How Mushrooms Can Help Our Immune System & Stress
No longer so humble, mushrooms could well become the mighty to us all. In the wild, the mushroom fights for survival every step of its life and the compounds that help it do so are the ones which make this one of nature’s most versatile and amazing aids to strengthening and healing our bodies in our modern world.
Now it is becoming more commonly recognised that mushrooms can be an adaptogenic natural gift which can help much more than we could have imagined.
How Mushrooms Help Our Immune System
Mushrooms themselves need antibacterial and antiviral compounds to survive in the wild, so they naturally harbour a lot of these substances.
These can be part of the extract from them that then transfers to us to fight and survive against illness and infections. Certain mushrooms have sources of D-glucans, beta-glycosides, and other substances which can stimulate our immune system while selenium, magnesium and zinc, also present in some mushrooms can play a role in fighting influenza and other viral infections.
By adding these medicinal powerhouses to our diet we can be nutritiously fighting and building at the same time creating a stronger and more resilient body naturally.
How Mushrooms Help With Stress
We live in a world which leads to stress on all levels, and finding sources of rebalancing our levels of hormones, helping our bodies to be rested and active in a balanced way is a challenge in itself.
Some mushrooms have been researched to provide a more calming effect on us and therefore lowering some of the stressful feelings which can be very debilitating to every day life.
Mushrooms (including Cordyceps and Reishi) can also be adaptogens which support the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, as well as the adrenals, which are in charge of stress management.
How to Use and Choose Mushrooms
Different Types of Mushrooms
Maitake (Grifola frondosa)
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)
Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris)
Cordyceps can help the body utilise oxygen and enhance blood flow. This can be especially helpful for athletes or those who regularly work out.
However we intend to use mushrooms in the future, they can provide a readily available natural boost in many directions as well as providing a good base for protection and helping relieve stress. All in all they could well be the answer for many in the quest for a natural, environmentally friendly, non toxic source.
*Health Note
Do not exceed the stated recommended daily dose. This product should not be used as a substitute for a balanced and varied diet and healthy lifestyle. If you are nursing, pregnant or considering pregnancy you should consult your healthcare practitioner prior to using these products. If you have any underlying conditions check these are safe supplements for you to use.
Learn more about mushrooms
Fantastic Fungi is a vivid journey into the mysterious subterranean world of mycelium and its fruit— the mushroom.
The film is a blueprint for what connects all humanity and the natural world. There is much to learn from the world of mycelium and Fantastic Fungi is an inspiring place to begin the process of bringing us together as interconnected creators of our world.
Fantastic Fungi is now available to rent or buy so you can watch from the comfort of your home. Available to stream in English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch and Hebrew.
https://fantasticfungi.com/
“Louie Schwartzberg’s lightly informative, delightfully kooky documentary, “Fantastic Fungi,” offers nothing less than a model for planetary survival.”
~ Jeannette Catsoulis,
The New York Times