We are in the height of the cold season – pun intended!
It’s cold outside (and sometimes inside) and there are colds, flus, and other viruses (wink, wink) going around.
I am always on the lookout for new ways to keep my immune system strong, and I’m excited to share my research with you.
Apparently – shrooms are good for your immune system.
And while the mushrooms we buy in the produce department might be tasty and good for your health – I’m really talking about medicinal mushrooms.
Medicinal mushrooms are not new. Using them to boost your health is not new. They’ve been used for thousands of years in China and other places in the world.
But the research about how effective mushrooms are at modulating your immune system is new.
Much of the research has been done on mice. But studies involving mushrooms and humans do show that medicinal mushrooms can help modulate the immune system by reducing inflammation and improving the immune response. There are studies that show that medicinal mushrooms can be helpful when treating cancer and other diseases involving immune modulation.
Medicinal mushrooms have two important elements for strengthening your immune response.
Firstly, they contain beta glucans, a type of polysaccharide, that help to activate and potentiate the immune system. Specifically, they activate a part of the immune system that enhances macrophages—the type of white blood cell that can detect and deconstruct harmful microorganisms, viruses, and bacteria.
Secondly – these mushrooms contain prebiotic fiber. Prebiotics help feed your microbiome – the bacteria living in your gut. A healthy microbiome means a healthy immune system (to read more about that click here).
There are many medicinal mushrooms out there – it can be confusing.
Here are 4 medicinal mushrooms that are worth learning about when trying to stay healthy this winter.
Shitake is both a medicinal mushroom and a culinary one. It can easily be incorporated into soups and stews. Shitake can be helpful with both preventing and mitigating the common cold. Like other mushrooms it may have anti-cancer effects. But most interesting is its effect on the cardiovascular system. In mice studies Shitake lowered LDL cholesterol & blood pressure and improved blood circulation.
Reishi is the queen of medicinal mushrooms, and one of the most popular. In addition to its anti-cancer and immune boosting effects, Reishi has a great effect on mood. Thanks to the mood regulating compound triterpene it can reduce insomnia, promote better sleep, ease anxiety and reduce depression.
Maitake, which literally means dancing mushroom, is one of the best mushrooms for boosting your immune system. Impressive results have been reported in significantly improving the health of cancer and diabetic patients using Maitake. In addition, it is possible to dramatically improve your own immune health, cut sick days, and enhance your resistance to colds, flus, and other bacterial and viral diseases.
Cordyceps has long been revered in the East as a potent superfood to boost longevity, energy and libido. It can even be used to improve sports performance. But these uses don’t contradict cordyceps’s strong immune boosting and anti-tumor qualities. Cordyceps is also a potent antioxidant boosting glutathione in the body (much like NAC – read about that here).
Medicinal mushrooms are often ingested in powdered form. They can be added to drinks, soups etc. They can also be found in capsules.
Many products combine a few medicinal mushrooms together so you can get the benefits from several of them – and thankfully don’t have to choose just one.
Questions about medicinal mushrooms? Feel free to contact me.
