Mushrooms Increase Our Longevity

#mushrooms #longevity

“Mushrooms are nature’s miniature pharmaceutical factories, rich in a vast number of novel constituents open for exploration.”-- Paul Ebeling

In ancient Egypt, mushrooms were thought to bring long life and have been used for centuries by Chinese medicine practitioners. 

Greek physician Hippocrates used the Amadou mushroom for cauterizing wounds and as a potent anti-inflammatory.

The 1st people populating North America used puffball mushrooms to heal wounds.

Despite a long history of medicinal use, Western medicine has only just begun exploring the depth of benefits available in these fungi.

As researchers develop methods to test individual components, they have discovered that, “Mushrooms are nature’s miniature pharmaceutical factories, rich in a vast array of novel constituents and wide open for exploration.”

A Y 2021 literature review and meta-analysis found eating 18 grams of any type of mushroom contributes to reducing your risk of cancer by up to 45%

Ergothioneine and glutathione are 2 powerful antioxidants found in mushrooms. Ergothioneine cannot be found in other plants; both contribute to the prevention of cancer and neurodegenerative disease

Shiitake mushrooms are rich in lentinan and β-glucans, which help support our immune system and have marked anticarcinogenic activity.

Mushrooms may also help keep your cognitive function intact

Take care to buy only Organically grown mushrooms or grow them at home as the fungi easily absorb air and soil contaminants. And, mushroom hunting may sound fun, it can be deadly when poisonous mushrooms are misidentified.

The severity of the poisoning can vary, but the most toxic effects come from mushrooms containing Amanita phalloides. There's no antidote for amatoxin poisoning, so it's essential if you have any reason to suspect someone has ingested an amatoxin containing mushroom you do not wait for symptoms but seek immediate emergency treatment.

Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively