The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body - Heal Your Body Naturally and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables (80 page)

Facts:

Reishi Mushroom grows in coastal areas of China and is found on decaying logs and tree stumps. The fruiting body is used medicinally. In Asian medicine, the Reishi Mushroom is prized for its health-promoting effects. The Chinese call it "herb of spiritual potency" and it is used for treatment of fatigue and weakness, asthma, insomnia, coughs and more.

Plant Description:

The Reishi Mushroom is called the "Phantom Mushroom" in Japan, because it is so rare and difficult to find.  In China, the fungus grows on old tree trunks in the coastal areas, and in Japan (
Ganoderma japonicum); over
ninety-nine percent of all the Reishi Mushrooms found growing in the wild are located on old Japanese plum trees.  Fewer than ten mushrooms will be found on 100,000 trees!  Happily, the art of growing Reishi indoors was perfected in Japan by developing an elaborate, two-year-long method of culturing wild spores on plum tree sawdust. Because of the growing popularity of the Reishi Mushroom as a food and as a remarkable medicinal source, it is now cultivated commercially in North America, China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea.  Reishi grows in six different colors, with the red variety most commonly used. 

History:

The botanical name,
lucidum
, is derived from the Latin word, meaning "shiny" or "brilliant," obviously referring to the shiny, varnished surface of the Reishi Mushroom's cap, which may be reddish-orange to black. The stalk is usually attached to the cap at the side, and the fruiting body of the Reishi Mushroom is utilized for medicinal purposes. For four thousand years, the Chinese and Japanese have used the Reishi Mushroom to treat liver disorders, hypertension, arthritis and other ailments. Reishi Mushrooms have been regarded in China as the "Medicine of Kings" and "Elixir of Life" and are still used to boost energy, help the body resist disease and stress and promote longevity.  In the Orient, mushrooms (including Reishi) have been used for thousands of years to maintain health and preserve youth, and their healing qualities have been passed down through the centuries.  Only recently, has the scientific community of the West begun to understand the enormous medical potential that may be derived from this fungus, and many studies are being conducted into the mushrooms' great health benefits.  Some of the constituents in Reishi Mushrooms include lanostanoid triterpenes (including ganoderic acids, the free radical scavengers), lucidenic acids, coumarin, heteropolysaccharides, polysaccharides (including the powerful beta-1, 3-glucan andbeta-1, and 6-glucan), beta sitosterol, uridine, oleic acid, amino acids, acid protease, enzymes and mannitol.

Medical Uses:

Reishi Mushroom is used as a tonic that will not only improve vitality, but it is also thought to strengthen internal organs and normalize body functions.  It is considered an adaptogen, an herb that maintains health by increasing the body's ability to adapt to environmental and internal stress and generally work by strengthening the immune system, nervous system and/or glandular system. As such, it works to normalize bodily functions during stressful situations that might alter those functions, helping the body to adapt and return to an overall sense of well-being.

Reishi Mushroom is believed to be a powerful immune system stimulant that wards off many types of malignant diseases by enhancing the activity of key immune cells known as T-helper cells or CD4 cells. Japanese researchers say that a hardy system may be able to resist invasions and microbes that weaker host systems may not.
  It should also be mentioned that Reishi does not produce some of the negative effects associated with the use of antibiotics, which can often stop the invasion of microbes, but will further weaken the immune response after continued use and are also ineffectual in cases of viruses, pollens and malignant cells.

Reishi apparently does not simply stimulate the immune system, it
regulates it
.  If the immune system is excessive, as in the case of auto-immune ailments and allergies, Reishi can have a significant positive influence.  If it is deficient, as in colds, flu, chronic fatigue syndrome or hepatitis, Reishi activates the immune response.  Reishi Mushroom has shown particular efficacy against wasting and degenerative conditions, such as the effects associated with the AIDS virus in laboratory tests.

Many studies are being conducted with respect to the Reishi Mushroom, and it is said to stimulate the body's production of interferon and immune system chemicals, interleukin-1 and 2, which combat several types of serious health conditions, and the polysaccharides activate macrophages (immune cells are our first line of defense against intruders).
  They attack unhealthy cells but not healthy ones.  Reishi contains compounds called ganoderic acids, which act against serious liver ailments.  It is also believed to stimulate the creation of protein in bone marrow and counteract the suppression of red and white blood cells that can often result from cyclophosphamide treatments (Cytoxan and Neosar). Ongoing studies are being conducted in Korea, Japan and China that claim the remarkable polysaccharides, beta-1, 3-glucan and beta-1, 6-glucan, have demonstrated powerful antioxidant properties.

The polysaccharide-K (PSK), a specific glucans in Reishi, was shown to extend the survival time by five years or beyond for people with serious malignant diseases of the stomach, colon/rectum, esophagus, nasopharynx and lung.
  Polysaccharide-P (PSP) was shown to improve the quality of life, provide substantial relief and enhance the immune status in patients suffering from these conditions, and it is thought to be very compatible with chemotherapy and radiation.

Treatment:

Reishi Mushroom is thought to promote healthy heart function. For thousands of years, mushrooms have been used to lower blood pressure levels and relieve hypertension in the Orient. Today's research claims that it will promote and maintain both normal blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Russian scientists found that Reishi stops the accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries of lab animals, and other evidence claims that Reishi thins the blood in a manner similar to aspirin by reducing agglutination of platelets (blood clotting). These actions appear to reduce the risks of heart attacks, hardening of the arteries and stroke.

Reishi Mushroom is said to relieve stress and neurasthenia (fatigue due to exhaustion of the nervous system).
  There has been no scientific proof of this, but it is said to have a self-protecting mechanism of the central nervous system.  Research at Oral Roberts University found that compounds in Reishi reduce the flow of nerve impulses through the sympathetic nervous system, keeping down emotional stress, and may help to reduce emotional outbursts. Japanese scientists say it decreases the physical pain of neuralgia and shingles by enhancing muscle relaxation, and that action may also relieve insomnia.

Reishi Mushroom was used to treat liver disorders thousands of years ago. Today's research claims that it helps to inhibit alcohol-induced fatty liver and cirrhosis, which may be beneficial for people in the earlier stages of alcoholic liver debility, who have not yet experienced severe loss of liver function. It is also thought to protect the liver against chemical damage.

As an antiviral and antibiotic, Reishi appears to stimulate the maturation of immune cells into macrophages, which engulf and digest infectious bacteria. This can prevent secondary infections from developing (particularly effective in cases of chronic bronchitis). The macrophages are active against yeast infections and may improve conditions of viral hepatitis.

Reishi Mushroom has demonstrated excellent antiallergenic properties, and studies claim that it inhibits the growth of histamine, a chemical that causes inflammation. It is also said to be good for people with asthma, contact dermatitis, conjunctivitis or colds.

Reishi has traditionally been used as an anti-ageing herb and has been said to promote a youthful, healthy glow. It is also believed to fight age-related intellectual decline and promote memory, sharpen concentration and build willpower.

Precautions:

Research is so new that not much information is available; therefore, pregnant and nursing women should not use Reishi Mushroom supplements. There should be a time break if you take it on an ongoing basis (one month's break for every three months' use), and then resume. Do not use Reishi if you take blood-thinning medication (Coumadin, etc.), unless under a doctor's supervision.

Dosages:

Take two (2) to three (3) capsules, three (3) times each day with water at mealtimes.

* * * * *

Rhodiola Root
can help fight fatigue
and
help combat temporary depression
.
  Athletes like the
stamina-building properties
 of Rhodiola Root, and this arctic native has been used to
fight infection, anemic conditions and heart problems
, while
helping to enhance mental clarity
and
sexual function
.  It may also be useful for fighting fat!

Facts:

Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb that can increase serotonin activity by up to 30%. Rhodiola also increases the activity of two other mood-related neurotransmitters - dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) - by inhibiting the activity of COMT, an enzyme that breaks DA and NE. Rhodiola produces quick results, usually within a few days. Rhodiola users report increased energy and motivation, reduced anxiety, and elevated feelings of confidence and optimism.

Numerous double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials show that Rhodiola can increase general well-being, reduce mental fatigue, and improve learning and memory.

Until recently, Rhodiola was virtually unknown in the United States, but it has been extensively studied by Russian scientists and was used for decades in the former Soviet Union as an energy-enhancer.

Plant Description:

Rhodiola Root is a native of the arctic regions of eastern Siberia and may also be found in the mountainous regions of Asia and Europe at altitudes of eleven- to eighteen-thousand feet above sea level. The herb grows to about two and a half feet in height, and the fragrance of its flowers is similar to attar of roses, which is the reason it was given its botanical specific,
rosea
, and one of its common names, Roseroot. 

Rhodiola Root is a perennial plant with red, pink or yellowish flowers and has no biological relation to the "common" rose, but due to its similar fragrance, it has been used as a substitute for attar of roses.
 

History:

Its use in herbal medicine reaches back for centuries: Dioscorides, the Greek physician, reported on its use in his treatise
De Materia Medica,
and The Emperor of China organized expeditions to Siberia to bring back this highly valued plant. Rhodiola Root was used by the Vikings to enhance their physical stamina and strength and has long been used in traditional medicine, primarily in Russia and Scandinavia and by other people of the North, to treat fatigue, poor physical endurance, nervous system disorders and infections, and to enhance fertility.

Rhodiola was included in the first
Swedish Pharmacopoeia,
and in the 1930s, extensive research began in Russia, Scandinavia and Germany to seek the secrets of the "Golden Root" that had been used for centuries as an anti-ageing miracle that helped the people of Siberia cope with the cold climate and stressful life.  In recent history, Rhodiola Root has been widely used by Russian athletes and cosmonauts to increase energy. Some of the constituents in Rhodiola Root include glycosides (rosavin, rosin, and rosarin) and monoterpene (rosiridin and salidroside), as well as flavonoids (rodiolin, rodionin, rodiosin, acetylrodalgin, tricin); triterpenes (daucosterol, beta-sitosterol) and phenolic acids (chlorogenic, hydroxycinnamic and gallic acids).

Medical Uses:

Rhodiola Root is an "adaptogen" and is said to stimulate and protect the immune system by reinstating the metabolic balance in the body after stressful situations. It helps the body adapt and return to normal function and a sense of well-being when exposed to stresses that would alter those functions. Use of Rhodiola Root is also thought to promote faster adaptation to climatic and social changes.

Rhodiola Root is believed to be an aphrodisiac for both men and women, helping to increase sexual potency in men, managing erectile dysfunction and/or premature ejaculations, and also normalizing prostatic fluid.  In traditional medicine the herb was given to married couples to increase fertility.

Researchers have recommended Rhodiola Root for anyone suffering from temporary depression, stress or anxiety.
  Used as an antidepressant, all subjects in clinical tests showed a positive therapeutic effect with its use.  It is thought to work by making serotonin precursors (tryptophan and 5-HTP) more available to the brain and by optimizing the amount of serotonin, dopamine and other neurotransmitter levels in the brain.

Athletes use Rhodiola Root to improve physical performance and maintain energy and endurance levels in various sports. It is said to be particularly valuable for body builders, because it is thought to stimulate muscle energy status, glycogen synthesis in muscles and liver, muscle protein synthesis and anabolic activity. The herb is believed to increase strength and mobility and also to shorten recovery after strenuous and prolonged exercise and workouts.