Medicinal Mushrooms - can they cure cancer?

Quick:  the FIRST thing that jumps into your head when I write the words "medicinal mushrooms".....

Vivid colors trailing together and slow-motion talking flying unicorns, right?  Sorry, "Trippy" Reader....  not MAGIC  mushrooms....medicinal!

It's now time to expand your mushroom-awareness.  There are sooo many more mushrooms besides the everywhere white button mushrooms used in omelets and the portabella.  In fact, there's an estimated mind-blowing 38,000 species of mushrooms!  

Medicinal mushrooms are in a class all by themselves and garnering quite the buzz lately for health benefits and...get this...anti-cancer properties.

Medicinal mushrooms include Reishi, Shiitake, Maitake and Chaga. 

These members of the fabulous fungi family are rich in vitamins, fiber, and amino acids and have been shown to boost the immune system and lower risk of cancer.

They all boast the benefit of an improved immune system and each have their specialty, if you will. 

Reishi mushrooms - promote respiratory health and spirituality
   
Shiitake mushrooms - provide high levels of protein (18%)

Maitake mushrooms  - help to regulate blood sugar levels and is specifically recommended for the stomach and intestines

Chaga mushrooms - help stimulate the immune system to fight infection, cancer, and immune diseases

In fact, Chaga deserves more than a on-liner:

Chaga Mushrooms grow on birch trees and look like a large slab of burnt charcoal.  You can find it in Japan, Korea, Russia, East European countries, Northern US and parts of the Carolina mountains and Canada.  It's found that chaga contains anti-mutagenic compounds... compounds that inhibit mutations, which are changes in DNA and RNA sequences. Mutations can cause genetic disorders as well as cancer and degenerative diseases.

Chaga extract was able to inhibit tumor growth, kill cancer cells, and stimulate the immune system to fight cancer.  How HUGE is that?

A compound found in both birch  tree and chaga called betulinic acid shows anti-cancer properties in laboratory studies. Chaga absorbs betulinic acid from the birch tree.  (Hey, maybe we should be drinking birch tree tea, too ?)

Quoting Wikipedia here about the polysaccharides in Chaga:

Recent scientific research in Japan and China has been focused more on the anti-cancer potential and showed the effects of these specific polysaccharides to be comparable to chemo therapy and radiation, but without the side effects. Further research indicated these polysaccharides have strong anti-inflammatory  and immune balancing properties, stimulating the body to produce NK (natural killer) cells to battle infections and tumor growth, instead of showing a direct toxidity against pathogens.

A NATURAL chemo therapy?  Now that IS a magic mushroom!

You can eat these mushrooms, but they are most popular and in their most potent form in teas, powdered mushroom extracts, or tinctures (liquid).

Now, WHERE are you gonna get your hands on Chaga and other mushroom gold?

I found a super-cool site called The Raw Food World that sells all sorts of mushroom and health products.

There's even a fruit-flavored Chaga drink made by Sayan Health that you can find at your health food store or Amazon.com
















Please pass this information along to anyone you know who has been diagnosed with cancer !

Mushroom Madness,

~The Anti-Aging Analyst

Anti-Aging in LA

Can there BE too much anti-aging info out there? 

As if my blog isn't enough, you can also check me out as the Los Angeles Anti-Aging Beauty Examiner!  Just follow this link:

The Anti-Aging Analyst's page on the LAExaminer.com

And please:  SUBSCRIBE to get likidy split emails when I post....or visit me on Facebook!

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Sharing is cool,

~The Anti-aging Analyst

A cure-all superfood for aging and health?

Here's a superstar superfood  that can be used in, out, upside down and under, and has the longest and most impressive laundry list of anti-aging and health bennies I've ever seen!

It's Coconut Oil!

Now, coconuts can be pretty yummy themselves, and a definite fave in baking, but unless you're as groovy as "The Professor," I'm not sure you're gonna be able to whip up a radio to get rescued off your island.  I AM sure you can make a hip hula bikini top....but  I'm talking about the precious OIL inside the coconut....

Coconut oil comes in a solid form and is available at most neighborhood grocery stores in the cooking aisle.  (I got mine at Ralphs for $8.99.)  Just scoop up a little of the hard oil, and it immediately starts to melt when you rub it between your hands.

Here are some groovy things this health-heavyweight can do for you:

Anti-Age You

Coconuts contain anti-oxidants galore and can help reduce those fine facial lines and wrinkles.  A cheap alternative to expensive creams that's great for moisturizing and softening skin.

De-Frizz, Un-damage, Grow and Shine Your Hair

WOW!  Coconut oil is similar to hair's natural lipids so it penetrates deep into hair's cortex to make it stronger, more flexible and waterproof.  Ditch those $55.00 price-tagged exotic hair oils, ladies.  Apply it to wet or dry hair, let sit for a bit, then do your regular shampoo and conditioner routine.  Leaves hair soft to the touch and gets rid of those frizzies.  It's also said to help in the re-growth of damaged hair.




Smooth Your Skin

Use it as an all-over-body moisturizer for the skin.  Silky sleek, baby!  Dry, irritated skin?  Coconut oil helps sooth and treat skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Treat Your Ulcer

Coconut oil is packing lauric acid, which fights off fungal infections and lots of times ulcers are caused by bacteria.  A tablespoon a day will keep the ulcer away.

Boost Your Metabolism and Help You Lose Weight

Woah...wanna turbo boost up your metabolic rate by up to 48 percent for up to 24 hours?  Try a daily dose of coconut oil.  It's got medium-chain fatty acids, as opposed to long ones, which are better digested into your system and convert to energy.  119 calories!

Prevent and Treat Your Diabetes

Coconut oil can help stabilize blood glucose levels.  If taken daily, some say that it can even prevent you from getting diabetes.

Treat Infections

The American Nutrition Association says:

The main medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil is lauric acid, a proven antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal agent that is also found in mother's milk. Converted in your body to a substance called monolaurin, it helps you defend against viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens and strengthens your immune system, protecting you from a wide range of diseases.

And now the Elaine Bennes moment where you push the writer with both hands and scream incredulously "GET OUUTTT!!!!!!!!"

(Quoting from The American Nutrition Association site:)

Coconut oil can be wonderfully effective against many diseases involving viruses, e.g., AIDS, Herpes simplex, and Leukemia.   

Yep, you read that right -- even HIV!!!  I've seen testimonials that warts have been cured and peeps are using it for athlete's foot, diaper's rash and more!

Get Your Sanity Back

Amazing.  There have been reports of Alzheimer's sufferers showing remarkable improvement after taking coconut oil.  The Alliance for Natural Health tells us that coconut oil is the "only natural product that has the potential to turn Alzheimer’s around."  How huge is THAT?




Read about the coconut oil/Alzheimer's connection here.

Now, you are probably saying "Hey Lil' Miss Anti-Aging Analyst:  Hold the PHONE!  It all sounds  great, but isn't coconut oil bad cuz of the saturated fat?" and "I heard it was bad from my heart."   Nope, those medium chain fatty acid are quickly broken down in the liver and used as quick energy. It is NOT stored like other fats.

So, what's not to love in your lovely bunch of coconuts?  Dr. Oz recommends 1 tablespoon a day.  Go virgin, organic on this one.

So, get on the Coconut Express !!  The Professor, Ginger and Maryanne were definitely ON to somethin' !!

Shakin' Those Trees,

~The Anti-Aging Analyst