How to Use Reishi

Ganoderma luciderm, or reishi, has been used in Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. It is primarily used as an immune stimulant, as several of the mushroom's water-soluble polysaccharides appear to the body's immune cells as invading microbes. This tricks the immune system into increased activity. Reishi also contains several unique triterpenes known as ganoderic acids. Research has indicated that these may improve oxygen utilization, improve liver functions and help alleviate allergies by inhibiting histamine response. It is important to obtain your reishi from a reputable supplier. As with most herbal medicines, you get what you pay for. Cheap products are likely to contain fillers, inferior product or plant material that has had the active ingredient removed for high-quality extracts. The purchase of standardized extracts offers some protection to the consumer.

Things You'll Need

• High-quality reishi mushroom supplement
• Vitamin C

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Instructions

• 1

  Take 100 milligrams of dried reishi mushroom or 3.5 milligrams of reishi extract immediately upon noticing the symptoms of an illness. Reishi is most effective when taken as soon as symptoms present.

• 2

  Take 500 milligrams of vitamin C along with the reishi. Reishi can cause mild intestinal upset or skin rash in a small percentage of patients. Vitamin C is believed to assist in breaking down reishi's polysaccharides, reducing the incidence of side effects.

• 3

  Increase your consumption of water. Maintaining good hydration assists in maintaining lymphatic motility, improving the body's ability to remove wastes during an illness.

• 4

  Continue this course of treatment daily for a minimum of 10 days. Some people begin to see results only after two weeks.

• 5

  Discontinue use if suffering from nose bleeds, itchiness or dryness of the mouth, nose or throat. These rare side effects may indicate an allergy to reishi.