One of the most versatile mushrooms you might find in stores today is the red reishi mushroom. This mushroom is also known as "Lingzhi," but whatever you call it, one thing is certainΒ - the red reishi mushroom benefits are astonishing and can help improve people's health both physically and mentally.
From acting as a powerful adaptogen, to having well-studied positive effects on the immune system, below are some of the many benefits of Reishi mushrooms.Β
What is Reishi?
Reishi is a type of mushroom that hails from ancient China. It has been used in traditional medicine and is thought to be one of the best medicinal herbs for "spiritual potency." For the pastΒ 2,000Β years, the people of China, Japan, and other ancient countries have used the Reishi mushroom for its purported benefits to health, the immune system, inflammatory reduction, and even to help with fatigue.
What Does Reishi Look Like?
Reishi's scientific name isΒ Ganoderma lucidum,Β which comes from Latin roots meaning "Shiny." In the wild, the outer exterior of the reishi has a shiny or bright reddish hue, which is why reishi is sometimes called the red reishi mushroom.
However, wild Reishi mushrooms are extremely rare, only growing in hot and humid conditions in the Asian tropics, such as China and Japan. These mushrooms also prefer different growing conditions, making it difficult to find Reishi in its full form with its stem and fruiting body. In fact, finding the stem on these mushrooms isΒ rare, and most grow at the base of deciduous trees.
Fortunately, people have been able to cultivate Reishi, using it in a crushed powder form that can then be sold as dietary supplement capsules. You can also use Reishi powder to make tea. Its flavor is strong and bitter, but goes beautifully with honey or sugar syrup.
There are also new mushroom nootropic gummies that enhance the flavor of Reishi, combining it with other medicinal mushrooms for a whole-health advantage. From focus to improved energy, these gummies can provide the same benefits of Reishi in its whole form as a small, edible gummy.
Red Reishi Benefits
There are now a variety of studies that can help prove just how effective red reishi mushrooms are for the human body. Some of the many studied benefits of reishi mushroom include:
- Potential to help with diabetes control
- Enhance immunity in patients with cancer
- Help treat general fatigue and improve energy
- Help fight against allergies
Reishi For Fighting Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that affects as many as 1 in 10 Americans. It is a condition in which the insulin in the body is unable to process blood glucose effectively. This leads to dangerously high levels of blood sugar in the body, which can lead to hyperglycemia and diabetic coma. It can also make it difficult for people to maintain a proper glucose level, leading to frequent episodes of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, which can lead to unconsciousness and even death.
There is no cure for diabetes, but there are certain medications that can help control blood sugar levels. In addition, lifestyle changes such as improved diet and exercise can help. Amazingly, however,Β studiesΒ have shown that the proteins, proteoglycans,Β polysaccharidesΒ and triterpenoids in reishi can actually help with helping the body regulate glucose levels and help with anti-diabetic effects in the body!
Reishi for Cancer Treatment
Reishi mushroom health benefits have long been used in the treatment of cancer. There have been newΒ studiesΒ done that have examined the effects of red reishi mushroom during clinical trials.
What these studies have found is that this mushroom can help have several benefits for people with cancer, such as:
- Increasing leukocytes, also known as white blood cells
- Potentially enhancing the body's response to fighting the tumor
- Minimal effects on nauseaΒ
- Minimal effects on insomnia
- Helping improve people's quality of life
- Helping improve the body's immunity
Although these are still emerging studies, it's a sign of hope for those with cancer that want to use natural medicinal herbs, such as reishi, during their treatment.
Reishi is an Effective Adaptogen
Many people might not understand what the term "Adaptogen" really means. Any natural herb or medicinal mushroom that helps to improve a person's stress response to physical, chemical, and biological stressors is considered an adaptogen.
While a person might still undergo levels of stress, such as anxiety or the physical symptoms of stress, adaptogens such as reishi can help minimize the stress response in the body. This can then lead to improved resilience.
Some of the most common effects of stress on the body include:
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Emotional instability
These symptoms are commonly referred to as "neurasthenia." AΒ studyΒ published in 2005 was conducted on 132 people from China. All suffered from the effects of stress and neurasthenia. During the study, these people were given reishi mushroom extract, and amazingly, those that received the extract showed to have improved symptom levels after 8 weeks of taking Reishi!
This study and anecdotal evidence show just how helpful Reishi is at calming the mind, improving energy levels, and lowering fatigue. Reishi's ability to do so is perhaps why only royals were once considered to be worthy enough and rich enough to get their hands on these mushrooms.
Fortunately, technology and cultivation techniques have come a long way, and you can experience the benefits of Reishi in everything from tea to gummies!
Help With Allergy Relief
If you suffer from allergies, you're not alone. Allergies are also known as hay fever, andΒ 50 million AmericansΒ suffer from this condition each and every year. For many Americans, hay fever can be chronic and lead to the inability to go outside or even play with their kids. For children, this can also play a negative role in their upbringing.
However, aΒ studyΒ published in 2006 found that Reishi helped both adults and children suffering from chronic hay fever find relief. That's because reishi might help to reduce the histamine-related response that leads to allergies. For those that have been taking medications and anti-histamines to no avail, perhaps adding reishi can help improve allergy symptoms and lead to improved quality of life.
Reishi for HIV Patients
While great strides have been made in helping create medicines that fight against the symptoms of HIV, an active cure still remains to be found. Amazingly, there areΒ studiesΒ that showed that Reishi mushroom extracts had an inhibitory effect against HIV-1 (the virus that causes AIDS).
This study helped to show the immunomodulatory effects of Reishi on HIV patients, and might also help show why Reishi is also an effective agent against cancer as well.Β
Is It Safe to Take Reishi Mushrooms?
With so many benefits of reishi mushrooms, you'd think it would be easy to buy them at your local supermarket and cook them at home. Unfortunately, the Reishi mushroom cannot easily be cultivated from the wild, and is therefore not available in supermarkets.
However, you can find a variety of products that contain reishi, such as:
- Powders
- Tinctures
- Teas
- Capsules
- Dietary Supplements
- Coffee replacements
- Flavored gummies
These products are safe to take, and many studies show that they have virtually no toxic effects on the body. However, if you are not sure about whether or not to start taking Reisih, talk to your doctor beforehand for help. Reishi mushrooms have also been shown to helpΒ reduce blood pressure, but this might not be ideal for people already on blood pressure medication.
When in doubt, ask your provider for advice. If given the go-ahead, you can enjoy these delicious Reishi products and experience the many reishi mushroom health benefits!
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