I am a bit of an explorer, so I am currently looking into a broad range of herbs with a history of medicinal use. I recently read some interesting bits about the chaga mushroom (notice the similarity to the name 'changa' ), Inonotus obliquus, and went straight out to look for it. Luckily enough, I did find it close to my own garden.

This mushroom grows on trees, preferably birch, where it forms a very hard clump. You will need a saw or something similar to remove it, but it is really worth it! The mushroom is a great general tonic, providing relief of a broad range of conditions. I currently have the cold, and a tea of it made most of my symptoms completely vanish! Friends who have used it say it work for next to anything, including hangover.

It has shown wonderful potential for treating a broad range of various disorders, including cancer (!). Populations regularily drinking chaga tea have a marked lower rate of cancer, and in scientific studies the mushroom have shown potential to treat a broad range of cancer types. Somehow the active substances in the mushroom is very effective on stimulating the immune system, working as a wonderful general tonic.

The history of its use in Europe go back as far as at least to 5600 years ago. I would really suggest everyone to try it! You could buy it, but where's the fun in that? Go out in the woods and look for birch with what seems as defects on them!

I am planning on collecting plenty of these and drink it together with yerba mate or guayusa instead of coffee in the morning!

With love,
Evening Glory

Yet another Korean/Asian mushroom, Phellinus linteus ,is getting alot of attention the last 20 years. It supuposedly contains something like 40 drugs that cannot be produced in a lab, including a variety of interferon, and is being used in conjunction with chaga mushsrooms in a 1-2 cancer-fighting punch. I know some Koreans who take it religiously, but it also has a 5000 year history in Chinese medicine. Not cheap, either:

I got to see some of it...as I recall it's like a huge, wood-like dark brown fungus. Actually, it looks and feels like a piece of firewood. You brew it up as a tea and it tastes like drinking smoke. However, its way better than San Pedro shakes.

Yeah, that one is also very interesting! Too bad it does not grow wild here I live... Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), shiitake (Lentinula edodes) and maitake (Grifola frondosa) are also medicinal mushrooms with very interesting qualities.

WOW..... I am so jealous That mushrooms has AMAZING potential (like you stated Evening Glory in your first post). I once had a small piece that I used when I had very nasty colds and fevers. Works wonders that mushroom does....



Bahahaha, agreed sorta tastes like Oolong tea to me

Yes I recently received one of these mushrooms, a very special one indeed. It's very powerful, and reminds me of Kombucha in terms of its healing effects. Strangely enough after only two cups I've found that a *man* lives inside this mushroom; I call him Old Man Mushroom. He's a curer of many ailments, and possesses ancient wisdom. Phellinus linteus, the Korean Wood Mushroom, is fascinating indeed.

wow, I really appreciate this post , great Info, Thanks.

I find it tastes like chocolate coffee!

I have a big cute one my friend harvested that I haven't had the heart to cook. I keep it with me for grounding in ceremony times.

I'm going shroom hunting tomorrow and i will keep a look out for this one.
How do you process it to make a te? Can everything be used?
I will only bring a small knife so maybe I'll only get to peel of some of the top layers.

It is made to a tea just as any tea. Just let it brew a bit longer, 10-15 minutes is good. You should allow the tea to cool down first, I find cold chaga tea is far superior in taste. The top layer mostly contains substances the birch releases in order to try to kill the infection of the mushroom. These actually have medicinal qualities similar to chaga, but isn't the real deal.

Personally I harvest the whole deal, both the "real chaga" and the top layers. This enables me to get the best out of both the birch and the mushroom. You should bring a small axe or saw if you want to harvest the whole mushroom.

I had my first cup of chaga coffee today, and.....it is amazing. I felt realy energized throughout the day. Almost like taking a cold shower.