All About Medicinal Mushrooms
And Super Mushroom Extracts

Medicinal mushrooms have been known in many traditions and cultures around the world for their immune strengthening and restorative effects on the entire body.

They have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine and some of the very first Western medical antibiotics were extracted from these mushroom varieties.

Human's use of mushrooms date back to Paleolithic times with major historical use also in Greece, Mesoamerica and India.

Today, they can be a crucial part of human evolution to help us to grow, evolve and adapt to change.

They help to build a natural resistance to disease, containing the polysaccharides, called Beta-glucans, known as "biological response modifiers."

Every medicinal mushroom has different levels and combination's of polysaccharides that boost the activities of immune system in different ways.

Host Defense Potentiators:

These compounds are abundant in medicinal mushrooms and include:

hemicellulose, polysaccharides, polysaccharide-peptides, nucleosides, triterpeniods, complex starches, and other metabolites.

It is believed that a combination of these ingredients target the human immune system, as well as, aid in neuron transmission, metabolism, hormonal balance and the transport of nutrients and oxygen.

Through a host-mediated (T cell) immune mechanism, they help the body regulate the development of lymphoid stem cells and other important defense responses.

These Host Defense Potentiators (HDP) are adjuncts to cancer treatments in Japan and China.

Top Medicinal Mushrooms

We already mentioned reishi mushroom among our top 10 superfoods, but here are a list of other top mycelli, including reishi, that contain their own host of super health benefits.

1) Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

Lion's Mane mushroom is known for it's effects on cognitive brain functions.

Scientifically proven to stimulate the Nerve Growth Factor production in the brain due to it's unique abilities to pass through the blood brain barrier. more...

2) Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)

Chaga mushroom, also called "cinder conk", grows on birch trees found throughout the world. It is an incredible anti-aging mushroom with extremely high

antioxidant levels. This is the perfect mushroom to use for auto-immune disorders and is on our top superfoods list for that reason. more...

3) Maitake (Grifola frondosa)

Maitake, also called "hen of the woods", is usually found growing at the base of oak trees. It holds value as a great immune system enhancer, restorative and protective agent. Also eaten fresh in Asian countries in soups and sauces. more...

4) Coriolus (Trametes versicolor)

Coriolus is a popular mushroom that grows all over the world. It is named "turkey tail" for it resembles the markings of turkey tail feathers.

It contains the polysaccharide, Krestin PSK, that has been used in many countries for cancer treatment and therapy. more...

5) Agaricus blazei (Agaricus subrufescens)

Agaricus is another widely use immune system stimulant that maintains a high level of beta-glucans and alpha-glucans. more...

6) Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)

Shiitake is one of the most popular edible mushroom medicinals with it's rich flavor and soft, meaty texture.

It also enhances immunity as well as a host of other ailments, and is said to boost energy and improve blood circulation. more...

7) Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis)

Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom popularized in the World Outdoor Track and Field Championship in 1993 for it's outstanding effects on Chinese athletes who broke 9 world records.

All athletes were consuming a cordyceps based tonic as part of their daily regime.

8) Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)

Reishi, has been documented in the earliest pharmacopoeia texts in Asian culture, thousands of years ago. Its high ranking was originally reserved for emperors who consumed it daily.

This is one of my personal favorites among the medicinal mushroom varieties. I often blend it into herbal tea formulations.

How To Use Medicinal Mushroom Extracts:

For the most potent intake of mushroom medicine, it is best to take mushroom "extracts", which are powdered mushrooms using a hot water extraction method.

They are concentrated and the most proven effective for therapeutic use.

These extracts simply make the medicine within the cell walls of the mycelli "bioavailable", to be processed by our bodies with ease.

The cell walls are actually made up of a substance called Chitin, which is similar to lobster shell. The polysaccharides are trapped within this shell wall.

Only a heated liquid solution can break down the indigestible chitin and release the active compounds into a concentrated, bio-available form.

Mushroom Science is a high quality brand that offers tested potent extractions of medicinal mushrooms and is by far one of the best on the market.

The name brands Fungi Perfecti, New Chapter and Dragon Herbs all also have a great reputation for their quality mushroom products.

The other option is to make a tea decoction, simmering the mushroom in hot water and drinking the liquid. See

herbal tea preparation for more info on the decoction technique.

Include these remarkable mushrooms in your superfood diet plan today, pick and choose among your favorite combo's.

They are also great to use with the other Chinese tonics and Ayurvedic herbs. You can prepare them with herbal tea recipes or add the powder to tonic shake elixirs that will give you the energy to climb mountains!

When we turn to medicinal mushrooms for immune support, we turn to thousands of years of wisdom that has withstood physical health and longevity!

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