As the Chinese Proverb goes: He who is loved has many names.
Reishi (or Ling Zhi or Mannentake) is called “queen of mushrooms”, “king of mushrooms”, “mushroom of spiritual potency”, and also “mushroom of immortality”. In Chinese, the name represents a combination of spirituality and immortality. It is a magical gateway and bridge to the greater Universe. Historically in Asian cultures, Reishi symbolizes success, well-being, divine power, and longevity.
These mushrooms have been recognized as medicinal for over 2000 years, and have a long history of enhancing immunity, promoting stress relief, and supporting longevity. In the Ben Cao Gang Mu (1590 AD), considered to be the first pharmacopoeia in China, Reishi was attributed with therapeutic properties, such as tonifying effects, enhancing vital energy, improving cardiac strength, increasing memory, and anti-aging effects.
When taken orally, Reishi has been utilized as a medicine to treat many ailments, along with working as a tonic very mild mind-altering mushroom to invoke feelings of both expansion, interconnection, and mood enhancement. Medicinally, this adaptogenic mushroom is known for its cell-regenerating, immune boosting, and anti-inflammatory qualities.
When applied to our skin, Reishi is rich and nourishing. These same cell-regenerating properties that are utilized medicinally are also magic when applied to reducing premature aging like soothing and improving skin elasticity. Reishi helps shield the skin against stressors and promotes skin resilience. These same powerful properties and qualities are equally impressive when applied to intimate areas, like in Nourish and Romp.
This magnificent fungi is well deserving of all the recent praise and attention it has received. Reishi is gentle, healing, beautiful, powerful, and magical. How could we not include it as a key ingredient in our formulas? If you're interested in experiencing the goodness of Reishi, please check out any of our products.
Sources
Dai, Y.-C. (2017). "Ganoderma lingzhi (Polyporales, Basidiomycota): the scientific binomial for the widely cultivated medicinal fungus Lingzhi". Mycological Progress. 16 (11–12): 1051–1055. doi:10.1007/s11557-017-1347-4
Paterson, R. Russell M. (2006). "Ganoderma – A therapeutic fungal biofactory". Phytochemistry. 67 (18): 1985–2001. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2006.07.004. hdl:1822/5522. PMID 16905165
Wachtel-Galor, Sissi; Yuen, John; Buswell, John A.; Benzie, Iris F. F. (2011). "Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi): A Medicinal Mushroom". In Benzie, Iris F. F.; Wachtel-Galor, Sissi (eds.). Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects (2nd ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press/Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-4398-0713-2. PMID 22593926.
