Yes! This is the title of a 2019 documentary film that everyone should see. Truly breath taking cinema photography at it’s best-Beautifully done(: “Fantastic Fungi” is never uninteresting, and often startling in the natural beauty it reveals, Joe Morgenstern - Wall Street Journal.  One of the most positive and hopeful documentaries in years, this lean, beautiful, entertaining mushroom movie suggests that the answers to many of our problems could grow naturally and abundantly, Jeffrey M. Anderson-Common Sense Media.

Fungi or mushrooms are amazing in so many ways…I am truly fascinated by what I’ve personally discovered over the past several years. I definitely had my skepticism whether or not to add them into my diet after learning of all the benefits they offer. Up until about 15 years ago I despised “mushrooms”, until I had a change of heart one day after going on my first Forage Walk in the woods around 2004. At that time, I had started on a healing path to cure my lifelong Candida struggle and believed that any type of fungus would be bad for yeast health in the body. What I learned changed my life. Many fungi actually heal Candida Albicans through their anti-microbial activity effective against unhealthy fungus. It’s all about balancing the good and not so good. The same is true with intestinal bacteria, which I will get to later-key to your best health is having a sustainably balanced micro-biome. This was my entrance into the wide world of fungi on many levels. Since then, I have used fungi in my gardening techniques to help plants consume nutrients; boost my own immune system & others whom I’ve recommended them to. I’ve always been an advocate of synergistic intake of foods. This means that different types of foods/herbs/fungi can compliment one other when consumed together in the synergestic effect.

These plant(and fungi) compounds are here to heal. They miraculously work both internally and externally. Fungi come in many types as you will notice in nature while foraging, such as the Gilled(Shitake & Agaricus); Polypores(Reishi & Turkey tail); the Toothed(Lions mane & Bearshead); Clubs(Cordyceps); & the others: Jelly’s, Cups, Puffballs, and Saddles..

One powerful example would be given to Reishi or Ling Zhi(Chi), one of the most well studied and widely researched of the mushrooms, has a long list of super-powers: Boosts immune system against pathogens like viruses, bacteria, and parasites; Improves circulation, which helps physical appearance, heart health, and brain cognition; Balances the endocrine system, supporting hormone health. One study showed that 1,000mg of Reishi extract daily relieved allergy symptoms completely. Two of the most prevalent terpenoids are sterols and ganoderic acids. Sterols have been proven to lower Cholesterol by impeding the absorption of cholesterol in the body, which helps to improve circulation and heart health. Ganoderic acids have been shown to improve oxygen flow, boost Liver functionality, neuroprotective benefits, and inhibit histamine response. Found throughout the world, especially in warmer climates on dead or dying trees, such as oaks and willow in the West, maple and elm in the Eastern US.

Maitake aka Hen-of-the Woods has been shown to be more supportive when combined with other mushrooms. A 2019 study, showed maitake, reishi, and shitake provided increased immune stimulation.The Scandinavian Journal of Immunology reported that Agaricus, Lions mane & Maitake together provided anti-microbial as well as anti-inflammatory that protected against and treated complications such as damaging inflammation, immune overreaction, and multi-resistant bacterial pneumonia. Some evidence suggests that maitake mushrooms may help with inflammation, type 2 diabetes, cancer, lipid levels, and brain health.

Lions Mane aka How Tau Gun(monkey-head mushroom) has a long tradition of use as both a food and as medicine in various Asian countries, such as China, Japan, and Korea. As a culinary delight embodying a sweet lobster taste when lightly sauteed in olive oil. In TCM, Lions mane is said to be nutirtive to all five internal organs(liver, spleen, lung, heart, and kidney)-promoting good digestion, general vigor, and strength(vitality). Though, most recognized for being used to support cognitive function. This stems from the supporting factors for key gut-brain connection due to a number of factors: supporting probiotic flora, increased fiber, increased small intestinal cell activity, increased barrieer tissue function, immune modulation within the intestinal GALT(gut associated lymphatic tissue), and much more…

Turkey tail aka Trametes versicolor is a medicinal mushroom that's full of antioxidants and other compounds. Evidence shows it may help fortify your immune system, maintain healthy gut bacteria, and support the treatment of some cancers. Turkey tail contains a high concentration of two polysaccharides with immune-boosting properties: polysaccharide-K (krestin, or PSK) and polysaccharide peptides (polysaccharopeptides, or PSP). PSK and PSP are immunomodulators that stimulate and balance the immune system to help the body fight infection, cancer, and other diseases. A review of 13 clinical trials found that cancer patients given turkey tail in combination with standard treatments lived longer than those who received chemotherapy alone. The combination of turkey tail and chemotherapy was especially effective in improving outcomes for people with breast cancer, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer.

Mushrooms contain numerous highly beneficial nutrients and special compounds like beta-glucans, which is a special type of soluble fiber and polysaccarides, which are mostly insoluble and help modulate gut microbia by becoming food for our gut bacteria. Proper fungi supported in the body will will help our immune systems function just right-known as “the Goldie Lox Response”.

Bottom line: Medicinal mushrooms are types of fungi that contain compounds known to benefit health in various ways…TBC!

**Important fact’s~

1) Always use an organically grown mushroom! If harvested from the wild, make sure it’s growing in a clean environment.

2) Never eat raw, some fungi are slightly toxic if not cooked or consumed in extract form by alcohol and water. A few found in wild are also toxic, so know your fungi! I am still forever learning. Medicinal values always come out when extracted properly. My favorite ways are by sautéing, putting in soups, make tea, put powders(lions mane, reishi, chaga or coryceps) in coffee and brew up delicious health each morning!!