One reason to eat more Reishi in Autumn is enough

Reishi is truly beneficial for the lungs!

 

As the Mid-Autumn Festival passes, the feeling of autumn becomes even more pronounced. For some people, however, it’s their lungs that sense the arrival of autumn before their bodies do. After entering autumn, discomfort such as coughing, dry skin, and a parched mouth often follow.

 

“The lungs are delicate organs,” and “dryness easily harms the lungs,” which is why our ancestors, based on experience passed down through the ages, emphasized the importance of nourishing the lungs in autumn.

 

And one of Reishi’s main functions is to support lung health.

 

Ancient texts record that Reishi "nourishes lung qi," and the *Chinese Pharmacopoeia* includes Reishi’s effects of "tonifying qi, calming the mind, relieving cough, and easing asthma," making it useful for alleviating conditions such as lung deficiency, chronic cough, and deficiency taxation and shortness of breath.

 

In short, Reishi is highly beneficial for lung health and care!

 

In the book Lingzhi: From Mystery to Science, Professor Zhibin Lin introduces a Reishi lung-nourishing soup (Reishi 20g, Sophora Flavescens 4g, Licorice 3g), designed for treating patients with mild asthma. After treatment, the patients showed significant improvement in their primary symptoms.

 

Ingredients: Reishi 20g, Sophora Flavescens 4g, Licorice 3g  

Suitable for: Patients with mild asthma

 

Reishi has immunomodulatory effects, helping to correct the imbalance of T-cell subsets in asthma and inhibiting the release of allergic mediators. Sophora Flavescens has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties, reducing airway hyperreactivity in asthma patients. Licorice soothes cough, expels phlegm, and also has anti-inflammatory effects. Together, these three herbs work synergistically.

 

— Source: Lingzhi: From Mystery to Science, pp. 44-47

 

The benefits of supplementing with Reishi in autumn don’t stop there!

 

Compared to other common tonic herbs like Ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin) or Ginseng, which may cause issues like internal heat and dry mouth in autumn, Reishi has a mild nature—neither warm nor hot—and is suitable for consumption year-round. As the only medicinal herb among the 365 traditional Chinese medicines that enters all five meridians and nourishes all five zang viscera, the advantages of consuming Reishi in autumn are numerous.

 

1. Regulates Blood Pressure  

   As deep autumn approaches and the temperature difference between morning and evening widens, regulating blood pressure becomes a challenge for the body. Reishi can help regulate blood pressure and improve symptoms in hypertension patients, showing particularly strong synergistic effects when combined with conventional antihypertensive medications.

 

2. Boosts Immunity  

   Autumn and winter are high seasons for influenza outbreaks. Regular consumption of Reishi can enhance the body’s immune system, ensuring that when cold pathogens strike in autumn and winter, the body is in a state to ward them off and pass through the season healthily.

 

3. Improves Sleep  

   As the seasons change, sleep quality—particularly for the elderly—is often affected by underlying health conditions. Reishi, known for its effects of "tonifying qi and calming the mind" and “soothing and aiding sleep,” is highly effective in improving conditions such as shallow sleep, difficulty falling asleep, and anxiety.

 

Next, let’s take a look at some autumn Reishi recipes together.

 

Recommended Recipes

 

Reishi and Pig Heart Soup

 

 

Ingredients: Reishi slices, pig heart, green onion, ginger, a small amount of cooking wine

 

Method: Slice 15g of Reishi; cut open one pig heart, rinse off the blood, clean, and slice it thinly; slice the ginger, and chop the green onion into sections. Place the pig heart into a steaming tray, top it with Reishi, ginger, green onion, cooking wine, chicken essence, and salt, and steam in a high-pressure steamer for about 25 minutes.  

 

Description: This medicinal soup nourishes the heart, calms the mind, and promotes blood health and beauty.

 

 

Reishi, Ginseng, and Pig Stomach Soup

 

 

Ingredients: 10g Ginseng, 15g Reishi, pig stomach

 

Method: Slice 10g of Ginseng and 15g of Reishi. Place the Ginseng, Reishi, and ginger into a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Then, add the cleaned pig stomach, oil, green onion, salt, and chicken essence, and cook until done.  

 

Description: This medicinal soup strengthens vitality, replenishes essential energy, engenders liquid and nourishes the kidneys.