*No information on this website is intended to treat, diagnose or cure any dis-ease (we can't even cure ham). Be advised that a process of detox may begin when you embark on a 100% raw vegan diet or ingest highly nutritious foods and herbs. These "symptoms" can occur to varying degrees and we advice you to research detox symptoms fully before assuming you are not tolerating certain foods or herbs well.
Chaga
Chaga is one of the most amazing things being offered by Nature and is widely abundant in Alaska. This tinder fungus grows on Birch trees and looks like a big chunk of charcoal when you find it, but inside, the fruiting body is a rich orangish yellow color with such a beautiful pattern I marvel at it's intricacy whenever I am harvesting. What you see inside is an astoundingly dense compound of nutrients and medicinal actions, anti-oxidants and magical energy.
The chaga fungus has some of the highest amounts of anti-oxidants of any substance consumed by man. Siberian folk medicine and modern uses of a tea made from Chaga fungus include:
Properties and Ingredients of Chaga include:
The chaga fungus has some of the highest amounts of anti-oxidants of any substance consumed by man. Siberian folk medicine and modern uses of a tea made from Chaga fungus include:
- boosting the immune system
- treating stomach diseases
- Intestinal worms
- Liver and heart ailments
- Cancers including those of the breast, liver, uterine, and gastric
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- anti-tumor activity
- The active compound inotodiol which works against influenza A and B viruses and cancer cells.
- Activity against HIV-1
- As an anti-inflammatory
Properties and Ingredients of Chaga include:
- Polysaccharides that enhance the immune system; and may impact cancer cells, HIV virus and other bacterial and viral infections by boosting T-cell production and activating white blood cells.
- Betulinic acid to counter viral infections and tumors
- Triterpenes to lower cholesterol, improve circulation, detoxify the liver, treat hepatitis, bronchitis, asthma, and coughs.
- Germanium (a free-radical scavenger) to cleanse the blood, normalize blood pressure, and prevent tumors.
- Other nucleosides, phytonutrients, minerals, and amino acids including saponin, magnesium, chromium, iron, kalium, beta-glucan, inotodiol, isoprenoid, and others.
I find Chaga almost everytime I am foraging or exploring the woods, but I only harvest it as needed. It is readily available and there is never a need to harvest more than we can use. I drink this tea almost daily and find that it provides a sustained energy that is unmatched by any conventional liquid motivator (ie coffee, tea ect)
I cup (8oz by volume) of wild Alaskan Chaga harvested to order: $30 includes shipping. Contact me for larger orders: contact form on homepage
Trade coffee for Chaga and let the magic begin!
It is very easy to make a tea out of chaga...steep the ground chaga or chunks in a dehydrator overnight at 115 degrees...if you don't have a dehydrator get your spring water very hot but not boiling (you should still be able to hold your finger in it) and pour it over the chaga...allow to soak for 48 hours. Some people boil it to get more elements out of the chaga but I think that destroys good stuff at the same time. Use your own intuition.
Harvesting wild Chaga as I guide some foragers. If you are in Alaska I offer guided wood foraging. Contact me for details
More mushrooms!!
Please see the herb tea section for other medicinal tree mushroom info including Birch Polypore, Turkey Tail, and Tinder polypore