*Note - Mind Mechanics does not recommend ingesting these supplements in the form of pills purchased in health food or supplement stores, because we believe that the quality of the chemical compound is severely lessened when the compound is treated and stored in a pill or powder form. (This is based on personal experience and not on clinical studies)
1. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), also known as Ling Zhi, is a mushroom found primarily in Hemlock Forests of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. According to Wikipedia
"...lingzhi, in Chinese, means 'herb of spiritual potency' and has also been described as 'mushroom of immortality'." Of the many people who frequently consume Reishi, virtually none of them ever report side effects, yet the vast majority of them report a variety of health benefits. This is just one of the many reasons why it has been included in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. The only known side effects occur when Reishi is used for more than 4 months at a time, and they range from dryness of the nose and throat to nosebleeds, but these can easily be remedied by discontinuing the consumption for a minimum of one month.
To prepare Reishi for consumption, first you must dry and then either slice or pulverize it. Next you will boil the pieces for at least two hours to free the active ingredients from the chitin. If you are using the more active Red Reishi, your liquid will be extremely bitter and may need to be mixed or added to a soup before consumption.
2. Ginkgo Biloba (Ginkgo biloba) is quite remarkable in its own right. This tree has no living relatives and is considered to be a "living fossil" by botanists due to its remarkably unchanged genetic makeup. It is believed that this tree would have become completely extinct if it weren't for the intervention of Chinese monks some thousands of years ago. Although studies have yielded conflicting results, the testimony of individual consumers alone would make (for me at least) ample evidence of the efficacy of Ginkgo. It has been known to increase circulation in organ tissue, protect against free radicals, and to improve memory (most likely due to increased levels of oxygen in the brain). There are a variety of side effects reported by people using Ginkgo, but they vary widely from person to person, so we suggest using a small dose first and working your way up if you don't notice any side effects.
Ginkgo can be prepared in a tea by boiling the leaves, but the leaves can also be dried, pulverized and used as a seasoning or capsulated. Either method will produce the desired effects.
3. St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a flowering plant found in the temperate and subtropic regions of many countries around the world, although predominantly of those in the Northern Hemisphere. St. John's Wort can be identified by the leaves which exhibit very unique translucent dots, and by the flowers which have five petals and are yellow in color. The primary clinical use of St. John's Wort has been for the treatment of mild depression, and its efficacy has withstood numerous clinical trials. This benefit in and of itself has merit, but we are proposing its usefulness in another realm...that of mental clarity. We all know how distracting negative thoughts can be. Anyone who has ever had a loved one fall ill can attest to the impact which that has on their ability to focus, whether it be at work, in school, or in general everyday life. For those of you who have used Hemi-Sync, or who meditate regularly, who are also acutely aware of the impact which negative thoughts can have. For this reason, St. John's Wort can be used to free up your mental energy for use in other areas such as focus and concentration. Please be sure to check the drug interaction warnings before taking St. John's Wort as it can conflict with a variety of other medications such as birth control and other antidepressants.
St. John's Wort can be ingested and used in many ways. For our purposes, we recommend using a combination of the flowers and the leaves in an herbal tea blend.4. Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri) is a genus of aquatic plant found in many regions of the world. It has been used in Ayurvedic Medicine for thousands of years and is known in India as medhya rasayan which means "Brain Tonic." It is reported to have numerous benefits including enhanced memory development, concentration, and learning, as well as antioxidant and anticancerous effects. The ingestion of Bacopa has little to no known side effects to date, but we welcome any new information regarding this statement if any exists.
You can prepare Bacopa in a variety of ways. The flowers can be pulverized and used as a food additive (perhaps in a smoothie) and the leaves can be used in an herbal tea. We suggest a combination of both leaves and flowers for the full effect.If you have any other suggestions for this post, please email them to david@novicemonk.com
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
