Brief History and Facts of Reishi
Reishi mushrooms have been used for nearly 4,000 years in the form of tea and tinctures as they have properties that may help with liver problems, heart conditions, asthma, cancer, high blood pressure, and arthritis. In Traditional Chinese medicine, Reishi mushrooms are classified in a group of herbs known as Fu Zheng, which Chinese herbalists believe are the most powerful herbs for all-around strength, health, and longevity. Other Fu Zheng herbs include Korean ginseng and astragalus. Reishi mushrooms were very difficult to cultivate and find in the wild, making them rare and expensive. This changed in the 1980s when a Japanese man named Shigeaki Mori developed an intricate and effective method of cultivating them, which has made them more widely available and affordable.
Reishi mushrooms have been well researched and tested. China and Japan have been at the forefront of this research, as mushrooms have long been embedded in their respective cultures. Through these studies, scientists have isolated several chemicals in Reishi that have pharmacological (medicinal) effects on the body. Reishi mushrooms contain compounds called polysaccharides, which have been shown to help the body fight cancerous tumors and also stimulate the immune system to combat infections and viruses. In studies on mice, Reishi mushrooms have shown very strong results against cancerous tumors. One Japanese study suggests that Reishi mushrooms may serve as a chemopreventive against colon cancer.
Get your own “set & forget” Reishi Grow Kit!
Instructions for Your Kit
We make growing your own herbal medicine easy. Within the kit you will find your fully colonized Reishi grow block. It is ready to grow, just follow the instructions below and you will be harvesting in no time!
Below are the instructions.
- Set your kit in a 65-75℉ (18-21℃) space in your home that receives indirect light. These kits create CO2 and are great near houseplants; over the next 1-2 months the plants near the kits will benefit as the kits release the CO2 from the filter patch.
- Sit back, relax and watch it grow. These mushrooms will fruit directly inside the bag and the bag does not need to be opened. Reishi will grow towards the light so you can rotate it every two weeks for even growth.
- It is recommended to harvest after 6 inches of growth which typically takes 3-5 weeks. At this point you may cut them at the base. These mushrooms can grow for up to 2-3 months in the bag, but this will only increase the mushrooms size, not potency. Keep in mind, the longer they are in the bag the more prone to contamination they become.
After harvest, enjoy by making tea or tinctures with your mushrooms! Used grow blocks can also be added to your garden for nutrient-rich compost. Then, start again to add more CO2 to your grow room or indoor garden :)