Medicinal

Mushrooms:
The Complete
Guide
 Mushrooms really are amazing.
Not just as a super healthy food source. The interest in their medicinal
properties has really exploded in the past several years.
But learning more about this can be time consuming.
So we compiled a lot of great information for you.

This booklet covers the primary medicinal benefits of mushrooms and

what medicinal ingredients they contain.

www.GroCycleCourses.com
Medicinal Mushrooms: The Complete Guide
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Mushrooms contain a wide array of powerful healing compounds that you can take
advantage of.

But how do you know what mushrooms you should be taking, and which conditions each is
best suited for?

In this article I'm going to explain the primary medicinal benefits of mushrooms and what
medicinal ingredients they contain.

Then you'll learn what some of the top medicinal mushrooms are, and what types of
mushrooms are best suited for treating a variety of conditions.

But first, let's take a brief look at how mushrooms have been used medicinally throughout
history. You might be surprised to learn that humans have had a close relationship with
fungi from the very beginning!

History Of Medicinal Mushroom Use

Ancient History
Medicinal mushrooms have been used in traditional and folk medicines since before
recorded history.

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A man frozen in ice around 3300 BCE (nicknamed Ötzi) was discovered in an alpine glacier in
1991. He was carrying two different species of mushroom on him at the time.

​One was a tinder fungus capable of holding a warm coal to re-start a fire at a new location
many hours later. The other was a medicinal birch polypore used to fight parasites and
other infections.

​You can see from Egyptian hieroglyphics that their society saw mushrooms as a plant of
immortality.

Mushrooms were typically only eaten by pharoahs and other nobles, and were given the
name "sons of the gods" and depicted in artwork as being sent to earth on Lightning bolts.

Famous Greek and Roman authors such as Seneca, Pliny, and Dioscorides all wrote about
mushrooms, arguing both for and against their medicinal benefits.

Texts about Chinese medicine dating back to 100 BCE discuss various mushrooms and fungi
that were used to treat cancer, respiratory ailments, and many other conditions.

​Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) has perhaps the longest written record of medicinal use, and
scientists are now beginning to identify anti-tumor and other medicinal properties of the
mushroom.

​In ancient Japan, mannetake (Grifola frondosa) mushrooms were worth their weight in
silver.

Mushrooms were an integral part of Mesoamerican cultures such as the Maya, Inca, Aztecs
and Olmecs. Both for their medicinal properties, and also for use by shamans for spiritual
purposes.

Chaga and other forms of fungus have been used across North America and Siberia since at
least the 16th Century.

Modern History
The first time that beneficial properties were identified and extracted from fungus was in
1928 when Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin.

​Many other antibiotics have been discovered since that time, and the antibacterial and
antiviral properties of various fungi have been widely exploited. It's estimated that penicillin
alone has saved over 200 million lives.

Many other antibiotics have been discovered since that time, and the antibacterial and
antiviral properties of various fungi have been widely exploited. Some claim it was a crucial
element of ​the Allies' WWII victory.​
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Modern scientists are continuing to isolate new antiprotozoan, antiparasitic, antiviral, and
antifungal properties of mushrooms and fungi each year.

Mycologists and other types of scientists are only now starting to catch up to what
traditional medicine has been telling us about these fungi for thousands of years.

We're discovering that not only are most of the claims about these mushrooms true;​ but
they're often also safer and better tolerated with fewer side-effects than many modern
pharmaceuticals.

​Fungi: They're Smarter Than You Think

​Fungi are a lot more complex than most people give them credit for.

At first glance, they may appear as very simple lifeforms. But the truth is that fungi are more
closely related to animals than to plants​.

How Cordyceps Mushrooms Reproduce

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For evidence of the intelligence that fungi can exhibit, take the medicinal Cordyceps
mushroom as an example.

It starts its life as a spore and attaches to a caterpillar, ant, or other insect. Then it
germinates and feeds on its host, growing into a small mushroom that lives on its hosts
back for most of its life.

Then when the Cordyceps mushroom is ready to reproduce, it basically "mind controls" its
host and drives them to climb a flower, tree, or whatever the highest object it can find it.

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It's like something out of a science fiction movie, but it's totally true. The insect will then
remain at height until it dies.

The Cordyceps fungus will then emerge from the insect's head and release its spores. It's
important for the Cordyceps mushroom to attain sufficient height so that its spores can
spread as far as possible.

At any stage of the process, the Cordyceps mushroom could fully consume the insect, but it
doesn't. It appears to show enough intelligence to wait and use the insect as a way to
reproduce.

Slime Molds

For another example of just how intelligent fungi can be, you only need to look at a study of
slime molds done by Japanese scientists.

In the study, food for the slime mold was put at important points that approximated a map
of Tokyo. The slime mold stretched out in thin lines from its central point to find the food
sources.

The pattern the slime mold produced was very similar to the railway system of Toyko, in
which human experts had attempted to design the most efficient way to get around the city.

The really interesting part?

Some of the pathways that the slime mold chose to take were actually more efficient than
the ones that engineers used to actually design the subway!

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Mushrooms Compared To Plants

Mushrooms might seem similar to plants in the sense that they can't move around like
animals, and they take on a similar appearance with the equivalent of stems and root
systems.

However, they lack leaves and chlorophyll and cannot produce energy from sunlight as
plants do.

​Instead, fungi use a series of enzymes to break down organic matter in their natural
environment. It turns dead organic matter into carbohydrates, protein, and cellulose.

​That alone makes mushrooms a valuable food resource. But mushrooms have much more
to offer than simply nutritional value.

​The Medicinal Benefits Of Mushrooms

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Mushrooms are full of compounds that have medicinal benefits to humans. But why?

1) Antifungal, Antiviral, and Antibacterial Properties

Mushrooms live in a competitive world. They need to outcompete other molds and fungi
that are looking for the same food sources as they are.

They also need to fight off bacteria and other pests who may want to eat them.

Just like poisonous animals and insects that use toxins to protect themselves, mushrooms
do the same thing to prevent being eaten or taken over by other lifeforms.

Many of the compounds they produce to do this aren't harmful to humans and act as
natural antibiotics in our bodies when we consume them.

2) Vitamin And Mineral Content

Mushrooms produce the same wide range of vitamins and minerals that you'd expect to get
from eating fruits and vegetables.

​In fact, mushrooms produce vitamin B​ and vitamin D that most plants lack, so they are an
excellent way for vegetarians and vegans to add extra nutrition to their diet.

​All vitamins and minerals have an impact on human health. Being deficient in any certain
element can lead to disease and other problems.

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So eating mushrooms is a great way to add extra nutrition to your diet and keep yourself
healthy. Mushrooms are also low in calories and sodium, but contain a good amount of
protein.

3) Source Of Fiber
Mushrooms contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, so they make a great addition to your
diet. Fiber is essential in maintaining intestinal health and can lower the risk of colorectal
cancer and other diseases.

Fiber also makes you feel fuller for longer, so eating mushrooms that are high in fiber can
be helpful for weight loss. You're likely to eat less if you feel full and satisfied for longer.

Plus mushrooms are energy dense, meaning they have fewer calories for the same volume
of food as many other things we eat.

4) High In Antioxidants
Free radicals are when oxygen molecules in our body split off into single atoms with
unpaired electrons.

These electrons search throughout your body for other electrons that they can match with
to form a pair. Along the way, they cause damage to your cells and DNA.

Free radicals are caused by a number of things such as UV sunlight and inflammation. As
well as parts of our modern life like air pollution and smoking.

Mushrooms contain compounds called antioxidants that seek out free radicals and remove
them from our bodies. This decreases the amount of oxidative stress in our bodies and
damage done to our cells and DNA.

In particular mushrooms contain high amounts of the antioxidants glutathione and

ergothioneine.

​Wild porcini mushrooms contain the highest amount of antioxidants of any mushrooms,
although all varieties naturally contain these compounds.

​5) Beta Glucan

All mushrooms contain high amounts of beta glucan. This substance helps to stimulate the
immune system and may offer a number of other health benefits. Including helping with
allergies, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, and other conditions.

Shiitake and maitake mushrooms are especially rich in beta glucan.

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6) Polysaccharides
Polysaccharides are long complex chains of molecules bonded together.

Mushrooms are full of a wide range of polysaccharides. Potentially 50 or more of the

compounds across different varieties of mushrooms.

Different polysaccharides have different benefits. The ones found in mushrooms offer a
wide range of benefits including anti-cancer, anti-obesity, anti-diabetes, and antibiotic
properties.

7) Other Compounds
Altogether, mushrooms potentially contain hundreds of compounds with medical benefits.
These range from boosting the immune system to anti-tumor compounds.

More and more beneficial compounds in fungi are being found by scientists every year.

In reality our knowledge of fungi and all of their potential benefits are still in the early
stages.

​Main Benefits Of Medicinal Mushrooms

1. Fighting Cancer
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1. Fighting Cancer
Certain varieties of mushrooms added to your diet are shown to have significant positive
effects when it comes to fighting cancer, leukemia, and tumors.

Compounds found in mushrooms are able to slow down the growth of existing cancer cells.
As well as preventing DNA damage, cell mutation, and tumor formation to begin with.

Mushrooms offer other secondary benefits to cancer patients besides treating cancer
directly as well, such as for treating hair loss and nausea.

So far no mushroom is recommended as the first line of defense against cancer all on its
own. But research is showing more and more frequently that taking certain medicinal
mushrooms can add measurable benefits in a battle against the disease.

2. Boosting Your Immune System

Many different types of medicinal mushrooms have antiviral and antibacterial properties as
we've already discussed.

These can be very helpful in fighting the common cold and flu, and even more advanced
and severe types of infections such as HIV.

Mushrooms contain complex sugars and high amounts of polysaccharides that are essential
tools for your immune system.

​They help regulate antibody production in the body and also increase DNA and RNA in your
bone marrow where white blood cells and other immune cells are created.

​Since mushrooms are also high in antioxidants, they can help destroy harmful free radicals
that can damage your cells and cause inflammation and infection within your body.

3. Promoting Heart Health

Medicinal mushrooms (especially shiitake) contain compounds called statins. These
compounds are one of the most prescribed types of pharmaceuticals for lowering blood
cholesterol levels. But you can get them naturally by eating mushrooms!

Medicinal mushrooms specifically target the "bad" or LDL cholesterol in your bodies and
also improve your "good" or HDL cholesterol levels.

They also lower inflammation which is a major cause of arteries hardening. Mushrooms
contain phytonutrients that stop cells from sticking to blood vessel walls and forming a
buildup known as plaque (referred to medically as atherosclerosis.)

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Both LDL cholesterol and plaques and hardening of the arteries are major risk factors when
it comes to heart attacks, stroke, and other forms of heart disease.

4. Improving Energy Levels

Medicinal mushrooms can improve your physical fitness, enabling you to run faster and
engage in more intense workouts. Plus they can help to reduce your overall fatigue
throughout the day.

Mushrooms contain compounds that can increase the ability of your blood cells to carry and
increase the production of energy in your muscles.

They also help to reduce the accumulation of lactic acid (a waste byproduct of exercise)
within your muscles and help clear the toxin from your body faster.

​Other types of fungi can relax your bronchial passages and enhance respiration.

​When you add all of these effects together, they help athletes to train more effectively and
for longer. They also facilitate faster post-workout recovery.

This means athletes can train longer and more effectively when consuming medicinal
mushrooms. They are also great during post-workout recovery.

5. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

You don't need to be an athlete to benefit from medicinal mushrooms.

If you always feel tired and sluggish no matter how much rest you get, you might be
suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. There's currently no medical treatment for this
disorder, although mushrooms are showing promise in helping reduce fatigue and improve
the lives of CFS patients.

6. Improving Brain Health

Mushrooms can help your brain in a number of different ways.

They can improve your memory, give you sharper and clearer focus, and improve cognitive
functioning.

Medicinal mushrooms also cause the production of nerve growth factors. This is vital for the
treatment of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and other brain-related
illnesses.

If you've ever seen the movie Limitless where the main character takes a drug and
experiences increased IQ and laser focus as a result, imagine that medicinal mushrooms
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have an effect like that on your brain.

Although obviously not to that dramatic of an extent.

The mental effects of mushroom are gradual and cumulative, meaning you have to
consume them consistently for a few months before you can expect to start seeing results.

7. Weight Loss
Mushrooms are low in calories and sodium, but they're packed with vital nutrients. They
also contain high amounts of fiber that will keep you feeling full and reduce the urge to
snack or eat more.

I'm not suggesting you go on a mushroom-only diet, but you can eat practically as many
mushrooms as you want in a day and it would be very difficult to gain weight while doing so.

So instead of reaching for a bag of candy, why not have a bowl full of mushrooms instead?

People who eat mushrooms regularly have a healthier body weight, a smaller waist
circumference, and overall better health.

8. Diabetes
Mushrooms have a hypoglycemic effect, meaning they lower and regulate blood sugar
levels.

They also increase the sensitivity of insulin receptors, lower triglycerides, and prevent the
development of other complications related to diabetes.

Plus they have low carbohydrates and sugar compared to many other types of food, so
they're great for diabetics to eat.

9. Relieves Asthma And Allergies

Allergies are often caused by your body overreacting to a particular stimulus. Similarly,
asthma is due to a large number of inflammatory cells in your body.

Mushrooms inhibit histamine release. Histamines are compounds that cells release in
response to injury, inflammation, or allergies. In fact, allergy medication often contains
compounds called antihistamines.

Mushrooms can help reduce the severity of allergies and asthma through a similar
mechanism. By reducing the number of inflammatory cells and allergy-causing antibodies in
your body and correcting imbalances in your immune system.

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Mushrooms also improve the production of the cells in your body that eliminate pathogens.

10. Stress Relief

I can't find studies to back this one up, but many people claim that medicinal mushrooms
(especially reishi) can be used to promote a sense of calmness.

In traditional medicine, mushrooms have been used to treat conditions like chronic fatigue
syndrome, insomnia, and stress-induced tension for hundreds of years.

11. Fertility
I'm not sure if this has been tested in humans yet. But in both boars and mice the
Cordyceps sinensis mushroom has shown promising results for male fertility and sperm
production.

So if you're a male planning to start a family any time soon, you might want to add some
cordyceps to your diet.

It could dramatically increase sperm production, both in terms of quantity and quality.

​My Top 8 Medicinal Mushroom Recommendations

Mushrooms can help with most ailments that people commonly suffer from. All the way
from minor things like low energy and inflammation all the way up to heart disease.

Whatever your condition, there's likely a mushroom that you can add to your diet to help
you out.

The problem is knowing what kind of mushroom to take! There are so many different
medicinal mushrooms to choose from, so where do you start?

Here I'm going to share 8 of my top picks when it comes to medicinal mushrooms.

1) Reishi Mushrooms

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Reishi mushrooms arguably have the most medicinal uses, as well as the longest history of
use.

​Mention of them in traditional medicine stretches back thousands of years to ancient Chin​​a,
where it was referred to as the "mushroom of immortality."​​

​Reishi can range in color, but red reishi is generally thought to be the most potent and
effective. It's a polypore shelf mushroom, meaning that it's quite woody and naturally grows
on the side of trees.

​Reishi can be used to help with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, inflammation, liver damage,
and many other conditions.

​You can't simply eat reishi mushrooms since they have quite a woody texture. They also
have a bitter flavor. That's thanks to compounds in them called terpenoids which have anti-
inflammatory effects.

The mushroom needs to be used​ in​ a soup or tea, or alternatively can be dried and made
into a powder to consume as an extract or in capsule form.

2) Chaga Mushrooms

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Chaga is a strange looking fungus that looks more like charcoal than a mushroom. If you
see it growing on a tree, you might think it was simply wood that had been charred by a fire
or struck by lightning. But inside this fungi is a bright orange color.

Chaga grows almost exclusively on birch trees.

​The medicinal properties of chaga include use in treatment of cancers and as a topical
treatment for swelling or wounds. It also has a mild blood sugar lowering effect.

​3) Turkey Tail Mushrooms

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Turkey tails are a shelf mushroom. Like their name suggests, they're colorful and fan-
shaped so they look like a spread out turkey's tail.

They come in a variety of different sizes, shapes, and colors depending where they're
growing. You can find turkey tails in almost any forest, as they're quite common.

​Turkey tail mushrooms have a number of benefits but are most well known for cancer
treatment.

​4) Maitake Mushrooms

Don't confuse turkey tail for this mushroom which has the nickname hen of the woods.

​Maitake can grow in big clusters the size of a basketball. It can be used for high blood
pressure, cholesterol, cancer, and diabetes.

​Unlike the mushrooms on the list so far, this one you can actually eat.

Even though it grows on trees, it's not a woody shelf mushroom. It has a good texture and
mild flavor. So it's good for you medicinally, plus it tastes great!

5) Lion's Mane Mushrooms

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Lion's mane is another odd-looking but edible mushroom. Its flavor is likened to lobster.

Lion's mane mushrooms grow very large and has a shaggy white appearance that looks
almost like teeth or hair. When you cut it open, it slightly resembles cauliflower in terms of
texture.

You can eat lion's mane just because it tastes great. But it is also useful in shrinking or
stopping the growth of tumors, and contains compounds that can help regenerate tissue in
the brain.

It's currently being studied for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

​6) Cordyceps Mushrooms

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Cordyceps is that weird fungus I mentioned earlier that grows out of insects.

If you can get past the fact that it comes from mummified bugs, it has some powerful health
benefits.

​It has powerful anti-cancer properties, particularly against leukemia.

​It also contains lots of antioxidants.
​It's one of the best medicinal mushrooms when it comes to managing cholesterol and
heart disease.
​It doesn't just reduce cholesterol, but it actually dilates the arteries.

​That means it's also great for athletes since it strengthens the blood vessels and heart.

7) Shiitake Mushrooms

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Now we are getting into the mushrooms that you probably recognize from the
supermarket.

Shiitake is commonly eaten in Asian cuisine. It goes really well​ in soups or stir fries.

Like many of the mushrooms on this list, shiitake is great at protecting against cancer and
lowering cholesterol.

An ingredient in shiitake mushrooms called lentinan is such a potent substance that it's now
the third-most prescribed anti-cancer drug in the world.

​Shiitake can also be used to treat viral infections such as hepatitis C and HPV. As well as
most conditions where the immune system is compromised. They might even help prevent
dental cavities!

​8) Oyster Mushrooms

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I'll round off this list with one of my favorite mushrooms.

When most people think of oyster mushrooms, they know about its use in cooking. But you
might not know it also has powerful medicinal benefits as well.

​Besides being packed full of vitamins and minerals, oyster mushrooms are also full of
antioxidants. They can alleviate inflammation, lower cholesterol levels, and boost brain
health. They may even be able to help block cancer growth.

​So if you thought they were just food – time to think again!

​What Are The Best Medicinal Mushrooms For:

Cancer
Shiitake, reishi, and turkey tail are all great for their anti-cancer properties.

For people who currently have cancer, I'd suggest taking capsules that contain multiple
different medicinal mushrooms with anti-cancer properties so that you're getting the best
of everything that nature has to offer.

Immune System
Almost all mushrooms have compounds that boost the immune system, including
antioxidants. Although maitake mushrooms are particularly good in this regard.

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Depression
Psilocybin mushrooms. Although currently illegal in the US, Canada, UK, and most
developed countries, there is strong evidence that so-called "magic mushrooms" can greatly
help with depression.

Although it's not currently an available option, I suspect we will start to see these
mushrooms (or the compounds they contain) to be used in psychiatric medicine within the
next decade or two for the treatment of severe depression.

There is also good evidence to suggest that even in doses too small to create psychoactive
effects, these mushrooms can help to cure cluster headaches.

Cluster headaches are​ sometimes referred to as "suicide headaches" because they are one
of the most painful conditions a person can experience and often drive those experiencing
them to thoughts of suicide.

Anxiety
No mushrooms appear to have undergone scientific studies for anxiety, although there is
good anecdotal research to suggest that reishi may have anti-anxiety effects.

Energy
Cordyceps and reishi are both great for increasing energy. They can help with chronic
fatigue syndrome, and also help athletes to develop stronger and more responsive muscles.

As well as eliminating some of the negative side-effects of intense workouts such as cramps
and nausea.

Thyroid
All mushrooms are immune regulators to some extent, which can help with thyroid
function. But shiitake and cordyceps are particularly good for thyroid health.

Candida Infection
Candida is a fungal infection caused by a type of yeast. Many mushrooms contain antifungal
compounds that they use to fight off other fungi which compete with them in nature.

But reishi seems to be the best medicinal mushroom when it comes to fighting off candida
specifically.

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How To Consume Medicinal Mushrooms

As with all types of supplements or medication, you should talk to your doctor before you
start taking any kind of medicinal mushroom.

Particularly since in large amounts they may interfere with existing medication that you're
taking for cholesterol or blood pressure.

Also don't consume wild mushrooms that you find if you don't know what you're doing.
Many edible and medicinal mushrooms have poisonous lookalikes that are difficult for a
beginner to distinguish.

So only buy your mushrooms from reputable sources or eat those you collect with an expert
mushroom hunter who can confirm they are safe.

Medicinal mushrooms can be consumed fresh in the case of some such as oyster, shiitake,
and maitake.

Others like reishi are too tough and bitter to eat and need to be made into a tea or soup.

Alternatively, all mushrooms can be dried and crushed into a powder which can be taken in
capsule form.

The effects of medicinal mushrooms are cumulative. You won't notice anything if you just
take it once, or sporadically when you feel like it.

You need to take it every day as prescribed, and only after a few weeks or months you may
start to notice an effect.
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​When taking medicinal mushrooms, it's recommended to consume them with vitamin C.
Studies show that taking vitamin C helps increase your body's absorption rate for
polysaccharides. So take a vitamin or eat an orange along with your mushrooms.

​Buy high quality, organically grown mushrooms and supplements from reputable sellers.
They have better health benefits and are safer for you.

Good companies will tell you exactly how their mushrooms are grown and the exact content
of various compounds in their product.

So now you know the primary medicinal benefits of mushrooms and what medicinal
ingredients they contain is time to try some yourself?

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