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The Power of Medicinal Mushrooms

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Medicinal mushrooms offer science-based health benefits, from reducing inflammation to destroying cancer cells and boosting immune response.

Chaga mushrooms for example are called king of medicinal mushrooms. They grow on birch trees as a dense black bulbous mass that may resemble burned charcoal on the outside with a softer brown material on the inside. Unappetising as they may appear, chaga have been used medicinally for centuries by people in Asia and Russia. They are used to boost physical stamina and attain long life. In Russia and other parts of Eastern Europe, they are considered a cancer cure. Among the Ojibwe of northern Canada, they are regarded as a cure for tumours. In Korea, they are used to fight stress and regulate energy. They have also been used in Europe to cure inflammatory skin conditions, including psoriasis and eczema.

Shiitakes are tasty and hearty but they're also packed with B vitamins. They seem to have the power to fight cancer cells, cardiovascular disease and infections, help to control blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation. A component of shiitakes called b-glucan, a dietary fibre, has been shown to "increase satiety, reduce food intake, delay nutrition absorption, and reduce plasma lipid levels," according to a study. In other words, you feel more full, so you eat less.

Ganoderma lucidum are known as reishi in Japan and lingzhi in China. Usually ground up and added to teas and soups or sold in capsule form, have significant health benefits. Reishi mushrooms get their medicinal powers from two components: polysaccharides and triterpenes. Iris Benzie, professor of biomedical science at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, who has been studying reishi for 15 years, tells Time magazine: "Polysaccharides are believed to stimulate white cells and the immune system and possibly be involved in preventing new blood vessel growth, which has an anticancer effect because cancer cells growing rapidly need a good blood supply and encourage blood vessel growth to nourish them. Triterpenes are believed to be ingredients that might have something to do with lowering cholesterol." Triterpenes seem to have also anti-allergy or antihistaminic effects.

Photo: Idea

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Date: 7 April 2017
Credits Publisher: Spiritual News

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