageing process. Several scientific studies have now shown that a lot of these powerful benefits are true.
What are Reishi mushrooms?
Reishi mushrooms in Australia are round fungi that look like shiny redwood and feel hard like wood. Even though the outside looks like it was lacquered in a wood shop, it’s not.
In fact, Ganoderma Lucidum, which is its scientific name, means “shiny skin” in Latin.
Even though it was once thought that Ganoderma Lucidum was a single species, this may not have been the case.
New DNA testing methods have shown that what was thought to be a single mushroom species is actually a family of mushrooms that look very similar. This means that the reishi mushrooms that have been used as medicine for thousands of years are not just one kind of mushroom but several different kinds that all have similar or the same properties.
Immune System Booster
Like almost all medicinal mushrooms, reishi’s secret weapon is its beta-glucans, which are complex carbohydrates found in the cell walls of the fungus. These are the people who rally the troops, boost the immune system, and make more white blood cells so they can attack whatever foreign invader has broken through the perimeter. At the same time, beta-glucans also stop inflammation from happening. Imagine them kicking the enemy’s butt with one hand while using a pocket fan with the other to keep the battleground cool.
Help with Sleep, Stress, Fatigue, Aches, and Pains
Chinese doctors have used reishi for a long time to restore the body’s Qi, vital life force and energy flow. If your Qi isn’t strong enough, you might feel what we in the West call “bummed.”
Neurasthenia is a vague condition that causes aches, pains, headaches, dizziness, and irritability. A study of 132 people with neurasthenia found that reishi helped their symptoms much more than the placebo.
And yet another study showed that women with breast cancer who were tired and getting endocrine therapy had less anxiety and depression.
Combat Allergies
Reishi mushrooms have a good amount of triterpenes, and they can help keep allergies at bay by stopping the body from making too many histamines, increasing oxygen supply, and lowering inflammation. This means less sneezing and wheezing. Now, you can’t turn your nose up at that.
Sleep
In another study, reishi was given to rats for three days. After that time, the rats slept much more than they had before.
Reishi Lowers Inflammation
Since reishi mushrooms are full of antioxidants that boost the immune system, they can also be used to reduce inflammation. This includes rashes, allergies, asthma, arthritis, sore muscles, and pain.
Do You Want to Feel Better?
Boost your immune system, worry less, and get more sleep. Do you want to try it? Try putting a little bit of extract of red mushrooms in Australia in your next afternoon or evening drink. Like a hot cup of peace to end the day.
