It seems that everyone is talking about psychedelic mushrooms and how they can help manage mental health challenges. Research on psilocybin has ramped up, but legalization is years away, meaning that accessibility to psychedelic mushrooms as a solution to support mental health and wellness is narrow. However, several functional mushrooms have been used for centuries to tackle stress and fatigue that very few are talking about or are even aware of.
Modern science is proving more and more that the ancient wisdom of medicinal mushrooms can help improve cognitive health, support immune health, and provide long-lasting energy. For thousands of years, cultures from across the world have used mushrooms as medicine. From monks who wanted to enhance meditation to people in Siberia who wanted to improve their immunity — mushrooms have played a critical role in our development as a species and society.
“I grew up learning about how natural ingredients like herbs and functional mushrooms can enhance and improve your health,” said Dr. James Yoon, a leading naturopathic doctor based in Toronto. “Over the past two decades, science has proven the wisdom of our ancestors and we are happy to see natural therapies like herbs and mushrooms becoming more popular and used to help improve patient outcomes and enhance quality of life.”
Dr. Yoon has worked with Strange Love to make it easier for people to get the benefits of these mushrooms in a simple format. Strangeloves Mushroom Gummies combine the benefits of these ancient tools in an easy-to-use format for modern life.
The Focus Mushroom, Lion’s Mane
Made with lion’s mane mushroom, often referred to as the “focus mushroom,” Lion’s Mane can help with focus, cognitive enhancement and can even help protect against neurodegenerative diseases.
Lion’s Mane is known to help prevent cognitive decline over time, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. This fluffy mushroom grows on many different trees. Buddhist monks once used lion’s mane mushroom powder as a tea to enhance brain power and heighten their focus during meditation. A human study in Nagano, Japan, revealed 3g of lion’s mane powder three times per day showed significant improvements after 16 weeks in subjects suffering from general cognitive decline.
Learn more about how Lion’s Mane can improve your focus
The Emperors Mushroom, Cordyceps
The cordyceps mushroom sometimes referred to as the emperor’s mushroom has a centuries-long history of being used as top Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) by Emperors. Cordyceps increase the body’s adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, essential for delivering energy to the muscles. Increasing ATP production can improve the way your body uses oxygen, primarily due to ing exercise. Runners in the 1993 Beijing Olympic games broke multiple world records and credited their success to Cordyceps mushrooms.
In a study by the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, participants who had taken cordyceps for six weeks showed their VO-2 max increased while subjects who took a placebo remained unchanged.
Learn more about the benefits of Cordyceps for energy and performance
The Dancing Mushroom, Maitake
Maitake lives up to its nickname, “Dancing Mushroom,” as its healing properties on type II diabetes are worth the excitement. Maitake is typically grown at the bottom of oak, elk, and maple trees and is more common in the fall months. A study by China Pharmaceutical University investigated alpha glucan present in maitake and its impact on body weight, triglycerides, cholesterol, free fatty acid, and other anti-diabetic effects. Data confirmed, because of its effect on insulin receptors, maitake-alpha-glucan does have an anti-diabetic effect.
Learn more about the benefits of Maitake Mushrooms
Reishi — The King of Mushrooms
Reishi, better known as the “King of Mushrooms,” was first discovered by Chinese healers more than 2,000 years ago. It is best known for its anti-ageing properties and promotion of long-term health. Reishi has high antioxidants, meaning it can help ease inflammation, improve immunity, fight free radical damage, reduce fatigue, and even contribute to glowing skin. Reishi is often added to hot tea or even coffee, which can be a great nutritious start to the day. A study was done by the Department of Pharmacology in Beijing, China, showed that a low dose of reishi mushroom accelerated the recovery of bone marrow cells, red blood cells, and white blood cells.
Hail, Learn More about The Benefits of Chaga
Immune-boosting Turkey tail
The turkey tail mushroom got its unique name from its striking colours and resemblance to a turkey’s tail. Since the late 1960s, researchers in Japan have focused on how this functional mushroom can boost immune health — the turkey tail is packed with antioxidants, making it great for the immune system and long-term health. A study in Belgrade, Serbia, revealed that phenol and flavonoid are two antioxidants in turkey tail. These two antioxidants help reduce inflammation, strengthen the immune system, and prevent some chronic diseases.
Learn more about the immune-boosting benefits of Turkey Tail
A gift from the heavens, Chaga Mushrooms
Chaga, sometimes called “Gift from God,” grows primarily on birch trees in cold climates. With an appearance similar to burnt charcoal, it has been harvested for centuries as traditional medicine. Thousands of years ago, locals in the mountain region of Siberia drank Chaga tea daily, inhaled Chaga, and used it on the skin. Studies at the Laboratory of Macromolecular Interactions have shown that Chaga extract promotes the production of cytokines, which stimulate stem cell recovery and hematopoietic regeneration after bone marrow damage, and even fight off harmful bacteria/viruses.