Medicinal Mushrooms...really?

Mushrooms have been used traditionally for thousands of years as powerful healers — to boost the immune system and promote wellbeing and longevity. Still, many people tend to lump mushrooms into the “vegetable” category or the “psychedelics” category. Medicinal mushrooms, also known as functional mushrooms, are only recently starting to be celebrated again in the mainstream as the powerful medicines they’ve always been. For the purposes of this article (and your time), I'll just be talking about the "legal" mushrooms that can be purchased at any nutrition store.

Adding a spoonful of mushroom powder to your favorite recipes is a great way to reap their magical health benefits. It’s also best to keep the dosage just at that — a spoonful, or 1 to 2 tablespoons per day

The list of health benefits medicinal mushrooms provide is lengthy (think: brain booster, hormone helper, antioxidant powerhouse). But each mushroom is unique and provides its own distinct health advantages:

Reishi can help with

• sleep

• anxiety

• depression

• focus

Lion’s mane can help with

• cognition

• memory

• concentration

Chaga can help with

• aging

• inflammation

• lowering LDL

Shiitake can help with

• lowering cholesterol

• heart health

• blood pressure and circulation

Turkey tail can help with

• immune support

• cancer prevention

• antioxidants

Cordyceps may help with

• energy

• athletic performance

• muscle recovery

So there you have it, a quick and dirty primer on the magical "legal" mushrooms that can help your brain and body function.