by Jena Covello

Replace coffee with a delicious, anti-inflammatory chaga latte that you will love!  Chaga detoxifies the liver, calms anxiety, heals the gut and makes your skin beautiful. Here is the yummy recipe followed by some of the wonderful benefits of medicinal, magical mushrooms:

Hot Chaga Latte

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon of chaga, shop here: CHAGA

1/4 cup of water
3/4 cup of almond, coconut or hemp milk
4 dashes of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ghee
1 teaspoon of manuka honey

Heat 1/4 cup of water on stove.  Once heated, pour in blender and blend with chaga and cinnamon. Pour in cup.  Add ghee and manuka honey.

Heat 3/4 cup of your choice of non dairy milk on stove.  Pour in cup over other ingredients.  Stir and enjoy!

Mushrooms or magic? We’re sure you are already catching on, but here at Agent Nateur, we are all about traditional foods that hold incredible nutritional value and reincorporating them into our diet. Medicinal mushrooms are another great “superfood” that have been around for thousands of years, and without side effects have been used for their foundational healing properties.  Staying true to this idea of food-as-medicine, mushrooms are one of the best examples. In fact, about 40% of western medicines nowadays utilize mushrooms, (http://drjessechappus.com/chaga-reishi-cordyceps-medicinal-mushrooms/), and medicinal mushrooms have given us many pharmaceutical medicines from penicillin to the anticancer treatments.  They are highly anti-inflammatory and support immune function and mental clarity. The skin of mushrooms absorbs vitamin D from sunshine similarly to how the human skin absorbs vitamin D, and because one third of the population is deficient, even over here in Sunny California, we look to these medicinal mushrooms to give us that boost.

 Some types, like Reishi and Cordyceps, act as Adaptogens, and in doing so help the body adapt to biological and psychological stress by making it easier to balance hormonal systems. Medicinal mushrooms give us energy when we need it, and at the same time, help us relax when we need it, too.  The healing properties of mushrooms have been studied in depth, and offer a broad spectrum of powerful, research-backed healing properties. Medicinal mushrooms are also great for people with autoimmune conditions. They can regulate and calm down hyperactive immune responses by acting as anti-inflammatory agents and promoting gut health. Incorporating mushrooms into your diet doesn’t mean you will never get stressed, but it definitely will give you the capacity to better deal.  There are at least 270 species for mushrooms known for their therapeutic properties, but we want to start start with the “Big Three” that are the most mainstream: Chaga, Reishi and Cordyceps.

CHAGA

Chaga mushrooms are best known for their anticancer properties, and to be one of the highest sources of antioxidants in nature. They also act as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, are rich in B-vitamins, digestive enzymes, and are pure gold when it comes to minerals. Chaga mushrooms work to protects cells, reduce stress and inflammation, cleanse the liver, fight parasites and certain types of cancer, regulate the immune system, and promote endurance and longevity.  They are filled with melanin which means they help to ensure your skin is beautiful and supple.  They help protect hair and skin from sun damage and can diminish the size of age spots.

 REISHI

Reishi mushrooms are excellent to incorporate in your evening routine.  Reishi is best known to relax the body, mind, and nervous system, and therefore enhances a deeper and all around better quality of sleep.  Reishi supports immune function, helps balance hormones, supports the function of the liver and detoxification, and reduces risk for infections and viruses. Reishi mushrooms act as Adaptogens, helping the body to deal with stress from things such as inflammation, depleted energy levels, damaged blood vessels and hormonal imbalances.

CORDYCEPS

Cordyceps mushrooms are also considered an Adaptogen, and help the body to maintain constant energy levels by producing energy on the cellular level. It is a great alternative to coffee, as coffee gives our bodies false energy that can tax our adrenal glands. Cordyceps are also known to be a longevity-promoting herb. They fight the effects of stress and aging and increase immunity against viruses. They can help control autoimmune disorders, excessive inflammation, and tissue damage while speeding up healing time. (https://draxe.com/cordyceps/ These are great for anti-aging and for a balanced pick-me-up, perhaps before a workout.

When it comes to nutrition, it is absolutely a personal journey, but consistency is the best way to reap the benefits. By incorporating medicinal mushrooms daily, or even often, you might find improvement in respiratory health, heart health, detoxification, slowing of the natural aging process, increased energy levels, and an improved immune system, to name a few. People often want to feel the effects right away or anticipate that they will, but it’s important to understand that our bodies adapt over time and it’s a cumulative effect, but it is true that with some, you might feel the effects right away. For example, Reishi and Cordyceps are Adaptogenic, so if you are a high stress or generally sensitive person, you will often immediately feel an energy boost or better quality sleep. Chaga on the other hand, with more sophisticated benefits, works to improve skin quality and act as an antioxidant, so the effects take place over time instead of immediately.  We recommend doing the research, seeing how you feel, and giving it time to work.

***THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR REGULATED BY THE FDA.  WE ARE NOT DOCTORS, THEREFORE ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST.