As opposed to mind-altering magic mushrooms, medicinal mushrooms have been demonstrated to have immunomodulating effects, which means they help maintain the immune system’s balance by boosting it when something needs to be fought (like cancer) and downregulating it when it becomes overactive.
Note: Depending on your situation, mushrooms might not be the best option. Always speak with your doctor to figure out the best course of action for you if you have a serious condition or have received a serious diagnosis.
Mushrooms and the Immune System
One of all medicinal mushrooms’ best known superpowers is its ability to support immune system regulation. Every medicinal mushroom I discuss in my book, The Rebel’s Apothecary, has been scientifically proven to have strong immunomodulating properties, and they have long been revered as immunity boosters.
The potent polysaccharides known as beta-glucans, which are present in all therapeutic mushrooms, have been demonstrated to help reduce inflammation and maintain immune system balance. According to Robert Rogers in The Fungal Pharmacy, “Beta-glucans bind themselves to the receptor sites on the immune cells and activate them, allowing them to recognize cancer cells as “foreign” and trigger a higher level of reaction.”
It’s difficult to single out one medical mushroom as the most effective for immunity because they all have significant positive effects on the immune system, making consuming a medicinal mushroom combination an effective option. Numerous mushroom dietary supplement manufacturers offer “immunity” blends that contain each of the seven mushrooms I describe in my book. SuperFeast, Four Sigmatic, and Catskill Fungi are three of my preferred retailers.
Additionally, ingesting several mushrooms at once may be more beneficial than taking just one, similar to the “entourage effect” associated with cannabis.
How to Use Medicinal Mushrooms to Support the Immune System:
- Improve your everyday routine by including a mixture of medicinal mushrooms. It has been demonstrated that the immune system-balancing properties of chaga, reishi, turkey tail, shiitake, maitake, lion’s mane, and cordyceps as well as antioxidants that combat free radicals in the body. You may buy mushroom blends in pill form as well as in tincture or powder form to add to a daily smoothie or cup of tea.
- Take a chaga or reishi tincture or drink chaga or reishi tea every day if you’re starting to catch a cold. Both chaga and reishi are immune system boosters, and thanks to their profound therapeutic characteristics, they can keep you healthy and restore your vigor.
- Use medicinal mushrooms in your cooking, particularly shiitake and maitake. Shiitake mushrooms’ main ingredient, lentinan, has been extensively researched for its potential to strengthen the immune system. D-fraction, a substance found in maitake mushrooms, has been demonstrated to assist the immune system and combat cancer cells.
- Shiitake and maitake can be added to your cuisine wherever you would typically use any type of culinary mushroom to give your body an extra immune system boost.
- For daily immune support, stir a spoonful of medicinal mushrooms into any smoothie.
Shiitake or Maitake Bacon Recipe
One of my go-to recipes for dinner with friends and one of my medicinal mushroom staple foods is mushroom bacon. Any salad or meal is enhanced by the delightful crunch of mushroom bacon. This dish works great with both shiitake and maitake mushrooms, which I’ve tried. If you become dependent on eating mushrooms in this manner, don’t blame me!
Ingredients:
- About 2 cups chopped shiitake or maitake mushrooms, cut into thin slices — enough to line a pan.
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon tamari (wheat-free soy sauce), or coconut aminos if you’re soy-free
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the sliced mushrooms to a bowl and gently coat them with the coconut oil.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the mushrooms on the parchment paper so they aren’t overlapping one another.
- Bake mushrooms for 30 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and crispy. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, remove pan from oven, sprinkle tamari or coconut aminos over the mushrooms and put back into the oven. (The reason to wait until the end of cooking is because the tamari can burn easily if you add it at the beginning.)
- Remove mushrooms from the pan and put them on a paper towel to blot the oil if needed, just as you would regular bacon. Add to any meal, or eat them alone as a snack!
Note: You can create your mushroom bacon in a pan, too, using the same method as for conventional bacon; just cook the chopped-up mushrooms in a skillet as opposed to an oven. Use coconut oil for cooking and add tamari or aminos just before turning off the heat. Before serving, move the mushroom bacon on a paper towel to absorb any remaining oil.