The MAGIC MUSHROOMS W

hen we hear the word “fungi,” a mushroom isn’t always the first image that comes to mind. Many of us shrivel at the thought of decay; a moldy orange, a growing disease, or harmful bacteria sporing beneath our floorboards. However, more research about mushrooms has been surfacing, proving that the fleshy, fruiting fungi growing on Earth’s soil isn’t a catalyst for death. It’s quite the opposite, and its magical properties are starting to turn heads.

Turkey tail mushrooms, which grows on stumps and the decomposing wood of trees, contain PSP and PSK which might boost the immune system.

Mushrooms And Their Species

There are over 1.5 million species of fungi. Of those, around 20,000 produce various types of mushrooms. Mycologists have documented over 2,000 types of mushrooms in 99 countries that humans can safely consume, though some of the most nourishing mushrooms on the market can be found in the U.S; Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga, Tremella, Shiitake, and Maitake mushrooms. Other nutrientdense types you may find include Button, Portabello, Crimini and Clamshell.

What do all these mushrooms have in common other than the mycelium they sprout from? Almost all of them are super immune boosters. Studies have also shown that they play a large role in improved memory, focus, energy and skin and bone health. There are also adaptogenic mushrooms, like Reishi, which have been used for over 4,000 years to promote healthy aging, support stress and balance moods. Now, you don’t have to eat mushrooms to get all the benefits; varieties like Reishi and Cordyceps are available in capsules, tinctures, gummies and extract powders you can add to any of your favorite foods or drinks.

Treatment At The Root

Nutrition isn’t the only value we’ve been extracting from these “fantastic fungi” since their early discovery. Mushrooms and microfungi began revolutionizing modern medicine in 1928 when Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming discovered the antibacterial properties of “Penicillium rubens,” a species of fungi that came to make up the first ever antibiotic, Penicillin. Another curious find was the discovery of the Turkey Tail mushroom, the most widely researched mushroom used in Japan for decades as a supportive cancer therapy treatment.

We also can’t forget the increasingly popular species of psychedelic mushrooms known as Psilocybin: the “Magic Mushrooms” themselves. While many users describe the plant’s effect to be indeed “magical,” its therapeutic effects on mental and behavioral health on patients throughout the years has had psychologists describing the drug in the same light.

The non-addictive psychedelic became known for its therapeutic use in the 1960’s by psychologist and researcher Timothy

Leary. Leary’s first controlled experiments of psychedelics and Psilocybin revealed less violent behavior in U.S prison inmates and fewer relapses in patients with alcohol and substance addiction. Today, leading researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland and other universities have discovered Psilocybin to be effective in the treatment of depression, anxiety and PTSD. The same researchers at JHU are also exploring the use of Psilocybin to slow the progression of memory loss caused by Alzheimer’s. And to think, we thought mushrooms were only good for gravy.

A Taste Of The Earth

Many of the day-to-day drinks we consume have some sort of physiological effect on us. Indeed, that’s the intention; to wake up, to focus, to calm down. But what if mushrooms could change the way we do those things too? Today, several species of mushrooms like Reishi, Lion’s

Mane, and Cordyceps are being incorporated in drinks like matcha, coffee and tea with the same thought in mind. Many health-conscious cafes have even introduced adaptogenic mushroom lattes as an alternative to coffee.

When made right, these earthy drinks are as delicious as they are effective in stimulating focus and energy while reducing the body’s response to stress. The best part? No caffeine crash. No jitters. Just the magic of mushrooms.