Medicinal Mushrooms + Chaga

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Have you started adding mushrooms, as a supplement, in your daily routine? So many people are starting to do this! I first heard about all the interesting types of mushrooms, and their benefits, from Paul Stamets. If you are a fan of Joe Rogan, check Paul out here. He talks about the benefits and uses for mushrooms and also matcha! I love trying new supplements, and the Chaga was next on my list.

What Is a Chaga Mushroom?

The chaga mushroom has a beautiful rusty color on the inside, and on the outside, it resembles a piece of coal.

Chaga mushrooms have a few nick-names, such as “king of medicinal mushrooms”, “gift from God,” and “king of herbs.” They typically grow in cooler climates, and can be found growing in Northern US, Canada, Russia, Northern Europe, Siberia, and parts of Asia. Medicinal mushrooms have been growing in these areas for centuries!

The cool thing about the growing movement for medicinal mushrooms, is the boost in amazing products we are seeing on the market! Mushroom supplements can be found in powder form, elixir style, and even in coffee! Studies are backing these claims, and people are loving the benefits from these mushrooms.

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Many ancient cultures used chaga mushrooms to:

• calm upset stomach and ulcers

• detox the body

• regulate hunger

• promote clarity of thinking

• increase productivity

• improve endurance

• boost the immune system

IMMUNE BOOST

Chaga also supports the immune system. But how does it work?

Chaga mushrooms contain polysaccharides, which are “biological response modulators.” This is so cool… it means that they have the ability to boost or suppress the immune system, based on what the organism needs! Research published in Mycobiology also found that consuming chaga increases production of immune cells such as T-cells in animal studies.

A 2005 review (including human studies) found that chaga mushrooms are a potent immune booster without negative side effects. It also confirmed chaga can reduce inflammation, improve immune cell production, and enhance overall immune function.

CANCER

The effect that chaga has on tumors is profound. One 2016 study found that tumors shrank by 60 percent when using chaga extract on mice. In metastatic mice (mice with tumors that moved from their original location to other locations in the body), tumors shrank by 25 percent!

Phytosterols and the polysaccharide beta-glucan, found in chaga mushrooms, affect cancer cells in the following ways:

• may stop tumors from forming blood cells

• stop formation of tumors by protecting against potent genotoxic carcinogens

• stimulate the immune system to fight cancer naturally

• improve macrophages (a form of white blood cell) and natural killer cell function

SUPERFOOD

Chaga is a powerhouse of important nutrients. Look at this impressive list:

• vitamin B2

• vitamin D

• betulin

• phytosterols

• calcium

• iron

• magnesium

• phosphorus

• sulfur

• potassium

• silicon

• manganese

• selenium

• zinc

• chromium

• copper

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ANTIVIRAL

Our immune system is built to fight viruses. Improving the system can improve the body’s ability to fight these viruses.

There have been studies related to herpes and HIV, and the positive effects look promising!

Another study concluded it was able to reduce infection of the hepatitis C virus by 100 times (in only 10 minutes!)

METABOLIC HEALTH

As chaga mushrooms grow, they absorb a compound called betulin from the birch tree. Betulin is not digestible straight from the birch tree, so the mushroom converts it to a digestible form!

Research shows that betulin lowers cholesterol, helps prevent obesity, and improves insulin sensitivity in mice. In fact, researchers discovered that betulin was as effective or more effective than cholesterol-lowering drugs.

HOW TO USE CHAGA MUSHROOMS?

Obviously, these sound like a powerful superfood! How do you add them to your diet?

The most common way to take chaga is in a tea or tincture. You can use whole chaga, and even make your own powder, but I recommend finding a cool supplement or drink!

Check out these awesome chaga mushroom products.

• in coffee

• as a tea

• in lemonade 

• as a supplement

(P.S. If you’re afraid of a mushroom-y taste, don’t be… I promise you won’t even know it’s there!)

Chaga Precautions & Potential Side Effects

While it’s been used for centuries safely and effectively, there are some side effects and precautions to consider:

• It may interact with medications and may reduce blood clotting (not good for surgery!)

• It may lower blood sugar (good for some, not good for others)

• Chaga may not be great for those with autoimmune disease because it boosts the immune system. However, as noted earlier, it is an immune modulator so would lower an immune response in this case.

As always, discuss with your doctor whether taking chaga mushrooms is right for you (especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or have any underlying health issues).

Have you tried any medicinal mushrooms? What has been your experience, I would love to hear from you!

xoxo
Christina

Say What?! + What's In Your Yogurt?

This post may contain affiliate links.  That means we get paid dolla' dolla' bills y'all- if you make a purchase- using our link.  We only recommend products we would use in our own casa.  Check out our disclosure policy for more info. 

Who is responsible for taking healthy items and turning them into processed junk food?  You guessed it, the food industry.  The Cornucopia Institute came out with a revealing report (an investigation that took 2 years!) showing what is found in yogurt, and exposing the companies that are supplying this crap.  When you think of yogurt, you think- healthy, delicious, fruity- but, conventional yogurt usually comes from milk produced by cows that have been fed GMO grains, and whom are unable to graze in open pasture.  On top of that, chemical de-foamers, artificial sweteners, HFCS and sugar are added in.  Don't forget about carragenan, the gut-harmful ingredient, linked to cancer. 

Not only are there terrible ingredients lurking in this "health" food, but companies like General Mills (Yoplait), Groupe Danone (Dannon), Walmart, and PepsiCo market this towards children. Kids are automatically drawn to the colors, flavors and packaging.  Cornucopia was shocked by their findings and filed a formal complaint with the FDA, asking them to investigate some yogurts on the market because they don’t appear to even meet the legal definition of yogurt!

Here is the link to their official score card.  Check it out, and see how your favorite yogurt measures up. 

“What is most egregious about our findings,” said Mark A. Kastel, Codirector of The Cornucopia Institute, “is the marketing employed by many of the largest agribusinesses selling junk food masquerading as health food, mostly aimed at moms, who are hoping to provide their children an alternative, a more nutritious snack. In some cases, they might as well be serving their children soda pop or a candy bar with a glass of milk on the side.”

Let's take a closer look at some of the top yogurt on the market. 

Good news though!  There are healthy yogurt choices, you just need to know what to choose.  In my home, the only dairy we eat is the occasional sour cream, butter and a few cheeses.  I can't live without cheeese!!  No matter what, we always use organic dairy products.  Check out how your dairy products measure up here.  My family wasn't too hyped about trying almond milk yogurt, but they were surprised to see how great it tastes!  J loves his with granola and blueberries :)

Here are some top picks, that are easily found online or in your local grocery store.  Whole Foods also carries Traderspoint Creamery, and I hear that one is delish!

Maple Hill organic Creamery (Grass-Fed Organic Plain Kefir)

Stonyfield Farm Organic Plain Cream Top Yogurt, 32 Ounce -- 6 per case.

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Wanna make your own yogurt?  Check out this starter pack on Amazon. 

Cultures for Health Vegan Yogurt Starter Culture, Non-Dairy, Organic, Non-GMO, Probiotic Blend, Use In Yogurt Maker With Coconut Milk, Almond Milk, Soy Milk, Includes 4 Packets Of Starter

Know a parent still dishing out Go-gurt and Danimals?  Is your "healthy" yogurt misleading?  Please share this information with your friends and family!

xoxo Christina