Highly Medicinal Mushroom: Maitake

Hen of the Woods/Grifola frondosa/Maitake


Quoting from: Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New England and Eastern Canada ©2009 By David L. Spahr

“In addition to being a great edible, evidence is increasing that this species is highly medicinal, boosting the immune system to fight cancer and stabilizing blood sugar and blood pressure. The Maitake may also have antihypertensive and antidiabetic properties.”

“On a personal note: In early 2004 I learned that my son had a sixth-grade classmate who was diagnosed with stage 2 malignant infiltrating brain cancer (astocytoma). Located in the child’s thalamus and around her hypothalamus/pituitary glands, the cancer was inoperable. She was given less than a year to live. Radiation and chemotherapy were not an option because of the location of the cancer. Further, the treatment would have prevented her from reaching puberty. She was on anticonvulsive medication only.

After hearing about this, I gave her mother about half a bushel of Maitake, which I had collected and dried. It was consumed as regular food at their house. Much to her doctor’s surprise, the cancer stopped growing. Her tumor has not disappeared but it has not grown or progressed as doctors had expected it to. It has been four years with no new growth and the only medication is the anticonvulsive. She has reached puberty and is healthy and attending school regularly. Today, she has a boyfriend and is a typical tenth grader. She needs only six-month checkups at this point. The doctor stated that although this is not what she had expected, she is hopeful. I have continued to give the family a large bag of dried Maitake each fall.”

End Quote from: Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New England and Eastern Canada ©2009 By David L. Spahr


A Few Other Ref’s
www.cancer.org
www.naturalnews.com (includes talk of a few other medicinal fungi)

Personal Experience
I forage for the Hens every fall, and can testify that I myself feel healthier after consuming them.

In ancient times mushrooms were referred to as the Fruits of the Gods because they were known to spring up every where after thunderstorms, and lightning was associated with the God Zeus. Could it be that these “Fruits of the Gods” may hold more magic then our ancestors had once thought? Food for thought. Basic point to inform others of this great mushroom!


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Awesome,
Mushrooms and fungi are such mysterious critters. I am sure there are lots of undiscovered cures and remedies lurking in their funky forms.

I remember working in Vancouver in an industrial park area and came across a fresh bloom of Amanita muscaria. It was huge covered a large side of a hill. There were hundreds of them in circles everywhere. Big ones small ones you name it.

Also met hippies in the Queen Charlotte Islands who talked about a friend who took some atop of a mountain and did the funky chicken in a coma like state for the whole afternoon. Scary stuff. Ever since, I now use the nick name "Amanita Must-Scare-Ya" to remember this poisonous magic fella when teaching or field tripping.

en.wikipedia.org...

cheers
sparrow

Is the maitake mushroom for sale? If so, what types of stores sell it?

How would you cook it to retain it's medicinal properties?

reply to post by sparrowstail


Laughs, I like that "Amanita Must-Scare-Ya" that's great! They remind of Super Mario and look like mushrooms you would find a mythical creature sitting on or hanging around. Seen lots of them at the Porcupine Mountains in the U.P. of Michigan this last fall while on a backpacking trip. I'm going to remember that though "Amanita Must-Scare-Ya" never heard that phrase used before to describe that one.

A friend and I are working at growing mushrooms so this thread strikes close to my heart. But, the medicinal properties of mushrooms is only the tip of the iceberg. Here are a couple of videos, parts 1&2. This is my first attempt at videos so I hope it works.

reply to post by mishigas


You can do a search on the net, there a few places online that sell it various forms dried, pickled, etc. You can find them for sale at local farmer markets in the fall. Or you can go out hunting for them yourself.

I'm not sure on the best methods to retain the medicinal properties, but they can be preserved and prepared many ways. I usually blanch and freeze mine, then fry them up in butter with potatoes, onions, and venison. Tasty~

I am a beginning mushroom enthusiast. I find them fascinating things. Hidden, ignored, mis underood. Either extremely beautiful or quite disgusting.

I wouldn't be surprised there are some real treasures out there.


I hope you don't mind me being the stickler and giving out the warning.

Never go hunting mushrooms without a professional to identify them first. People have gotten sick and died. And there are many species that closely mimic each other.

Originally posted by ForestForager
reply to post by mishigas

 

You can do a search on the net, there a few places online that sell it various forms dried, pickled, etc. You can find them for sale at local farmer markets in the fall. Or you can go out hunting for them yourself.

I'm not sure on the best methods to retain the medicinal properties, but they can be preserved and prepared many ways. I usually blanch and freeze mine, then fry them up in butter with potatoes, onions, and venison. Tasty~

whoa whoa wee waa!

You sound like my kinda cook.

Could go for a plate of that right now!

Do you pan fry your venisen????

reply to post by ForestForager


I found this information very informative so thank you very much for takeing the time to post it. It deserves a star. Thank you again, Magantice

Here where I live in PA we call those Mushrooms "Ramshead". We go out every early fall and collect lots of them. You have to look on the trunk bottoms of red or black oak. Or even on old stumps of these trees.
Besides being great for health they are so good to eat.
They have a texture like a good steak to me and taste quite differnt than say a regular mushroom.

Usually they grow back every year where you found them as they leave spores to grown again after a damp couple of days.
Be sure to clean them good because everyone seems to like them even bugs. Rule here is if bugs eat it, it ain't poison. But don't hold me to that.

If you get a load of them you can clean them and make a pickeling solution and jar them. We make a vinegar and oil with herbs , salt and just a sprinkle of pepper flakes. Unbelievably delicious.
They are out there, keep looking. Last year we got a huge load.
If you find a tiny one ,keep it hidden under leaves and check it every few days as they grow fast in rainy times. It could double in size in a week and you'll have more to eat and heal you.

Originally posted by nixie_nox
I am a beginning mushroom enthusiast. I find them fascinating things. Hidden, ignored, mis underood. Either extremely beautiful or quite disgusting.

I wouldn't be surprised there are some real treasures out there.


I hope you don't mind me being the stickler and giving out the warning.

Never go hunting mushrooms without a professional to identify them first. People have gotten sick and died. And there are many species that closely mimic each other.

I do not mind at all and is a very valid point, for every one edible mushroom there are 10 times as many poisonous ones, if not more. Eating a poisonous is not a fun way to go.
Destroying Angel

Good call... I'll give you a star on that!

reply to post by villagesmithie


Thank you for posting those YouTube vids, I found them to be extremely enlightening. I know my edible species and those to stay from, but there was alot of scientific information in those vids I did not know. Thank you very much for this!

Originally posted by Jazz87
You sound like my kinda cook.

Could go for a plate of that right now!

Do you pan fry your venisen????

Yes pan fried, with beer to tenderize the meat, and usually over a campfire, but being winter the stove top works just as well.

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reply to post by ForestForager


Glad You enjoyed them. Some of my earliest memories are hunting mushrooms and I've read up on them a lot, but those video's inspired me. Paul Stamet's is the man

reply to post by mishigas


Just do a search and you can grow it also. Thanks for the article. S&F

reply to post by dgtempe


Grow it? Really? Where do you get mushroom seeds?

I'm such a city slicker!

Hi ATS,

Grow your own edible mushrooms from one of the best mycologists I know of.

Paul Stamets website

www.fungi.com

Maitake order form:

www2.mailordercentral.com...


I have grown his #aki for a year now and I have pics if anyoen is interested. BTW they get HUGE! 1-2 Lbs of mushrooms a flush!

Great strains too

-SourD

[edit on 23-2-2010 by sourdiesel]

Mushroom lifecycle, fascinating stuff!




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years ago, had some type of mushroom or fungus thing that came from russia or europe somewhere, sorry not sure where or what.

anyhow it was stored in a bottle and mixed with strong black tea, the piece of mushroom or fungi would sink to the bottom of the mix and over time it would slowly grow and double in size and start to float to the top.

after a week or so the tea is drained, the mushroom thing is cut into another piece and added to another bottle with the tea to get two mixes going, this thing would then double in size again in both bottles and can be cut to make even more bottles.

the tea is said to be a "elixier of youth" if a glassfull is drunk everyday, the mixture is like a dirty brown color as well as the fungus thing but the taste of the drink is disgusting.

not sure what or where it was from, but know was something that others who knew of it believed in it's values and affects of healing the body.

reply to post by redgy



I think your talking about Kombucha. You can find starter kits on Ebay for a price. I had found an online list where you could find people in your area willing to give you a starter. Can't find it right now but I'll post it if I find it.