In recent years, trends in the treatment and prevention of diseases, which are not based on pharmaceuticals, but on those products that nature itself gives us, have become very popular. One of them is a red fly agaric.
Today we will talk with you about its properties, uses, and take a historical tour of the consumption practices of this amazing mushroom.
General characteristic
The red fly agaric is widespread in Europe, Asia, North and South America. Moreover, it is found everywhere except Antarctica.
The cap of the mushroom has a spherical shape, and in adulthood, a column-shaped flat shape with a diameter of 5 to 20 cm. The color varies from orange to bright red (it fades with age), the surface is covered with white or slightly yellow specks (warts remaining from the mushroom cover), which can be washed away by rain in adulthood. Old mushrooms on the edge of the cap have clearly defined stripes. The plates are white, with age they turn somewhat yellow, thick, with an uneven edge. The flesh of the mushroom is white, with a characteristic pleasant smell.
The leg of the mushroom is dense, cylindrical, white, 10-20 cm high, 2-3.5 cm in diameter. From below, it has a cube-shaped thickening, which is covered with white warts, as if sprinkled with flakes in a circle. The ring is soft, has a white color, and sags with age.
In addition to the red fly agaric , there are many other species, which, however, are less often used for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Or not used at all. These are royal, panther, toadstool (lemon), porphyry (gray), gray-pink, cone-shaped, bright yellow and others.
Historical retrospective
Lithuania
A well-known historian and anthropologist from Lithuania, Maria Gimbutas mentioned in her writings that for ritual rites in remote areas of Lithuania during weddings, red fly agaric infused in vodka was used. It is also mentioned that the Lithuanians delivered dried red toadstools to the northern countries of Europe for the Sami, which they used in their shamanic rituals. The consumption of the mushroom by the population of Lithuania is the only documented evidence of the mysteries with the consumption of the red agaric mushroom in the territories of Eastern Europe.
Siberia
As an enthiogenic agent, red fly agaric was used by the indigenous peoples of Siberia. It was actively practiced by the Paleo-Asian and Uralic-speaking ethnic groups, and to a lesser extent by the Turkic and Tungus peoples. The use of the mushroom was entirely the prerogative of shamans, who used it to achieve a state of trance. Cases of consumption of raw, dried amanita, and even the urine of a person who ate the mushroom have been described. In the last exotic case, this person served as a certain molecular filter, because psychoactive substances from urine can act more actively on the human body, but at the same time there are no negative factors of influence - there is no increased sweating, spasms of the limbs, involuntary twitching of the limbs, nervous tics.
Wealthy residents could buy red fly agaric from shamans. The latter used, as a rule, old mushrooms. But the hunters of the tribe, on the contrary, were given caps of young mushrooms.
Northern European countries
Many historical sources testify that the warlike inhabitants of the north used special infusions that allowed them to reach a state of martial trance. This applies to Berserkers, Swinfilkings and Ulfhednar. There is a theory that for this they prepared a drink, one of the ingredients of which was exactly red amanita.
Japan
Red fly agaric is used only in some regions of the country, and as food. It is most widely used in Nagano Prefecture. There it is used in fried and pickled form, as well as salted.
Countries of North and South America
In this region of the world, red fly agaric was used quite actively. In South America, the mushroom was an important element of food. Some researchers compared the degree of use of the mushroom with cassava, which was eaten by the inhabitants of the tropics and which also required preliminary treatment (detoxification). To do this, the amanita was first steamed, and then soaked in grape vinegar. In North America, a sauce was prepared from it, which was served with meat. Such a case is described in the works of the botanist F. Kovill.
How the mushroom was used
Historical studies have described many ways of using the mushroom. Among them:
- In raw form.
- Baked.
- Fried.
- Dried
- Meat of deer that ate a lot of fly agaric.
- In the form of tinctures.
- In the form of decoctions.
In the writings of researchers and historians, 3 stages of fly agaric intoxication are described, which occurred during ritual rites:
- Excitement, improved mood, fun without a reason, increased physical strength.
- Hallucinogenic manifestations: reality takes the form of new dimensions, people see and communicate with spirits, hear voices, smell new aromas. At the same time, they react normally to familiar stimuli, can communicate with the people around them, and maintain a conversation.
- A person completely enters a changed state, loses contact with reality, "moves" into the world of spirits. The condition is complemented by high physical activity. At the end of the third stage, a heavy narcotic sleep occurs.
Properties of red fly agaric
It is obvious that such attraction to the hero of our material is not accidental. It is explained by its useful properties. Let's talk about them in more detail.
The main psychoactive active substance of the mushroom is the alkaloid muscimol. It is a nootropic, as well as a psychocorrector. Therefore, one of the features of the use of amanita is that in the treatment of mild and moderate psychological problems there is no need for parallel work with a psychiatrist.
Thanks to the regular use of the mushroom, you can expect improved sleep, work capacity, increased energy, and leveling of borderline states. Also, muscimol is a competitor of ethanol for the GABA receptors of the brain, that is, it is quite natural to reduce the craving for alcoholic beverages on a physical level.
Externally, red amanita mushrooms are used in the form of ointments or tinctures for quick healing of wounds, burns, and frostbite. For the treatment of some skin diseases, including eczema. These tools are also helpful for problems with the musculoskeletal system - for pain in the joints and muscles, lower back and bones. And also when depositing salts.
A modern view of the use of red amanitas
Of course, today no one will use ancient practices, most of which are related to shamanic rituals and entering a state of altered consciousness. The availability of some studies and data on the practical use of red amanita have formed the best way to take advantage of its healing properties. And this is microdosing .
Using the mushroom in microdoses allows you to use only its positive effects, eliminating the potential negative factors that are possible with large doses. In addition, red fly agaric is not addictive and does not have a "withdrawal syndrome".
We offer you ready-made products in our Muhomornya online store. You can buy red fly agaric in encapsulated, powdered form, or whole caps. We also have tincture, hood and ointment. You can purchase the product yourself by adding it to the cart, completing and paying for the order. Within a day after receiving the funds, we will send you a parcel with a healing mushroom.
