The Record of Chaga in Organic Medicine

Chaga Mushroom Old and Vast History

Called the "Gift from God" or the "King of Herbs," the Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) has been respected for thousands of years throughout Russia, Korea, Eastern and Northern Europe for inonotus obliquus, Northern United States, North Carolina mountains and Canada.

Considering that the 16th century Chaga has been utilized in folk and botanical medicine throughout Eastern Europe. A birch fungus, Chaga grows on living trunks of mature birch trees in cold climates.

The name Chaga (pronounced "cha-ga") originates from the Russian word for mushroom (czaga) which comes from the phrase for fungus. In Norway Chaga (kreftkjuke') equals "cancer polypore" in mention of its fungal appearance and alleged medicinal properties.

Use of Chaga in Chinese medicine dates back a large number of years where locals in the mountain region of Siberia drank Chaga tea daily, inhaled Chaga and tried it topically (on the skin). As time passes its popularity spread to the west of the Urai Mountains and Baltic parts of Eastern Europe.

Medicinal Mushrooms to Promote Health

The International Society for Mushroom Science (ISMS) suggest in their online article, "Products of medicinal mushrooms as a great source of dietary supplements," that mushrooms might be useful as nutraceuticals -- food or food products that offer health and medical benefits. "These compounds called'mushroom nutriceuticals'exhibit either medicinal and/or tonic qualities and have immense potential as dietary supplements... " writes ISMS.

Research also suggests mushrooms, cultivated molds, mycelia and lichens might have antiviral, antimicrobial, anticancer, antihyperglycemic, cardioprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Medicinal mushrooms are classified into two species: edible or extracted. Chaga is an extracted species. The extraction process is necessary to make at the least a few of the active components bioavailable, that is the extent a nutrient (or medication) can be used by the body.

Like all natural materials, whole mushrooms have a lot of variability in quality and benefit. Single chemicals might have intense responses and with this, unwanted side effects.

"Nutriceuticals, which are extracted products, occupy a heart ground between these extremes and have which may be very useful. However, to acquire a good quality and trustworthy product is of paramount importance." (ISM).

Potential Health Great things about Chaga

Researchers in Japan and China have studied anticancer properties of the polysaccharides found in some mushrooms, including Chaga, and found the consequences similar to chemotherapy and radiation, only without side effects.

Inonotus Obliquus auch Chaga Pilz genannt ist das stärkste Antioxidant auf der Erde. Von zahlreichen renommierten Experten wurden die enormen gesundheitlichen Vorteile dokumentiert.