Mushrooms! Good for You. Good for Your Skin.

A few months ago I started taking a Lingzhi mushroom supplements as well as drink a tea  based on Lingzhi (really, it  tastes good). In the picture to the left I am holding a dried Lingzhi mushroom that was given to me when I visited Alphay in Nantong, China, a company that makes organic mushroom supplements. Lingzhi  (Ganoderma Lucidum) has been used for thousands of years by Chinese herbalists. It modulates the immune system and contains anti oxidants. Traditionally it has been used for its anti aging properties. Lingzhi is said to retain and regulate moisture in the skin as well as inhibit formation and deposits of melanin in the epidermis. That sounded like a good reason for using it in one of my skin care products.

Mushrooms have been used in all cultures both as food and medicine. However nobody has been decoding the medicinal properties of mushrooms like the Chinese.

Lingzhi is one of the most treasured of all the Chineese medicinal mushrooms. Today the effects of Lingzhi has been verified by scientific studies. Polysaccharides found in Lingzhi work by enhancing the immune system. Other substances such as tri-terpenoids and ergosterol help reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and modulate blood sugar.

Traditionally the Lingzhi was ingested as a tea or an alcoholic tonic. Today however the Lingzhi is processed with water, alcohol and enzymes and often taken as capsules. In order to get the most benefits from the mushroom it needs to be processed as the active ingredients are not available to the human body by eating the actual mushroom.

Lingzhi is very bitter and is not used for cooking.

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Lingzhi Body Butter is sumptuous and hydrating with a fresh scent of citrus. It penetrates quickly into your skin and helps it stay hydrated all day.

Ingredients: Distilled water infused with Ligzhi Royal Blend Herbal Tea (Lingzhi, Maitake, Shitake and Oyster Mushrooms, Agaricus Blazei  Mushroom Extract, Black Tea), Rice Bran Oil, Emulsifying Wax, Shea Butter, Kokum Butter, Avocado Oil, Vitamin E, Isopropyl myristate, Phenoxyethanol, Capryyl Glycol, Esential Oils of Orange and Grapefruit.

Lingzhi Royal Blend  Herbal Tea is a proprietary tea blend of several mushrooms (see above). Mushrooms are full of antioxidants and helps regulate skin moisture. Lingzhi contains ganoderma acids which helps in the health, immunity and vitality of human skin. The picture to the left is of a Lingzhi  mushrooms that I grew at home.




Kokum Butter also called Goa Butter comes from the fruit kernels of the tree Garcinia Indica. As the name implies it originates in India where it is used to soften skin and restore elasticity.

Orange and Grapefruit Essential Oils- The aroma uplifts the spirit with its sweet tangy smell. Used in aromatherapy to counteract depressed mood.




See my other blogs for description of the other ingredients.

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Skin Care Recipes from the Pantry

Lingzhi Tea face mask.

After drinking Lingzhi Royal Blend Herbal Tea I open the tea bag and use the contents in a face mask. I like to use a mortar to make the mushrooms smooth then mix it with yoghurt and/or banana. If the mask is too thick add some Lingzhi tea. If it is too thin you can add some oat flour. If you do no have oat flour you can run oatmeal in the blender to get a coarse flour.
Yoghurt contains lactic acid that helps to smooth the skin and prevents small lines.
Oats help dry itchy skin.  Leave the mask on for ten minutes or so.

Siri's Kitchen

Edible mushrooms have many health promoting properties. The following is an excerpt taken from the Australian Mushroom Growers Association.

• The mushroom lives in its own biological kingdom. That means it is not a plant, so it has a very different nutrition profile to that of fruit and vegetables.
• The characteristic savoury flavour of the mushroom comes from natural glutamates. With mushrooms in the meal, there is no need for any added flavour enhancers like salt or MSG.
• A serve of mushrooms provides over 20% of the RDI for each of the B vitamins riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, and the minerals selenium and copper.
• Mushrooms have bio-available vitamin B12 on the surface and in the flesh.
• Mushrooms naturally have vitamin D. They are the only non-animal food to have natural vitamin D, generated automatically when they are exposed to light.
• Not only are mushrooms very low in kilojoules and energy density, research reveals that they are filling and dampen the appetite at subsequent meals.
• Australian research suggests that women eating 10g mushrooms or more daily have a 50-65% lower risk of breast cancer compared to those women who don’t eat mushrooms. There are unique compounds in mushrooms that may protect us from both breast and prostate cancer.
• The mushroom has all the attributes of a superfood – nutrient-rich, flavour-rich, low in kilojoules, high in bioactive compounds, antioxidants, covenient and affordable.
• A normal serve of mushrooms is 100g (three button mushrooms or one flat mushroom), a simple and delicious way to get at least one of your 2&5 serves each day for under a $1 a serve.

Stuffed mushrooms 

This is one of my family's favorite mushrooms recipe . There are so many sumptuous ways you can stuff a mushroom. I like to use large portobello or button mushroom. Usually I use what ever i have available to stuff the mushrooms. It might look like this.

Garlic, red pepper, onions or leeks, parsley, mushroom stems, salt, pepper- sauté to your taste of firmness

Fresh bred crumbs, parsley and grated parmesan- add to the above and lightly heat.

Spinach- add to above allow to wilt

Mount the mixture onto mushroom centers. Sprinkle with parmesan. 

Depending on your oven preheat to 350 - 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Bon appetite!


You can buy the Lingzhi Royal Blend Herbal Tea and  Lingzhi mushroom supplements on  www.myalphay.com/siriroy 

Take care of your hands

As a nurse I can attest to the vulnerability of the hands. Mine used to get red, sore and full of painful cracks every winter. I tried all kinds of hand creams. With no relief. No wonder, they mostly contained petroleum derived ingredients and fillers, any natural  oils were listed in the end of the ingredients list.  This inspired me to make White Tea Ginger Hand Cream. The cream has natural oils and butters which are emollients with anti-inflammatory properties in the form of polyphenoles and phytosteroles. Great for dry and cracked hands. I have nothing against man made skin ingredients as long as they do not constitute any potential health hazards. So I have included dimethicone and allantoin in addition to natural botanicals to enhance the creams protective and soothing effect.
White Tea Ginger hand cream has helped my hand stay soft and healed in spite of the use of antiseptic gel and continuous hand washing  through out the day. This cream can be used all over the body when your skin is extra dry.

Ingredients: Distilled Water, Aloe Vera Juice, Emulsifying Wax, Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil, Cocoa Butter, Sodium PCA, Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides, Calendula Extract, Isopropyl Myristate, Dimethicone, Pomegranate Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), White Tea Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Ginger Root Extract, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol/Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance.

Avocado Oil contains vitamin E, an antioxidant, as well as sterolins which is said to help in the production of collagen and help reduce age spots. Vitamin A and D is also plenty in this skin friendly oil. The phytosterols found in avocado oil help itchy and inflamed skin. I love this deep green oil ( I know I say that about each and every oil, they are all my favorites, each has its own unique personality).

Sodium PCA is a humectant found naturally in the skin. It draws moisture from the atmosphere to the epidermis. 

Calendula Extract comes from the petals of  Marigold. Calendula has anti-inflammatory properties and has traditionally been used for wound healing. 

White Tea Extract protects the skin by reducing oxidative stress in the epidermis. White tea extract has shown to maintain the immune function of the Langerhans cells in the skin after sun exposure.

Ginger Root Extract might help maintain collagen and helps the skin stay supple and flexible.

Allantoin is a synthetic powder with the same properties as comfrey. It stimulates healthy normal tissue formation and has soothing and anti irritating properties. Perfect for red and sore hands.

Dimethicon is a silicone which forms a protective film over the skin and prevents dermal water loss. Not a bad thing  for  the hands. Dimethicon initially adds a slightly greasier feel. However give it a couple of minutes and your hands will feel soft and smooth.

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Skin Care Recipes  from the Pantry.

You can easily make your own nourishing avocado face mask with a soft mushy avocado. Just mash it with a fork and apply it to your face and neck for 10 to 15 minutes. The avocado can be mixed with other skin nourishing ingredients such as yoghurt, banana, honey, oat flour . If you make too much you can eat the rest.

Siri's Kitchen

Miso Soup with Ginger

If you are in a hurry this is an easy and quick soup to make. I love miso. It tastes great and is so good for you. Miso is a thick paste made from fermented soya beans. Be sure to buy unpasturized miso which contains beneficial bacteria and enzymes. I like red miso. It has a mild but characteristic taste. 

You can make this soup with any of your favorite vegetables. I like to add tofu or fish as well.
A staple in miso soup is the sea weed Wakame. It comes in dry strips or flakes.  Add the miso when the vegetables are cooked. Do not let the miso boil; it will kill the bacteria and enzymes.

Water

Wakame, one table spoon dry flakes, they expand when wet
Onion, chopped in thin slices

Leek, thin slices, use green and white part

Carrot, cut diagonally in thin slices

Cauliflower, cut small

Miso

Juice from grated ginger

Tofu, cubed

Boil water, add wakame and onion, boil until onion is transparent,.
Add the rest of the vegetables and tofu and briefly boil. The vegetables should still be slightly crisp when you add the miso and ginger. Mix a few tablespoon of miso with water from the soup to make a thin paste and add to the soup. Season to your liking with ginger.
Enjoy!