ABOUT CHAGA

BIRCH tinder FUNGUS (lat. Inonotus Obliquus).

Helpful information on chaga, its collection, storage and application. Chaga as a means of healing and rejuvenation of the whole body, prevention and treatment of cancer and diabetes.

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Brief description.

Chaga is a sterile form of polypore beveled. Fruitless, because the build-up, the body of the fungus has spores (seeds) as the main source of spores is matured in the body of the birch trees, under the bark, and appears about the growth of the fungus when the tree is already beginning to die, and begins to sporozoite. Chaga propagated these scattered spores in the air, getting through damaged sections of birch bark, germinates and forms a mycelium in there. The mycelium eventually destroys the bark of the tree and grows the growth. The size of the fungus depend on her age and can vary from 15cm to 1.5 m. the Surface of the build-up of black, friable, firm, while its internal part is softer, dark-yellow or brown color with white streaks;Weight of the fungus depends on its age and size and can reach 20 kg or more;

For therapeutic purposes, is used only chaga growing on living birch trees. It is important!

Education and development of fungus.


Споры чаги, рассеянные в воздухе проникают в сердцевину живой березы через поврежденные участки коры живой берёзы (морозобоины, обломанные сучья) прорастают там, образуя мицелий, питающийся соком березы. (рис 1)	Нити мицелия проникают в древесину, постепенно разрушая её, вызывают белую сердцевинную «гниль». Одновременно под корой (в местах первоначального проникновения спор) образуется плодовое тело, дающее базидиоспоры. (рис 2)	На 4-й год грибница выходит наружу и начинает развиваться бесплодный мицелий, образуя на коре медленно растущие бесформенные чёрные наросты. Первые следы того,что мы называем Чага (рис 3).	Массивный нарост чаги появился на стволе (рис.4). Береза будет стараться сбросить его в течении своей жизни, но как правило этого не происходит. Чага будет жить на этой березе до 20 лет и более, или пока береза не умрет.

Chaga is a fungus-parasite, as it lives at the expense of everything useful that is available in birch, and thus by the time of its ripening accumulates an unprecedented amount of useful biologically active substances.

Identification of fungus : about chaga.

Along with a lot of positive feedback about the results of treatment with chaga on the Internet there are messages and skeptics, although they are very few. Now, sometimes we contact the authors of these reviews and verifying the details and it looked like the mushroom which he called chaga, how and where the chaga was harvested, how processed and how used. As a result, 90% of respondents knew almost nothing about chaga. Basically they were wrong already at the stage of collecting - collected fungus-tinder fungus is, secondly, collecting it in the wrong place at the wrong time, and in the third it was treated incorrectly. Of course, this "chaga" not only will not bring benefits, but also may be hurt.

So,readers, who will still going to go to the forest and to prepare chaga for making chasovogo of tea, just say that it is much easier, safer and cheaper to order this Siberian calowy tea and quietly to enjoy and benefit from his drink.You yourself will agree when you read on.

Despite the fact that to distinguish chaga from other fungi and growths is very simple, people do not have experience, will definitely face the problem of identifying the fungus. At the entrance to the forest, if you look closely, one can see all the different grows on the trunks of trees. The birch can be seen generally such growths:


Это трутовик. По форме напоминает копыто, снизу его поверхность плоская, сверху выпуклая. Имеет приятный грибной запах.	Это сувель. Издали похожа на чагу но если присмотреться, то видно, что это пучки маленьких отростков, веточек, на некоторых даже есть листочки.	Это кап. Наиболее часто принимается за чагу. Кап, это просто дефект ствола березы. Если этот нарост распилить, то в разрезе будет лишь само дерево, красивой структуры. Об этом знают мастера по художественной резьбе из дерева и часто используют кап.	Это настоящая чага. Она явно отличается от других наростов и отличить ее несложно.

It should be noted that no fungi growing on birch, in addition to fungus, will be necessary, though they are not poisonous, no benefit from them. Here are due only to wood fungi and mushrooms and other edible fungi are not.

How to collect chaga.

It would seem that here difficult, they came to the forest cut down chaga and made himself tea. But not so easy if you want chasovogo tea to benefit. It is known that chaga grows on the whole territory of the Russian Federation, wherever there are birch. It can be found in Belarus and Ukraine, but it is very rare, you can spend several hours there to find one or two of the fungus. I.e. the southern regions to collect the fungus can be eliminated. In the European part regarding can often be found chaga only from the border of the Pskov and Vitebsk regions and further North and North-East. Most of the fungus, with real curative potential grows in Siberia, in the North of the Irkutsk region, Khakassia, in some places of the Altai, Kamchatka and the far East. Before you go for chaga, you need to keep in mind that apart from the geographical region of collection, must take into consideration the ecological purity of the area of growth of the fungus. Like a sponge, chaga absorbs all impurities from the air (including heavy metals and radionuclides that accumulate), so you need to be sure that the forest is located no closer than 100-200km from the nearest big city, industrial enterprises and major highways.

Chaga for products for the brand W&M, harvested by hand,in the Altai, by specially trained people. All chaga is tested in the laboratory for health and environmental cleanliness and the absence of radionuclides.

Collect chaga at any time of the year, but in winter it is hard to do because of the high snow, and in summer, because the leaves to find chaga pretty hard and ticks makes this procedure unsafe. In most cases chaga grows high and it is not only difficult to cut, but to detect. Therefore, the best time of harvesting chaga, it is early spring or late autumn. Medicinal chaga grows only on old, living trees – therefore, when the workpiece is important to remember that birch needs to be at least 10-15 years, and chaga needs to grow to a height of at least 2-3 meters from the ground. It is impossible to collect chaga, growing at the base of the trunk, this chaga is considered very weak in terms of its medicinal propertie

What to do with the chaga after collection.

So, you cut down chaga ax and brought it home. Before making tea, chaga must be cleaned from residues of the wood, then cut into pieces with a size of about 10cm and allow to dry. Why not whole dried chaga in large pieces? Because then it is fully dried inside and begin to rot. How to dry? Well it's simple, either in the oven, or spread on clean paper, and lay out in the sun, or put near open flame of a campfire or by the fireplace. The temperature should be above 60 degrees for two main reasons: dry chaga becomes very flammable and can literally erupt like a powder. This property chaga hunters use when breeding in a forest fire (take a piece of dry fungus). The second reason, dried chaga loses its healing properties. In the Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation clearly state that the dried raw chaga needs to be 14% moisture content. No more, no less. At home it is difficult to achieve such accuracy.

In the production of chasovogo tea brand VIM drying process is automated and temperature controlled by sensors.

Further, if you decide to do everything yourself, the drying process of the fungus may cause a little fear. In chaga, it cracked the outer layer lay their eggs, many insects, and if you collect chaga in the spring, at the time of drying can observe a mass Exodus of larvae, beetles, spiders, and worms. It is not dangerous, but unpleasant. Moreover, once seen you would not want to make tea from this fungus.

In the production of chasovogo tea brand W&M chaga is treated with steam that completely clears it from the forest dwellers and other possible contaminants, without destroying the cell structure of the fungus.

The next stage is crushing pieces of dried fungus. This can be done with a hand grinder, but as dry powder in hardness resembles stone, and you have pieces of 10-15cm or more,to stick in the throat of the grinder such pieces will be hard. So you need to cut them into smaller pieces with an axe, and this is quite a difficult task and not safe, will hurt yourself with an axe very easily.Instead of a grinder you can use an electric "chopper", ie blender, but only powerful. In this case, it is necessary to immediately accept the fact that after the first use grind in this fungus, the chopper is already more than anything else is not amiss, since the knife will immediately pokroetsya blunt and jagged and the plastic wall of the chopper will be damaged by sharp and hard pieces of fungus. But let's say you found an old blender which risk is not a pity and crumbled chaga in smaller pieces of about 5 mm is unlikely to be more shallow. This procedure will be accompanied by a large number of very volatile and brand chehovoi dust. Dirty will be all that close, breathing also will be hard, it is recommended to do this on the street.

Calowy teas W&M is ground in special mills, where you define the size of the particles, we use a size of 1-3 mm, which is ideal for brewing tea chasovogo.

1. Chaga grew wild birch, it is desirable in extremely cold climates with temperatures down to -40 degrees.

2. Birch needs to be alive and old - age birch at least 10 years, and the age of the fungus - at least 5-7 years.

3. In the gathering places of the fungus should not be cities and industrial plants. Chaga should not be collected from the birches growing along roads, and from the bottom of the barrel.

4. Chaga must have cracked the outer layer black. The more the black color and the thicker this layer is, the greater its content of resins and minerals.

5. Chaga needs to be very firm to the touch (can only be cut with an axe).

6. Should not have a smell, except a light forest scent. In no case should not smell like ordinary dried mushroom.

7. Dried in special furnaces with automatic temperature control.

8. Should be stored in a dry, ventilated place at temperatures not above 25 degrees Celsius.

Does the sale of low-quality calowy tea?

The vast majority of what is sold in pharmacies and Department diet food stores, has little to do with medicinal chaga. It is very easy to check. First, you need to immediately draw the attention to the packaging. A lot of chaga is sold in a packaging, which is this fungus depicts another outgrowth (pictured left, click to enlarge). This is an indication that о manufacturer didn't even bother to take a picture of this fungus for its packing.

Second, many companies sell "ciowy tea" - finely minced dried chaga in filter bags. For the powder, you can determine the quality of this chaga or not only in color but in slices of about 5mm and larger you can see it more accurately. And not only see, but feel to the touch, the pieces should be solid and dark. Why so? But because the maximum content of nutrients of fungus skoncentrirovanno only two layers of chaga, which is dark and very hard, and the third layer is yellowish, soft and porous, does not carry almost any benefit as it is "in transit". But what manufacturer will cut the third layer from a piece of fungus if this piece you can simply grind whole, no one will know. So the question is of quality tea from chaga really relevant. Of course,tea with a yellow layer of fungus will also be somewhat useful, but we're talking about chagovim tea premium, which is ciowy tea VIM. How does chaga milled in one piece without cutting the soft parts yellowish mushroom shown in the photo on the right. The color is good ground chaga powder should be dark brown, not yellow-brown. Below we have tried to explain more clearly what you mean.

The chemical composition of the fungus.

The result of interrelated biological processes for the birch and mushroom for several years the formation and accumulation of biologically active substances, which determine its unique therapeutic properties. Nutrients in chaga very much, and for lack of space we here consider only the most important ones.

The main active substances of chaga:

Water soluble polyphenolic pigments (Chromogens): antioxidants that kill free radicals. In other fungi, such Chromogens are absent.

Flavonoids: organic substances of plant origin having anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, diuretic, choleretic effect.

Alkaloids: biologically active substances with a selective action, for example, on the heart muscle.

Phenolic compounds (tannins) is tannins, is able to partially collapse the protein, resulting in a form on the mucous membranes and the skin protective film. Widely used in connection with a pronounced anti-inflammatory and hemostatic properties.

The complex of organic acids.Organic acids determine the ability of the fungus to regulate and normalize the acid-alkaline balance in the human body.

In addition, chaga is present melanin. Melanin helps to stimulate metabolic processes and the body, has anti-inflammatory, regenerating effect. As you can see, almost all organic substances contained in the birch fungus, have useful to human properties.

In addition to the organic active substances of chaga also contains naturally balanced minerals and micronutrients. Of minerals the most important:

Potassium of 41.7 mg/g. Necessary for normal body growth, adjusting the alkaline balance of the body, skin health, stimulate the kidneys and cleansing the body of poisonous toxins. The presence of potassium in chaga potassium, magnesium and iron provides good therapeutic effect in the treatment of the circulatory system.

Magnesium - 1.90 mg/g. Plays a key role in the regulation of blood sugar levels, releases insulin from the pancreas and protects its fragile cells.The magnesium contained in the birch chaga is the best ally of coenzyme in energy production. Taking chaga you in 5-10days'll feel much more active and fresh.

Iron - 0.02 mg/g. the Main structural component of hemoglobin, part of red blood cells supplying oxygen to every cell.

Calcium - 3,50 mg/g. the Main role of the calcium — organization of the integrity of the skeletal system. After 50 years a person with a lack of calcium often associated lower back pain. Lack of calcium, potassium and chromium in the body leads to cancer. Therefore, it is important to take prophylactic drugs the fungus that contain all of these macro and micro elements.

Manganese and 53.4 mg/g. manganese Deficiency may lead to diabetes mellitus.

Zinc - 28,40 mg/g. Zinc required for a healthy immune system. Even a small zinc deficiency reduces the immune system's ability to protect the body from tumor cells.

Chaga antioxidants: what are antioxidants and free radicals.

In nature there is a well-known substance that makes iron rust, oil to become rancid, and in the human body damages the DNA molecule, weakens the memory and accelerates aging. This destroyer is the most common on Earth and in the human body chemical element - oxygen. Without him man cannot live, yet he sometimes turns into a formidable health hazard. Every day we breathe polluted air, eat food with chemicals, drink water that contains dozens of harmful substances; lead lives full of stress. Scientists have found that in the human body under the influence of the above factors is the formation of so-called "free radicals" that are responsible for the accelerated destruction and deformation of the cells of the body.

The problem is related to the structure of the atom of the gas. In a normal state, the nucleus of the atomoxygen is surrounded by 8 electrons, which are grouped into pairs, forming a stable and not a danger molecule. But sometimes, under the influence of external factors, the molecule is taken away or, on the contrary, it adds one electron. Then born a very active education, called free radicals. As external factors, turns the oxygen out of the friend into an enemy, there may be and cigarette smoke and urban smog, and ultraviolet radiation. Free radicals, like "molecular terrorists", "roam" by the living cells of the organism, plunging all into chaos. In an effort to gain the normal amount electrons, they are ready to tear the remaining particle of any foreign molecule, causing a chain reaction of destruction. This process, known as "oxidative stress", is considered responsible for many diseases - from cataracts and loss of muscle mass to cancer.

Causes of excess free radicals in the human body.

Chemicals in food

Stress

The aging process

Smoking

Environmental factors, pollution

A weakened immune system

Solar radiation, namely ultraviolet radiation.

Fully protected from free radicals, of course, impossible. But they can be neutralized. Here we can help the antioxidants in the chaga.

Chaga extract - free radical scavenger.

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by giving them your own electrons, thereby stopping the chain reaction. Feature of antioxidants is that even after they gave up its electron, the molecule remains in a stable condition and itself becomes a free radical. Ie, antioxidants play the role of hunters of free radicals, thereby helping to avoid oxidative damage of the cell.

Studies have shown that Siberian chaga with its high concentration of antioxidants, has great potential to find and destroy" free radicals and thus protect cells from the oxidation process.

Peroxyl(Peroxyl) — 1,584

The Hydroxyl(Hydroxyl) — 29,300

Peroxynitrite(Peroxynitrite)-107

Superoxide anion(Super oxide anion) - 8,825

Singlet oxygen (Singlet oxygen) — 163

Therefore the overall ability of our chaga extract to destroy free radicals 39,979 mole TE/gram. This high concentration of antioxidants not found in any known plant product. For comparison, garnet have a value (mole TE/gram) 105, 26 blueberry, and chocolate 40,2. The certificate can be viewed by clicking on the photo to zoom in.

CHAGA EXTRACT - CONTRAST CHASOVOGO TEA

Preparations of the fungus are produced today in various forms. They have in capulo, in tablets, in liquid form and are in dry powders. However, in our opinion, noteworthy are the only two forms of preparations from chaga: chaga is ground for infusion (tea) and chaga extract in a soluble powder. So what's the difference and which is better. I have to say, you need to drink both of the product, and often even mixing them. But the difference is that calowy tea is a dry, purified chaga, and the extract is the extract of biologically active substances from fruit bodies of the fungus that contains ten times more of biologically active substances than just calowy tea. For example, the chromogenic complex is contained in chaga is 12-15%, while, the extract of chaga VIM contains more than 57% of these substances. To prepare 1kg of extract brand W&M is used to eight pounds of raw chaga.

Methods of obtaining chaga extract.

The technology of getting our extract involves the extraction of fungus BAS by steaming hot water under vacuum, followed by freeze drying (sublimation). This gentle form of drying, in contrast to thermal drying, which is used most other brands of herbal extracts. Heat drying destroys the active substances, which greatly reduces the usefulness of this extract.

Freeze-dried chaga extract allows to preserve in the final product the maximum amount of nutrients, drying takes place gently, the molecules are not destroyed. This chaga extract, has a pleasant aroma, pronounced taste. Freeze-drying maintains the structural integrity of the product and its biological activity. In addition, chaga extract freeze-drying can be stored for a longer time without losing its beneficial properties.