Cordyceps has been regarded in Chinese Medicine as one of the best anti-aging, rejuvenation, and longevity promoting substances found in nature. It is said to be a balanced tonic herb because it contains both yin and yang. It also tonifies the kidney jing energy as well as strengthening Lung capacity. It also promotes healthy immune function, and has an adaptogenic effect on the body.
Cordyceps has a rich concentration of rare molecules called polysaccharides, which give it the ability to modulate and balance the immune system. Other herbs that contain these polysaccharides would be reishi mushroom, goji berry, astragalus, chaga mushroom, and aloe vera.
A polysaccharide is basically a long chain sugar molecule, which is unique for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it is bitter in taste due to its long chain chemical structure, unlike other sugars like fructose or sucrose, which are very sweet to the taste, have a very limited action in the body, and also have a very short chain chemical structure. These polysaccharides are also unique because they plug into receptor sites on immune cells and from there help the immune system to do its job more effectively and efficiently. Its important to note that this is not an immune stimulate or immune depressant effect but more so immuno-regulation or balancing.
What this means is that these herbs do not simply stimulate or depress the immune system like many other immuno-influencing herbs. These herbs actually balance and modulate the immune system, or in the other words these herbs can assist the immune system where it needs assisting. So if there is an area, which is under active, it can bring it back up to balance. If there is an area that is over active, it can actually calm that back down to balance. This indicates that these herbs are very intelligent and worthy of the title adaptogens because they not only help us adapt to stress, but they also intelligently and gently adapt to the current level of homeostasis in the body.
This is beneficial and important for a myriad of reasons. One of them being the fact that virus and bacteria are intelligent organisms, which are constantly evolving and changing. So keeping this in mind it might make sense to ingest things, which can keep our immune system strong and balanced. Secondly, we are constantly being exposed to stressors and toxins in our environment, which can have negative effects on our immune system. On top of that, the daily experience of living can stress us out and we now understand the effects that the stress hormones like cortisol can have on the immune system.
So from these examples perhaps you can now see and understand the importance of consuming immuno-regulating herbs on a regular basis. Herbs, which are adaptogens and intelligent, not merely immune stimulants or immune depressants, but herbs, which gently balance, modulate, and strengthen over time and in accordance to the needs of our bodies.
On top of its great properties for the immune system cordyceps is also considered an adaptogenic substance that helps to prevent aging, while supporting longevity and youthfulness. It is a rejuvenation tonic that is often used by those who are recovering from illness, extended periods of stress, and general feelings of fatigue due to its ability to tonify the yin and yang kidney jing energy.