Should I take functional mushrooms?

To every single person who is reading this, it doesn’t matter if you are a decade long functional mushroom user, a newly minted lover or if you are just starting your journey, I am highly confident that “wellness” is a special interest of yours. This word has been thrown around the media, seen almost everywhere you look and is being christened as the ultimate goal and priority we need to strive for in our lives. However, although taking a nice bath, applying face masks, and doing physical activities are good ways to destress, how direct of a contribution are they to our health. Also, … what exactly does it mean to be in good health, or to be “well”? For me, the true indicator of health is not simply the absence of disease, but a state of complete physical, mental, and social well being. The path to true health and wellness involves comprehensive care and the foresight to encourage our body’s inherent ability to heal. This is why I want to highlight the importance of using correct modalities. My trust in the healing powers of nature, or “nature – cure” shapes how I approach achieving wellness, by using nature focused low-intensity interventions such as nutrition and botanicals when safe and appropriate. Plant medicine has co-existed with humans for as long as we can remember, passed on with centuries worth of experience… so what better medicine is there to use?

This brings me back to the title of this blog, what exactly are functional mushrooms? No, they aren’t the cute and delicious mushrooms you find in your local grocery store, like white buttons and cremini. They are the more rare mushrooms that grow in dense forests, on fallen logs, or even high on the Himalayan plateau on massive trees. These mushrooms include Reishi, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, Chaga and Lion’s Mane. In addition to their highly nutritious content, many of these mushrooms contain additional constituents with potent regulatory capabilities. From beta – D – glucans, to anti – oxidants such as glutathione and ergothioneine, these mushrooms have the added benefits of enforcing our bodies at a molecular level. They work to modulate our anti – inflammatory and stress pathways to name a few.  

You’ll notice that these medicinal actions are not solely beneficial for those already suffering from disease, but also fall under the umbrella of prevention. This is why I am so happy to share with you, one of my favorite products … EVERSIO WELLNESS CHILL. It contains a powerhouse functional mushroom, Reishi, which has potent constituents that are particularly indicated to help modulate our stress levels, improve immune function, and enhance sleep quality. If this seems like something you could use in your life, this is the perfect go-to for achieving an elevated level of daily performance. So feel empowered and know that your health is in your own hands. You can take active participation in staying “healthy”, and a very good first step is to start with functional mushrooms!

By Dan L. – 2^nd Year Student of Naturopathic Medicine, CCNM