The Healing Chaga Mushroom
As Fall and the Chaga harvesting season approaches, I'm filled with excitement and anticipation. I still vividly remember the profound spiritual experiences I’ve had while hunting for Chaga. The beauty of nature and the wonderful company made it an unforgettable experience.
I feel such a deep connection to this powerful healer. Its rugged exterior and charcoal-like appearance may be unassuming, but hidden within lies a treasure trove of medicinal properties that have been revered for centuries. I am constantly in awe of the incredible healing properties Chaga possesses. A powerful immune-booster, packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can help protect our bodies from disease and promote overall well-being.
The rough exterior hides a beautifully golden centreHarvest & Heal
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
HARVEST
Location: Birch trees in cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere
Appearance: Black, burnt-looking mass on the outside of the tree, with a rusty brown interior.
Harvesting: Best done in the fall to avoid damaging the tree. Carefully remove the Chaga off the tree using minimally invasive techniques, leaving some behind to allow the tree to heal.
Storing: Dry slowly at a low temperature using a dehydrator or on a low heat in an oven.
HEAL
Antioxidant: Neutralize free radicals and protect the body from oxidative stress.
Immune-support: Stimulates the immune system, helping protect against illness and disease.
Anti-inflammatory: Natural anti-inflammatory effects, which can help to reduce inflammation in the body and ease pain.
Supports digestion: Promote beneficial gut bacteria and easing digestive issues.
Anti-cancer: May aid in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.
Cardiovascular health: May aid in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.
Skin health: Can used topically to soothe and heal skin
Nutrient-rich: A great source of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds that can support overall health and well-being.
Growing on this birch tree are rough, black, burnt looking masses… it’s double Chaga!Identifying
I find Chaga mushrooms are relatively easy to identify. Since they only grow on birch trees and are unique in appearance, both in and out it’s one of the easier mushrooms to identify.
Look for birch trees: Chaga mushrooms are most commonly found growing on birch trees, so look for a tree with distinctive white bark and small, horizontal markings.
Check for a dark, charcoal-like appearance: Chaga mushrooms have a black, burnt-looking exterior that is hard and crusty to the touch.
Look for a cone-like shape: Chaga mushrooms typically grow in a cone-like shape and can range in size from a few inches to a few feet in diameter.
Check for yellow-orange interior: When the charcoal mass is broken or cut open, the interior will have a bright, yellow-orange or rust color. This is a key indicator that you have found a chaga mushroom.
See the dark charcoal exterior and the golden centre Harvesting
I've always been extremely careful with my harvesting methods, whether it's a plant, fungus, or animal. I take only what I need and prepare everything with delicate love and respect. This ensures that the end result is a clean and pure product that honors the power of chaga. I prefer to harvest Chaga in the Fall. I find it’s easier to access and can be broken away in a more natural state. Since it takes years to grow and takes several more years for it to regrow I like to be as delicate as I can.
Chaga is so powerful - it deserves to be handled with hands of respect and honour.
Healing
This amazing mushroom is a natural powerhouse, rich in a abundance of compounds and nutrients that work together to help heal our bodies and keep us in balance.
A large part of Chaga’s healing potential could be linked to its an outstanding antioxidant properties - the highest antioxidant found in nature! Containing the most potent antioxidants like SOD, which act as free radical scavengers, promoting cell regeneration. Its antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties make it a great natural remedy for fighting off infections. Its outer layer contains phytosterols, which increase its antioxidant properties. Chaga's antioxidant powers are could be linked to several of it’s health benefits, including anti-aging, digestive and immune support.
Like other medicinal mushrooms, Chaga also contains beta-glucans (a beneficial polysaccharide) which can help to support the immune system, keeping our bodies in balance. They’ve been found to stimulate white blood cell production, crucial in fighting infections and diseases, and also have antioxidant properties, which protect the body against oxidative stress.
Chaga also contains betulinic acid - which may be one of the keys to Chaga’s most powerful benefits. Betulinic acid has been shown in studies to have anti-cancer properties, inducing slowing cancer cell growth. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties, making it useful in treating a range of health conditions.
REFERENCESShikov AN, Pozharitskaya ON, Makarov VG, et al. Chemoprotective and anticancer potential of chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) and its compounds. Adv Pharmacol Sci. 2014;2014:723905. doi:10.1155/2014/723905Gao QP, Jia JM, Yang G, et al. Chemical constituents of Inonotus obliquus and their antitumor activities. J Chin Integr Med. 2012;10(6):673-680. doi:10.3736/jcim20120605Youn MJ, Kim JK, Park SY, et al. Potential anticancer properties of the water extract of Inonotus [corrected] obliquus by induction of apoptosis in melanoma B16-F10 cells. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009;121(2):221-228. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2008.10.017Liu Y, Babu PV, Anandh Babu PV, et al. Effect of chaga (Inonotus obliquus) mushroom methanol extract on the growth of human colon cancer cells. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2014;16(1):23-34. doi:10.1615/intjmedmushr.v16.i1.30