*Chaga- Inotus obiquus,
I was introduced to this plant by Matthew Wood, and Margi Flint, when I was at Herb School in Portland. One of Matts greatest gifts was bringing in his friends to teach us, and Margi was one of them. Margi’s writings are an essential to those who want to ferret out how an herbalist thinks about walking through each person’s case and Reading the Body. She Teaches classes on Reading the Body, mostly on the East Coast now, but I think she still comes to the Seattle area on occasion.
Chaga is extremely high in antioxidants, which can help prevent cell damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress which can tax the liver. It also has shown to effect TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β Some of the main cytokine pathways in a Cytokine Storm. Other TNF-α plants include: Kudzu, Chinese Senega root, Chinese Skullcap, Elder, Ginger, Houttuynia, Licorice, Boneset, and Cordyceps. IL-1β include plants- Japanese Knotweed, Chinese Senega Snake Root, Chinese Skullcap, Cordyceps, Kudzu, and Boneset. Many of these we have already covered in our Antiviral Blend.
Chaga is a Medicinal Mushroom(or fungus) found growing on Birch trees. It grows in Northern climates in Europe, Siberia and the Americas. It has traditionally been used (and later scientifically proven) in the treatment of cancer. Medicinal Mushrooms are about 20% Protein and 80% polysaccharides. The beta glucans must be steamed or water extracted to be made more available. The Beta-glucans of medicinal mushrooms are immune modulating, which can help the body’s response to stress and disease.
Chaga Reduction
1 oz chaga pieces or ground powder
4 cups water
Combine in pot and simmer on the stove for at least 40 minutes. Strain. Freeze in ice cube trays for later use. Add 1 ice cube to beverages of choice. Coffee, dandelion root tea, chai, cocoa, iced tea are all good choices. It is dark in color, and has a neutral flavor. This can also be added to a soup, stew, gravy, or broth.
Chaga Mushroom is an excellent addition to immune supporting protocols. A long simmer is preferable, at least 40 minutes to release it’s medicine.
*High in oxalic acid, as it can tax the kidneys and caution to people who crate kidney stones..
One of my favorite ways to include chaga in immune support is in tea form. It is best extracted in water, so we can use this to add a couple more long simmer plants to this mixture to make a tasty tea.
Chaco Berry Chaga
1 Part Chaga pieces
1 Part Elderberries
1 Part Cacao Nibs
2 Tablespoons to 4 cups of water. Simmer for 40 minutes. The berries add a bit of sweetness; The Cacao is a bit bitter but you could add some stevia or honey to this to make it a bit sweeter. A little milk of your choice is also a good addition.
This tea blend is antiviral, antibacterial, and full of flavonoids, high in antioxidants, and helps support the cardiovascular system.
Chaga is one of the main medicinal mushrooms I use. I find it very supportive to the body in general. You can find this is the granular state for tea at Mountain Rose Herbs. I also get chucks from the Alaska Chaga Man. You need to pound it in a bag with a hammer a bit, to get the size you want. It keeps well in chunks, and the price makes it more affordable. I don’t use tea bags in water, it needs a longer extraction time. I am sure you could find already treated and extracted products. It is included in many Medicinal Mushroom combinations.
I hope you have enjoyed looking at Chaga this way, as immune supporting, and helping reduce inflammation in the body. It is probably (dare I say) my favorite, Medicinal Mushroom. I haven’t really talked about its use in cancer care, however I will say it is used as a preventative as well as a treatment. A very good plant to know.
If you have questions, comments or personal experiences please leave them below.
The information shared in these writings are for enrichment and educational purposes only. As always seek your personal health care provider in implementing any such information. Any application of this material made by the readers discretion is the readers sole responsibility.
References
Chaga https://www.mdpi.com/1704628. n.d.
Chanchal Cabrera MSc, FNIMH, RH(AHG). Holistic Cancer Care. North Adams MA: Storey Publishing, 2023.
Flint, Margi. The Practicing Herbalist Meeting With Clients- Reading The Body. Marblehead MA: EarthSong Press, 2010.
Matthew Wood, David Ryan. The Earthwise Herbal Repetory The definitive Practitioners Guide. Berkeley CA: North Atlantic Books, 2016.
Excellennt breakdown of chaga's cytokine pathway effects. The focus on TNF-α and IL-1β modulation puts chaga in the same category as pharma antiinflammatories but with broader immune support. I've noticed how most people just toss it in hot water for a few minutes, but that 40min extraction time really is non-negotiable for releasing those beta-glucans. Curious if the addition of cacao in the recipe amplifies any of the flavonoid synergies.