Reishi (ganoderma lucidum) Reishi (or Lingzhi) mushroom is one of the oldest known health foods, with its use dating back to 300 B.C. in China. Reishi is a true panacea, with hundreds of bioactive compounds identified in scientific literature. Outlining every potential benefit of Reishi would look almost unbelievable; it really appears to be that powerful. Research suggests it can do everything from fighting cancer to improving sleep. Since touting every possible benefit of Reishi is beyond the scope of this article, we want to instead highlight just a few new pieces of research. A 2017 study found evidence that Reishi suppresses breast cancer cell growth. It found that Reishi suppressed a certain signaling pathway called Wnt/β-catenin which is responsible...
Mushroom supplements are finally becoming popular for their vast array of health benefits. But not all mushroom supplements are created equally. To understand what makes a high quality mushroom supplement, we should first look at a mushroom’s life cycle. Mushroom life cycle The actual mushroom itself is called the fruit (or fruiting) body. It produces spores, the spores germinate and create a network of mycelium (almost like roots). The mycelium eventually produces a pinhead (or primordium), which grows into a new whole mushroom, and the cycle of life continues. ...
Maitake comes from the combination of two Japanese words - Mai (meaning dance) and Take (meaning mushroom). This may be a description of the fruiting bodies and how they overlap and appear to be in rhythm with one another. It’s also referred to as “Hen of the woods”, perhaps both for its appearance and its poultry-like characteristics when eaten. There is rich lore depicting times in Feudal Japan where Maitake was worth its weight in silver. The distinct locations where Maitake was prevalent were treated as fiercely guarded secrets, often passed down through generations. Maitake has traditionally been coveted for culinary reasons - both its taste and texture are excellent. However only more recently has...
Rhodiola rosea is quite literally legendary. It was used by the ancient Greeks and the mythological Argonauts - rhodiola was probably Hercules’ supplement of choice. The vikings, the Mongols, and Chinese emperors are all rumored to have derived great power from rhodiola rosea. Rhodiola has a pleasant aroma and a striking yellow flower. It’s an herb that grows in extremely harsh conditions - on the edges of cliffs just below the snow line. Just like we see in other holistic herbs like cordyceps, the ability to withstand such radical environments often correlates with the presence of a wealth of powerful compounds contained in the herb. Rhodiola rosea got its name in 1725 from the famous Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus, who advocated...
