5 Best Mushrooms for Gut Health and Digestion
More than 2500 years ago, Hippocrates, known as the father of modern medicine, made a profound statement that still rings true today: "All disease begins in the gut." In fact, with the increasing attention on gut health and the microbiome, this statement is more relevant now than ever before.
Thankfully, we have access to some powerful gut-supporting superfoods in the form of medicinal mushrooms. These include Turkey Tail, Reishi, Lion's Mane, and Chaga - all of which can significantly improve our digestive health.
As gut health continues to gain prominence in the world of health and research, the focus on the gastrointestinal (GI) ecosystem is growing. This complex system plays a crucial role in preventing, treating, and diagnosing a wide range of diseases and conditions.
Interestingly, our gut is home to an abundance of bacteria - up to 10 times more than our own human cells. With thousands of species and millions of genes within their DNA, these microbes have the ability to influence our biology in ways that are still not fully understood by scientists.
Given the fascinating relationship between our gut and its bacteria, it's not surprising that it is considered the epicentre of our well-being.
As Hippocrates once said, "Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease."
In this article, we'll explore the five best medicinal mushrooms that can help support gut health and improve digestive function.
Table of Contents
Understanding Gut Microbiome
The gut microbiome is a complex network of cells, enzymes, and bacteria that form a barrier between our bodies and the outside world. This barrier determines whether the substances we ingest are beneficial or harmful to our health. If this barrier is compromised, it can result in a condition known as "leaky gut," where substances such as toxins and bacteria can pass through the gaps in the mucosal lining, triggering inflammation and immune response.
Maintaining a healthy gut-barrier function is essential to prevent this condition, and it is important to note that our gut lining is only one cell thick. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen and nourish our gut, as we rely on this single layer of cells to protect and support us.
Moreover, the gut-brain axis plays a vital role in our cognitive and emotional health, as the vagus nerve links our gut to our central nervous system. Our gut health can impact our mental state, contributing to conditions such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD.
There is a direct link between a leaky gut and numerous health issues, including Alzheimer's, allergies, and autoimmune disorders. To prioritize our overall health, we must focus on supporting our gut health and the symbiotic ecosystem within it. Superfood mushrooms are known for their healing properties and can be a beneficial addition to a gut-healthy diet.
How Medicinal Mushrooms Support and Heal Gut Health
The health of our gut and the diversity of our microbiome is critical to living a healthy and abundant life. Fortunately, medicinal mushrooms have the potential to help us achieve this goal. The prebiotic components found in mushrooms, including α and beta β-glucans, chitin, mannans, galactans, xylans, and hemicellulose, have a significant impact on our gut health and immunity. The immune system is heavily concentrated in the gut, with 75% of it residing there, making it even more important to maintain a healthy microbiome.
Mushrooms act as prebiotics for the bacteria in our microbiome, encouraging beneficial and friendly bacteria to flourish while helping to eliminate unwanted bacteria such as Candida albicans. Additionally, mushrooms have the ability to communicate with the bacteria in our gut, just as they do in the mystical mycelial network that spans the world's surface. This communication is critical in maintaining the strength of our microbiome, which is closely tied to the strength of our immune system and overall well-being.
By acting as prebiotics, mushroom polysaccharides feed the beneficial microbes in our gut, which in turn create nutrients like Vitamin K and SCFA that repair our intestinal wall cells and fuel our cellular energy production. Incorporating just ¼ teaspoon of mushroom extract into our daily routine can have profound benefits for our gut health and overall well-being.
However, it's essential to note that unfavourable bacteria families such as Firmicutes can also consume prebiotics, so it's important to consume a rich diet in polyphenols and whole foods to ensure a favourable ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes. In the microbiome, it's a savage world, but by incorporating medicinal mushrooms into our routine and consuming a balanced diet, we can promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and achieve optimal gut health.
5 Impactful Mushrooms Recommended For Gut Health
Turkey Tail Mushroom
Research has found that Turkey Tail (TT) has a positive impact on our gut health and immune system. Specifically, the fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and polysaccharide peptide (PSP) found in this mushroom have been shown to increase two important types of bacteria, Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp., which play a crucial role in supporting our health from birth.
Moreover, it has been found to reduce the presence of harmful bacteria such as Clostridium spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Enterococcus spp. in our gut. In fact, a study has also demonstrated that can act as a prebiotic and stabilize our gut microbiome after a course of antibiotics, which can disrupt the normal functioning of our gut flora.
While antibiotics are necessary in certain cases, they are often over-prescribed and can lead to significant damage to our gut health. Antibiotics can eliminate healthy flora from our gut, weaken our immune system, and leave us vulnerable to illness and digestive issues like IBS/IBD.
Therefore, incorporating TT and a high-quality, multi-strain probiotic into our routine after a course of antibiotics can help promote the repopulation of a diverse and healthy microbiome, which is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being.
Reishi Mushroom
Numerous studies have indicated that Reishi mushrooms can have a significant impact on the composition and balance of gut bacteria, specifically the Firmicutes: Bacteroidetes ratio. An imbalance in this ratio, known as dysbiosis, can be caused by various factors including poor diet, stress, inflammation, diseases, parasites, and a weak immune system.
Reishi can help to reverse gut dysbiosis by reducing endotoxin-producing bacteria that damage our cellular DNA, which has been linked to the development of cancer. Additionally, Reishi can promote the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) by Bacteroidetes, which help to repair and fuel our intestinal cells while inhibiting the Firmicutes' glucose consumption, which starves our mitochondria of energy and leads to feelings of fatigue and sluggishness.
Vital constituents of this mushroom also help to maintain the integrity of our intestinal cells, thereby reducing the likelihood of associated health conditions related to leaky gut. It has also been suggested that Reishi contains anti-ulcer properties, making it a useful tool for individuals suffering from UC/Crohn's disease, IBD, and stomach ulcers caused by H. pylori infections. Furthermore, Reishi has been found to combat Candida albicans, a bacterium species that causes thrush, brain fog, lethargy, and fatigue, as well as disrupt biofilms created by bacteria to protect themselves from antibiotics.
It's crucial to note that store-bought culinary mushrooms like white button and portobello can be counterproductive in Traditional Chinese Medicine and contribute to candida overgrowth due to the presence of fungal and mould contaminants. Thus, swapping out these culinary mushrooms for medicinal Reishi mushrooms can help to fight candida and restore gut health.
Stress can wreak havoc on our gut health, but luckily, there's a powerful solution: Reishi, the ultimate anti-stress herb. When our gut microbiome is faced with stressors - whether they're environmental, physical, emotional, psychological, or biological - it can lead to a state of dysbiosis or microbial imbalance. This can cause increased "leakiness," which triggers an inflammatory response and releases markers of inflammation into our bloodstream.
The elevated markers can even impact our brain health by increasing the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. But with Reishi on our side, we can combat the negative effects of stress and keep our gut and brain in tip-top shape.
Lion's Mane Mushroom
The fascinating Lion's Mane mushroom has a remarkable impact on our microbiome. As you may know, the gut-brain axis or the vagus nerve connects our gut to the brain, and the gut primarily communicates with the brain, influencing our behaviour and cognitive function.
When an individual experiences a leaky gut, they are likely to experience a condition known as "leaky brain," where the brain's protective barrier, the blood-brain barrier, is compromised. This results in the penetration of harmful substances such as toxins and pathogens into the brain, leading to mental imbalances like anxiety, depression, brain fog, mental fatigue, and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's.
Fortunately, Lion's Mane has been shown to modify the activity and composition of our gastrointestinal tract and microbiota, which has significant health benefits. Furthermore, it possesses antioxidant and antibiotic properties, making it gastroprotective and reducing inflammatory and immune responses - a sign of healing.
Chaga Mushroom
Chaga, the "mother of antioxidants," is a medicinal mushroom that can contribute to a happy and healthy microbiome. By eliminating harmful oxidized molecules and free radicals, this powerful antioxidant promotes gut health and prevents DNA damage and inflammation, which are associated with autoimmune conditions such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In addition, Chaga's immunomodulatory properties can downregulate the inflammatory cascade that occurs with a leaky gut, making it an excellent tonic for gut health. Moreover, it can help to balance the immune system, reversing any excess that may contribute to autoimmune conditions.
Shiitake Mushroom
Shiitake has impressive immune-boosting properties, and it's closely linked to our gut health, which houses about 70% of our immune system. You can visualize the gut and immune system as siblings, with the gut being the big brother who guides and nurtures the immune system from infancy. In essence, the gut system holds the immune system's hand, educating it on how to differentiate between friendly and hostile bacteria and which pathogens to attack or ignore.
By consuming shiitake mushrooms, we can positively influence our gut microbiome and improve our immunity. These delicious mushrooms have prebiotic properties that shift the bacterial balance in our gut to create an environment hostile to harmful pathogens. As a result, our immune system can work more efficiently, resist external pathogens and protect us from disease.
Digestive Health Rejuvenation With Mushrooms
Certain types of bacteria can affect our food preferences, cravings, taste, immune system, and even our mood - both positively and negatively. They can also regulate our energy metabolism, detoxify harmful chemicals, and contribute to our overall toxic load. Therefore, maintaining and nourishing our gut is crucial to living a healthy life.
Fortunately, mushrooms possess natural antibiotic properties that can inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and yeasts. Incorporating them into our daily routine can greatly benefit our gut health and overall well-being. In fact, their immune-boosting and stress-adapting properties make them a true superfood and an ideal herb for gut health.
To experience the amazing benefits of organic medicinal mushrooms, give Teelixir a try today and start improving your digestive power and gut health.
Written by Eliza Hedley
Eliza is the millennial nutritionist– a health, mindset and abundance enthusiast obsessed with helping millennial's experience living at a higher level.
Her relaxed new age approach and understanding of nutrition and wellness sees her empowering and coaching individuals to understand that their health is the ultimate asset.
Upon experiencing first hand the power and place of tonic herbalism and medicinal mushrooms in everyday life, Eliza’s become an adaptogen fangirl and feels their utilisation in today’s world is essential for abundance and wellbeing.
Website: https://themillennialnutritionist.com/
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