A Mystical Mushroom with Candida Fighting Power
Wow! Did you know that we share 98% of our genetic make-up with medicinal mushrooms? Medicinal mushrooms are exposed to the same types of pathogens that attack our bodies, and the substances that they create to fight off those pathogens work in our bodies too.
The reishi mushroom actually brings your candida index down. So, if you’re battling candida, like so many of us are -- this herb may be an excellent addition to you healing.
Remember when superfoods became all the rage? People everywhere were suddenly excited over the abundance of nutrition and energy that we discovered in these amazing whole foods. Once exotic or unavailable foods like spirulina, maca and mangosteen suddenly hit the markets for all to enjoy.
Nowadays, some of those go-to superfoods are having to share the spotlight with an even more ancient group of super herbs from exotic places like China, India and the rainforest. Green smoothies, elixirs and tonics full of healing herbs are now enjoyed daily across the world, with excellent results and you can benefit from them too!
Studies show that one herb in particular, the reishi mushroom, has healing effects on people with everything from high blood pressure to AIDS.
Body Ecology is a system of health and healing that was first designed to help you overcome candida, the systemic yeast infection that plagues our population. So, when we discovered that this popular Chinese herb also has distinct candida fighting properties -- we knew we had to share the news with you.
Have Chinese herbs made their way into your cupboard yet? Are you open to the reishi mushroom becoming your next go-to super herb?
We caught up with Master Herbalist George Lamoureux, once again to discuss the truly magical qualities of the reishi mushroom – Mr. Lamoureux’s favorite herb. Join us and discover the mysticism and the science behind why this ancient herb has become so popular again.
The Mushroom of Immortality
Q. George, will you share some history behind what makes the reishi mushroom so special?
A. It all begins with the name. “Reishi’s” formal name is “Ganoderma Lucidum”. Ganoderma means “shining skin” and Lucidum means “glowing.” So, you get a mystical understanding of the herb right away.
Engravings, pictures and even embroidered depictions of the reishi mushroom appear everywhere throughout ancient China. You can find reishi mushroom imagery on everything from emperor’s robes, to windows and doors. There is even one particular picture of a reishi mushroom on a mountain peak between heaven and earth.
A Three Treasure Formula
Even before the science of anatomy, the Daoists, who created the meridian system (over thousands of years of observation and study), determined that the reishi mushroom enters your heart, liver and lungs. Some say that it also enters your kidney meridian.
Reishi addresses your jing (life force) your qi (energy), and your shen (spirit). In Chinese medicine, this is known as a “three treasure” herb that harmonizes body, mind and spirit.
Tonic Herbalists love this herb so much because it nourishes your heart and calms your shen. For me, it has had a profound affect on how I interpret stress. My experience with reishi is that I am completely grounded and centered regardless of the stress in my life.
Although the Daoists didn’t have knowledge of the chemical constituents of herbs they were investigating, new science completely supports these ancient observations. We are now discovering, on a scientific level, that the reishi mushroom has healing effects on each organ system that the Daoists suggested. To me, this is remarkable.
Q: What has science taught us about the reishi mushroom?
A: In China, reishi is used in what is known as “Fu Jeng therapy.” Here, in the west we call this immunotherapy. Reishi is an adaptogenic herb that regulates your immune system.
A New Immunotherapy
The polysaccharides (like beta glucans) in reishi increase the RNA and DNA in your bone marrow, where immune cells (such as lymphocytes) are made.
Reishi promotes Immunoglobulin G <http://www.bodyecology.com/
Reishi neutralizes toxins in your body.
Reishi lengthens the memory of your T cells (cells that are taught to detect, mark and eliminate invading pathogens).
Understanding the Three Treasures, Heart, Lung and Liver Meridians
How Reishi Nourishes Your Heart
Lowers your LDL (bad cholesterol)
Increases blood flow through coronary artery (artery that feeds your heart muscle)
Lowers blood pressure in a mild manner (inhibits angiotention converting enzyme ACE inhibitor)
Prevents blood clotting
How Reishi Nourishes Your Lungs
The ganoderic acids in reishi help relieve chronic bronchitis
Great for anyone with breathing problems like asthma
Inhibits the release of histamines (inflammatory conditions in your body)
Reduces swelling of sinus and stuffiness related to seasonal allergies
How Reishi Nourishes Your Liver
Lowers your liver enzymes (HGOT)
Lowers triglycerides
Protects the liver tissue against oxidative stress
Excellent for anyone with hepatitis
Q: What are some of the results you have experienced with Reishi?
A: As an Adaptogenic herb, reishi can both regulate and stimulate your immune system, depending on what your body needs. If you have an overactive immune system, like in autoimmune diseases, the reishi mushroom will help to take that response down, and if you have an underactive immune system, it will help boost you up. I find this double direction to be absolutely remarkable.
I have witnessed people with severe liver disease, remain well, with no visible signs of further liver damage after 15 years of taking reishi.
Q: What about candida? How does reishi affect candida, systemic yeast infections?
A: Believe it or not, the reishi mushroom actually brings the candida index down. Of course, some mushrooms are dangerous for those suffering from candida symptoms. But, reishi is a medicinal mushroom that shares 98% of our genetic make-up. As it grows, it develops substances that help it fight off pathogens, like candida. Fortunately, these substances work in our bodies as well.
WHY GANODERMA FROM DXN IS THE BEST -
The whole is greater than the sum of its part. This argument has been widely used in philosophy and science and even recorded by Aristotle. I would like to start off with this statement to emphasize the importance of the whole mushroom instead of extracting the active ingredients and flushing away the rest of the mushroom.
Throughout history, man's arrogance always challenges nature but only ended up being humbled by his ignorance. We were told that our body couldn't tell the difference between synthetic vitamins and vitamins found in food but that was proven false. Our body responded very well with vitamins derived from food even in miniscule amounts. What science has discovered is that the total nutrients in food works synergistically together and therefore provided a more potent result compared to synthetic vitamins alone. This is the basis why DXN's Ganoderma is the best you will ever get for your money in the market today.
The Beginning -
The beginning is the Red Reishi mushroom itself. The Red Reishi cultivation by DXN is the culmination of more than ten years of research by Dr. Lim Siow Jin. Through hybridization, he was able to combine the six Red Reishi varieties with differing pharmacological values into one. Red Reishi has the highest pharmacological value compared to the other 300 varieties. But the new mushroom hybrid provides the highest nutritional value than the mushroom found in the wild. From DXN's experience, the company finds spore separation cultivation method too unstable from producing specie consistencies thereby applying tissue culture method instead to address the consistency problem.
The Process -
Next is the all-important part of converting the mushroom into a form digestible for human consumption.
Dr. Lim believes that not only are the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are important but he finds the enzymes are just as important as well to complete its synergistic value.
Therefore, it is imperative not to introduce heat throughout the process to keep the enzymes intact. First step is the removal of water through freeze-drying. Then all the non-therapeutic fibers are removed thus increasing the concentration to 20:1 ratio. Then it is exposed to ultraviolet radiation thereby increasing its therapeutic effects. Finally, it goes through micro-pulverization. Like the seed, all the goodness that nature has endowed to this mushroom will burst into action once consumed.
