Posts Tagged ‘breast cancer’
Siberian Chaga Used in Russia as Cancer Drug
If you discover a black, cancerous mass on a birch, you may be looking at a Siberian chaga mushroom. It can also, less commonly, be found growing ash, beech, elm or hornbeam.
In Europe and Asia, chaga has been used for centuries to treat cancers of the heart and liver, digestive ailments, and tuberculosis. [121]
The traditional use was to peel the black skin of the mushroom and then boil it into a tea. Being a compact and easily portable medicinal made it very valuable to healers throughout history.
Modern research on chaga has mainly focused on its potential application as an anti-cancer remedy. In Russia, this usage was already approved as early as 1955 to treat lung, stomach, breast and cervical cancers. [122]
One modern study from 1998 showed that chaga extract did in fact inhibit growth of cervical cancer cell lines under lab conditions. [123] Another study from 1995 reported that an isolate of the active compound betulin first inhibited growth of melanoma cells in a lab, and then killed them. [124, 25]
Other research papers also confirm that some of the active compounds of chaga help retard the growth of cancer cells. [125, 126]
Although traditional healers used to peel off the black outside (probably because it looked unappetizing), the skin actually contains 30% betulin, a highly prized medicinal compound, [127] while the inside is rich in fungal lanostanes. So both parts would be valuable in preparing the tea.
Even better are chaga extracts that are made with not only the whole mushroom but also the mycelium, because the mycelium contains higher levels of medicinal proteins than the fruit body of the mushroom.
Other researchers have found chaga extract to be potently anti-viral. Two studies in 1996 found it to have an inhibitory effect on both influenza [127] and HIV. [128] Perhaps it does so by helping to stimulate the body’s natural immune functions, something that was first confirmed in 2002 and then again in 2005, [25, 129] and which may also help explain the historical use of chaga mushroom as an anti-inflammatory. [130]
Furthermore, alcohol extract of chaga mushroom has been found to lower blood sugar levels. [131] Chaga also demonstrates significant antioxidant properties that help protect the genetic integrity of the cells. [132, 133]
As an interesting aside unrelated to human health, a Quebec arborist uses a chaga poultice to cure chestnut blight. The trees later even become immune to the blight and resistant to future infections. [134]
Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any medicinal mushroom or herb without prior approval by medical doctor.
Credit to Paul Stamets for research and source material.
Dr. Markho Rafael has worked in the natural health field since finishing Chiropractic College in 1996. He currently specializes in medicinal fungi in partnership with Cordyceps Reishi Extracts, LLC, a U.S. business offering Siberian Chaga Mushroom Extract and much more. For the scientific references to this article, go to the Chaga Extract page and click on any number indicating a reference.
Tags: AIDS, breast cancer, cancer, diabetes, disease, herbal, Herbs, hiv, medicine, Nutrition, skin cancer, Supplements, wellness, women's
Reishi Extract and Cancer
Reishi is frequently prescribed in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a panacea. It is widely used by both laymen and professionals in the Orient as a treatment for things as innocuous as stress or weight loss to more serious conditions such as arthritis and even cancer.
One of the strongest proponents for the use of reishi as a medicinal mushroom is Dr. Fukumi Morishige. He works with the Linus Pauling Institute of Science & Medicine on treating cancer with reishi.
Re-printed in the Chinese Traditional Medicine Part III was a speech by Dr. Morishige that included the case studies listed below.
Growing up in Japan as Dr. Morishige did, it was impossible not to have heard of reishi. But he dismissed it as a mild herbal remedy to be used with limited results for non-terminal illnesses, not as a viable option for treating terminal conditions such as cancer. His curiosity arose when two of his cancer patients showed signs of remission, which they themselves claimed were due to their use of reishi.
First was a 39-year-old woman with lung carcinoma. The hospitals she had visited all told her she was too far gone and there was nothing they could do to help her. As a serious secondary complication, she also exhibited chest cavity edema. None-the-less, by the time she had her first appointment with Dr. Morishige, the symptoms of her illness had disappeared. The woman credited her recovery to the use of reishi, which her husband had administered to her at 4 grams per day.
The second case was a young boy suffering from congenital liver cancer. At the age of 5, his attending physician determined that the condition was terminal and discontinued any further treatment. At 9 years of age, the boy’s parents brought him to see Dr. Morishige who could then find no remaining traces of the cancer. The parents explained to Dr. Morishige that they had been feeding their son reishi via a naso-gastric tube. It was at this point Dr. Morishige determined that reishi’s effect on cancer deserved further study.
Below are five cases using reishi in combination with Vitamin C (to prevent side effects):
Case 1: A patient with a 5 cm (2 in.) brain tumor who had lost consciousness was placed on 6 gm of reishi per day in June of ‘86. By September, this 70-year-old-male patient had emerged from his comatose state. The reishi was decreased to 3 gm per day. Another three months later, December of 1986, scans showed diminishing size of the tumor. After it shrunk to 1 cm (0.4 in.), the hospital released the man to return home and live with his family.
Case 2: A patient with lung cancer, a 50-year-old female, was coughing up blood. Dr. Morishige put her on a daily dose of 6 gm of reishi. In six months, the tumor vanished. The woman, among other things, had regained her ability to climb stairs without suffering shortness of breath.
Case 3: A woman with breast cancer and metastatic bone cancer suffered excruciating pain and an inability to move below the neck. Dr. Morishige started her out on 9 gm/day of reishi and then increased it to 20 gm/day. In two months, the patient was free from pain, able to walk, and was released from the hospital.
Case 4: A man with rectal cancer metastasized to the liver was placed on 6 grams per day of reishi. Six months later, CT scans revealed that the tumor had shrunk. The patient showed improved health.
Case 5: A male patient aged 60 was diagnosed as having terminal pancreatic cancer and short life expectancy. Dr. Morishige placed him on 9 gm/day of reishi plus 30 gm/day of Vitamin C. A year later, the man was free of any symptoms and back working. After leaving the hospital, he continued taking 5 gm of reishi per day.
Note: This article is provided for scientific and informational purposes only. This product has not been tested by the FDA and should not be used for self-treatment of tumors. Never use any herb for medicinal purposes without consulting a licensed medical doctor.
Reference: Morishige, Fukumi, 1987. Chinese Traditional Medicine Part III, Page 12 – 23, ISBN4-88580-053-6 C-0077
About the author: Markho Rafael has worked in natural health for over 15 years, specializing in medicinal mushrooms such as reishi and cordyceps. Click Reishi Extract / Cordyceps for additional free articles about reishi and how it works individually or in combination such as in Stamets 7. You may also request free unique copy of articles for your web-site or other publication.
Tags: breast cancer, cancer, disease, fitness, healing, herbal, Herbs, lung cancer, medicine, Nutrition, self help, Supplements, wellness, women's
Eastern Hemlock Mushroom Saturated with Antioxidants
In 1999, the tree conk Hemlock Varnish Shelf was found to possess “the strongest antioxidant activity of five species of Ganoderma [Reishi] tested.” It was found to have stronger antioxidative activity than Vitamin E. The abundance of antioxidants in Hemlock Varnish Shelf has been confirmed by several other research papers. [827, 828, 829, 830]
Growing on Eastern Hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) throughout the Appalachian Mountains, Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma tsugae) is the local variety of Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma spp.) in the eastern parts of the U.S.
It shares many of the therapeutic properties with the Common Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), the oldest medicinal mushroom in Chinese herbal medicine with written testaments dating back 2,000 years.
Being a common tree mushroom also in parts of Southeast Asia, Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma tsugae) has been the object of study in plenty of Asian research.
The primary Asian source of Hemlock Varnish Shelf is commercially grown specimens from Taiwan that are exported to mainland China as medicinal mushrooms. The traditional use of Ganoderma tsugae in Chinese medicine is for the treatment of autoimmune conditions, asthma and other conditions involving inflammation.
As far as modern research goes, a 2001 study reported “improved the survival rate of lupus” [800] when patients were given Ganoderma tsugae extract in addition to the conventional treatment.
In cases of asthma or lung inflammation, there have been three studies confirming the effectiveness of Hemlock Varnish Shelf. It’s been found to “exert anti-inflammatory effects on airway responses” [801] in cases of allergic asthma and broncheoalveolar inflammation. [802, 803]
In the annals of herbal medicine, several wood conks have been used to cauterize open wounds and speed up healing, including Agarikon (Fomitopsis officinalis) and Tinder Fungus (Fomes fomentarius). Now, modern medicine has discovered this unique application of mushrooms, and the species of choice is neither of the two mentioned above, but Hemlock Varnish Shelf. Sold as Sacchachitin, the skin substitute made from Hemlock Varnish Shelf has been said to support “rapid wound healing.” [804] A “wound area covered by SACCHACHITIN completely healed by 21 days, while that covered with cotton gauze did not,” concluded one study. [805, 806, 807]
Cancer research has also been conducted on Hemlock Varnish Shelf with encouraging results, [808, 809, 810, 811, 812] in particular in regards to breast [816] and lung cancer. [813, 814, 815] Ganoderma tsugae extract was shown in one study to be helpful in the prevention of metastatic tumors. [817]
Same as with Common Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), the Hemlock Reishi (or Hemlock Varnish Shelf) has also been shown to be a powerful immunomodulator. [817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823] What that means is that both of these species of Reishi will help adjust the immune system up or down, whichever is needed. They can help strengthen a weak immune system in one person, [824] while helping to calm an overactive immune system in another person, perhaps someone with an autoimmune disease or an inflammatory condition such as allergy, asthma or arthritis. [825]
Finally, a paper published in 2004 reported that Hemlock Varnish Shelf also possessed anti-fibrotic as well as liver protective properties. [826]
Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any medicinal mushroom or herb without prior approval by medical doctor.
Dr. Markho Rafael has worked with natural health since finishing Chiropractic College in 1996. He currently specializes in medicinal mushrooms, working specifically with the extracts from Paul Stamets, which include synergistic reishi blends such as G5 (Five Ganoderma) and CordyChi Extract. For research references to this article, please go to the Ganoderma tsugae page.
Tags: antioxidants, asthma, biology, breast cancer, cancer, disease, herbal, Herbs, lung cancer, medicine, Nutrition, Supplements, wellness, women's
Shiitake Extract Used in Asia as Cancer Medication
In America and Europe, the everyday “food mushroom” is the common button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), commercially cultivated in France since the 1600’s. In the Far East, however, the likewise centuries old cultivation of gourmet mushrooms has been primarily focused on an entirely different species – the Shiitake. Only in the last few decades has Shiitake become a common household name in the West.
Known alternately as Black Mushroom or Chinese Mushroom, wild Shiitake grows in Asia only. The name derives from the Shii Tree, its preferred host, although Shiitake may also grow on oaks and beeches. Shiitake has been cultivated in China and Japan for a thousand years.
What is less known in the West is that in the form of Shiitake extract, this is also the most studied medicinal mushroom of the Orient. The primary focus of research has been on the anti-viral [93] and anti-tumoral [94] properties.
The preferred part of Shiitake to use medicinally is the mycelium (the “roots”) because they contain compounds that either don’t exist in the fruit body (“mushroom”), or are much more concentrated in the mycelium.
In fact, the most commonly researched Shiitake extract is known as Lentinula Edodes Mycelia extract, or LEM for short. (Lentinula edodes is the Latin name for Shiitake.) LEM has been reported in various research papers as being anti-bacterial, [98, 99] boosting the immune system, [95, 96, 97] and being anti-tumoral. [100] A study on melanoma found that it killed the mutated melanoma cells but caused no harm to cells that were healthy. [101]
Another active compound of Shiitake extract that has been much studied is Lentinan; a protein-free polysaccharide, so named after Lentinula, the Latin genus name for Shiitake. Lentinan does not directly kill tumors but has been shown to stimulate the tumor fighting mechanisms in the body of test subjects, [102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110] and is in fact in use in Asia as an injected cancer medication.
When rice is fermented with Shiitake mycelium, another group of medicinal compounds result. Known as arabinoxylanes, these compounds show great promise against viruses. [111, 112, 113]
Specifically herpes simplex virus type 1 [114] and more importantly HIV have responded to Shiitake extracts in several studies. [115, 116, 117] However, the previously mentioned Lentinan polysaccharide, by itself, has no significant effect on the replication of HIV. [25]
Other studies worth a brief mention have reported positive findings in the use of Shiitake extract to prevent septic shock, [120] and to treat Candida [118] and chronic fatigue syndrome. [119]
In his book Mycelium Running, medicinal mushroom expert Paul Stamets also lists the following areas where research has shown Shiitake extract to have a beneficial effect: Blood Pressure; Blood Sugar; Cholesterol; Kidney Tonic; Liver Tonic; Sexual Potentiator; Stress; Breast Cancer; Liver Cancer; Prostate Cancer. [134]
Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any herb (or mushroom) except as advised by a licensed medical practitioner.
Credit: Thank you to Paul Stamets for source material.
Tags: breast cancer, cancer, diabetes, disease, fitness, herbal, Herbs, medicine, Nutrition, skin cancer, Supplements
Choosing Between Soya Bean Protein and Milk Whey Protein
We usually hear about bodybuilding nutrition, about meat or the best whey protein we can take. But for sure there are also other options for vegetarians to get good protein supplements… the soy. Soybean is a plant; a legume from Africa with high medical and nutritional value. It has been used by many parts of the world for centuries to treat aliments and also as food.
Inevitably theres a myth that soy protein is horrible for bodybuilding and that if you are any where near serious about working out or building muscle you will stay away from it. In fact, some sites show studies that soy protein and soy products can be detrimental to your health. And while its true that early claims of soy wonders might not be entirely true, theres also myth that soy protein is bad.
Are you considering the health benefits of whey protein vs. soy protein? Given the popularity of low carbohydrate diets on health, and recent discoveries of the nutritional value of protein sources other than meat, this is a question which is getting a lot of attention. Up until recently, most westerners look to meat and poultry as their main sources of protein. So what exactly do these plant based proteins offer, and how can you incorporate them into your diet?
Studies concerning the effects of soy protein PMS remedies alone do not always return positive results. A possible cause is that other aspects of a womans life are not considered. There is probably no miracle cure for PMS, but many women have found that making positive changes in diet, exercise regimen, lifestyle and supplementing with soy protein PMS formulas, PMS vitamins, B-complex and multi-vitamins or herbal remedies are effective.
The Soy Zone diet advocates eating foods rich in vitamins and high in protein and fiber to have balanced and healthy eating habits. Only when the eating lifestyle is healthy can people achieve optimal health. Besides protein, balanced portions of fat and carbohydrates are included. Some reviewers labeled the soy diet as among the healthiest diets with its objective of promoting balance in the hormonal systems and keep the body running at its peak of efficiency.
Tags: breast cancer, cancer, exercise, fat loss, Health, Nutrition, protein powder, soy protein, weight loss
Ubiquitous Coriolus Mushroom vs. Cancer
Known in English as Turkey Tail, Coriolus versicolor is a contender for the title “World’s Most Common Mushroom.” You can find it from tropical rain forests to the Siberian taiga, feasting on dead wood.
When one considers Coriolus competing against so many different fungi and bacteria in such diverse environments, its obvious that it must have a powerful immune system, with the potential for powerful medicinal compounds.
In Oriental medicine, Coriolus extract is used as a remedy for liver cancer and jaundice. [160] To modern medicine, the best researched medicinal compound from Coriolus is known as PSK. Under the brand name Krestin, PSK is used in Asia as a cancer drug. [188]
In the 1990’s, two Japanese studies including 486 patients reported increased survival when PSK was used as an adjunct to chemotherapy for gastric cancer. [161, 162, 163] Other studies have shown that PSK reduces metastasis and cancer recurrence. [161, 162, 164]
Two other compounds isolated from Coriolus have demonstrated an inhibitory effect on leukemia. A polysaccharide named CVP exhibited an inhibitory effect on leukemia cell growth with no harmful effect to normal lymphocytes. [165, 166, 167] The small polysaccharide SPCV also showed leukemia proliferation inhibition. [168]
The compounds of Coriolus versicolor extract appear to work in two ways to combat cancer:
1) By directly inhibiting cancer cell growth and proliferation.
2) Through stimulating Natural Killer (NK) cells in humans. [169, 170, 171] NK cells are a vital part of the human immune system’s cancer fighting arsenal.
Though the effectiveness against different forms of cancer varies, PSK is currently used to treat cervical cancer in conjunction with radiation. Studies have linked it to increased survival rate from cervical cancer. [134] It also decreases tumor cell regeneration in hormone responsive prostate cancer, as demonstrated in a 2001 study at New York Medical College. [172]
PSK has also been tested with promising results against colon, lung and breast cancer. [25, 173] It appears to have no effect on Sarcoma 180. [174]
In addition to its anti-cancer properties, PSK is also a potent antibiotic against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes and Cryptococcus neoformans. [175, 176, 177, 178, 179]
Tests in vitro (test tubes / Petri dishes – not live subjects) have even shown a compound (PSP) from Coriolus versicolor extract to inhibit the replication [180] and infection of HIV. [181]
In a study conducted in 1995, PSK demonstrated effectiveness at normalizing the immune function of people with chronic rheumatoid arthritis. [182]
In the book Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, Paul Stamets mentions being aware of several individuals with Hepatitis C reporting relief of symptoms from using medicinal mushroom tea. He specifically relates a case of a man with swollen liver and spleen starting on a daily regimen of tea made from Coriolus versicolor (Turkey Tail Mushroom) and Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi). After two weeks, the swelling went down and liver enzymes normalized. His HCV value went from 1.3 million to 140,000. [183]
Coriolus versicolor extracts also contain many antioxidant compounds, [184, 185, 186, 187] and may assist the recovery of the spleen after radiation. [189]
In his book Mycelium Running, medicinal mushroom expert Paul Stamets also lists the following areas where research has shown Coriolus versicolor extract to have a beneficial effect: Kidney tonic; uterine cancer. [134]
Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any herb (or mushroom) except as advised by a licensed medical practitioner.
Credit: Thank you to Paul Stamets for source material.
Tags: arthritis, breast cancer, cancer, Candida, colon cancer, disease, fitness, herbal, Herbs, Leukemia, medicine, Nutrition, Prostate cancer, Supplements
Many Uses of Siberian Chaga Mushroom
Siberian chaga mushroom appears as a black mass on birch trees, dead or alive. Occasionally, it may also be seen growing on hornbeam, ash, elm or beech.
In Europe and Asia, chaga has been used for centuries to treat cancers of the heart and liver, digestive ailments, and tuberculosis. [121]
Traditionally, the black “skin” of the mushroom was removed and the light inside boiled into tea. As a naturally compact remedy, it was conveniently portable to ancient healers.
Modern scientific research has focused on chaga’s anti-cancer properties. In Russia, it has been approved to treat cancers of the breasts, cervix, stomach and lungs since 1955. [122]
A 1998 study on chaga extract showed that it did inhibit growth of cervical cancer in a lab. [123] And a 1995 study reported both growth inhibition and death of melanoma cells, also in a lab (in vitro). [124, 25]
Other research papers also confirm that some of the active compounds of chaga help retard the growth of cancer cells. [125, 126]
The black color of chaga is caused by betulin, a medicinally active compound that makes up 30% of the skin. [127] The lighter inside of the mushroom is rich in fungal lanostanes. So chaga tea may be more effective if made with the whole mushroom, including the skin.
Even better are chaga extracts that are made with not only the whole mushroom but also the mycelium, because the mycelium contains higher levels of medicinal proteins than the fruit body of the mushroom.
Research on chaga has also reported potent anti-viral properties. Two studies on influenza virus [127] and HIV [128] were published with positive results in 1996. Chaga probably works on viruses indirectly by enhancing the human immune system, as indicated by two papers published in 2002 and 2005. [25, 129] Historical use of chaga as an anti-inflammatory may be attributed to that same mechanism. [130]
Furthermore, alcohol extract of chaga mushroom has been found to lower blood sugar levels. [131] Chaga also demonstrates significant antioxidant properties that help protect the genetic integrity of the cells. [132, 133]
As an interesting anecdote that does not relate to human health but demonstrates the curative power of the Chaga mushroom, Paul Stamets mentions a Quebec arborist who uses a chaga poultice to cure chestnut blight. It not only cures the infection but the tree even becomes blight resistant after treatment. [134]
And last but not least, Paul Stamets (in Mycelium Running) lists the following areas of health where chaga has shown promising results in scientific research: Uterine cancer; liver conditions; bacteria. [134]
Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any medicinal mushroom or herb without prior approval by medical doctor.
Credit to Paul Stamets for research and source material.
Tags: breast cancer, cancer, diabetes, disease, fitness, herbal, Herbs, medicine, Nutrition, Supplements, wellness, women's
