Chaga

[Matt Marsh]

Anyone else here intrigued by the health benefits of the Chaga mushroom? Do any of you gather your own, and make tea and/or extract? A friend introduced me to Chaga because of my wife's recent cancer diagnosis. I am intrigued, and I have begun collecting them from the birch trees on our property.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Interesting....
I've never heard of it until now.

[Matt Marsh]

Yeah I agree Rich. I'm not normally one to go in for any hocus pocus home remedies, but this one at least has a bit of science to it, plus we have really nothing to lose by trying it. It's been used as medicine for centuries. Yesterday I ground one up in the old hand crank meat grinder (which by the way works fantastic). I made one pot of the tea so that we could have some immediately, and I also started 4 pint jars of tincture, 2 with 100 proof vodka, and 2 with 151 proof Everclear. After 3 weeks, I'll strain one pint, steep the dregs in simmering water, strain again, and then finally combine the liquids for a double extract.

[Wade Lippman]

There are some interesting positive results, but they are all at least 15 years old. If it was actually promising, then I would expect some follow up.
However, if it is as pharmacological active as claimed, it might not be accurate to say you have nothing to lose.

[Matt Marsh]

There are some interesting positive results, but they are all at least 15 years old. If it was actually promising, then I would expect some follow up.
However, if it is as pharmacological active as claimed, it might not be accurate to say you have nothing to lose.

Well if the doctors at the Mayo clinic have shifted gears from treating her cancer (very rare type and one of the most aggressive), to deeming it inoperable and treating the pain and suffering until her final day, we got nothing to lose.

[David Weaver]

Sloan kettering has nothing negative to say about it. They don't claim it has clinical value, but they don't describe it as quack, either, just that there is no clinical trial to examine.

http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/chaga-mushroom

Normally, when someone mentions something holistic, my first reaction is to expect that there is no scientific evidence of anything, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. It looks like it it's at least worth asking an oncologist about.

[Rick Potter]

Terrible news Matt. Our prayers are with you.

Rick Potter

[Phil Thien]

Terrible news Matt. Our prayers are with you.

Rick Potter

Ditto, praying for a miracle here.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Matt.....my thoughts and prayers as you engage this........

[Matt Marsh]

Thank You my friends.

[Leigh Costello]

A friend of mine suggested I try it for my advanced Ankylosing Spondylitis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have yet to look into it, but I understand it is supposed to help in various ways. Matt, I pray you and your wife find some positive answers.