08.10.2022 •

7 Reasons Why Reishi is an Anti-Aging Wonder

Let’s face it. We all want to live longer and feel younger at the same time. When I feel the need to complain about aging, I remind myself that getting older is a privilege that not everyone gets to achieve. But it’s not just about years; it’s largely about enjoying healthy aging. While there’s no easy quick fix to aging gracefully, there are certain herbs long revered for their wide range of health benefits. Reishi mushrooms are one of these remedies that is so highly sought-after that it was once reserved only for royalty. Read on to find out how reishi mushrooms may help slow the effects of the hands of time.

Benefits of Reishi Mushrooms for Skin

Your skin is the largest organ of your body, and it readily shows the effects of time, the sun, lifestyle choices, and our environment. Youthful skin is firm, plump, and supple. Over time, we lose the components that contribute to this, including moisture, collagen, and elastin. Our cells also become slower at repairing damage. Wrinkles, sagging, age spots, skin tags, and scarring are common effects of aging.

#1 – Fights free radicals
Reishi mushrooms contain antioxidants that fight free radicals — unstable molecules that damage cells and lead to premature aging, both inside the body as well as at the surface. Antioxidants prevent these molecules from attacking healthy cells, which helps keep your skin soft and smooth.

#2 – Protects against UV damage
Reishi mushrooms contain polysaccharides that protect against UVB radiation by scavenging free radicals before they can cause damage to healthy cells in the body. As a result, these miraculous mushrooms are particularly useful for protecting against future skin damage caused by exposure to sunlight.

#3 – Boosts skin repair
Collagen is responsible for maintaining the strength and elasticity of our skin. It helps prevent sagging and wrinkles as we age. Reishi mushrooms contain compounds called triterpenes which may help accelerate skin repair, increase cell production, and lay down more collagen, resulting in smoother, plumper skin, and a firmer complexion.

#4 – Fights inflammation
Inflammation is one of the most common causes of skin problems like acne, rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. Chronic inflammation can also lead to premature skin aging by causing fine lines and wrinkles, as well as damage to collagen. Reishi mushrooms’ triterpenes come to the rescue here as well, decreasing inflammation to treat the cause of many kinds of skin issues.

Benefits of Reishi Mushrooms for Health

#5 – Increases energy levels
Parents, grandparents, and anyone spending any amount of time around kids knows, they have more energy than we do. Over time, we begin to notice we simply don’t have the pep we once had. It could be that we have more on our plates with responsibilities and stressors that we need to attend to. But it’s also that age is showing its effects.

Reishi mushrooms have been used as a tonic to increase energy levels for centuries. They do so without having a stimulant effect, avoiding the jitters and insomnia effects of caffeine. Reishi contains polysaccharides and triterpenes that help improve circulation, reduce fatigue, and increase stamina. The triterpenes also help protect the liver, which is essential for overall good health.

#6 – Takes care of the heart
Heart disease is the second most common cause of death in Canada. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) calls the heart the “king” organ of the body, so if you’re aiming for healthy longevity, clearly you need to attend to the needs of this monarch.

Reishi mushrooms contain compounds that help lower elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Since these are two of the most recognized indicators for heart disease risk, managing this can help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

#7 – Supports healthy immune system
In 1900, the top three causes of death (in the United States) were pneumonia, tuberculosis, and diarrhea and enteritis—all infectious diseases. While hygiene, antibiotics, and other medical procedures have helped drop those numbers considerably, as the last couple of years has demonstrated, we have not—and likely never will—beat infectious diseases. So, if you want to live a long and healthy life, take care of your immune system, so it can protect you when needed.

Reishi mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides, which helps support the production of antibodies when the body encounters a virus. Reishi has also been shown to improve the function of white blood cells, helping to fight infection and disease. It’s often recommended for people who have weakened immune systems due to chronic illness or cancer treatment. At the same time, it helps calm an overreactive immune system that is causing allergies or autoimmune disease, as reishi is an immunomodulator, meaning it helps the immune system provide a balanced response.

It’s no wonder that with all these benefits, reishi mushrooms are quickly becoming one of the most talked about superfoods. Not only can these mushrooms slow down the aging process, but they can even promote long-term health benefits. This is a bandwagon worth jumping on!

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Dr. Melissa Carr is a registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine with a B.Sc. in Kinesiology. In practice since 2001, Dr. Carr has a passion for sharing health information. She has been a nutrition instructor and a health consultant, lecturer, and writer for 24 Hours Vancouver newspaper, Fraser Health Authority, UBC, and the David Suzuki Foundation, amongst others.