Fungi For All!

For centuries, mushrooms and fungi have played an integral part in medicine, health, and our understanding of the natural world. There are an estimated 1.4 million species within the fungi kingdom and of those 1.4 million, there are approximately 700 species with known medicinal properties. As you can probably guess, there are likely many, many more out there! 

The first recorded use of medicinal mushrooms was found in an Indian medical treatise from 3000 BC. Since then, many eastern and western medical systems have relied upon the therapeutic properties of these unique fungi. Today, modern clinical practice in Russia, China, Korea, Japan, and many other countries depend upon various mushroom-derived preparations. 

The more you learn about fungi, the more you realize how ubiquitous they really are. When you step outside, just below your feet are likely little thread-like filaments and webs that connect the mushrooms to one another. These networks can stretch for miles and provide the fungi with information about its surroundings and a way to communicate. In fact, in 2003 the largest organism discovered (so far) is a giant fungus called Armillaria ostoyae in Oregon which has been estimated to be over 2,400 years old and stretch over 2,384 acres. 

At their simplest, fungi and the mycelium exemplify the connectedness of our earth and the organisms and ecosystems within it. This includes us, as they can be a wonderful reminder that no matter how fast-paced our lives are or how disconnected we may feel from our natural environment, that we are never completely separate from the earth. Everything is truly connected whether you can see it or not. 

Below is a brief list of a few notable fungi and their medicinal properties. Just remember, you should always consult a qualified practitioner such as a naturopathic doctor if you plan on using these yourself. 

Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) 

This is one of my favorite mushrooms of all time! When you see lion’s mane it becomes very obvious where its name comes from. They have a fur-like white exterior that is unusually delicate and soft to the touch. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on some fresh Lion’s Mane, I recommend sautéing it with a little grass-fed butter, sea salt, and black pepper. They don’t keep for very long after being harvested so try to cook them as soon as you can for the best flavor. 

Traditional Chinese medicine has prized this mushroom for its ability to improve digestion and cure gastric ulcers. It is the most famous for its neuroprotective and memory-enhancing properties. This is a favorite among students and older individuals who are noticing that their memory and cognitive abilities are starting to slip. A recent double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted by Mori at al. (2008) with twenty-nine men and women from the ages of fifty to eighty with mild cognitive issues were given one gram of lion’s mane three times per day. The mushroom group showed significant improvement after three months when compared to the placebo group. 

Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi)

Reishi mushrooms have almost legendary status as a medicinal mushroom. This is exemplified in the Reishi, meaning “divine or spiritual mushroom,” in the Japanese tradition. 

Chinese medicine practitioners have been using this fungus for thousands of years as a reliable medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, reishi is considered warming, nourishing, astringent, detoxifying, and tonifying. These concepts can be a little difficult for western practitioners to understand but examples of its traditional use have been in diseases such as chronic hepatitis, lung conditions such as asthma and bronchitis, nephritis, hypertension, insomnia, and gastric ulcers. There is even a formula of reishi species that has been used as a lung tonic for more than two thousand years!

Current research has in many ways validated the reason as to why this has historically been such a highly valued and prized medicine. It seems that there are almost countless therapeutic potentials for this mushroom. We have now learned that the reishi species possess antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-hypertensive, and antioxidant properties. It is very rare to find these growing in the wild. I have only seen it on one occasion and it was a very special moment to see such an ancient, sage-like organism still persevering to exist in a world that is becoming increasingly difficult to survive in.