Discover how Magical Medicinal Mushrooms can help you improve your health with these 5 varieties.

Medicinal mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine for literally thousands of years. Destined to be taken as powders (they’re never meant to be eaten raw or whole), you can find these fungi in all different forms; even in your morning latte!

Medicinal mushrooms are superfoods

Medicinal Mushrooms hold the ability to support the immune system, promote healthy blood sugar and stabilise cholesterol levels.

They contain powerful antioxidants and prebiotics to feed your gut microbiome. They also provide anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunological benefits and have anti-microbial and anti-viral properties.

Alongside a balanced diet (this is key!), they will improve health.

Each mushroom is unique and provides its own distinct health advantages:

Reishi

You can think of Reishi as nature’s Valium! A natural adaptogen, this medicinal mushroom can help reduce anxiety, insomnia, and chronic stress. The calming properties contained in Reishi are all thanks to the compound, triterpene. This favoured fungus is one of the most popular medicinal mushrooms.

If that wasn’t enough, Reishi is also called the ‘eternal youth mushroom’, due to it’s powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing, and provides liver protection. #signmeup

At 1st Nature we love,

Evolution Botanicals REISHI EXTRACT.

Cordyceps

Cordyceps is a fabulous fungus is known for its magic to stimulate; both energy and libido. So, if you love a hardcore workout…or maybe you’re a new parent...or have a work deadline- this is the mushroom for you!

If that’s not enough, cordyceps can help with brain fog by increasing concentration and improving memory.

It’s the fungus you need for a better mood, a better quality of sleep, and a healthier menstrual cycle.

We recommend Evolution Botanicals CORDYCEPS MILITARIS EXTRACT.

Lion’s Mane

This magic mushroom is packed with antioxidants and strengthens the immune system.

However, Lion’s Mane is unique in its ability to promote the production of nerve growth factor (NFG) and myelin, which acts as a protective coating around our nerves. An imbalance in both NFG and myelin has been linked to both Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimers disease.

Lion’s Mane can also work therapeutically to support and protect our gastrointestinal tract by keeping the integrity of our mucous epithelial membranes, crucial in people suffering with leaky gut, and can help to restore good levels of gut bacteria.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18758067/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27809277/

Chaga

Chaga mushrooms are a favourite of mine for those clients who need extra antioxidants and help to boost their immune system. This dark black mushroom is being heavily researched in its ability to lower LDL aka ‘bad’ low density lipoprotein cholesterol and slow down oxidative stress (linked to skin ageing!)

A personal favourite, Evolution Botanicals CHAGA EXTRACT.

Turkey Tail

The majority of medicinal mushrooms demonstrate high antioxidant properties, however Turkey Tail contains a specific compound called polysaccharide-K (PSK); PSK has been shown in vitro/cellular, animal and human studies to have specific anti tumour activity.

A fantastic product to try is Evolution Botanicals TURKEY TAIL.

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn/2012/251632/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12168863/

If you have any questions regarding the medicinal benefits and which products might be right for you, please contact me with any questions.