January, 6 2024 | by SILVANA JAKUPOVIC, ND
Medicinal Mushrooms for Beginners
Medical mushrooms or medicinal mushrooms are a group of edible and medicinal fungi used for thousands of years in traditional medicine practices to promote health and wellness. Functional mushrooms have gained attention in recent years due to their potential therapeutic properties and health benefits, including their ability to enhance the immune system, improve natural immunity, and reduce inflammation.
These healing mushrooms contain various bioactive compounds, such as beta-glucans, terpenoids, and polyphenols, that are believed to be responsible for their therapeutic effects.
• What are Medicinal Mushrooms?
• Medicinal Mushroom Routine #1
• Medicinal Mushroom Routine #2
• How to Choose the Right Routine
• Where to Buy Quality Mushroom Supplements?
Introduction to Medicinal Mushrooms: The Importance of Medicinal Mushrooms on Your Health
Medicinal mushrooms have been attributed to approximately 130 medicinal activities [1]. There are many types of healthy mushrooms with beneficial compounds. Still, medicinal mushrooms contain the highest levels of antioxidants, beta-glucans, terpenoids and other constituents that may allow us to achieve optimal health and vitality.
Medicinal mushrooms are biological response modifiers, also known as immunomodulators, and they work by targeting the disease-causing mechanisms [2]. When used for prolonged periods as preventative medicine, they boost immune health and prevent the onset of various medical conditions. This action is one of the reasons why medicinal mushrooms have become a traditional remedy in cancer therapy in conjunction with conventional care [3].
Although their claim to fame is their immune-boosting capabilities, medicinal mushrooms may also support brain and cardiovascular health, mental health, exercise tolerance, and skin health and may prevent oxidative stress.
If you are new to medicinal mushrooms, this information may be overwhelming, making it difficult to begin incorporating mushrooms into your daily routine. Below, we’ve outlined a couple of sample daily routines bursting with medicinal mushrooms!
Medicinal Mushroom Guide: Easy Routines for Using Medicinal Mushrooms
Medicinal Mushroom Routine #1
AM (Medicinal Mushrooms for Wellness):
1) Add ½ tsp of Eversio Wellness’ Awaken Blend into your morning cup of coffee, tea, smoothie, or overnight oats!
a. The Awaken Blend contains the mushroom extracts of Turkey Tail, Lion’s Mane, and Cordyceps; all formulated together to support mental agility, energy levels, and immune system function.
Noon (Medicinal Mushrooms for Energy):
1) Suppose you are looking to beat that afternoon slump or struggling to find a natural pre-workout. Adding Cordyceps mushroom extract to your lunch or workout routine may prevent you from grabbing that extra coffee or missing the workout altogether.
a. Known as mother nature’s all-natural performance enhancer, Cordyceps mushroom extracts are commonly used by athletes to boost energy, improve stamina, and increase endurance without caffeine or any chemical stimulants. Clinical trials have shown that Cordyceps results in many of these benefits because it upregulates energy-producing pathways in the body and increases ATP, which is an energy-carrying molecule found in our cells [4].
PM (Medicinal Mushrooms for Stress):
1) Introduce Reishi mushroom extract to your nighttime routine to improve sleep quality and ensure a more restful sleep. Light a candle, grab your journal, and experience the calming effects of Reishi, preparing your body for a good night’s rest.
a. Reishi mushroom benefits: an extract of Ganoderma lucidum was studied for its effects on sleep clinically and physiologically and found that not only did Reishi improve sleep time, sleep quality, and sleep latency, but it acted in benzodiazepine-like fashion without the adverse effects or dependence seen in pharmaceutical usage [5].
Medicinal Mushroom Routine #2
AM (Medicinal Mushrooms for Overall Health):
1) Add ½ tsp of Eversio Wellness’ Rejuvenate Blend to your morning coffee, tea, smoothie, or overnight oats.
a. The Rejuvenate Blend is a formulation of 6 different mushroom extracts (Oyster, Chaga, Tremella, Lion’s Mane, Shiitake, and Maitake) that provide potent antioxidant effects that protect against the development of oxidative stress.
b. Our susceptibility to develop oxidative stress increases as we age, resulting in many signs and symptoms we experience with aging. Additionally, we may suffer from premature aging and an increased risk of many chronic diseases if we do not have adequate antioxidant systems. Thus, this anti-aging superstar supports our bodies as we age naturally and gracefully.
Noon (Medicinal Mushrooms for Mental Clarity):
1) If you’re finding yourself in the middle of your workday struggling with concentration and focus or just simply having difficulty with staying on task, adding Lion’s Mane mushroom extract into your routine may be the change your day needs.
a. Lion’s Mane Mushroom Benefits: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an early stage of memory loss or other loss of cognitive ability. A randomized control trial studied the effects of Lion’s Mane mushroom extract compared to placebo on Japanese men and women diagnosed with MCI [6]. At weeks 8, 12, and 16 of the trial, the Lion’s Mane group consistently showed significant improvement in cognitive functioning compared to the placebo group [6].
PM (Medicinal Mushrooms for Immunity and Health):
1) Adding ½ tsp of Eversio Wellness’ Balance Blend to your nighttime tea can significantly help to unwind your body and mind after a stressful day.
a. This extract blend contains Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Maitake, and Shiitake, all working together to strengthen the immune system, improve cognitive function, relieve stress, and enhance sleep quality.
How to Choose the Right Medicinal Mushrooms for Your Health and Wellness
Suppose you want to incorporate medicinal mushrooms into daily routine. In that case, there are several important factors to consider when choosing the right medicinal mushroom for your needs. Make sure to identify your health goals; different types of mushrooms have different potential health benefits, so it's essential to identify your specific health goals before choosing a mushroom supplement. For example, if you're looking to boost your immune system, you may want to choose a product that provides Turkey Tail mushroom benefits.
Another important consideration is the form in which you’d like to take your mushroom supplement. While some individuals enjoy taking medicinal mushroom capsules, mushroom extract powders can be made into tea or coffee to start your morning with. Additionally, you may be looking for a mushroom extract blend full of multiple mushrooms working synergistically together to provide various medicinal mushroom benefits.
When purchasing from companies prioritizing quality and consumer transparency, such as Eversio Wellness,there is no real difference between consuming medicinal mushrooms in their capsular or powdered forms. Mushroom powders are often extract blends, meaning several different species are combined into one product.
While you are consuming a smaller medicinal mushroom dosage, they work synergistically and provide multiple health benefits together. On the other hand, if you desire the effect of one specific mushroom, then consuming the mushroom extract in its capsular form would be ideal, as it’ll provide the highest possible concentrations of that mushroom.
Where to Find Quality Medicinal Mushroom Products?
The medicinal mushroom market is vast, but knowing the ingredients in the products you purchase is essential. A mushroom product containing grain products should be listed in the “other ingredients” section. Some companies advertise “full spectrum” as a beneficial aspect of their product, but this means that the product is watered down, and you’d need to consume much more of it to achieve the same benefits as you would from a product containing 100% fruiting body. Remember these things to ensure you’re purchasing the most potent mushrooms.
Eversio Wellness offers 100% fruiting body mushroom extracts and is transparent with its consumers by sharing each product's COAs (Certificate of Analysis). The COAs confirm that the percentage of compounds claimed to be in the products is scientifically verified through lab testing. Not only do COAs ensure the percentages of beneficial constituents, but they also test heavy metal and microbial contents so you can be sure you’re getting the best mushroom supplements possible. There’s no better time to buy mushrooms online from Eversio Wellness.
If you are interested in learning more about medicinal mushrooms, look at this page and all the products that Eversio Wellness offers here.
We hope you have found this article informative. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comment section below!
Related Articles:
Make Mushroom Supplements Part of Your Wellness Routine
How To Start A Functional Mushroom Wellness Routine
4 Mushroom Supplements to Boost Your Health Routine
References:
[1] Chugh RM, Mittal P, Mp N, Arora T, Bhattacharya T, Chopra H, Cavalu S, Gautam RK. Fungal Mushrooms: A Natural Compound With Therapeutic Applications. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jul 13;13:925387. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.925387. PMID: 35910346; PMCID: PMC9328747.
2] Mirończuk-Chodakowska I, Kujawowicz K, Witkowska AM. Beta-Glucans from Fungi: Biological and Health-Promoting Potential in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era. Nutrients. 2021 Nov 6;13(11):3960. doi: 10.3390/nu13113960. PMID: 34836215; PMCID: PMC8623785.
[3] PDQ Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies Editorial Board. Medicinal Mushrooms (PDQ®): Patient Version. 2022 Jul 29. In: PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Cancer Institute (US); 2002-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424937/
[4] Hirsch KR, Smith-Ryan AE, Roelofs EJ, Trexler ET, Mock MG. Cordyceps militaris Improves Tolerance to High-Intensity Exercise After Acute and Chronic Supplementation. J Diet Suppl. 2017 Jan 2;14(1):42-53. doi: 10.1080/19390211.2016.1203386. Epub 2016 Jul 13. PMID: 27408987; PMCID: PMC5236007.
[5] Chu QP, Wang LE, Cui XY, Fu HZ, Lin ZB, Lin SQ, Zhang YH. Extract of Ganoderma lucidum potentiates pentobarbital-induced sleep via a GABAergic mechanism. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2007 Apr;86(4):693-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pbb.2007.02.015. Epub 2007 Feb 22. PMID: 17383716.
[6] Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K, Azumi Y, Tuchida T. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2009 Mar;23(3):367-72. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2634. PMID: 18844328.
Comments (0)
Back to Wellness Blog