Chaga Birch Mushroom: Harvesting And Use For Medicinal Purposes

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Whenever a mushroom hike brings me to a mixed forest, I not only study the root zones of trees and the space between them in search of boletus, boletus, chanterelle and other edible mushrooms.

From time to time, when an adult birch with a thick trunk meets, I lift my head up, examining this trunk from all sides in the hope of finding another mushroom that can grow not near the ground and not near the stump, like honey agarics, but at a height of one meter to ten or more meters. This mushroom, popularly called the black birch mushroom, is chaga.

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It is formed on damaged areas of the bark of a tree, and not necessarily only birch, but also hornbeam, alder, rowan, elm, maple after infection of such an area with a fungus parasite (Inonotus obliquus) of the Gimenochaetae family. After that, an irregular growth of dark brown, almost black color begins to form on the damaged area. Inside, it is painted dark brown. This growth can reach a width of up to 40 cm or more and a thickness of up to 15 cm. The weight of chaga mushrooms found in the forest can be up to several kilograms, although there are even smaller specimens - this mushroom is just beginning to develop.

Alas, only once, while hunting for mushrooms, I saw a chaga mushroom on an old birch tree, but I could not get to it - it was too high. And there was nothing to cut it down. They say that sometimes hunters, seeing such a mushroom, shoot it down with a shot from a gun loaded with a jacan bullet.

Only birch trees are of interest to collectors of this mushroom, because it is the chaga that appears on the trunks of this species that is considered medicinal.

I first got acquainted with the healing properties of chaga shortly after military service. There, I was unexpectedly found gastritis, which now and then made itself felt in civilian life. Doctors advised to take chaga mushroom infusions along with pills. He, of course, was in almost every pharmacy and was then worth a penny. I bought several bags with large pieces of dried chaga and brewed this mushroom, but I really wanted to try fresh, only harvested, moreover, the excitement of the mushroom picker affected, so I was looking for chaga in the forest.

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The infusion of this mushroom has a brown color and a woody flavor, but it is drunk easily and without effort. By the way, it quenches thirst well. And it is no coincidence that Russians living next to large forests have been preparing a drink from chaga for a long time, replacing expensive tea with it. Then they noticed some healing properties, which were confirmed and even expanded later by scientific research.

The chaga mushroom can be harvested at any time of the year, its beneficial properties will not change from this, but collectors prefer to do this when the birch is without leaves - in autumn, winter and spring, then the mushroom is easier to notice, it is not hidden by foliage. Chaga is separated from the birch trunk with an ax or a large cleaver, cleaned of wood, bark, then cut into pieces and dried. It is very important that the drying temperature does not exceed + 60 ° C.

Studies have shown that chaga contains many active substances - humic-like chagic acid, oxalic, tartaric, acetic, formic acids, polysaccharides, steroid, sterol and other compounds, manganese, potassium and sodium, silver, nickel, cobalt, iron, magnesium, and resinous and dyes, fiber.

Chaga preparations increase the body's defenses, helping it cope with the disease. They regulate the activity of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Chaga in official medicine is used as a symptomatic remedy for peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, malignant tumors, especially in cancer of the stomach, lungs and other organs in cases where radiation therapy and surgery are not recommended. In addition, the infusion of chaga helps to strengthen the body after operations or serious illnesses.

The medical industry produces dry, already crushed, chaga mushroom, packaged in bags of 50 g. It is recommended to make infusions and teas from this raw material. There are other drugs using this mushroom.

Infusion of chaga birch mushroom

To prepare it, you need to rinse the dry chaga mushroom in water and then soak it in boiled water so that it is completely immersed in the liquid, and leave for 4-5 hours. You do not need to pour out water after insisting, it will still come in handy. After that, the mushroom is crushed on a grater or in a meat grinder, and then one part of the crushed mushroom is poured with five parts (by volume) of water in which the mushroom was infused.

It only needs to be heated to a temperature of + 50 ° C. And put it on for two days for further insisting. Then the infusion is carefully drained, and the wet crushed root is squeezed through cheesecloth. The resulting thick infusion is diluted with boiled water to the original volume.

They drink the infusion in small portions, with tumors, at least three glasses a day are recommended. It is used as an immunostimulating, gastric remedy. It also has a moderate tonic effect on the central nervous system.

In folk medicine, a decoction of the mushroom is used to lower arterial and venous pressure, pulse rate, and blood sugar levels.

You can also find chaga mushroom extract in pharmacies. True, it is not cheap. Anyone who cannot afford it can look for a mushroom in the forest. Scientists have noticed that in areas where villagers often drink infusions of this mushroom as a thirst-quenching drink, there are significantly fewer cancers.

Chaga birch mushroom thick extract

It is sold in pharmacies in bottles of 50 g under the name "Befungin". Cobalt salts are also added to this extract. It has a tonic and analgesic effect. Prescribe "Befungin" for chronic gastritis, dyskinesia of the gastrointestinal tract, and gastric ulcer.

The daily dose of the extract is 3.5 g. It is convenient to prepare the drug for three days at once. For this, a bottle with an open stopper is immersed in water heated to a temperature of + 70 ° C, and kept there until it and the contents are heated. Then 2 teaspoons of the extract are diluted in 3/4 cup of heated boiled water. The resulting drug is taken 1 tablespoon three times a day half an hour before meals.

Chaga mushroom granules

Chaga mushroom granules of 25-500 g are also produced. They are prescribed as a symptomatic remedy for malignant formations to improve the general condition of patients and reduce pain, as well as an analgesic and tonic agent for chronic gastritis, gastrointestinal dyskinesias, and gastric ulcer (without exacerbation) …

Chaga syrup

Also produced is "Chaga" syrup - a biologically active food supplement made on the basis of chaga extract. It improves metabolism, normalizes the general condition and well-being of patients, improves the functional state of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, the gastrointestinal tract, helps in the treatment of heart diseases, as well as acute and chronic gastritis.

Recommended for adults and children over 12 years of age, one teaspoon 3-4 times a day with food. The syrup is contraindicated in diabetes mellitus.

The cream-balm "Chaga" is also produced

It is prepared with the use of chaga extract and other medicinal herbs and is recommended for the prevention of exacerbations and in the complex treatment of osteochondrosis, radiculitis, gout, arthritis and other joint diseases, as well as in myositis and neuralgia. Cream-balm counteracts the destruction of cartilage tissue, helps to restore joint fluid, relieves muscle spasm. It also helps with arthritis, including rheumatoid, quickly relieving pain.

Traditional medicine also offers a huge number of effective recipes. It uses teas, decoctions and infusions based on the chaga birch mushroom.

Chaga mushroom tea

To obtain it, the crushed mushroom is placed in a mug or cup and poured with hot water (not boiling water) in a ratio of 1: 5 (one part of the mushroom and five parts of water). Tea is infused for 10-15 minutes, then it must be filtered into a mug and you can drink.

It is recommended to strengthen the immune system, with spasms of internal organs, gastrointestinal diseases.

Chaga infusion

It is prepared in the same way as recommended in official medicine (see above).

And they take it as an immunostimulating, tonic and gastric remedy, as well as for tumors.

Chaga mushroom tincture

To obtain it, 50 g of dry crushed mushroom is poured with half a liter of vodka and insisted for three weeks in a dark and cool place. After that, the tincture must be filtered and taken one dessert spoon three times a day before meals. This tincture is used for oncological diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Chaga oil

It can be prepared at home. To do this, mix 1 teaspoon of chaga infusion with 2.5 tablespoons of olive oil and let this mixture brew for one day in a cool dark place. This oil can lubricate painful areas of the skin, it helps to eliminate muscle pain, aching joints.

Homemade chaga extract

If you don't have the money to buy a pharmacy extract, you can try making it at home. You need two teaspoons of chopped mushroom, pour 150 ml of warm boiled water and leave for 48 hours in a cool dark place. Take 1 tablespoon 10 minutes before meals.

Contraindications

Chaga preparations are contraindicated in chronic colitis, dysentery and hyperexcitability. Also, women should refrain from taking them during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Individual intolerance to his drugs is also possible. Chaga is a rather strong remedy, and therefore it is worth consulting a doctor before starting treatment.

E. Valentinov

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