Mushrooms Are More Than Magical

A very popular or well known mushroom is Psilocybin mushroom aka Magic Mushrooms. While there are recent studies being done on the medicinal benefits of the psychedelic mushroom this article is not about that. We won’t go into the ongoing movement of decriminalizing or legalizing Psilocybin for medicinal purposes (which I am a big proponent for). That will be a topic for another article.

Let’s get into the legal and less controversial types of mushrooms. There are several medicinal non-psychoactive mushrooms that have enormous health benefits. They work much like antioxidants, vitamins or super foods that improve your immune system, control blood sugar, improve mood, combat cancer and mental focus. Mushrooms are a fungi and have been used in Chinese & Eastern medicine for centuries. It is treated as on over the counter supplement. Supplements in the US are not FDA regulated. This is we’re YOU must be an informed consumer. As with any supplement, purchasing high quality products is important to the mushroom’s efficacy. Look for certified organic, pesticide free, non-GMO and preservative free. Also look for third party tested brands. Two brands I recommend are Host Defense Mushrooms & Four Sigmatic (no affiliation). Consult with your provider anytime you are utilizing over the counter supplements,especially in conjunction with prescription medications.

Let's focus on my top 4 non-psychoactive medicinal mushrooms. There are hundreds of mushrooms to choose from. I’ve found these top 4 to be the most common used individually and in blends:

🍄 Reishi - Queen of Mushrooms / Mushroom of Immortality 🍄 Cordyceps - "Honey do" Does it all 🍄 Lion’s Mane - Your Brian on Mushrooms 🍄 Chaga - King of Mushrooms

Reishi for example helps promote better sleep, reduce stress, antioxidant and provides immune support. It's non-sedative and non-toxic. Cordyceps is my FAVORITE! If you look at this chart you can see why:

Cordyceps does it all. That's why I named it the "Honey Do" mushroom. It's been used as a pre-workout due to the way it promotes energy. Cordyceps alone acts like a pre-workout but you can also add it to your coffee and it's amazing. I won't list each benefit because it's already on the chart above. Did I mention it's my FAVORITE? Lion's Mane is great for brain function. What does that mean exactly? It helps with memory, focus, cognition and your nervous system. This mushroom is currently being considered for treatment for individuals who have suffered from concussions. I would consider this mushroom on its own for athletes as a preventative who are subjected to possible concussions. Chaga is known as the King of Mushrooms because of how powerful it is. This mushroom supports the whole body. The benefits include helps reduce inflammation, anti-aging, improves health of hair, skin and nails, regulates immune system, fights cancer and a very high antioxidant. This is my 2nd favorite mushroom!

These mushrooms individually have traits and uses they are known for on their own. A common practice is to supplement these mushrooms as a blend or combination of mushrooms that work well together. I encourage you to explore the benefits of mushrooms. I am confident you will want to learn more as you see how well they work. If you found this article helpful please share.