Most people living in the western world are not familiar with the healing benefits of medicinal mushrooms. In eastern cultures, mushrooms have been valued as a rich source of culinary and therapeutic bounty for thousands of years. What you also might not know is that mushrooms are very closely related to human beings. As strange as this might sound, when humans eat mushrooms, the potent medicinal constituents are recognized by the body and easily absorbed. Fungi have the ability to keep bacteria and mold at bay and when we consume these fungi they are loaded with immune boosting properties from which we benefit greatly.

What are mushrooms?

Mushrooms, known as nature’s hidden secret, are edible fungi from the family Agaricus. They are Saprophytes, which means plants without chlorophyll. Mushrooms extract nutrients from dead and decaying plant and animal matter. There are are 140,000 different species of mushroom-forming fungi in the world. Approximately one hundred species are being studied for their therapeutic value.

Types of mushrooms

The following mushrooms will not only balance and boost your immune system, they will increase oxygen to your cells, regulate blood sugar, help you sleep like a baby, lower your stress levels and improve your physical and emotional health in ways that will amaze you.

Reishi (Ganoderma Lucidum)

If you are familiar with any medicinal mushroom at all it is probably the reishi, a mushroom that is native to Asia. This particular mushroom has been used for thousands of years in the orient. It is highly valued by the Chinese who refer to it as the “Mushroom of Immortality”, “The Great Protector” and “The Herb of Good Fortune.”

Reishi also known as lingzhi mushrooms grow above the ground and produce a “fruiting body” as well as connective strands, which are made into a tincture, tea, extract or powder for medicinal purposes.

While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to substantiate the medicinal value of the Reishi mushroom, modern science is not far behind in its recognition of this powerful fungus. The reishi mushroom is now researched more than any other herbal substance on the planet. Studies have revealed that this mushroom can protect against a number of serious conditions including:

  • Inflammation
  • Liver disease
  • Food allergies
  • Asthma
  • Fatigue
  • Skin disorders
  • Diabetes
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Tumor growth and cancer
  • Viruses
  • High blood pressure
  • Hypertension
  • Insomnia
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Skin conditions
  • Digestive problems including leaky gut and ulcers
  • Infections such as urinary tract, respiratory and bronchitis

Reishi mushrooms act as an “immune modulator” and bring the body into balance, regulating hormones and the immune system which allows them to fight tumors and cancerous cells. The normalizing activity of this fungus also has a positive impact on the cardiovascular system, central nervous and digestive systems.

Although reishi mushrooms contain powerful medicinal properties, they are completely non toxic and rarely produce any side effects. People who use this mushroom for wellness report an almost immediate improvement in energy levels, mental capabilities, moods and a reduction in pain, infections and allergies.

What makes this fungus so powerful?

The reishi mushroom is so powerful due to its beneficial ingredients including:

  • Beta-glucans (complex sugars)
  • Plant sterols – precursors to hormones in the body
  • Polysaccharides – fight cancer cell development
  • Triterpenes – turn off body’s response to allergies

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)

Like the reishi mushroom, the chaga has been used medicinally for centuries. In fact, the first recorded use of chaga dates back to the 17th century in Russia where it was used as a remedy for many things including digestive disorders and cancer.

The chaga mushroom also known as cinder conk, birch conk and clinker polypore, grows mainly outside of birch trees in very cold climates. They are found in the wild in areas including northern Canada, Siberia and Alaska. Their appearance is lumpy and somewhat like a piece of burnt charcoal.

Chaga is often found in mushroom coffee and mushroom tea and has the highest ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity) value of any food. The greater the ORAC value, the more protection the food offers from free radicals that cause disease.

The Memorial Sloan Cancer Center reports that chaga mushrooms can slow the progression of cancer. One study, done in mice with metastatic cancer, found a 25% reduction in nodules compared to the control group. Another study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology looked at the impact that chaga mushroom had on liver cancer and it was found that the extract may prevent cancer cell growth.

In addition to its antioxidant and anti cancer properties, there are others therapeutic benefits of the chaga mushroom including:

  • Stress reducer
  • Blood purifier
  • Alkalinizer
  • Antiviral
  • Anti Inflammatory
  • Immune enhancing
  • Rich source of selenium, iron, zinc, chromium, manganese, copper and magnesium

Cordyceps (Ophiocordyceps sinensis)

In 1993 at the Asian Games, Chinese runners smashed two world records by immense margins. When their secret was revealed people were shocked! It was the caterpillar fungus – cordyceps.

If you are short on energy, this fungus is the answer. Cordyceps is valued for its ability to reduce fatigue and ramp up energy. Used in Chinese medicine for over 1,300 years, the first recorded use of this mushroom dates back to the Tang Dynasty in A.D. 620.

This amazing combination of a caterpillar and a fungus is found at high altitudes – above 14,000 feet in the Himalayas on the Tibetan plateau and at other super high altitudes around the world.

The Tibetans refer to this fungus as yartsa gunbu or “summer grass, winter worm.” Intense research regarding the health benefits of this fungus began after herders in Tibet noticed that yak, goat and sheet that ate it were very strong and robust.

This fungus has a bizarre life cycle that begins when spores land on caterpillars of a certain moth species and enters into their bodies. The caterpillars that are infected bury themselves under the soil and die. A strange thin, orange, finger like fungus bursts forth from the caterpillar’s head in the summer. At maturity, the fungus basically turns the caterpillar into a mummy.

Strange as it may sound, this cross between a fungus and a caterpillar has remarkable health benefits including:

  • Blood sugar regulation
  • Libido and sexual performance booster
  • Immune system support
  • Supports kidney health
  • Improved athletic performance
  • Supports heart health
  • Reduces fatigue

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

This mushroom is very popular in Chinese medicine and well known for its brain boosting properties. You will know a lions mane mushroom if you ever see one. It is a snowy-white, globe-shaped fungus that has spines that flow downward like icicles. It is also known monkey’s hedge and hedgehog fungus. It is found in China and Japan as well parts of Europe and North America on dead or dying broadleaf trees including walnut, oak, maple and sycamore.

The health benefits of this fungi, are like other mushrooms, phenomenal:

One study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry lists the benefits by stating lion’s mane mushroom is “antibiotic, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, anti-fatigue, antihypertensive, anti-hyperlipodemic, anti-senescence [anti-aging], cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and neuroprotective, and improves anxiety, cognitive function, and depression.”

Research has uncovered a host of health benefits including:

Tremella (Tremella Fuciformis)

Used for 2000 plus years in traditional Chinese medicine and cuisine, tremella mushrooms provide support can rev up the immune system and are traditionally used as a remedy for chronic coughs and asthma and to lower blood sugar and protect the liver.

Tremella mushrooms, also known as White Jelly Leaf, White Tree-Ear and Silver Ear mushroom, have been used for 2000 years in Traditional Chinese Medicine and cuisine. These mushrooms are amazing for boosting up our immune system, preventing cancer, and create a wonderful complexion and youthful skin.

Tremella mushrooms are found in warmer climates around the world and actually don’t take nutrients from trees but from other mushrooms that grow on trees, making it a mushroom parasite

. Here are just some of the ways that tremella mushrooms are great for your health:

  • Beautiful complexion – Simple sugars in this mushroom hold lots of water and can help the skin stay hydrated with a topical application.
  • Vitamin D – Because this mushroom contains a high amount of vitamin D it helps to build strong bones, boosts the immune system, maintains top cognitive function, protects against cancer and regulates blood sugar.
  • Protein – Tremella mushrooms contain 18 essential proteins.
  • Anti Aging – Tremella mushrooms contain superoxide dismutase which is a potent antioxidant and anti-aging compound.
  • Detoxification – This powerful fungus detoxifies the body and supports healthy liver and kidney function.

Turkey Tail (Coriolus versicolor)

This beautiful fungus is found in wooded areas in Europe and China with the most commonly found polypore in the oak woods of the Pacific Coast in America. It grows in clusters on fallen hardwood trees and branches, usually in large colonies. Its multi-colored concentric bands can be white, brown, black, gray, blue or red. Because its thin, velvety fruiting body fans out into rosettes resembling a turkey’s tail.

The Chinese have been brewing this mushroom as a tea for thousands of years with is earliest reported use during the Ming Dynasty in China. Referred to as kawaritake or “cloud mushrooms” by the Japanese, this fungus is well respected for its immune boosting properties. In Asian cultures, the shape of this mushroom is a symbol for “longevity and health, spiritual attunement and infinity”

Because this fungi have small pores that release spores, they are part of the polypore family. They can grow easily almost anywhere in the world where there are trees. This makes them one of the most commonly found mushrooms today.

Known for its ability to fight off colds and infections, this fungus is a great one to have around when cold and flu season approaches. In addition to boosting the immune system, there are numerous other research-backed benefits to this mushroom including:

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)

Shiitake mushrooms are a highly favored food source in China and around the world. In fact, they are the third most widely cultivated mushroom in the world. Shiitake are popular in grocery stores due to their rich and versatile flavor.

Besides being loaded with B vitamins, they are known to go to battle with cancer cells, and fight infections and cardiovascular conditions. Shiitake mushrooms contain antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties that help keep inflammation down and balance blood sugar.

Including shiitake mushrooms in your diet or taking a high quality supplement can also help fight obesity, boost energy levels, lift brain fog and allow you to keep your focus longer. Most Americans are low in the B vitamins and shiitake mushrooms give you that extra dose of B that can help bust fatigue and energy slumps.

In addition to vitamin B, shiitake mushrooms also contain a hearty dose of vitamin D which helps keep the immune system functioning, maintains healthy body weight, keeps the brain sharp with aging , reducing the risk of multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis in women. Along with salmon, raw dairy and eggs, mushrooms are the best vitamin D-rich foods. Shiitake mushrooms are also rich in selenium which helps them perform as a kind of natural treatment for acne.

Maitake (Grifola frondosa)

Fount in the mountains of northeastern Japan, maitake is Japanese for “dancing mushroom.” This is said to be the name given to this mushroom because people dance for joy for its health benefits.

Maitake mushrooms contain a certain polysaccharide fiber known as beta glucan which supercharges the production of immune system cells including T-cells, natural killer cells, macrophages and neutrophils. These cells helps increase your resistance to sickness and disease (including cancer) and help your body remove waste and speed up recovery from tissue damage.

Research also indicates that maitake mushrooms may decrease insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity as well as decrease blood pressure and total cholesterol levels. Like other mushrooms, maitake mushrooms are low in calories and high in fiber. Eating them helps you feel full faster and can decrease overall food intake . One study found that overweight adults who ate maitake mushrooms daily without changing anything else in their diet lost 7 to 13 pounds in two months

.A Note on Mushroom Collection and Usage

Because there are mushrooms out there that can cause great harm, it is always recommended that you take a mushroom specialist with you when mushroom hunting. Some common mushrooms look very much like their poisonous cousins.

Always consult a medical professional before using mushrooms medicinally. If you are in search of medicinal mushroom supplements including capsules, teas, powders etc.. always purchase only 100% organic and from a reputable source.