Let's Talk About Mushrooms! -Medicinal Mushrooms!
Updated: May 4, 2022
I'll leave the magic mushrooms for someone else!
medicinal mushrooms contain a wide array of powerful healing compounds that you can benefit from.
1) antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial aroperties
many of the compounds they produce to do this aren’t harmful to humans and act as natural antibiotics in our bodies when we consume them.
2) vitamin and mineral content
mushrooms produce the same wide range of vitamins and minerals that you’d expect to get from eating fruits and vegetables.
3) source of fiber
mushrooms contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, so they make a great addition to your diet. fiber is essential in maintaining intestinal health and can lower the risk of colorectal cancer and other diseases.
4) high in antioxidants
mushrooms contain compounds called antioxidants that seek out free radicals and remove them from our bodies. this decreases the amount of oxidative stress in our bodies and damage done to our cells and DNA.
5) beta glucan
all mushrooms contain high amounts of beta glucan. this substance helps to stimulate the immune system and may offer a number of other health benefits. Including helping with allergies, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, and other conditions.
6) polysaccharidesd
different polysaccharides have different benefits. the ones found in mushrooms offer a wide range of benefits including anti-cancer, anti-obesity, anti-diabetes, and antibiotic properties.
7) other compounds
altogether, mushrooms potentially contain hundreds of compounds with medical benefits. these range from boosting the immune system to anti-tumor compounds.
with all of these benefits as well as decreasing inflammation, medicinal mushrooms are great to use along side Equiscope treatments. they can help maintain the amazing detox effects from the Equiscope and and keep your inflammation down to help you heal from acute/chronic pain or injury.
the life long benefits of mushrooms are unbeatable. oxidative stress plays a huge part in aging, and we all have stressors in our life and could use a natural way to decrease our oxidative stress. oxidative stress is an imbalance in free radicals and can break down cell tissue, causing DNA damage, which can lead to chronic inflammation. oxidative stress may play a role in the development of many conditions such as parkinson's, alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer. rather than treating problems as they arise, prevent them from happening in the first place. medicinal mushrooms may prevent so many terrible diseases.
some of our favorite mushrooms!
chaga mushroom.
inonotus obliquus
inflammation. oxidative stress. gut health.
chaga is one of the most antioxidant-rich superfoods on the planet, topping the orac scale (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) at approx. 140,000 and contains over 200 phytonutrients. chaga is used in functional medicine to boost the immune system, reduce inflammation and mitigate oxidative stress. chaga is shown to strengthen beneficial cytokines while reducing damaging cytokines such as tnf-a (tumor necrosis factor-alpha). this immunomodulating effect improves the body’s ability to fight pathogens while reducing the damaging effects of acute and chronic inflammation. chaga’s high fiber and anti-oxidant properties are especially helpful in improving the conditions of the gut.
reishi mushroom.
ganoderma lingzhi.
immune support. stress. liver + kidneys. overall wellbeing.
similar to chaga, reishi is very diverse in benefit with high anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety and immune boosting properties. reishi is considered an adaptogen for its ability to calm the fight or flight response, strengthening resilience in both physically and mentally stressful situations. reishi is additionally known for its potential benefits to the kidneys and liver by reducing inflammation and reducing erosion of the nephron outer membrane (decreasing kidney permeability). reishi’s immune-supporting properties are well-rounded, including the promotion of innate immune function, humoral immunity, and cellular immunity. in particular, reishi extract may improve the function of b and t lymphocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. beta-d-glucans are the polysaccharides present in reishi that are responsible for these immune-supporting properties.
lion's mane mushroom.
hericium erinaceus.
focus + clarity. neuroplasticity. mood. inflammation. brain health.
lion’s mane is one of the most mainstream and popular mushrooms on the market. shown to stimulate neuroplasticity, memory, focus and overall brain health, lion’s mane contains two special compounds that stimulate the growth of brain cells: hericenones and erinacine. in addition, animal studies have found lion’s mane extract can improve the functioning of the hippocampus, a region of the brain responsible for processing memories and emotional responses. this may explain the effects of lion’s mane on improved mood, decreased resistance to new habit forming and influence on depression. lion’s mane may also help prevent neuron damage caused by amyloid-beta plaques, which is an area of interest for alzheimer's and dementia therapy.
cordyceps mushroom.
ophiocordyceps sinensis.
physical + mental endurance. inflammation.
cordyceps is known for supporting mental and physical performance and is especially popular in the athlete community. this mushroom (which is technically not a mushroom) supports healthy adrenal function through its stress-protective effects (as an adaptogen) while increasing atp and vo2 (peak oxygen uptake during exercise). enhanced oxygen utilization is attributed to cordyceps ability to increase vasodilation (widening blood vessels) and blood flow. cordyceps is highly recognized for helping improve acute and chronic fatigue and is often paired with lion’s mane to promote creative focus. studies have associated cordyceps supplementation with increasing activity of catalase (cat), superoxide dismutase (sod) and glutathione peroxidase (gpx) making it a powerful anti-oxidant as well.
turkey tail mushroom.
trametes versicolor.
immune system. gut health.
turkey tail is packed with anti-oxidants, immunomodulating and anti-inflammation compounds. the flavonoid quercetin promotes the release of immunoprotective proteins while inhibiting the release of pro-inflammatory enzymes. this helps bring the inflammatory response into balance. turkey tail also contains krestin (psk) and polysaccharide peptides (psp) which give turkey tail additional immune-supporting and anti-inflammatory properties. psk promotes immunity to toxins, regulates the immune response and activates macrophages, which protect your body against harmful bacteria and consume dead cells. turkey tail has demonstrated the ability to promote a healthy gut microbiome which is also tremendously impactful on the holistic immune response. a test-tube study found turkey tail extract increased populations of beneficial bacteria like bifidobacterium and lactobacillus while reducing potentially harmful bacteria, such as clostridium and staphylococcus.
reading mushroom labels
fruiting body vs mycelium biomass
make sure the label defines the fruiting body on each mushroom. if the label doesn't state fruiting body or 100% fruiting body, you have to assume it contains mycelium. the fruiting body is going to have a much higher level of the therapeutic compounds and will contain no fillers.
if you are specifically looking for a mycelium product, make sure it is priced significantly lower than a fruiting body product, as it will contain fillers and not have the same amount of therapeutic compounds. if the label does not provide which part of the mushroom they are using, you can always call and ask.
what is mycelium biomass? mycelium is grown on a starch substrate such as rice or oats. when harvesting the mycelium you can not separate the mycelium from the substrate, so it becomes the mycelium biomass. this all gets ground up together, so the mycelium products are going to be full of fillers (the substrate they were grown on) and making their therapeutic value much lower. if you are purchasing a mycelium product, you are likely buying more grain filler than mushroom. the ingredient list may also list rice or oats depending on what substrate the mycelium was grown on.
mycelium biomass
example:
reishi mushroom. - this does not tell you what part of the mushroom you're getting. this could be mycelium.
reishi mushroom fruiting body. - this clearly defines a fruiting body is used.
why would anyone make a product with mycelium biomass? either they don't know that is a far inferior part of the mushroom or they just don't care. its also much cheaper, $25 for mycelium biomass vs. $75 for the same amount of fruiting body.
therapeutic milligramage.
make sure the label states the milligramage per serving. for best results make sure the milligram age is 1000mg + fruiting body mushrooms per serving which is a good strength to ensure therapeutic action.
extract vs powder
extracts are generally more potent than powders. As humans, we are unable to break down the chitin in the cell walls of a mushroom to gain the therapeutic effects by simply eating the mushroom. this is why they must go through a hot water infusion to break down the cell walls and make active compounds available for absorption.
beta glucans
beta gluons are polysaccharides found in the cell walls of mushrooms. polysaccharides are carbohydrate arrangements made up of a long simple sugar molecule chain. they act as a support for cells or tissues and are used as energy storage. the beta gluons are what give mushrooms their powerful anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties. these compounds are only found in therapeutic levels in the fruiting body.
mycelium biomass is high in polysaccharide content rom the starch substrate it's grown on, but low in beta gluten content. you need to see the beta gluten content specifically to know the therapeutic potency of a mushroom/product.
organic
make sure your mushrooms are organic to insure no harmful pesticides were used in the growing process.
you want a mushroom that is high in beta gluten (>15%) and low in starch (<5%) to know it's a legit fruiting body extract.
Lets sum up what you want to see on the label
-make sure it defines fruiting body.
-therapeutic milligramage 1000mg or more.
-you want extract not powder
-beta glucans >15%
-starches <5%
-organic
What are we doing to support amazing local companies that make the best mushroom products around?
we just teamed up with a wonderful company out of colorado springs that makes the highest end mushroom supplements on the market, roots apothecary, and you can find all of their mushroom products at our office. These products are great at supporting equiscope therapy in reducing your inflammation and thus helping control your pain and overall health.
along with all the individual mushroom extracts of chaga, reishi, lion's mane, turkey tail and cordyceps, we their adaptive cacao, and adaptive greens that both contain all 5 mushrooms. the adaptive cacao is a great coffee substitute with so many health benefits, and the adaptive greens give you so many other nutrients alongside the benefits of the mushrooms.
mushroom & adaptogen powerhouse.
daily superfood drink. 25 servings.
balanced and uniquely powerful blend of antioxidant rich cacao, mct, authentic mushroom extracts, adaptogens, prebiotic fiber and trace minerals.
adaptive cacao blends have a wide range of holistic benefits with rich & powerful anti-oxidants, prebiotic fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. authentic chaga is one of the most powerful antioxidants in the world with an orac rating of 52,000 and is known for improving immune response and balancing inflammation. ashwagandha & reishi are some of the most fundamentally beneficial remedies on the planet with powerful immune boosting and stress balancing properties that strengthen your body’s ability to heal itself. cordyceps and lions mane energize the mind and body for endurance and resilience to conquer life’s many challenges. roots apothecary adaptive cacao is the ultimate holistic combination for overall mental and physical health.
the good stuff:
super greens blend.
*wheatgrass. *wheatgrass juice. *alfalfa juice. *oatgrass. *matcha green tea. *chlorella (cracked cell). *spirulina.
performance adaptogens. 1525mg
*panax ginseng extract. 600mg 10:1 extract *astragalus extract 20:1 extract *reishi mushroom. 500mg fruiting body extract *moringa leaf. cellular hydration.
*lemon juice. *coconut water *beet root juice.probiotic fiber. 1000mg *acacia fiber. *agave inulin.brain health. 1200mg *bacopa monnieri. 600mg *lion's mane mushroom. 500mg fruiting body extract liver performance. 400mg *dandelion root. 20:1 extract . *milk thistle extract. 80% active silymarin *black pepper extract. 10% peprine. probiotic 8x blend | 4.5 billion CFU L. rhamnosus. L. casei. L. acidophilus. L. plantarum. B. bifidum. L. bulgaricus. B. breve. B. coagulans other stuff. *organic mint flavor. *organic orange flavoganic debittered stevia extract.
ask me questions or leave me a comment! don't forget to book your next equiscope session so we can get rid of your pain or heal you injury. then you can pick up some of these amazing products and get your health on track now to prevent chronic problems later.
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