Mushrooms have particular medicinal benefits. This mushroom combats bacteria, viruses, and overgrowth of disease promoting fungi in the human body. Many mushrooms help to improve the immune system. In European phytotherapy, this Japanese mushroom is used as a medicine against acute viral infections, flu, repeating common cold, herpes simplex infections, genital warts, HIV, and allergies like a food allergy and arthritis, which in most cases turns out to be a food allergy. In many of the cases, modern science has confirmed the traditional uses of this Japanese medicine.
Cancer
Shiitake may help to prevent cancer. Under medical survey, it is possible in some countries to get an injection of isolated lentinan, from this medicinal mushroom. Even at the Wikipedia site lentinan is described as a medicine; it reached mainstream status in Japan. Scientific research shows that when people eat 100 gram of dried shiitake powder every day, they have a reduces cancer risk.
Shiitake against Western food-based diseases
This almost magic mushroom can lower triglycerides levels in the body. High triglyceride levels indicate to a higher risk for the development of diabetes type 2, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. High levels of triglyceride occur when we consume too much sugar and white flour. Shiitake may act as a preventive agent against arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, stroke, hypertension. In the medical world, these diseases are nowadays described as western food-based diseases. This oriental mushroom has proved to prevent high blood pressure in patients with hypertension.
Liver health promoting vegetable
Shiitake is good against hepatitis or infection of the liver. Science shows that shiitake can cure hepatitis, and it can prevent hepatitis. This culinary mushroom is not the only vegetable that is good for the liver. Endive and carrots are examples of other vegetables with medicinal benefits for the liver.
Shiitake brings the balance back
Using shiitake is a good way to cure frigidity and impotence. It acts as a stimulant for the sex life of both men and women. The hormone balance is better organized when you eat shiitake. That´s mainly because the high amounts of vitamin B2 and lenthion in shiitake. These components are responsible for improvement of the blood circulation. Next to this, nitrocystein in this culinary medicine strengthens sexual potence.
Arthritis treatment
In 2011, the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center published a survey in which the researchers conclude that shiitake might be a good vegetable to treat arthritis. It is the first research that shows a beneficial effect on arthritis by consuming this mushrooms. There are numerous other fruits and vegetables that work against arthritis. In European nature medicine, many doctors cure people who suffer arthritis for ten years or more. Conventional medicines don´t work because they don´t take away the cause of the problem. There is a growing body of evidence that arthritis is a form of food allergy. Sugar, animal products, nightshades, white flour and trans fats are just a few potential dangers for people with food allergies. With a – by the nature medicine doctor prescribed – elimination diet, patients are searching for the food that triggers inflammation.
Medicinal kitchen advice
You can but shiitake fresh. But it is also for sale when it is dried. In a coffee machine, you can grind it to a powder. In this way, you can add it to smoothies. But shiitake taste the best when you stir fry them a few minutes together with garlic, onions and leek. Enjoy your medicine!
Sources:
- Lentinan: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12470439
- Immune system: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25866155
- Lowers blood pressure: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3443885
- Immune system: http://bmcimmunol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2172-10-12
- General info: http://mens-en-gezondheid.infonu.nl/natuurgeneeswijze/109422-de-geneeskracht-van-shii-take.html
- Arthritis: http://jn.nutrition.org/content/141/1/131.full
