Almost a year ago I found a contest here at steemit and decided to participate.
Link to where I actually won!
https://steemit.com/family/@billytwohearts/winners-of-chaga
I was thrilled to receive the package from @billytwohearts and had been studying all I could find about this fantastic gift...
I knew of its uses for the immune system and cancer but was thrilled to discover that as usual that was just the tip of the iceberg!
My level of research goes deeper than many people would want to go and so I won't list everything/every place I went but will just drop the crumbs if you decide to explore further.
1st step is google:
https://www.google.com/search?q=chaga&rlz=1C1AVSX_enUS415&oq=chaga&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i65l2j69i60j69i61l2.3727j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Chaga is the common name but for me to dig deeper I go with the latin name for it "Inonotus obliquus" and then my research goes into the deeper levels of educating myself ;-)
^^^ Yes this can go into the crossed eyes dry dusty corridors in labs and universities and then all over the world before I feel I have a handle on a herb.
2nd step is one of my favorite places to get true hands on reporting:
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C44&q=Inonotus+obliquus&btnG=
And yes I really do enjoy this level of researching...
I also looked at YT University (yup you can learn how to do everything there) and after several videos I found one that went from start to finish.
Another great video is of Dr. Karl Maret:
Starting to strain and yes it looks like blood!
Did not take long to figure out I need Big Mama! This was going to take 3 days of simmering in the crock pot.
Meet the beast Big Mama!
Using the cabinet handle to help drain it.
Side by side before they are mixed to become a Dual extract!
Finished!
I hope you enjoyed this stroll thru just a few of the days it takes to get to a finished process of this King of Kings Mushroom!
Are you working with the gifts we have from the Creator?
Restreem if you found this useful or educating!
Chime in and chat!
@weetreebonsai this is amazing. And indeed a gift from the Creator! Last week I read another post about chaga. This is now the second time I'm hearing about it - confirmation possibly. I wonder if I can get it in South Africa. How do you find the taste? Would you take it medicinally or incorporate it into a dish?
Medicinally has been my goal from the beginning with most herbs and mushrooms although there are a few I want to taste as food. I have no idea if it is something you have growing there but if you keep hearing about it I wonder if the Doctrine of Signatures is calling your name ;-)
Exuse my ignorance....Doctrine of Signatures? I will definitely try to find out if we have chaga (by another name) here
Doctrine of signatures= 2 ways of looking at it, #1 walnuts "look" like the brain and studies have found they are beneficial to the brain, #2 Mushrooms are shaped like the ears and again studies have proven they are beneficial. What is also considered in the doctrine of signatures is also you as a human being drawn to a certain tree or plant and later discovering that tree/plant hold medicinal properties that your body needs to heal with.
Wow! Incredible! Thanks @weetreebonsai. I knew about the walnut/brain connection but not much further.
When I first dove head first into herbals for healing my body it was like light bulb moments going off from remembering what the elders all talked about on foods and plants healing everything that ails us.
Finding the science to prove was the challenge.
So much knowledge known thru out the generations have been lost to us all.
Sadly this is true. Much has been lost. Here in South Africa some of the old locals are willing to teach the young ones which wild succulents in our semi desert are medicinal. It's incredible. Have you shared your story on #naturalmedicine?
Before I even started reading, I saw the cover for that video and thought, “mm fried chicken.” Haha did not realize that was a mushroom! Looks like quite the process, but it looks like you got a lot from it too. I will have to watch the videos later to learn more about it.
They are both well worth it!