Chaga birch mushroom is widely known in the circles of folk medicine lovers, but among ordinary people, not everyone knows about its properties. Meanwhile, this mushroom has a lot of useful qualities.
Among the people, chaga is often called "black birch mushroom", since it can be mainly found on the trunks of old birches (it is also found on other types of trees, but much less often). Chaga occurs as a result of the parasitism of the fungus Inonotus obliquus on the affected areas of the tree bark, and it is not difficult to identify it outwardly: it is a large black outgrowth up to 50 cm in diameter, having an arbitrary shape and covered with many small cracks. It can develop for a long time, up to 20 years, but as a result, the tree inevitably dies.
Collection and procurement
Despite the wide range of trees suitable for the growth of chaga, only those mushrooms that have grown on birches are considered medicinal. Absolutely any time of the year is suitable for collecting chaga, but connoisseurs often search in the cold period, from late autumn to early spring, since the absence of leaves helps to quickly detect the growth. To separate from the trunk, the chaga is chopped off with an ax, after which the loose surface part, bark and wood must be cleaned off from it.
After drying, the chaga hardens strongly, therefore, for further convenience in use, it is better to chop it into small pieces. The drying process itself does not require much effort - it is enough to place the material in a well-ventilated room or in a dryer using a temperature not higher than 60 ° C. It is recommended to store chaga in tightly closed containers for no more than 2 years.
Properties and application
In addition to the antiseptic and antimicrobial properties of chaga, due to the high content of manganese, it has long attracted attention as a means that can have a positive effect on malignant tumors. It improves the well-being of cancer patients even in the last stages of the disease.
Chaga has a beneficial effect on brain activity, stimulating the central nervous system, and also has a beneficial effect on the work of the cardiovascular system. It is often used for the prevention of diseases, with a tonic and immunomodulatory effect.
Chaga extract, which has the medical name Befunginum, can be easily found in pharmacies. At home, you should also brew chaga in tea, make decoctions and infusions from it yourself. However, do not forget that the chaga mushroom is a potent remedy: if you plan to use it for the treatment of any disease, it is recommended that you first seek the advice of your doctor.