The Magic of Mushrooms
An organism that can help alleviate depression, slow down global warming, and make humans healthier and more resilient? Sign me up. This magical organism is fungi. Around 120,000 species of fungi have been identified, but there are likely millions of different species on our planet today. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungus.
I have been consuming medicinal mushrooms for about 5 years now, and they are one of the most important parts of my health routine. Today I want to tell you about 3 of my favorite mushrooms: Reishi, Lion's Mane, and Turkey Tail.
All 3 of these mushrooms have adaptogenic properties. The coolest thing about adaptogens is that they have a bi-directional influence. If your immune-system is over-activated like in the case of auto-immunity or allergies, adaptogens can help regulate the immune response. On the flip side, if your immune system is depressed, that same adaptogen can enhance your immune response. Adaptogens bring your body back into balance.
As always, please consult your healthcare practitioner before starting a new supplement to ensure it is not contraindicated for you.
Reishi:
Reishi is often called the mushroom of immortality and for good reason. There are 6 different types of Reishi mushrooms all with different healing qualities. The most commonly studied is Red Reishi. Reishi mushrooms have been show to help:
Boost immunity thanks in part to their beta-glucan content which are polysaccharides that stimulate immune function
Support liver health
Reduce stress and anxiety and reduce symptoms of insomnia
Combat asthma and allergies
Support respiratory function and relieve coughs (White Reishi)
Prevent and treat altitude sickness
In reading about how Covid-19 presents similarly to altitude sickness and knowing that Reishi can be supportive to the respiratory system, I wonder if it could play a role in helping individuals recover.
Lion's Mane:
Lion’s Mane is the brain mushroom! If your goal is improving brain health, I suggest looking into this beautiful mushroom (that really looks like a Lion’s Mane). Lion’s Mane shows promise for:
Stimulating cognitive function and improving memory
Stimulating nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which stimulate the production of new brain cells and strengthen existing ones
Preventing neuronal damage caused by amyloid-beta plaques which accumulate in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease
Relieving mild depression and anxiety
Reducing inflammation
Regenerating myelin
Turkey Tail:
Turkey Tail is a powerful immune boosting mushroom. There is even anecdotal evidence of Turkey Tail fighting tumors. Turkey Tail is:
Currently being studied as a cancer-fighting food and there is evidence Turkey Tail may improve cancer survival
Shown to stave off infections like the common cold or flu
Beneficial for gut health due to it’s prebiotic content that feed good bacteria in the gut
Shown to reduce inflammation
It's important that you buy a high-quality mushroom supplement or you will just be wasting your money. Many of the medicinal mushrooms on the market today are not actually mushrooms but mycelium on grain - grain is injected with a fungal culture and the mycelium grows out of the grain. "Mushrooms" that grow this way typically have a starch content of up to 70% and very low levels of the active ingredients of mushrooms like beta-glucans. Real Mushrooms is currently the only brand of mushrooms I trust. I'm not saying that they're the only good brand of mushrooms on the market, but they are the only ones I've found so far.
If you are interested in learning more about the incredible fungi kingdom, I highly recommend watching Fantastic Fungi. The film shares more about how fungi might play a role in fighting climate change, magic mushroom’s effects on mental health, and many other fascinating properties of fungi.
