Morphing Mycelium
Mycelium rules the underworld of our planet, complex ecosystems of these natural polymers interact and facilitate balance to the natural environments. The branching threads entangle the root structures of other plants, absorbing nutrients and providing transportation along its own complex pathways. The hidden world, vastly unknown and unacknowledged, becomes apparent when a mushroom emerges from the depths of the soil. Fruiting bodies of the mycelium emerge. The fleshy spore-bearing fungus is constituted of beta-glucans, polysaccharides, monosaccharides and an array of micronutrients.
Modulating Immunity
Polysaccharides in the mushrooms enhance cellular immunity. The fungus fruiting body interacts with our own gastrointestinal microbiota influencing a positive immunomodulatory effect that balances our ecosystems within. Button mushrooms are typically cultivated and sold mass-produced to supermarkets, they may not be considered strictly ‘medicinal’, but they are very beneficial with their unique nutritional profile. Button mushrooms, like many other mushrooms, contain these complex polysaccharides making them beneficial to have in your diet! They can be a great place to begin if you are starting to explore the nutritional benefits of mushrooms, why not try to add them into your meal plan three times a week?
Reishi Mushroom / Ganoderma lucidum
Reishi is praised by Medical Herbalists for being an adaptogenic and immune modulating due to its triterpenoid compounds (ganoderic and lucidenic acids). It is specific for hyperimmunity, whereby it can bring balance to the immune system. Some cases where Reishi may be useful is when there is hyper-reactivity of the immune system towards histamine or cases of skin flares that are directly related to the immune function, such as eczema.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom / Hericium erinaceus
Lion’s mane is used by Medical Herbalist specifically for the regeneration of nerves, this Mushroom has a restorative effect upon the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerves; this can improve neurological communications, memory and concentration. It may also be used as a preventative to maintain neurological health. It may be useful in cases of depression, or be taken during menopause to improve cognitive functioning and memory recall.
What you Need to Know when buying Medicinal Mushrooms
Look for Double Extracted or Dual Extracted *the complex and delicate medicinal constitutes need to be carefully extracted otherwise you may be buying a powder that is simply equivalent to cup mushrooms from the supermarket. The label should indicate the type of extraction used and have information about the temperature used. Keep in mind that these delicate compounds are heat sensitive though they should of gone through one stage of hot water extraction.
Check the ingredients *you are ideally looking for a range of constituents some of such may be polysaccharides, triterpenoids, beta-glucans, proteoglycans, arabinoxylan. Though these are dependent on the type of mushroom which you are buying. It is also recommended that you get extracts from just the fruiting body rather than the mycelium, since the medicinal nutrients are most dense in the fruiting body.
Recommendations From Medical Herbalist
Myconutri Is a recommended source for Mushroom Powders and Capsules. Owned by Martin Powell; Medicinal Mushrooms: A Clinical Guide – 2nd Edition is a wonderful book that explores the vast array of medicinal mushrooms, researched backed and has specific indications of use for each mushroom
Bristol Fungarium has a great online store to get high quality Mushroom Fluid Extracts and Tinctures