Reishi Mushroom - To Live Long & Live Well

Zahrah Sita
Mar 16, 2019
3 min read

Updated: Aug 13, 2021

One of nature’s oldest medicinal members has been making quite a comeback - and looking at the research it makes sense that we should be paying attention to this fabulous fungi.

My love affair with this marvelous mushroom started years ago while living in the rainforests of Costa Rica. It was there that I started a very personal relationship with the Reishi mushrooms. It was there that I started wild-harvesting them, making teas and tinctures, and helping heal my body from cancer. Later I developed and opened a natural medicines business and our Reishi extract was the star product. Over the years of running that company, I received numerous testimonials reporting the many ways this mushroom helped both people and animals heal from all kinds of disorders and discomforts.

Mushroom for Longevity

Reishi mushroom has been called the “medicine of kings”, “mushroom of immortality”, and the ”elixir of longevity.”This fascinating fungi has long been prized as a tonic for longevity, stamina, and good health.

Reishi is a liver tonic, a kidney tonic, and a nerve tonic, it can help heal the respiratory system, balance and heal the digestive organs, clean the blood, increase oxygen absorption, boost the immune system, relieve stress, is energizing, combats fatigue, nourishes the heart, reduces inflammation, is high in antioxidants, treats allergies, treats skin disorders, targets cancerous cells, kills diseased cells, treats hypertension, treats diabetes, balances the thyroid, is anti-fungal, antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-candida, anti-aging, and much more.

Prevent Cancer Naturally

In regards to cancer, Reishi has been shown to be an excellent cancer preventative as it contains compounds such as canthaxanthin and beta-1,3-D glucan which can slow down the growth of tumors and help immune cells bind to tumor cells and remove them from the body. This mushroom also is known for helping to protect the body from radiation damage and has been shown to ease symptoms of chemotherapy such as hair loss, nausea, fever, infection, and headaches.

There are some claims that Reishi can even aid in weight loss and can help reduce edema and bloating throughout the body. Reishi, like all edible and medicinal mushrooms, scavenges for toxins, waste, and unwanted accumulations in the body – thus helping to lighten the physical load.

Reishi also has natural antihistamine properties – making it an important item in the medicine chest for anyone who suffers from allergies or sinus problems. In one study, reishi was found to be as powerful as five milligrams of hydrocortisone.

An Aid for meditation

Yet the healing potential for our physical bodies is not the only benefits this mighty mushroom has. Reishi

has been highly respected as an exalted spiritual herb. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Reishi mushroom has been believed to nourish the “shen.” Shen is the channel of spirituality that runs through all of our being. Shen has been known as the heart-mind, provides us with insight, and is considered essential for enlightenment.

Some people have considered Reishi to be an excellent ally for meditation practice. One reason is that Reishi is a powerful adaptogen which helps with the ability to decrease stress. The effects of Reishi mushroom can be grounding and calming, as well as relaxing for the mind and body. For centuries, in ancient China, Reishi was well-respected and highly valued by monks, meditation devotees, and other spiritual seekers.

With so many amazing benefits from this magnificent mushroom, perhaps Reishi should be a staple item in all homes and clinics. Whether it is to decrease stress, boost immunity, fight a common cold, prevent cancer, treat inflammation, or address many of the numerous health issues that Reishi is known to be effective for, this mushroom holds the potential of great usefulness for many people.

How to use Reishi?

If you are new to using Reishi mushrooms you may be wondering what are the best ways to use them. There are a few ways you can get more Reishi in your body. My personal favorites and what I consider to be the best ways to consume Reishi are Reishi Spore Oil (typically a gel cap) and a double extraction tincture. Double extraction is key here because Reishi contains multiple sets of healing compounds that are extracted with two main methods – hot water and high-proof alcohol. A double extraction tincture contains both important sets of healing properties. Other ways to consume Reishi include dried mushroom powders that can be made into tea or added to smoothies, spore powders, and capsules. Wild-harvested Reishi is more medicinally potent, yet is more difficult to find and also more expensive. Many Reishi products are made from cultivated mushrooms. Although wild Reishi is superior, the cultivated Reishi is still very useful.

Blessings of health to you all. I hope you have the opportunity to include Reishi into your wellness routine. May you live well, thrive, and shine bright! Great thanks and praise to Pacha Mama for the abundance of goodness She provides.