CHAGA MUSHROOM

There have been more than a hundred species of medicinal mushrooms found to inhibit the growth of different kinds of tumors, especially cancers of the stomach, esophagus, and lungs. But chaga seems to stand out from the rest. This is a mushroom that commonly grows in northern regions on birch, alder and beech trees.

However for medicinal purposes only birch chaga can be used. Because of its close association with birch trees, it is often referred to as the "Birch mushroom". Unlike most mushrooms, chaga is a polypore, a fungus with pores instead of gills. It has the appearance of a black, irregular, cracked mass, grows on tree trunks and is most often sterile. It is not cultivated but wild-crafted.
Chaga is a fungal parasite which draws its nutrients out of living trees, rather than from the ground. Fungi digest food outside their bodies by releasing enzymes into the surrounding environment, breaking down organic matter into a form the fungus can then absorb.
A look at the research on chaga shows a similar pattern with respect to its effect on tumors.Scientific research regarding the effects of chaga have centered around its common folk uses. The anti-cancer properties of betulin or betulinic acid, a chemical obtained from birch bark, is now being studied for use as a chemotherapeutic agent. Chaga contains large amounts of betulinic acid in a form that can be ingested orally, and contains the full spectrum of immune - stimulating phytochemicals.

Preparations from chaga can be applied as an active biogenic stimulators, which increase protective forces of human body, stimulate the central nervous and neurohumoral (they increase the activity of estrogens) systems of organism, improve metabolism including activation of metabolism in cerebral tissue, regulate the activity of cardiovascular and respiratory systems, stimulate the homogeny (increase the level of leukocytes), act as the over-all strengthening means, increase the resistibility of organism to the infectious diseases, possess antipyretic properties during the internal and local application, strengthen the cytostatic activity of antitumorigenic preparations, detains increase of tumors, causes their gradual regression and slows down the development of metastases, i.e. they themselves possess cytostatic action. In this case the health of patients considerably improves, their fitness for work is restored and general tone rises.

Amongst all the higher edible medicinal mushrooms, Siberian Chaga is one of the most potent species and a very cost effective natural remedy for a wide array of immune or hormone related symptoms.
The Siberian species function as well, or more effective, than the best Lingzhi grades for strong immune enhancement. The wild and natural Chaga species are quite distinguishable but invariably there will be a supply issue as more firms enter this market.

There is a predicted trend to artificial cultivation of Chaga similar to Lingzhi, Agaricus, Maitake and other well known medicinal mushrooms. Baikal Herbs Ltd supplies only Chaga harvested in ecologically clean Northern Irkutsk region of Siberia, the most suitable place for healing Chaga to grow.

ORAC - is the acronym for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity.Hydrophilic ORAC tests measure the water-
soluble antioxidant capacity of the sample. As you can observe from the table below, Wildcrafted Siberian Chaga demonstrates superior values compared to superior class medicinal mushrooms and other popular anti-oxidant juices available.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an enzyme which converts the superoxide ion to less toxic hydrogen peroxide and is produced by a healthy human body with normal metabolic and immune system balance. Scientists quantified the levels of antioxidant activity of SOD enzymes and determined that Wildcrafted Siberian Chaga had values that are extraordinarily high in comparison to other medicinal mushrooms and popular juices having high antioxidant content.

SOD is one of the most important anti oxidants in our body. SOD decreases as we age. Living well and exercising keep levels up. Chaga has far more SOD than Vitamins C,E and super foods like barley grass, seaweed prunes, fish oils, many aromatherapy essential oils. SOD are enzymes to keep our cell membranes supple and healthy. Research indicates its use for arthritis, side effects of cancer treatment, prostrate. SOD is used in skin creams, burns, wounds, inflammatory.

SOD content in Siberian Chaga is exceptional : 35,000 units/g

• Agaricus: 1500
• Lingzhi: 630
• Truffles:860
• Phellintus Linteus: 1400

Many medicinal mushrooms are known for its immuno potentiating effects, but David Winston, a renowned herbalist claims: "...Chaga is probably one of the strongest, if not the strongest we know".

There are two basic forms of chaga beign produced by our company: dried and crushed raw chaga mushroom (usually it is used for tea) and chaga extract (instant powder). The difference is big because concentration of the most important substances in extract is much higher than in raw chaga. Depending on quality of chaga, 1kg of the extract is made out of 6-8 kg of raw chaga (extract made by Baikal Herbs Ltd). Raw chaga is good for a healthy tea and has peculiar woody flavour...it should not smell of usual dried mushroom.

How to prepare Chaga Tea

We supply chaga in crushed form in small pieces of 1-3mm.This size of the chaga particles is ideal for chaga tea preparation.

• Prepare a teapot equiped with a sifter and "tablet" candle.
• Add 3-4 teaspoons of chaga to the teapot and pour hot boiling water into the teapot.
• Light the candle underneath teapot and leave the chaga to infuse for minimum 1,5 hours.
• In 1-1,5 hour the chaga tea is ready. Simply pour it in the teacup and enjoy this healthy drink. While drinking the first portion, add some more hot water to the teapot in order to have teapot always filled with hot and ready decoction(tea).
• Adding some honey would make the taste a bit smoother...

However, chaga tea is more like a healthy drink, which would probably show no immediate healing effects and is mostly advicable for disease prevention rather than for curing.....Actually one may have to drink chaga tea for months or even years to notice some serious impovements...This is why for those who is seeking more speedy results to their health improvement we would recommend Chaga Extract instead (or in addition to chaga tea): more potent, high saturated with polysaccharides and chromogenic complex chaga extract would really become your way to active and healthy living.

In this video Daniel Vitalis is speaking about healing properies of chaga mushroom and chaga tea. Alternatively you can visit this blog with a lot of video materials about chaga.