Funny-looking shroom helps CRUSH immune attacks
It’s never been CLEARER than it is right now.
We need to be PROACTIVE about protecting ourselves against anything that might COMPROMISE our defenses.
When it comes to supporting immune function… we might have to get a little creative…
And venture outside of our comfort zones.
I’m not talking about trying some newly developed, untested drug… or even a vaccine.
Today, I want to share with you a medicinal mushroom that could help build your “suit of armor” against infections… and even life-wrecking diseases like cancer.
A happy dance for your immunity
You might’ve seen the hen-of-the-woods mushroom (Grifola frondosa) on the menu of a fancy restaurant…
And if you ever spot it in the produce aisle, the way it looks surely deserves a double-take… as some have nicknamed it “ram’s head” or “sheep’s head” mushroom.
These mushrooms… called “maitake” or “dancing mushroom” in Japanese… because foragers would do a little celebration dance upon finding them.
They can grow to weigh more than 100 pounds, which is why they’re called “king of the mushrooms”…
And they were worth their weight in silver during feudal times in Medieval Japan.
But they’re not JUST an intriguing culinary delight…
They’re also a FANTASTIC fungus for shoring up your immune system.
They can even ENHANCE the immune response in cancer patients!
Maitake mushrooms and their extracts have shown in studies to ACTIVATE immune cells, such as…
- macrophages, a type of phagocyte (or “pathogen-eater”) that also STIMULATES the activity of other types of immune cells
- natural killer (NK) cells, a type of lymphocyte that fights off viruses and produces antibodies, and
- T cells, which fight cancer.
In fact, animal studies have shown maitake to be able to increase phagocytic activity by as much as 58%.
And the key to this action appears to be maitake’s rich content of a substance called beta-glucan.
Beta-glucan is made up of complex sugars… but it’s not a sugar.
It’s actually a type of soluble fiber – one that can be CRUCIAL in the fight against certain types of infections.
Healthcare professionals have used it against swine flu… HIV… and autoimmune diseases.
While it DOES boost the “attack mode” of your immune system to fight pathogens… it doesn’t deploy ALL of its ammunition.
It actually REGULATES your body’s disease-fighting processes to hold back some of its power.
Instead of OVERACTIVATING your immune system… and blowing its entire load… beta glucan is a strict drill sergeant that makes your immune cells toe the line.
That way, they only act as directed.
That includes triggering a BALANCED inflammatory response… stimulating the release of only as much pro-inflammatory cytokines as needed to fight off whatever’s attacking you.
And because beta-glucans is a form of prebiotic, it also helps BOOST your gut microbiome – an area of your body that’s thought to be inextricably linked to your immunity.
Now, your body doesn’t naturally produce beta-glucans… so you’ve got to get it from an outside source.
Maitake mushrooms do grow in this country, in the Pacific Northwest…
But if you can’t go foraging for them in person, look for them at your local Asian specialty market.
They’re also available in capsule form as a supplement.
Look for one that’s made from the whole powdered fruit body and mycelium…
And that’s standardized to contain a certain minimum percentage of polysaccharides (including beta-glucans).
Because maitake works in synergy with other mushrooms… and can stimulate an even more powerful immune response in combination with shiitake and others… you may choose to supplement with a mushroom complex.
Choose one from a quality maker you trust, available at your local health food store or online.
To immunity you can celebrate,
Melissa Young
P.S. There’s an amino acid found in certain types of fungi that can keep age-related diseases… like cancer… at bay.
