Ling Zhi Reishi, also known as "Mushroom of Immortality", has long been revered in Chinese medicinal history as a "miracle herb", once believed to enhance youth and longevity if taken over long periods of time. The Four-Canons of Seng-Nung, a famous herbal medicine book written in 2838 B.C., records Reishi as the most valuable of all "superior" herbs (followed by ginseng). Westerners are just beginning to discover the numerous applications of Reishi to a variety of modern health problems, and many scientists are now attempting to understand how this miracle herb works.
It's no secret that the typical Western diet centers on meat and processed foods which contain excessive hormones, emulsifiers, preservatives and other chemical additives. Many believe that our diets are slowly sickening the population and leading to a higher incidence of serious diseases later in life. Once an illness manifests, recovery can be slow and difficult. Under these circumstances, many health-conscious people are taking a daily regimen of Reishi to boost their body's defenses against the daily pounding from the toxins in our diets and environment.
Recently, the Royal Medical Society of Russia, Australia and England announced a new medical term called "adaptogen". To qualify as an adaptogen, a substance must be non-toxic (have no side effects), have beneficial actions not limited to specific organs or tissues, and have an overall normalizing effect on the body. An adaptogen works with your body to strengthen and normalize many functions over time, which helps to defend your body against future disease. Reishi, the "Mushroom of Immortality", is fast becoming known as one of the leading adaptogens due to its long, safe history in Chinese herbal medicine and the many people worldwide who testify to its positive effects on boosting their bodies' defenses and contributing to overall vitality.
