Mushrooms are hard to digest...
Fruiting bodies of mushrooms are primarily chitin and polysaccharides. Lobster and crab shells and many insect exoskeletons are made of chitin, which is exceptionally difficult for humans to digest. Ingesting whole, cooked mushrooms and mushroom powders often leads to gastric distress.
Tinctures the right way...
Tinctures are made from extracts from the fruiting bodies of mushrooms. Since the tinctures contain very small traces of the chitin that can upset stomachs, they are much more gentle.
Beneficial bioactive compounds are extracted using a dual extraction process that first uses grain alcohol to extract triterpenes and other alcohol-soluble compounds followed by a hot water extraction to extract beta-glucans. These compounds give the tinctures their amazing medicinal powers.
NOTE: Grain alcohol is used in the extraction process and tinctures can be up to 25% alcohol. Do not use if pregnant. Not suitable for children or people with an alcohol addiction.
Medicinal mushrooms have been used for centuries in Eastern medicine. They are now growing in popularity throughout Western culture to help people find relief from a variety of mental and physical conditions, including high blood pressure, support for chemotherapy, brain health, sleep/relaxation, and stress.
Reishi mushrooms – Ganoderma lucidum and other species – is also known as “The Mushroom of Immortality” for its immune-boosting properties. Reishi has been used to treat infections, pulmonary diseases, and cancer, and to enhance the immune system, reduce stress, improve sleep, and lessen fatigue. People have taken reishi mushroom for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, liver or kidney disease, respiratory diseases, viral infections, HIV/AIDS, cancer (and support during chemotherapy), pain during and after a shingles outbreak, building strength and stamina, and combatting fatigue.
Avoid reishi if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or taking high blood pressure medications. Discuss possible interactions if you are taking other herbs or supplements that may prevent normal blood clotting or lower blood pressure.
Turkey tail mushrooms – Trametes versicolor - are a medicinal mushroom known primarily as an excellent source of antioxidants. Studies on the phenols, flavonoids, and other bioactive compounds suggest turkey tails help fortify immune systems, maintain healthy gut bacteria, and support the treatment of some cancers. More than 35 unique phenolic compounds have been isolated from samples of turkey tail mushrooms. Antioxidants promote immune system health by reducing inflammation and stimulating the release of protective compounds like quercetin, which has been shown to promote the release of immunoprotective proteins like interferon-y, while inhibiting the release of the pro-inflammatory enzymes cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX).
Lion's mane mushrooms - Hericium erinaceus - may offer significant brain-health benefits, such as preventing, slowing, or treating cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s disease. Bioactive compounds also fight inflammation and the free radicals caused by heart disease, arthritis, and cancer.
Lion’s mane mushrooms contain hericenones and erinacines, two amazing bioactive compounds that promote the growth and survival of brain cells by releasing nerve growth factor (NGF). Lion’s mane may help people who have or are experiencing depression, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or other nerve-related conditions.
Lion's mane may also lower blood sugar, raise insulin levels, and fight stomach ulcers. Nutritionally, lion’s mane mushrooms are a rich source of thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin, and contain manganese, zinc, and potassium.