Medicinal Mushrooms: How to use Reishi, Chaga and Lion's Mane

Author: Elena Experience expert (psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants), blogger, passion for healthy food

The wisdom, healing properties and philosophy of the East has been coming our way more and more in recent decades. Yoga studios are popping up, we are trying new superfoods and delving into advaita. Science is also increasingly concerned with medicinal mushrooms. In Asia, this has been known for centuries; in the modern Western world, knowledge of the power of Reishi, Chaga and Lion's Mane, among others, is just beginning to emerge.

Mushrooms: deadly poisonous or cancer-fighting?

Do you also find the world of mushrooms so interesting? For a long time there was a lot of skepticism and even distrust of the fungal kingdom here in the West. Mushrooms in the forest were automatically declared "poisonous" and also they were known as allies of witches. 

We did not realize (anymore) how beneficial and functional certain mushrooms could be for us. 

Today, we know that mushrooms are much more diverse than once thought and their medicinal value can be staggering.

Perhaps the fascination with mushrooms consists of the fact that they can contain the most deadly toxins as well as cancer-fighting elements. 

Fortunately, this knowledge is becoming more widespread and there are many scientific studies on the power of mushrooms. 

Also, we no longer have to were through a forest and separate the poisonous mushrooms from the edible and medicinal mushrooms. Today there are several reliable companies that respectfully grow their own mushrooms. 

Mushrooms 4 Life: Organic Mushroom Supplements for sale at Sirius Smartshop

The products from this blog come from the company Mushrooms 4 Life. You can find all of these products in Sirius' Healthshop. From Lion's Mane powder to Reishi spore capsules. Read on quickly to discover the benefits of these medicinal mushroom supplements. 

Medicinal Mushroom Supplement: Benefits for Your Health

In this blog, I'm going to focus on some mushrooms with very high nutritional and healing properties.

So what are some of the benefits of using medicinal mushrooms?

Medicinal mushrooms contain high nutritional value

Vitamins and minerals (including Vitamin D)

Edible/medicinal mushrooms contain many vitamins and minerals. One example is vitamin D. We normally produce this substance through sunlight. Many people are deficient in this vitamin during the winter period, but even in the summer this occurs regularly, because we all spend a lot of time indoors.

Vitamin D is, however, found in many mushrooms, especially when grown by sunlight. 

In addition, edible and medicinal mushrooms also contain other vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins, selenium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and more!

Triterpenes

In addition to vitamins and minerals, mushrooms also contain triterpenes. These are forms of terpenes (aromatic substances found in many different plants, but also in some animals and thus mushrooms).

A function of a triterpene in, for example, a plant is, among other things, to repel or attract certain insects, and it gives taste and smell. Consider, for example, the smell of pine, mint or eucaplyptus. 

Research shows that triterpenes can also have beneficial effects on our bodies. In mushrooms there are several triterpenes with particularly medicinal properties, which can protect us from all kinds of (age-related) ailments and diseases. 

One way this happens is because tripterpenes in medicinal mushrooms help our body produce antihistamine. This bodily response makes our bodies less prone to inflammation and allergic reactions. 

Wether you have a pollen allergy, are prone to skin rashes or have asthma, triterpenes from medicinal mushrooms are a great tool in getting your body healthy. At best, you may even stop taking certain antihistamine medications, often synthetic products riddled with side effects. 

One mushroom that excels in the amount of natural antihistamine is Reishi. Quickly check out these Reishi capsules, or go for Reishi in powder form.

Polysaccharides

Another way to strengthen your body and ward off disease is to utilize polysaccharides from medicinal mushrooms. Polysaccharides are compounds, more specifically they are beta glucans. These compounds are found in plants and mushrooms and have medicinal effects on our bodies. 

Maitake is an adaptogen, meaning that the action of the mushroom adapts to your individual needs. The Maitake mushroom consists of a significant proportion of polysaccharides and is therefore recommended for people looking for more balance in their bodies. 

The way polysaccharides in medicinal mushrooms have a beneficial effect on our immune system, among other things, can be read in various scientific studies, as well as in books on medicinal mushrooms, for sale at Sirius. Quickly check out our Healthshop and order your book on medicinal mushrooms now.

Antioxidants

These are substances that protect our bodies from free radicals. The aging process can be greatly slowed down when we eat healthy foods that contain antioxidants. 

A good example of this are medicinal mushrooms and especially Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), also known as the birch weather fungus. Research shows that chaga scores high on the so-called ORAC scale. This scale is used to measure antioxidant activity in foods.

According to this measurement, chaga outperforms many superfoods such as acai berries, goji berries, as well as kale.

Chaga is a mushroom known for its health benefits and disease-fighting properties. Originally, chaga is found mainly in the northern hemisphere and specifically on birch trees. 

Like the maitake mushroom, chaga acts as an adaptogen. By promoting homeostasis in the body, you can feel more balanced again and heal from ailments and diseases. For example, chaga can help with a variety of stress-related conditions, including sleep problems, hypertension and a stiff body. 

Amino acids

Which medicinal mushroom supplement is best for you?

As you can see in Sirius Healthshop, there are a lot of medicinal mushroom supplements available. From Reishi capsules, Lion's Mane powder and combinations of different medicinal mushrooms.

Medicinal mushroom powder

Optimal absorption

Did you know that part of the absorption of substances takes place in the mouth? When you swallow a capsule, you may miss some of the health benefits of medicinal mushrooms. Certainly you will still experience the positive properties of mushrooms, but for some it is a smart idea to deliberately take the mushroom in your mouth first, before swallowing. The taste may take some getting used to, but the benefits may be worth it.

Easy in dishes

An added benefit of a powdered medicinal mushroom is that you can easily incorporate your health product into dishes. Favorites include a teaspoon of reishi powder through your oatmeal or breakfast smoothie. And at night before bed, a teaspoon of lion's mane powder through a cup of hot chocolate or tea.

Cheaper

One last advantage, of course, is the price: medicinal mushroom powder is cheaper than the capsule form, because it obviously takes more work and money for the manufacturer. If you want to keep it as cheap as possible, go for medicinal mushroom powder.

Benefits of medicinal mushroom capsules

Convenient on the go

For people with little time, capsules may be a plus. Swallow, go. It's also nice that you can easily carry capsules with you when you're on the go. Wherever you are, you can still get your dose of medicinal mushroom.

No unpleasant taste

Now, a mushroom powder has a pungent taste that some may not appreciate. While it may be a matter of getting used to, it may be a nicer idea for you to experience the neutrality of capsules as opposed to the earthy, mushroom taste of a powder. 

However, when you mix a powder through a dish, the taste is kept more in check!

Stop by our physical smartshop or order your medicinal mushroom supplement online

Virtually everyone who works at Sirius has some passion for mushrooms. How could they not? Want to deepen your knowledge of mushrooms? Then be sure to buy this book about the effects and scientific research on medicinal mushrooms. 

And stop by our physical smartshop in Maastricht and Roermond for personal advice on our health products, including medicinal mushrooms. We also sell a whole range of CBD products, cannabis seeds, psychedelics and natural energizers. 

You place an order in our webshop very easily and quickly with just a few clicks of the mouse. We will make sure you are a satisfied Sirius customer!

Elena Experience expert (psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants), blogger, passion for healthy food

Elena studies Organic and Biodynamic agriculture because, besides psychedelics and psychoactive & medicinal plants, she also has a passion for healthy food. Learning about the endocannabinoid system, different cannabinoids and terpenes is super interesting.

More about Elena