This video explores the health benefits of several types of mushrooms, highlighting their use in ancient Chinese medicine and current scientific research. The host discusses how mushrooms like Reishi, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, Chaga, and Shiitake can modulate the immune system, fight cancer, improve gut health, and support overall longevity. The video also covers specific benefits such as stress relief, enhanced energy, and blood sugar balance, emphasizing mushrooms as both food and medicine.
Key Takeaways
1
Mushrooms like Reishi, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, Chaga, and Shiitake have been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine for longevity and overall health.
2
Reishi, known as the 'mushroom of immortality,' is an immune modulator that calms an overactive immune system (like in autoimmune conditions) or boosts an underactive one, and also has anti-cancer properties and supports stress relief and sleep.
3
Cordyceps can increase energy and endurance by helping the body use oxygen more efficiently, supporting respiratory function, and potentially balancing blood sugar.
4
Turkey Tail is a powerful immune modulator that contains unique compounds (PSK and PSP) approved as anti-cancer drugs in Japan, and it also promotes gut health as a prebiotic.
5
Chaga is known for boosting the immune system, reducing chronic inflammation by regulating cytokines, and showing potential in anti-cancer research and balancing blood sugar.
6
Shiitake, a widely consumed mushroom, supports a healthy immune system with compounds like lentinan, aids heart health by managing cholesterol, and possesses antimicrobial and antiviral properties.
7
Many of these mushrooms are rich in antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonoids, which neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress, contributing to overall resilience and protection against age-related degeneration.
8
While beneficial, it's important to consult a doctor before incorporating medicinal mushrooms, especially if you have existing medical conditions or are undergoing treatments, due to potential interactions.
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0:01
Well, good morning and welcome to
0:03
another edition of Today's Nutrition
0:05
where we look at what is new in
0:06
research, what's hot in the news, or any
0:08
topic that can help us lose weight, feel
0:11
great, or live longer better. Well, this
0:14
is going to be a little different one
0:16
today and it really goes to ancient
0:19
things and there are three things that
0:24
humans have always been interested in.
0:27
Feeling great, living longer, maybe even
0:29
losing weight. more of that recently.
0:31
But people have always been seeking
0:34
longevity. Traditional Chinese medicine
0:37
has a clear understanding of aging since
0:41
very ancient times, 5,000 years ago in
0:44
written knowledge. To me, it's curious
0:48
that in their book that is kind of like
0:53
their Bible of traditional Chinese
0:55
medicine, and it's the ancient Hang D,
0:59
International Classic. I didn't know.
1:02
Uh, but it said that it recognizes the
1:04
limit of human lifespan as 100 to 120
1:09
years old. That's what they said 5,000
1:11
years ago. So, we're still working on
1:13
that. So, I'm going to dig in today to
1:16
the healthpromoting properties of
1:19
mushrooms. Oh my gosh, there are tons
1:21
and tons of research on how they are
1:25
being regarded for impact on cancer,
1:31
long COVID, autoimmune and and so many
1:33
things that are plaguing our culture
1:35
right now. My personal practice since
1:38
postcoid to clear out that virus and is
1:42
I take them every day. I look at these
1:45
mushrooms as truly food as medicine and
1:48
as a bridge between ancient healing and
1:50
modern medicine. So much research going
1:53
on that is proving what the Chinese
1:55
always knew, you know. So there some
1:58
pretty powerful modulators. So yes, they
2:01
are food, but to be really clear, if you
2:06
have a medical condition, check with
2:08
your doctor first because there can be
2:10
some some interactions there. So first
2:12
of all, I'm going to talk about rayi,
2:14
also known as ganoderma lucidum. So if
2:19
you've really heard mushrooms as
2:21
medicine, one of the first names that
2:23
likely come up is rayi. It's been
2:27
nicknamed the mushroom of
2:30
immortality. And since my goal is to
2:32
live to be 100, know I'm there. I'm glad
2:34
I'm there, and be super healthy, this
2:36
one gets my attention. In traditional
2:38
Chinese medicine, rayi or
2:41
ganoderma is really being studied a lot.
2:45
Uh it's really impressive support for
2:47
both the body and the mind. So you can
2:50
see why it's got a powerful comeback
2:52
here. So first of all, immune system
2:55
modulation. Unlike some mushrooms that
2:58
stimulate the immune system, rayi is
3:01
known as an immune modulator. So if it's
3:04
revved up too much, like an autoimmune
3:07
or excessive inflammation, it's going to
3:09
calm it down or if it is lacking, it's
3:13
going to boost it up. It contains some
3:17
really cool compounds, beta glucans and
3:20
trurpines. These are compounds that
3:23
really help the white blood cells work,
3:27
enhancing the activity of natural killer
3:30
cells that do just what you think
3:33
they're going to do. They're the ones
3:35
responsible for identifying, seeking
3:38
out, and destroying viruses and cancer.
3:42
So, anyone looking to fortify their
3:44
immune system, think rayi. So something
3:47
else it does stress relief, sleep
3:50
support. It's also considered an
3:52
adaptogen. So good for mood,
3:55
anxiousness, need a sense of calm, need
3:58
to sleep better, rayi might help you
4:00
find your
4:01
footing. Then because of the natural
4:04
killer cell activity, third thing it has
4:06
is a lot of anti-cancer properties.
4:10
so many test tube studies that shows it
4:13
inhibits the growth and spread of cancer
4:16
cells, particularly breast, prostate,
4:18
colon, and lung cancer. Wow, those
4:22
natural killer cells. We want a lot of
4:24
them. An early human study showed that
4:27
rayi can actually improve the quality of
4:29
life for people people undergoing cancer
4:32
treatment like reducing fatigue,
4:34
boosting immunity, you know, preventing
4:37
secondary infections and supporting
4:40
emotional well-being. Of course, we need
4:42
to do a lot more clinical trials, but
4:44
very
4:45
fascinating. Okay, something else ry for
4:48
the heart and metabolic health.
4:51
cardiovascular system may help blood
4:53
pressure and cholesterol and because of
4:56
its anti-inflammatory and antioxidants
4:59
may help prevent plaque buildup. Next
5:02
thing, it's also good for the liver and
5:04
detoxification. Wow, it just goes on and
5:07
on. In traditional Chinese medicine, it
5:10
was used to fight fatigue, hepatitis,
5:13
and liver congestion.
5:16
And we now have a
5:18
growing current scientific support for
5:21
these age-old practices. So you can see
5:24
why rishi is really um being respected
5:30
and revered in the current natural as
5:33
well as the ancient traditional. Now
5:36
we're going to go to cortiseps. Oh,
5:39
boosting energy in enhancing endurance
5:42
and supporting overall vitality. I mean
5:46
it goes back to Tibetan medicine first
5:48
gained attention globally in the current
5:52
era 1990s when Chinese Olympic athletes
5:57
attributed their recordbreaking
6:00
performance to this humble mushroom.
6:03
Since then scientific research has just
6:06
deepened for what all cortiseps can do.
6:09
So number one, the reason they were
6:12
using it is because it increases energy
6:14
levels and enhances physical performance
6:18
because it helps the body use oxygen and
6:22
ATP, the fuel for your cells. In animal
6:24
and human studies, cortiseps has been
6:27
shown to increase V2 max, which is
6:30
something we measure how the body uses
6:32
oxygen during exercise. Pretty cool. We
6:35
can measure it. athletes, even older
6:39
athletes have faster recovery and better
6:43
stamina. So maybe I'll be running even
6:45
faster this year as I approach 70. Every
6:49
year I get a little faster. Now I've
6:51
added this. Who knows? Okay. Second
6:53
thing it does, uh, of course it kind of
6:56
goes with the other thing, but it
6:57
supports respiratory function because
6:59
it's opening up the airways and because
7:01
it's
7:02
anti-inflammatory. if there's
7:04
inflammation in the lungs, it helps
7:06
clear that. So, they've used it for
7:10
chronic respiratory conditions, but now
7:12
we're looking how it in polluted
7:14
environments and during allergy season,
7:17
how this may be also effective. Third
7:19
thing it does, it's kind of considered u
7:22
to enhance libido, natural anti- uh
7:25
aphrodesiac, and and that's just because
7:28
the body has more energy and vitality.
7:32
Next thing it does, balances blood
7:34
sugar. Oh my goodness, improving insulin
7:37
sensitivity, reducing fasting blood
7:40
glucose. So many good things. And then
7:43
finally, it supports immune system
7:47
function. Like the other medicinal
7:49
mushrooms, cortisips is rich in beta
7:53
glucans. And those are just sugars that
7:56
help modulate the immune system. And
8:00
that's what we want. the immune system
8:02
to be working like it should. Now, here
8:05
we come to turkey tail. One of the most
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studied and respected mushrooms in the
8:11
whole world. Turkey tail. It It's that
8:15
fan shaped mushroom that grows out of
8:18
decaying logs and and it kind of fans
8:21
out like a turkey tail. Not colorful,
8:23
but it still fans out. Known in
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traditional medicine as Yong Xi, turkey
8:31
tail has a long history for immune
8:34
health. But what truly sets it
8:37
apart is the tons of scientific research
8:41
backing its benefits,
8:44
especially immune support, cancer care,
8:48
gut health, and may even improve
8:52
cognitive functioning like improving
8:55
memory and problem solving, reducing the
8:59
risk of age related decline. We even
9:02
have um a whole line of products called
9:06
IQ. We have IQ bars and we have IQ
9:10
electrolytes that all use this turkey
9:13
tail. Pretty cool. So, let's look at
9:16
what turkey tail can do. First thing,
9:19
powerful immune modulator. See, and
9:23
that's that's the cool thing I see about
9:25
these mushrooms is they modulate. They
9:28
don't just stimulate because you don't
9:30
want a lot of that because then
9:32
potentially autoimmune but they don't
9:34
just suppress, they modulate. So it is
9:38
powerful on the immune system and
9:42
probably because there are some unique
9:44
compounds in here called
9:47
polyacs peptides,
9:50
saccharopeptides. Uh so they call them
9:53
PSK, polysaccharide K or PSP,
9:58
polysaccharide peptides. So
10:02
these actually stimulate immune cells
10:05
like TE-C cells, macrofasages, and
10:07
natural killer cells, helping your body
10:09
mount a defense against illness,
10:13
clearing out the bad guys. What's really
10:16
fascinating is that the
10:19
PSK has been approved as a prescription
10:23
anti-cancer drug in Japan for decades.
10:27
Often used alongside chemotherapy, it
10:31
improves survival rates and quality of
10:34
life in patients with stomach, colon,
10:37
and lung cancers. you know that's rare
10:40
among mushrooms and it speaks volumes
10:42
about turkey tails credibility in
10:45
clinical settings. So second thing it
10:48
does it supports cancer recovery and
10:51
therapy used as an adjunct therapy
10:54
alongside other
10:56
ones so that it can be but you know
10:59
check with your doctor to make sure that
11:01
that's going to be appropriate for you
11:03
but tons of
11:04
antioxidants anti-inflammatory
11:06
properties that it is contributing to
11:09
its protective offense helping the body
11:11
stay resilient during these difficult
11:14
therapies. Third thing it does promotes
11:17
gut health and
11:20
microbiome balance. That's kind of
11:22
exciting to to see something that's also
11:25
working to pro promote a good healthy
11:28
gut. As a prebiotic, which is the fiber,
11:32
turkey tail feeds the bacteria in the
11:36
gut, helping to cultivate a diverse
11:40
microbiome. lots of different bacteria
11:43
in there keeping the bad guys in check
11:46
and supporting the growth of the healthy
11:47
ones. So, this not only helps digestion,
11:51
but because of what we know about the
11:53
gut health and the overall health, it is
11:56
supporting immune health, mental health
11:59
and clarity, and even mood regulation.
12:03
In a world where gut imbalances
12:05
contribute to everything from fatigue to
12:08
autoimmune, turkey tail, gentle natural
12:12
support. So the fourth thing turkey tail
12:15
is known for. It's rich because it's a
12:18
food. We look at it in the food aspect.
12:21
Rich in polyphenols and flavonoids,
12:25
something that we normally have to get
12:27
from green tea or berries. They act as
12:30
antioxidants that neutralize free
12:33
radicals and reduce oxidative stress. Oh
12:36
my gosh. Great for people dealing with
12:40
chronic inflammation, fatigue or age
12:43
related
12:45
degeneration. You know, combined with
12:47
its immune effects and its antioxidant
12:50
activity, helping the body stay in a
12:53
state of defense and repair rather than
12:55
chronic wear and tear, turkey tail is
12:58
considered the mushroom of resilience,
13:01
and that's what we
13:03
want. Next, chaga. I have so much
13:08
respect for chaga. Um I know somebody
13:11
that was not getting good results with
13:14
some therapy that they were taking that
13:16
10 years ago started taking chaga and
13:19
everything resolved pretty miraculous.
13:22
So there's a lot of scientific studies
13:24
indicate that chaga may have certain
13:28
benefits and it typically glows grows on
13:32
birch trees in the northern hemisphere.
13:35
Okay. may look like a chunk of burnt
13:38
wood growing on the outside, but boy,
13:41
the ancient cultures sure revered it.
13:45
So, let me tell you some of the benefits
13:47
we've always known chaga to be useful
13:50
for. Again, boosting the immune system
13:54
and reducing chronic inflammation. You
13:57
know, that's why they're all known for
14:00
longevity because you got to have those
14:02
if you want long-term health.
14:04
Inflammation unchecked plays a major
14:07
role in heart disease and autoimmune
14:10
conditions and cancer. But chaga working
14:14
in a fascinating way helps regulate
14:17
those
14:18
cytoines. Those tiny proteins that tell
14:22
our immune system when to activate and
14:25
when to stand down. those cytoines that
14:29
became so famous for the destruction
14:32
they caused when there was that cytoine
14:35
storm during CO. So, you know,
14:39
modulating it means chaga can help fight
14:42
off infections from everyday cold to
14:45
more serious threats without triggering
14:49
excessive inflammation. Early studies,
14:52
animals and test tubes show that chaga
14:56
helps restore balance in the immune
14:58
system, whether it's overactive or
15:02
underactive. Second thing we're looking
15:04
at is anti-cancer potential. You know,
15:07
all those antioxidant compounds,
15:10
particularly the
15:12
trurpen. Again, there we're talking food
15:17
compounds, significant role in
15:19
anti-cancer. So this doesn't mean cha is
15:21
a cure. No. But findings are opening up
15:25
exciting new paths for cancer research.
15:28
Complimentary and supportive. Third
15:31
thing it does helps balance blood sugar.
15:34
Four things heart disease cholesterol.
15:37
And then finally we're going to go on to
15:41
shiakei.
15:42
Shiakei is probably the most widely
15:45
consumed mushroom in the world.
15:47
Flavorful. Everybody loves the flavor of
15:51
the shiakei mushroom. You know, often
15:54
flies under the radar when it comes to
15:56
healing, but it's been used in
15:58
traditional medicine forever. Modern
16:01
research is now backing up its
16:04
wide-ranging benefits for the immune
16:06
system, of course, the heart, of course,
16:08
but then beyond. So, let's look how the
16:11
yummy mushroom also serves as both food
16:15
and
16:16
medicine. Here we go. First thing, like
16:19
all of them, supports a healthy immune
16:22
system. There's several compounds in the
16:25
shiakei itself that seem to strengthen
16:28
and balance the system. The one biggie
16:32
here is lentin. It's a type of that beta
16:35
glucan we talked about a little bit ago
16:37
that enhances the function of the immune
16:40
cells
16:41
particularly macrofagages, te-c cells
16:44
and the natural killer cells that
16:48
lentin they're using it a lot in
16:50
supportive therapy in cancer care in
16:54
Japan. Um in Japan they use it as an
16:57
injectable agent alongside chemotherapy
16:59
to support the immune system response.
17:03
So if you're just looking for defense in
17:05
the cold and flu seasoning season for
17:07
viruses, shiakei mushrooms is something
17:10
you could do for everyday protection.
17:13
Love it. Heart health, cholesterol
17:16
health supporting that as well. And
17:20
because we've studied it so much, we
17:22
know exactly what's in shiakei.
17:25
arydadine and steriles and beta glucans
17:29
that are doing so much when it comes to
17:32
cholesterol and fat metabolism. You
17:35
know, you see where this is cancer and
17:36
heart disease and viruses and immune
17:39
system. I mean all of these really work
17:41
together. Uh third thing it does
17:43
antimicrobial and antiviral. Fourth
17:46
thing, again, anti-cancer enhancing the
17:49
immune surveillance, helping to detect,
17:53
seek out, and destroy the bad guys. And
17:55
the fifth thing, because it's a food, it
17:58
is rich in nutrients and antioxidants.
18:01
Truly, where food is medicine. So, there
18:05
you go. All of those wonderful mushrooms
18:08
that, you know, I enjoy and I I take
18:12
them every day. I hope you enjoyed this
18:15
edition of today's nutrition and learned
18:17
something that could help you or someone
18:18
you love. This information is for
18:21
education only, but it really is
18:24
fascinating for those of us whose health
18:26
is the most important thing. If you'd
18:28
like to listen again, you can go to my
18:30
website, debford.com, or on YouTube
18:33
under Dr. Debb Ford, or any place you
18:36
listen to podcasts under Today's
18:38
Nutrition.
18:40
Have a great day and I hope you enjoy
18:42
the fungus among us.
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Mushrooms for Longevity, Covid, Autoimmune, Cancer and More Questions
Deb Ford DCN RDN
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Apr 27, 2025
18:49
People have always been seeking longevity. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has had a clear understanding of aging since very ancient times dating back 5,000 years of written knowledge. To me it is curious that it recognizes the limit of the human life span as 100‐120 years, as unequivocally stated in the ancient Huang Di Internal Classic, which is known as the “Bible of TCM.” Today I am digging into the health promoting properties of mushrooms as it applies to longevity. There is research going on now regarding these mushrooms and cancer, long covid, autoimmune and more chronic diseases that are plaguing our culture right now.