Chaga - medicinal properties and contraindications

Chaga, or black birch fungus - is a fungal form of the parasite, which from a small spore turns into a large full body. Chaga begins to grow and develop in those places where the spores of the fungus fall on the damaged part of the bark of the tree. Spores penetrate the tree, under the bark, feed on its healing properties. Chaga usually grows on birch trees, mushroom is very rare to be found on other trees. Several centuries ago, when tea and coffee were not so common drinks, people in the villages drank a decoction of chaga. He not only gave the drink a characteristic dark color, but also gave a special sweetness and taste. Everyone knows that birch oozes out in spring with sweet juice that flows down the bark of the tree and soaks the chaga. People collected young growths and made a sweet drink.For therapeutic purposes, not young, but more mature black mushrooms are used. In this article you will learn about the positive and negative properties of the fungus, get acquainted with the methods of collecting the fungus, as well as be able to properly prepare medicinal products from raw materials.

How to collect and harvest chaga?

In principle, chaga can be harvested at any time of the year, but in summer it is difficult to find a mushroom because of the large amount of greenery. In winter, collecting chaga is also not easy, you can get stuck in the snowdrifts. Experts say that the maximum amount of useful substances of chaga contains in the spring before the first greens begin to appear. Also, chaga can be collected in the fall, when the yellow foliage will come down. When collecting chaga, it is very important to distinguish it from a tinder fungus, which is very similar to a birch mushroom. Carefully look at the shape of the fungus - Chaga formless, has a black color. And the growth of tinder grows in the shape of a horseshoe, more rounded, its color is lighter, closer to brown and brown.

Gathering in the woods for chaga, be sure to take a good knife or hatchet with you. The fact is that the mushroom strongly clings to the bark of the tree, it’s impossible to tear it off with your hands.In no case do not cut the chaga from dead trees - there is nothing useful in it, such a mushroom also died a long time ago. And it is not necessary to cut the chaga from the lower parts of the tree - the higher to the top the chaga is located, the more useful it is. Another piece of advice from experts is that you shouldn’t cut the chaga from the lonely standing birch trees, only from the birch trees that grow in large groves.

After harvesting, it is necessary to clean the chaga from the wood - where the mushroom touched the bark of the tree. Then remove the black surface layer of raw materials, leaving only the brown mass. It is crushed into small pieces, convenient for the preparation of a drink or medicine. The fact is that chaga hardens after drying, you can not leave it a solid piece. Dry chaga is not difficult - just leave the raw materials in a well-ventilated place for a couple of weeks. Do not expose the mushroom to direct sunlight, protect raw materials from ultraviolet radiation. A faster way to dry is in the oven. Store ready dried chaga in paper or canvas bags, boxes. You can not store the product in the bank - Chaga must breathe. Dry chaga can be stored for 2 years.

Useful properties of chaga for the human body

But why do people so carefully collect, harvest and store chaga? The list of its useful properties is very wide.

1. Bactericidal and antimicrobial properties. Due to its antiseptic effect, chaga is used in the fight against various external wounds, cuts, inflammations. From chaga make decoctions or lotions that successfully treat eczema, frostbite, burns. Chaga is also a great antidote to the bites of poisonous insects.
2. Against gastritis. One of the main uses of chaga is the use of decoction in the fight against the inflamed gastric mucosa. Chaga perfectly heals the walls of the stomach, suppresses the development of ulcers, relieves abdominal pain during gastritis. In addition, chaga stimulates the production of enzymes, promotes digestion. A decoction of chaga can be drunk with colic and intestinal spasm - it quickly relieves pain.
3. Oncology. Another common use of chaga is use in the treatment of oncology. Of course, chaga cannot completely suppress cancer cells, but it significantly slows their growth, improves the patient’s quality of life, relieves pain.
4. Tonus and immunity. There are a lot of useful substances in chagas that saturate the immunity weakened by the disease.A decoction of chaga has always been given to people after suffering infectious diseases, after nervous and physical exhaustion to strengthen the immune system and raise vitality. The anti-inflammatory properties of the fungus allow the fungus to be used as the best treatment for colds. Regular consumption of chaga as a drink is an excellent preventive measure in the winter season.
5. For the nervous system. Chaga is incredibly useful for various nerve pathologies. If you do not sleep well, if you are tormented by insomnia, anxiety, apathy, or panic attacks, if you are often nervous, and any external factors bring you out of yourself, you need to drink a course of chaga. A large amount of vitamin B in the composition of the product allows you to strengthen the integrity of the nerve fibers, you can become a more calm and balanced person.
6. Treatment of oral mucosa. Chaga has a powerful healing and astringent action; it copes well with inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. A decoction of chaga is used in rinsing the mouth for stomatitis, periodontal disease, periodontitis. Chaga perfectly copes with diseases of the throat - gargles are effective for tonsillitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, pharyngitis, etc.In addition, thoroughly filtered decoction of the fungus is used in inhalation - the vapor quickly settles on the inflamed wall of the mucous larynx or lungs, relieves swelling and spasm, makes breathing easier, eliminates cough.
7. Against edema. Tincture and decoction of the fungus is often used in the fight against swelling of the limbs. Chaga has a mild diuretic and choleretic effect.
8. For men. Chaga has long been considered the best treatment for male impotence. The fact is that in the chag many trace elements, the lack of which leads to a decrease in testosterone levels. Regular course application of the medicinal properties of the fungus helps reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.
9. For women. Chaga is widely used to treat the female body. With its help, you can get rid of such diagnoses as cervical erosion, fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian cyst, mastopathy. Douching or placement in the vagina of a cotton swab dipped in broths of chaga, allows you to get rid of venereal and infectious diseases. In past centuries, infertility was treated with chagoy. The beneficial properties of chaga for women also consist in the widespread use of the product for cosmetic purposes.Chaga decoction masks improve the complexion, fight acne and inflammations, suppress excessive oily skin, tighten the oval.

And chaga perfectly lowers blood pressure and normalizes blood sugar levels, improves the cardiovascular system and regulates metabolism. Recently, chaga began to be used as an effective means for losing weight - it has few calories, but a lot of useful substances that the body needs so much for poor nutrition.

Contraindications to the use of chaga

Any, even the most effective medicine and the most useful product can be dangerous if used incorrectly. To maximize the effect of chaga, home remedy cannot be used simultaneously with a course of antibiotic therapy. For example, penicillin drugs suppress the effects of the fungus. In addition, chaga can not be used in the treatment of glucose - the effect of such therapy is reduced to zero. When treating chaga, it is better to introduce more sour-milk products into the diet - this is an excellent environment for the development of beneficial fungi and bacteria. Among the contraindications for chaga can be noted dysentery, acute infectious diseases. In addition, chaga can cause an allergic reaction.You can not be treated with chaga during pregnancy and lactation, the medicine is also contraindicated for children. Do not drink chaga before bedtime - it will give energy and strength, active wakefulness can interfere with healthy sleep.

How to prepare medicine from chaga?

Chaga is really very useful, but how to prepare it to get the most saturated and effective medicinal composition?

1. Tea. Weak chagi solution can be used as a drink without fear. To do this, the dry mass of the chaga is crushed to almost a powdery state, a teaspoon of raw materials is poured into the teapot, just like ordinary tea leaves. Then pour boiling water - in 10 minutes the tea is ready. It can be taken as a preventive measure.
2. Decoction. For a more concentrated formulation, use a decoction. In a liter jar you need to pour three tablespoons of crushed into pieces of chaga, pour boiling water, wrap and leave for 5-6 hours. Drink decoction with oncology and gastritis, it can also be used for external use, rinsing the mouth, douching for hemorrhoids and gynecological diseases.During treatment, the broth is drunk 100 ml three times a day half an hour before meals.
3. Infusion. Alcohol tincture of chaga is prepared for a long time, but it can also be stored for a long time. A bottle of dark glass should be filled with chagi pieces, lightly tamp and lightly fill with vodka or alcohol. Leave for 3-4 weeks in a dark and cool place. Periodically, you need to shake the bottle, so that the infusion turns out to be more saturated and concentrated. When the infusion is ready, it is filtered and stored in the refrigerator, up to six months.
4. Chaga oil. Oil for external use can be used in the fight against various inflammatory processes on the skin, the oil perfectly relieves pain from rheumatism and arthritis. To make it, chaga is cut into small pieces, placed in a glass container, filled with hot, but not boiling, oil so that the oil slightly covers the crushed chaga. Capacity should be closed and wrapped with a towel, put in a warm place for 10 hours. Next, the composition is filtered, and the raw material is squeezed out carefully - it contains all the most useful and necessary. Then the oil should be filtered through several layers of gauze and stored in the refrigerator.If necessary, heat in a water bath and apply to the affected areas.

In addition, you can enhance the effect of the chaga, if you brew it with various medicinal herbs - chamomile, nettle, oregano, train.

Chaga is a very strong and powerful natural medicine, it should be used correctly. If you decide to be treated with chaga, be sure to consult with your doctor. This will allow you to avoid problems and only benefit from the product.

Video: useful properties and the use of chaga