“ First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others”
Thomas A Kempis
I would hope that everyone wants some sort of peace and serenity in their lives. Do you ? How peaceful are you? In the past I was never peaceful nor serene. Today I have peace of mind during the day with patients and especially when alone. I concentrate and daily meditate in the morning to ensure a peaceful day. I do not think I could have had any peace and serenity without meditation. Then, there are few who function better in chaos, drama and havoc. I pray for those unfortunates because I have been there. In the past I thrived on chaos and drama, I would’t want anything to do with it at this time in my life. I have grown up. Did you ever hear anyone say I know what I want to do when I grow up. What do you want to do when you grow up? It might sound funny or odd when you say that especially when you might be of the age of 30, 40 or 50. I know I do not want to be the President of the United States, not a police officer nor a movie star. Well, maybe I want to be a movie star. No a Broadway dancer. I now know what I want to do with my life. I want to introduce to people the world the three P’s of life: peace, plants and purpose. But first you must grasp the three A's: acknowledgement, awareness and acceptance.
Do you want a Turkey Tail ? I do— I think these taste divine. Have you ever seen a turkey tail ? Well as Thanksgiving approaches you will see photos and pictures of turkeys. Notice the tail. It does with a stretch of the imagination resemble a turkey tail. This cannot be said of the Maitake mushrooms, chicken of the woods and hen of the woods. Yes these later two are also mushrooms.
I have been fascinated by mushrooms since I was a boy. I loved looking at them. I didn’t dare taste them as a child as I was always warned by my Poppy about the ‘bad effects of the mushroom’ The Turkey tails ( Trametes elegans) have zones of colors and the cap is in the brown color which can be either fine or velvety. They are found all over the Northeast and on dead is only found on hardwood trees. Turkey Tail mushrooms are one of the most researched and respected of the medicinal mushrooms. They are also one of the most common in the northern forests of world
Have you ever eaten a Turkey tail ? Turkey Tails are tough and chewy, so they are generally consumed by drinking the tea made by boiling them for a prolonged period.
I find mushrooms fascinating. If you ever find one in the forest, take a photograph . Look onto the Internet and search www.mushroomexpert.com I have learned so much in a short amount of time. I am awaiting anxiously for my monograph of Ganoderma from the American Herbal Pharmacopia. ( another great web site: http://www.herbal-ahp.org ) When you read headlines like this: U of M Receives Funding to Investigate Turkey Tail Mushroom Effect on Immune Response you know the world is attentive on plants.
The third type of mushrooms are the Maitake group. These are the Chicken of the Woods and the Hen of the Woods. The latin name : Grifola frondosa
Maitake is an edible mushroom from the species Grifola frondosa.
As consumers we always hear about Maitake D-fraction® This is an extract of this large mushroom native to the mountains of northeastern Japan. The maitake mushroom is eaten as a food, and maitake-D fraction is marketed as a dietary supplement in the United States and Japan. The substance in the maitake mushroom is thought to be active in humans and is called beta-glucan. It has been postulated that the dietary supplement, Maitake D has efficacy in treating a variety of cancers. I have used it as a cancer support in patients whom have undergone chemotherapy and/or radiation. More studies need to be undertaken in human subjects. Promoters claim that maitake mushroom extract boosts the immune system and limits or reverses tumor growth. It is also said to enhance the benefits of chemotherapy and lessen some side effects of anti-cancer drugs, such as hair loss, pain, and nausea.
Another fallacy is that individuals who suffer from yeast overgrowth ( if the syndrome even exists- which I believe it does) should not consume mushrooms. I feel this can be debated from health care practitioner to health care practitioner.
For thousands of years, Asian healers have used certain edible mushrooms in tonics, soups, teas, prepared foods, and herbal formulas to promote health and long life. Until recently, the healing properties of mushrooms have been the subject of folklore only. In the past few decades, however, researchers in Japan have been studying the medicinal effects of mushrooms on the immune system, cancer, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. I have read the literature from Japan and I am impressed by the clinical trial outcomes. When you read headlines like this: U of M Receives Funding to Investigate Turkey Tail Mushroom Effect on Immune Response you know the world is attentive on plants.
The Japanese word "maitake" means "dancing mushroom" because people in ancient times were said to dance for joy when they found these mushrooms, which were literally worth their weight in silver. Why not weight in gold ?
For thousands of years, Asian healers have used certain edible mushrooms in tonics, soups, teas, prepared foods, and herbal formulas to promote health and long life. Until recently, the healing properties of mushrooms have been the subject of folklore only. In the past few decades, however, researchers in Japan have been studying the medicinal effects of mushrooms on the immune system, cancer, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
More about mushrooms tomorrow. I have written about mushrooms when discussing Cancer and Herbs. Thanks and gratitude to Rick Byrd: You can check out his latest version of www.fratellonemedical.com website ( Look under Herbal Medicine-far right side of home page)
Photographs: Buttermilk Falls: Ithaca NY photo credit: Rick Byrd
Other photographs: Turkey tails
Great pics!
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