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Mushrooms are small living organisms that look sort of like small umbrellas. Athough they may look somewhat similar to plants, they are not technically classified as such. There are over 3,000 types of mushrooms currently known, classified as fungi. Medicinal mushrooms and fungi have been used for thousands of years in traditional medicines. "There are at least 270 species of mushroom that are known to have various therapeutic properties. The practice of using mushrooms in Chinese herbal medicines has been recorded in early records of the Materia Medica" (Eliaz, 2014). If you've never tried any medicinal mushrooms, you should! Users report a variety of beneficial effects. 

Some of the chemical constituents commonly found in mushrooms include inoleic acid, oleic acid, chitin, glycogen, trehalose, mannitol, β-glucans, polysaccharides, potassium, ergosterol, provitamin D₂, and phenolids with antioxidative properties.

Here at 1st Chinese Herbs, we try to bring you the best of medicinal mushroom offerings with emphasis on quality and potency.  We carry agarikon (Laricifomes officinalis), lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus), cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis), turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), tremella (Tremella fuciformis), chaga (Inonotus obliquus), blazei (Agaricus blazei), maitake (Grifola frondosa), reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), mesima (Phellinus linteus), shiitake (Lentinus edodes), and giant puff ball (Calvatia gigantea). Here is a brief overview of some of our mushrooms:

Turkey Tail Mushrooms (Yun Zhi) - Trametes versicolor 
Turkey tail mushrooms are some of the most common mushrooms found on wood as they grow throughout the world. They come in all sorts of colors including brown, orange, red, blue, green, maroon--similar to the colors on a turkey's tail. These mushrooms do the action of decomposing of dead wood, turning it back into nutrients that are then returned to the soil. Properties include: 

• Immune & Natural Killer Cell Activator
• Supports Cellular Protection
• Supports Healthy Liver
• Promotes Healthy Joint Function
• Chinese Herbal Energizer
• Botanical Digestive Support
• Supports Healthy Bladder Function
• Supports Healthy Inflammation Response

Cordyceps Mushrooms (Dong Chong Xia Cao) - Cordyceps sinensis
Cordyceps mushrooms reputation among herbalists is due to its beneficial effects on invigoration and qi/energy enhancement. It was used in both Chinese and Tibetan traditional medicine. In Sikkim, a research study found that the Tibetan healers used the mushroom for 21 different ailments. The local people became interested in the mushroom when they observed that their goats, yaks, and sheep that ate the mushroom seemed to be stronger than those animals that did not consume it. Properties include: 

• Dynamic Metabolic Modulator
• Adaptogenic Liver Support
• Botanical Immune Support
• Supports Mental Acuity
• Botanical Support For Circulation & Cholesterol
• Supports Reproductive Vitality

Lion's Mane Mushrooms (Hou Tou Gu) - Hericium erinaceus
Traditional folklore said that consuming lion's mane mushroom would give one "nerves of steel and the memory of a lion." It is rumored that Buddhist monks drank lion's mane tea in order to heighten their concentration during meditation. The mushroom also helps to stimulate the nerve growth factor in humans.

• Promotes Centered Calmness
  
• Botanical Support for Emotional Well-Being
• Botanical "Superior" Tonic
• Botanical Support for Peaceful Sleep
• Botanical Immune Support
• Supports Healthy Liver
• Supports Mental Acuity

Chaga Mushrooms - Inonotus obliquus
Chaga mushroom has a long history of traditional use. Many cultures hold the mushroom in high esteem, calling it the “Gift from God” or “Mushroom of Immortality” (Siberia), “The Diamond of the Forest” (Japan), and even the “King of Plants” (China).

• For Healthy Inflammation Response
• Supports Immune Defenses
• Potent Antioxidant
• Enhance Cellular Immunity
• Primes System for Healthy Digestion
• Promotes General Wellness
• Supports Healthy Circulation & Cholesterol

Agarikon Mushrooms - Laricifomes officinalis
Agarikon mushrooms are some of the oldest-used traditional medicine with use dating back as far as ancient Greece. Traditionally, the mushroom was used for natural lung and immune system support. Agarikon for the most part has disappeared in Europe, but may be found in the old growth forests.

• Compound for Changing Seasons
• Supports Immune Defenses
• Enhance Cellular Immunity
• Natural Lung Support
• For Healthy Inflammation Response

What's your favorite medicinal mushroom to use? Comment below!

1st Chinese Herbs
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