r/NaturopathicMedicine

Is there a natural way to prevent mosquito bites? Also, what is the best way to reduce reaction to bites?

With your feedback this recipe could be tweaked to become a legit way of making mushroom medicine at home. It is similar to the traditional single extract 1:1 hot water mushroom extract powder recipes found online, but adapted to a mason jar in an instant pot and attempts to incorporate the mushroom wisdom of u/Kostya93, the moderator of this subreddit.

This is completely new to me. I’m not a chef or alchemist, just disappointed with what I buy and now want to know what is in my mushroom supplements. I’ve used this recipe for only 6 batches of online purchased “ground” lions mane, chaga and turkey tail USA wild foraged fully mature fruiting bodies.

PREPARE

1. fill Ball, Kerr or similar mason jar(s) halfway with warm, pure, mineral-free water, such as distilled water.

2. use mushroom “powder”. Grind fruiting bodies or “ground” mushrooms to a powder. I pulse a low watt electric “spice grinder”. My understanding is this does not generate enough heat to damage the mushroom medicines.

3. add a tablespoon or two of mushroom powder to the jar(s) and give it a few minutes to mix with the warm water and rehydrate. This is a tricky part. How much powder can be added to the water to get a successful extraction plus the maximum amount of finished product? Six tablespoons powder (3 ounces) to 8 ounces of water could be a beginning batch for you. This ratio is 1:2.7. The mushroom types seem to have different optimum ratios.

4. repeat step 3 above until the jar contents no longer swirl 100% easily top to bottom, or it appears the decoction is half powder and half water. Leave space for headroom. Let it settle 30 minutes and add more water if necessary. Filling mason jars in instant pots up to 70% is a limit often mentioned. What defines a successful extraction? Is it when the decoction will easily swirl in the jar after cooking? Or can it be pushed to have a higher ratio of powder? How little water to have a successful extraction? Extra water after cooking is not a problem, it just extends the time to get to a powder.

EXTRACT

1. place trivet in instant pot stainless steel liner

2. add water to the instant pot liner slightly less than the top of the trivet, about 2 cups

3. finger tighten mason jar(s) using the standard 2 piece top

4. set time to 40 minutes for 15 psi or 50 minutes for less than 15 psi. The instant pot community says to increase cook time by 1.3 for less than 15 psi instant pots. 10 minutes has been added because of the pot-in-pot mason jar. The glass is an insulator and delays the initial boil, so some time has been added. Is 10 minutes correct?

5. set high pressure, set keep warm off, do natural pressure relief and begin pressure cook

6. after the cook and when natural pressure relief has ended wait a few minutes longer then carefully place very hot jar(s) on a padded room temp item (like a dish towel or silicone pad)

7. when the jar(s) are cool enough to open agitate the decoction. I’m using the whisk attachment on a milk frother for 60 seconds. Would a home ultrasonic cleaner be useful? Other comments?

8. the extract is complete! You can consume this.

9. If you are not ready to proceed to a shelf-stable powder, place jar(s) in fridge for a week or in freezer for longer term

REDUCE

1. warm the uncovered decoction on a low temp (120F to 130F) dry heat source, avoiding direct heat. I’m transferring each jar into 3 flat-bottom stainless steel 4” cake pans. By using mason jar screw lids as a trivet for each pan, place the pans on the large burner of a ceramic stove top or similar, or an electric skillet. A mug warmer should work too. Set the heat source on lowest temp and use a thermometer to test the temperature of the liquid. The mason jar takes too long so I divide the decoction into 3 pans.

2. dehydrate the reduced decoction when the consistency is like ketchup

DEHYDRATE

1. food dehydrator - scrape reduced decoction onto a fruit leather tray(s) or parchment paper. Set the temp to 110F. Be patient, it takes 15 plus hours and needs to be monitored. Your machine may specify a limit of fruit leather trays at the same time, because they inhibit air flow. Turn off the machine at night until you are experienced. When it is solid enough to flip, do it. Then when it gets dry, flip it again. If it breaks up, no problem, just turn over the pieces. Stop when it is leathery and brittle, snapping easily. It snaps in two, does not bend. Let it cool in the dehydrator overnight. 95F takes too long.

2. other methods - there are articles online about using an oven or air drying

STORE

1. grind into powder. Seems a fine powder as seen in purchased extract powder capsules would be good to maximize surface area for absorption.

2. store in clear glass bottles with a tight seal, such as baby food jars. The clear glass is to monitor any mold etc. should it happen.

3. add a 1 gram Kraft silicon dessicant to the jar

4. store same as purchased extract powder

5. shake the jar now and then

DOSE

I’m not qualified to describe a dose, however I measure out my powder with a gram scale.

Ive done a gi map test that showed a bit of hpylori..but all my Endoscopy and stool/breath test have shown negative, originally i was chasing sibo. The strange thing is out of all the 50 supplements I have tried, antibiotics, herbals, minerals, nac, etc list goes on the thing that helped my bloating the most was mastic gum. I did have to stop because my stomach got irritated, but because mastic gum did help the most it leads me to believe it really might be hpylori???

Hello all! Looking into ND program at NUNM. I would be moving from Florida and would be super excited to attend! I was wondering what the classroom setting is like and how student to student interactions are. I did shadow one school where the professor went off on a tangent for 10 minutes on political topics without relating to class lecture material, and was wondering if political beliefs often are used to supplement material here due to the progressive nature of Portland.

TL:DR— I’m from Florida and have conservative beliefs and don’t want to deal with unprofessional belief incorporation into lecture. What expectations should I set for myself. Lol

I am very possibly making a big deal out of nothing, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.

I am currently working as a facilities manager in an adult family home, house people on various medications. I just discovered a beautiful, wild St. John’s Wort plant in our yard, and I am familiar with the precautions of SJW and various medications. I was wondering if I should be concerned about any interactions with medications if someone were to come in contact with the pollen? I’m not concerned about any of our residents eating it or anything, but if the pollen could cause interactions I will remove it from the grounds, as they do spend time relaxing in the yard.

Hello,

Has anyone been seen by Dr Sheila Kenneally, naturopath?

She seems very knowledgeable, but I can't seem to find any reviews of her work online.

For context, I have multiple diagnosis, PCOS, gastroparesis, NAFL, sleep apnea, extreme weight gain, mold toxin, insulin resistance etc.