Product Description
What is that?
Chaga is a fungus that grows primarily as a canker on birch trees. It has a hard woody texture and looks black from the outside.
Even though its woody appearance is different from other traditional fungi, the canker has been recognized for its health properties in many parts of the world.
The chaga used for our extracts is found among the fresh air and pure water of the Catskill Mountains. Harvesting chaga often requires the use of a hatchet, hand saw, or chainsaw because of how woody it is. Ladders and climbing gear can be necessary if it is not growing close to the ground. Cutting chaga from the tree does not directly damage the tree or fungus, however responsible harvesting is important to us, as the conk may become more scarce with its growing popularity. This is why we always are sure to leave some chaga unharvested.
Where does it come from?
The name "chaga" comes from the inidigenous people of Western Siberia, known as the Khanty. In this region, Chaga has traditionally been used to as a digestive aid, for liver and heart health, for internal cleansing (detoxifying), to support immune function, and for overall health. The Khanty people also have smoked Chaga ritualistically and have used it to create a disinfecting soap (Hobbs,1995).
Chaga was used in 16th century Russia to support glands and organs health as well as to support healthy stomachs.
The Ainu people native to Hokkaido (Japan) used Chaga to promote healthy inflammatory response and as a digestive aid. The Woodland Cree and several other native tribes of Canada/North America used chaga to smolder and transport coals to make fire. (Orvida, 2012)
A few hundred years later Chaga became a
replacement to coffee in Eastern Europe and a household cure-all in Russia. In 1955 the Russian Medical Academy of Science utilized chaga to formulate a drug to help cancer patients.
Why is it good for me?
At Catskill Fungi, we harvest Chaga growing on live birch trees in the heart of the Catskill mountains for our extractions. We use a triple extraction method (ethanol, hot water, and cold water) to ensure that all medicinal compounds are present in the tincture in the way that is most bio-available. The list of bio-active compounds within chaga is extensive.
Chaga that grows on white or yellow birches concentrates betulin from the birch bark. The betulinic acid that results from the ethanol extraction that we use in our extracts, along with the beta-D-Glucans, have been shown to promote a healthy immune system.
When exposed to sunlight, ergosterol-containing mushrooms produce high amounts of Vitamin D2. D2 has properties which have been shown to aid the immune system as well.
Any warnings?
It is recommended that you consult your doctor if you are taking any medications, especially those to treat diabetes as some fungi products can affect blood sugar levels. Products and services are not claiming to diagnose, cure, prevent, or treat any diseases. The information on this site has not been evaluated by the FDA and is for educational purposes only. All tinctures should be ingested in small doses for the first time to ensure no allergic reaction.
