Dr. Karen’s Immune Stimulating Medicinal Mushroom Soup!

by Dr. Karen Leggett
Shiitake mushrooms have an extensive track record as an anti-inflammatory food!
 
Shiitake mushroom is used for boosting the immune system, HIV/AIDS, lowering blood cholesterol levels, hardening of the arteries, diabetes, eczema, colds and flu, treating prostate or breast cancer, and as an anti-aging agent. It is also used for hepatitis B, herpes, high blood pressure, and stomach ache.
 
Shiitake mushrooms are unusual in containing not only a large amount of total glucans but also a large amount of one specific glucan called beta-glucan. Because these glucans cannot be broken down by enzymes in our digestive tract, they pass undigested all the way through to our large intestine where they help support growth of desirable bacteria in our digestive tract!!!


Here's a Great Recipe! 

Ingredients:

  • 2-4 quarts of water, limited only by the size of your stock pot
  • 5-6 slices dried reishi mushroom
  • 15 fresh or dried shiitake mushroom
  • 1 cup dried maitake mushroom, chopped (1 cup if fresh)
  • ¼ cup burdock root, chopped. (adds a splash of bitter and sweet sort of like artichoke hearts)
  • 1 2-inch rootlet of ginseng – shaved or chopped
  • 1-2 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 bunch of baby bok chow
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2-10 cloves garlic – (I actually use 10 cloves but I love garlic – so adjust to your taste buds) sliced or chopped as thin or thick as your taste buds enjoy
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 2-4 scallions, sliced (and placed on top of your finished soup)
  • Optional:
  • 10 slices dried astragalus root (optional immune stimulating, infection fighting herb!)
  • Miso paste, eleuthero root, and turmeric root

Instructions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot except scallions and bring to a boil. Cover, and let simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours. Keep an eye on the water levels; you may want to add a bit more.The broth will be rich, feel free to further dilute to extend the life of the stock.
  2. After 2-3 hours total, remove from heat.
  3. If you don’t feel like eating, you can strain your medicinal mushroom soup and make it a broth, but otherwise, top with scallions and enjoy just as is!

For an acute illness: 2 - 3 bowls of mushroom broth per day

ImmunoBerry Liquid contains 75mg.

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