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super food

Micromushrooms Chaga

By Anja Springthorpe

ushrooms have served as be useful in the management of Alz- Purchasing fresh micromushrooms
both food and medicine heimer’s disease, Parkinson’s or other can be a challenge, depending on
for centuries. Chinese brain-related diseases. Lion’s mane your location. However, many health
Mherbal medicine particu- also sharpens the mind, improving food stores offer dried mushrooms,
larly recognized the healing powers of concentration and focus. Shaolin powders, extracts, teas or tinctures.
mushrooms and used them to treat in- monks use lion’s mane to prepare You can also soak or boil micromush-
fluenza, depression and cancer. Thanks their minds before walking on burning rooms in homemade broths and teas
to modern technology, cultivating coals or breaking concrete blocks to extract their healing properties.
micromushrooms is easier than ever. with bare hands.
Now, researchers study these fungi for Lion’s Mane
their proposed health benefits. Reishi, also called “the mushroom
While more than 300 species of of immortality,” has more estab-
micromushrooms, also referred to as lished health benefits than any other
medical mushrooms, have been identi- micromushroom. Polysaccharides in
fied, a select number of those already reishi nourish the immune system by
stand out for their powerful therapeu- stimulating bone marrow to produce
tic properties. immune cells. This may protect from Reishi
infections, inflammation or even
Chaga mushrooms contain strikingly cancer development. Reishi also
high amounts of antioxidants. These improves resilience to stress, which
high concentrations of antioxidants can may explain why it is used to combat
inhibit DNA damage, the main culprit depression, fatigue and insomnia.
for premature aging and cancer. Chaga Turkey Tail
mushrooms also reduce inflammation Turkey tail mushrooms increase
throughout the body and support the activity of T cells, a type of im-
immune defenses against bacteria and mune cell that protects from tumors, * Some micromushrooms can affect
viruses. viruses and bacteria. Turkey tails are medications and worsen blood clotting
especially good for treating hepatitis, disorders. Always talk with your doctor
Lion’s mane functions as a tonic lowering cholesterol and preventing or pharmacist prior to consuming
for the nervous system by stimulating heart disease and stroke. micromushroom products.
the growth of nerve cells. This may

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