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Reasons To Add Reishi Mushrooms To Your Diet

There are many reasons why you should add reishi mushrooms to your diet. Scroll down to learn why you really need to add this powerhouse of a superfood to your daily routine.
these-5 Chinese-herbal-teas-will-heal-you

Reishi is amazing. It’s a Chinese herb and a mushroom that acts as a superfood. In Chinese medicine, we use it for longevity support and we take it every day. It is available in many different forms, so you can choose the one that works best for you and your needs.  This powerhouse of an herb has been used in China for over 2000 years, and is still widely used today.

The Chinese name for reishi is Ling Zhi. It’s also known as Ganoderma. But, whatever you call it, it is like the rockstar of Chinese herbs. This medicinal mushroom really can make a huge difference in your overall health. It’s often referred to as the herb of spiritual potency and it is taken to develop strength, power, longevity, and overall health and well-being.

Reishi comes in many forms. I use a powdered form in teas and smoothies and bowls. There are also elixirs and tinctures available. Also sometimes I like to take a reishi spore oil capsule before bed.

Reasons To Take A Reishi Supplement

1. Reishi Calms The Mind

This is my favorite reason to take a reishi supplement. In Chinese medicine there is a category of herbs that are used to calm the spirit and nourish the heart.  This amazing mushroom is one of them. It helps calms anxiety and restlessness and can have a general calming effect if taken regularly. I have a big jar of reishi mushroom powder in my kitchen and I add a spoonful to something almost everyday.

reasons to add reishi mushrooms to your diet

2. Reishi Helps With Sleep

This goes along with the mind-calming effects of reishi. For many years, this mushroom has been used to calm the  mind and promote sleep when taken before bed. If you are someone who wakes up or has restless sleep because of excessive dreaming, this may help you. I like to keep a bottle of reishi spore oil capsules on my nightstand.

3.  Reishi Is Good For Heart Health

In Chinese medicine, we consider Ling Zhi/Reishi to be a longevity herb. This is one main reasons to add reishi to your diet. A little bit goes a long way to keeping you healthy. It’s used by eastern practitioners to help with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and coronary artery disease. For this purpose, I like to recommend making a reishi tea and drinking it on a regular basis.

4. Reishi Boosts Your Immune System

This powerhouse of a mushroom can help with asthma, coughs, and sinus conditions. It can be help with both viruses and bacterial infections. Research has also shown that when used together with traditional cancer therapies, it can help with overall immunity. When this healing benefit became more widely accepted, the price of reishi soared here in the United States.

boost your immune system

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5. Reishi Can Help With Diabetes

This amazing mushroom has been shown to help lower blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. There is still a lot of research being done on this use and I’m excited to keep learning more about this.

More and more research is being done every day on the reasons to add reishi to your diet. I’ve been reading a lot about the positive effects it may have on the digestive system, specifically for gastric ulcers. I am looking forward to see where this goes…

reasons to add reishi to your diet

 

 

How And Why You Should Be Using Chia Seeds

These ancient seeds are a healing superfood, and they are easy to add into your diet. Read this post to learn all about how and why you should be using chia seeds. Be sure to scroll down for some great recipes…
How And Why You Should Be Eating Chia Seeds

I’ve been eating chia puddings for years… way before I knew how good chia seeds are for our health. Honestly, I love the taste of this creamy pudding; it’s like dessert for breakfast. I think this love affair stems from the fact that I used to love rice pudding when I was a child but my digestion can’t handle rice or dairy any more. To me, a good-flavored chia pudding is like the rice puddings of my childhood.

And a great benefit for me is that chia seeds keep me full. If I have eggs or a more traditional breakfast in the morning, I am usually hungry in a few hours. But, if I have chia pudding, or a smoothie or a bowl with chia seeds in it, I’m satiated until lunch. This is a big win for someone like me who is always hungry…

Chia seeds are ancient seeds that got their name from the Mayan word for “strength”. These tiny seeds have the unique ability to turn liquid into a gel-like substance when making puddings and they are great added to smoothies and shakes. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. And, because they are so high in antioxidants, they help keep your skin looking younger. They help optimize both your digestive system and your cardiovascular system. So, they are good for your gut and for your heart and for your skin and for weight management… awesome little seeds they are!

These tiny powerhouses are a great source of protein and are low in calories. They are also a good source of calcium — this is really awesome, especially if you eat a dairy-free diet as I do.

Scroll down for some awesome recipes using chia seeds — I know you’ll become a chia fan too!

download free ebook nowThere are so many foods you can eat to keep your skin looking youthful — chia seeds are just one of them. To learn more about how to keep your skin looking great, download my free ebook all about youthful looking skin. 

Simple Recipes Using Chia Seeds

1. Birthday Cake Chia Pudding

birthday cake chia pudding

This Birthday Cake Chia Pudding is the recipe I use when I’m introducing chia pudding to someone who thinks they won’t like it. It tastes like a delicious vanilla pudding — and there are sprinkles on top.

2. Crispy Buffalo Chicken Fingers

crispy buffalo chicken fingers

One of my favorite ways to slip chia seeds into your diet is by mixing them into whatever I am coating my chicken in. These Crispy Buffalo Chicken Fingers are just that. They are crispy. They are grain-free. And they have seeds in the coating. The kid in you will love these… and so will your actual kids.

3. Blueberry Orange Chia Pudding

blueberry-orange-chia-pudding

This one is my personal favorite. I love to make this Blueberry Orange Chia Pudding in tiny mason jars. I give them out as parting gifts and I serve them at events.

4. Sprouted Grain Chicken Cutlets

sprouted grain chicken cutlets

I make these Sprouted Grain Chicken Cutlets more often than any other recipe.  The coating is made out of sprouted grain cereal mixed with seeds and spices. I  make a big platter of it and top the cutlets differently each time for many variations of chicken Milanese. It is so good!

For more ways to use chia seeds and for more information about them, Mind Body Green has a great article on their site.

If you make any of these chia seed recipes, please be sure to let me know in the comments below. I love hearing how you like a recipe, and I love to answer your questions! If you make it, be sure to take a photo and tag me and post it on Instagram.

How And Why You Should Be Using Chia Seeds