Does a food have the power to heal, recharge your body and reach your full human potential? As an undermethylator, if you’ve tried all of the typically prescribed lifestyle changes and supplements yet are totally new to medicinal mushrooms, you may have found your missing link. I have finally tried and understood the power of these little fungi and hope their benefits can be similarly experienced by yourself. Note; the brand and quality of supplement is really important, otherwise you are wasting your money. I have included high quality product recommendations in this article which I personally use. Note: you only need 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per day so these products do go a very long way. At first I found their prices quite high but when you compare the quality, potency and sustainability to other brands and realise one jar can take months to get through, the prices are reasonable.
Mushrooms are very unique to our world. They can be poisonous, psychedelic, delicious and nutritious. They can powerfully influence your mind, body and spirit. The good and the bad exist in equal measure.
Medicinal mushrooms are potent health-boosters, and their documented benefits are extraordinary.
Evolutionarily speaking, fungi are more closely related to humans than plants. They are not green, they have no leaves of roots and they never form flowers, fruits or seeds. This fact may be why many of the components that help mushrooms defend themselves against their enemies also support your body’s defence mechanisms and are increasingly being seen as a legitimate means to enhance your health and well-being. For example;
- All medicinal mushrooms contain beta glucans, which have been found to help fight inflammation and aid the immune system.
- Medicinal mushrooms are thought to protect against breast and other hormone-related cancers because they inhibit an enzyme called aromatase, which produces oestrogen.
- Medicinal mushrooms also contain a type of lectin that recognise cancer cells and prevent these cells from growing and dividing.
The following medicinal mushrooms will increase your energy, balance and restore your immune system, increase oxygen flow to your cells, improve your concentration and creativity, regulate your blood sugar, dampen your stress levels, promote restful sleep, and address a tapestry of physical, emotional, and mental health issues.
Reishi
Immunity, stress management, cardiovascular health, healthy sleep and mood, anti-ageing, reduced inflammation.
Reishi has the ability to boost the body’s immune system to protect it against pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Reishi, has been shown to boost the production of many components of the immune system, including natural killer cells, which detect and destroy cancer cells and cells infected with viruses.
The compounds in reishi work externally and internally to keep you looking young by reducing dermal oxidation (when proteins on the skin are damaged, causing wrinkles and other signs of ageing) and protecting your cellular DNA and mitochondria from oxidant damage, allowing you to remain energised, healthy and alert.
Regarded by ancient herbalists as the ‘mushroom of immortality’, modern herbalists love reishi for its powerful adaptogenic qualities, that help relieve stress and anxiety, strengthen the spirit and calm the mind (for a great sleep!).
Start with ¼ – ½ tsp daily. Stir into hot water or plant milk for an instant tonic tea. This extract works well in hot or cold drinks, broths and even meals. Use the coupon code “sydneystrengthconditioning10” at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your order.
Chaga
Alleviate symptoms of the common cold, anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, healthy hair and skin.
Like reishi, chaga has astonishing immunomodulating powers. Chaga polysaccharides, specifically its beta-glucans, have the ability to boost the production of lymphocytes (white blood cell that regulates the immune response to infectious microorganisms and other foreign substances). Chaga protects DNA via the anti-oxidant power of melanin, detoxes chemotherapy and supports the body responding to damaged cells, detoxes radiation, protects skin (melanin), tones pineal gland, balances blood sugar, is high in antioxidants, modulates the immune system, fights candida, boosts gut health and is a powerful anti-viral and -fungal.
Start with ¼ – ½ tsp daily. Stir into hot water or plant milk for an instant tonic tea. This extract works well in hot or cold drinks, broths and even meals. Use the coupon code “sydneystrengthconditioning10” at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your order.
Cordyceps
Stamina, energising, blood oxygenation, libido, reduce fatigue, anti-inflammatory, recovery.
Cordyceps is most notable for its energising effects, due to its beta-glucans. Those present in cordyceps, like all other beta-glucans, deliver oxygen to the body on a cellular level, which not only decreases the occurrence of disease but also increases energy and stamina. Cordyceps also significantly boosts adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in the body. ATP is the body’s main energy supply source and is required for all cellular processes.This may be one of the reasons why it has been found to improve stamina in athletic performance.
Cordyceps not only helps to neutralize harmful free radicals, it also enhances the activity of your body’s innate antioxidant systems.
Cordyceps have also been shown to help support balanced blood sugar levels.
Start with ¼ – ½ tsp daily. Stir into hot water or plant milk for an instant tonic tea. This extract works well in hot or cold drinks, broths and even meals. Use the coupon code “sydneystrengthconditioning10” at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your order.
Lion’s Mane
Memory, concentration, nervous system protection.
Lion’s mane has the ability to repair and regenerate neurons, resulting in improved cognitive function. Lion’s mane has also been known to mitigate and even reverse the effects of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia, among others.
Your body contains nerve growth factors (NGF), proteins that protect existing neurons and stimulate new neuron growth. NGF is necessary for the growth, maintenance, and survival of the neurons in your brain. Amazingly, lion’s mane stimulates the synthesis of NGF. It not only has the potential to help those suffering from neurological disorders, but through NGF stimulation, it can potentially reverse the cognitive deterioration that creeps up on many of us as we age. And unlike most pharmaceutical medicines that are used for cognitive function, lion’s mane has no known side effects.
Start with ¼ – ½ tsp daily. Stir into hot water or plant milk for an instant tonic tea. This extract works well in hot or cold drinks, broths and even meals. Use the coupon code “sydneystrengthconditioning10” at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your order.
Turkey Tail
Anti-cancer, anti-viral, immunity.
Like many other mushrooms, turkey tail is full of polysaccharides and triterpenes that give it its immunomodulating properties, providing overall immune support and regulation. But what sets turkey tail apart are two of its unique beta-glucans: PSK and PSP.
PSK has received national media attention for its anticancer properties. PSK and PSP in turkey tail have the ability to regenerate white blood cells (which are necessary to ward off infection) and stimulate the activity and creation of T-cells, macrophages, and natural killer (NK) cells, enabling the immune system to once again ward off and destroy pathogens. PSK is the best-selling anticancer drug in Japan, and is used in combination with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
Start with ¼ – ½ tsp daily. Stir into hot water or plant milk for an instant tonic tea. This extract works well in hot or cold drinks, broths and even meals. Use the coupon code “sydneystrengthconditioning10” at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your order.
Mason’s Mushrooms
Wild chaga, semi-wild reishi, semi-wild lion’s mane, cultivated cordyceps CS-4, semi-wild Agaricus blazei, semi-wild shiitake, semi-wild poria, semi-wild maitake extract powders.
A super-blend of nourishing medicinal mushrooms hand-picked to support immunity, gut health, hormonal function and the nervous system. Revered in ancient herbal traditions, these potent adaptogenic herbs boost vitality and encourage longevity.
Supports gastrointestinal tract and gut biome, energy and vitality, immunity and the nervous system.
Start with ¼ – ½ tsp daily. Stir into hot water or plant milk for an instant tonic tea. This extract works well in hot or cold drinks, broths and even meals. Use the coupon code “sydneystrengthconditioning10” at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your order.
Not sure where to start?
I started with the Mason’s Mushrooms blend to get a good mix of Chaga, Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Agaricus Blazei, Shiitake, Poria and Maitake. I add it to some cocoa and cocoa butter to make a morning hot chocolate. Sometimes I will add some coconut milk. The mushroom powder gives the drink a slightly earthy flavour but otherwise tastes wholesome and delicious.
And what about the common “table mushrooms” like button, crimini, portobello, or oyster? There is considerable evidence that all edible mushrooms, even the most common grocery store varieties, have potent health-boosting properties. But the most powerful may be the medicinal mushrooms described in this article.
Don’t just go for the cheapest brands out there! This article contains links to a brand I personally use and trust. If you cannot obtain fully wild mushrooms, ensure you are getting semi-wild cultivated (wild-crafted) varieties to ensure they are not raised in a monoculture on artificial mushroom ‘food,’ and to keep them as close to their ancestral roots as possible. These suggested products are routinely tested for heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury), contaminants such as yeast and mould, aflatoxins, pesticides, radiation, ethylene oxide (ETO) residue, E. Coli & Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus. Many mushroom supplements on the market will not have the same nutritional values or potencies as those which are of wild or semi-wild origin. Also ensure semi-wild cultivated herbs are grown without the use of harmful pesticides or herbicides and are grown sustainably.
If you enter the coupon code “sydneystrengthconditioning10” upon checking out at any of the products on the Superfeast site, you will receive a 10% discount.
To enjoying mushrooms and experiencing good health!
References
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310797100_Medicinal_mushrooms
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684115/
https://bmccomplementalternmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6882-13-370
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22207209
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19651243
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3585368/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18844328
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21383512
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/biomedres/31/4/31_4_231/_article
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5305591?reload=true&part=1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12470440
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4174424/