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<< a light-hearted interview featuring Herbstalk teachers & vendors >> Liat is the founder of Tamim Teas, the nation’s first herbal tea company exclusively dedicated to the benefits of medicinal mushrooms. She'll be one of our vendors at the Herbstalk Marketplace offering her array of wonderful mushroom-based tea blends.
What steps did you take to start Tamim Teas? How did your work begin? I was just the average tea drinker - until I first heard about mushroom teas. My good friend contracted HIV and told me about how his herbalist recommended him to integrate medicinal mushrooms into his diet as a means to keep his immune system strong. It wasn’t long after that I, too, started making mushroom teas at home and learning more about all their amazing health benefits and long-time use in traditional medicine. I found that the taste of some of these medicinal mushrooms was not as satisfying as my other herbal teas, though. Simply put, drinking these teas was more about reaping health benefits than actual enjoyment. That’s when I had an epiphany, my spiritual ‘aha’ moment! I realized that if I carefully paired each medicinal mushroom with herbs and spices, I could not only add to the health properties but also make delicious herbal tea blends that I’d actually looked forward to drinking at any point of the day. I began by first making these herbal tea blends for friends and family, and slowly it become something that both health enthusiasts and tea lovers in my community were asking me for. That’s when I formed Tamim Teas and exclusively dedicated each one of my herbal tea blends to the benefits of organic mushrooms. Did you come across any stumbling blocks or challenges along the way? I believe that sourcing medicinal mushrooms from organic local farms ensures the best flavor and functionality. That being said, traveling to farms and getting to know my farmer is no easy feat. It takes time! Of course, it would be a lot easier to simply order mushroom powders or extracts online. But it’s disturbing to discover that most of what is being offered on the internet is from unknown sources, and in the same way that I wouldn't want to consume other foods from questionable sources, I would never want a mushroom tea without knowing that the actual mushroom came from a trustworthy New England family farmer. The second challenge is always a fun one – talking with people who have never heard of mushroom tea. Many people jokingly (or not jokingly) ask if it’s a psychedelic tea, not knowing about other types of mushroom tea that have long traditions of therapeutic use in eastern cultures. Others assume that all mushrooms have the same savory taste as the ones they eat and don’t realize that some - like chaga and reishi - are actually inedible, taste completely different than culinary mushrooms, and have been exclusively brewed as a tea for generations. It brings me no greater joy than to have people first learn about medicinal mushrooms through their sips of Tamim.  Do you have any non-herbal hobbies or pursuits? I love dancing. I can’t go too long without closing my eyes and letting music transport me to another dimension. If going out to dance is not an option, I simply plug in my earphones and convert my living room into a silent disco. I'm a firm believer that 'to boogie is a life blessing'. What has been your main focus as of recent? Handcrafting a new blend! I love learning and working with new herbs, and when I found out that holy basil/tulsi was the herb of the year at Herbstalk, I knew I wanted to dedicate a blend to it! I have to admit, it took time and patience to create this newest blend. In fact, I concocted different tulsi-based blends almost daily for nearly two months, even when traveling abroad to visit family on Curacao. I finally nailed the perfectly balanced blend with nourishing tulsi, refreshing ginger, and both revitalizing lion's mane and maitake mushrooms. I am so excited to share this blend and release it to the public for the first time at this year's Herbstalk!  Thank you, Liat!
You can learn more about Tamim Teas here and view the full line-up of Marketplace vendors here. The Market is open on Saturday, June 2nd from 10am to 6pm & Sunday, June 3rd from 10am to 4pm by Patrice Green Fall is a time to traditionally hunt and harvest mushrooms, and an appropriate time to learn more about a specific group - the medicinal mushrooms. Specifically, let's take a closer look at Reishi and Chaga.  Reishi: (Red Reishi / Ganoderma lucidum / Ling Zhi) Known as the King of all medicinal mushrooms, Reishi is well known for its immune-enhancing properties. An herbal adaptogen, Reishi's goal is to restore the body to homeostasis. Safe to take daily over a long period of time, Reishi is one of the most revered herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine, earning it the nickname The Mushroom of Immortality. Known to help balance the endocrine system, Reishi helps with thyroid disorders. A powerful Shen tonic, Reishi has a profound affect on the nervous system, calming the spirit and helping the mind to focus. Reishi grows on decaying trees, preferring maple. Not recommended for use in conjunction with chemotherapy or other treatments designed to reduce the immune system, Reishi is particularly suited to helping re-build the body, mind and spirit post-treatment.  Chaga: (Inonotus obliquus) Chaga grows on birch trees and can be found in cold climates over most of the world. Long known as a folk remedy to the people of Siberia, Chaga is quite unique in its appearance, looking more like a chunk of tree bark than what one would normally think of as a mushroom. It is brown with blackened outer surface, much like charcoal or like it has been exposed to flames, but not completely burned. In other countries and cultures, Chaga is known as a powerful anti-tumor and anti-carcinogenic remedy, as well as a longevity tonic. Like Reishi, it is adaptogenic. Chaga is also a powerful anti-oxidant. In the human body there is a group of enzymes responsible for protection against free radicals and random oxidation called SuperOxide Dismutases, or SOD. As we age, our levels of SOD decrease. Chaga tea is known to stimulate our body's own production of SOD. Chaga and Turkey Tails in combination often offer relief to those undergoing cancer treatments. I was first introduced to the benefits of chaga when my mother was undergoing treatment for lung cancer. After vetting the herbs with the doctors at Dana Farber's Zakim Center, she began a daily habit of drinking three to four cups of chaga and turkey tails tea. Her doctors were amazed by how well she responded to treatment. Her tumor continued to progressively reduce until it disappeared. She did have a recurrence after stopping the tea for several months. However, she resumed her chaga regimen, in conjunction with acupuncture and has been cancer free for over 15 months. Recently my father, who has had pre-cancerous prostate issues for several years, went for a check up. He has also been enjoying the tea along with my mother. His physician was amazed that his PSA levels were normal for the first time in years. Is it the chaga? I don't know. I do know that my dad will be 90 in a few weeks and still has a spring in his step. Chaga normalizes blood pressure and cholesterol levels, optimizes the immune system, is both anit-inflammatory and anti-viral. A wonderful source of further information about this powerful medicinal mushroom can be found here. As always, consult your physician before taking any supplements. If you're interested in learning more about Reishi, Chaga and other medicinal mushrooms, I recommend reading anything written by the amazing Paul Stamets.
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