Fungi are pretty fantastic. They make up a kingdom of their own, with an estimated 2.5 million species worldwide – and only about 155,000 of them have been named so far. More than 14,000 of those produce what we call mushrooms.
Here in Nova Scotia, many hundreds of species have been recorded, and mycologists estimate there may be around 3,000 across the Maritimes. Plenty are still waiting to be catalogued, so keep your eyes open on your next walk.
On my own land I’ve learned to recognize a handful of wild edibles, among them chanterelles and king boletes. Years ago, I inoculated logs with shiitake spawn and was rewarded with three years of harvests. Most of what I gather ends up in the
dehydrator, then in soup, one of the simplest and best ways to draw out a mushroom’s medicinal properties. Here is one I come ack to every autumn:
Polish-Style Mushroom Soup (Zupa Grzybowa)
1 medium onion, chopped
Butter or olive oil for sautéing
3 carrots, sliced into rounds
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms (button, shiitake, maitake, portobello, or a mix)
2 tsp marjoram
3 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
2 L mushroom stock (see recipe below)
2 cups cooked macaroni
Sour cream for serving
Sauté the onion in butter or oil until soft. Add the carrots and fresh mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms release their juices. Pour in the stock, add the marjoram, and simmer until the carrots are tender. If you like, chop the rehydrated mushrooms from the stock and return them to the pot. Stir in the macaroni and parsley, season to taste, and serve with a spoonful of sour cream.
Mushroom stock:
Simmer 100 g dried mushrooms in 2 L water for 30–60 minutes. I like shiitake, home-dried boletes, or the wild mushroom mix from Costco. Local growers often sell dried mushrooms at farmers’ markets too. Sometimes I add a chicken carcass for extra nutrients and flavour. This stock makes a good base for many sou
Medicine from the forest floor
One of my best preventative health strategies is regular consumption of medicinal mushrooms; they have a normalizing effect on immune and metabolic health. In my clinical practice I prescribe mushrooms for a range of health concerns. Like herbs, each has its own character and active constituents, including the much-studied beta-glucans.
Here are four of my favourites:
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
Known in China as lingzhi, the “mushroom of immortality,” reishi has been used for over 2,000 years. I use it for cardiovascular health, blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma, allergies and autoimmune conditions, and as support alongside conventional cancer care. It’s also a traditional calming tonic for restless sleep.
Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus)
A shaggy white mushroom studied for memory, cognition and nerve repair. In a small Japanese trial, older adults with mild cognitive impairment scored better on cognitive tests after 16 weeks.
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)
You’ve probably walked past it on an old log. It’s one of the best-researched medicinal mushrooms: an extract called PSK has been used in Japan alongside cancer treatment since the 1970s. I use it for immune support, diabetes and autoimmune conditions.
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)
Food and medicine in one. I use it for liver support, allergies, blood pressure and cholesterol. In one study, eating shiitake daily for four weeks made immune cells more active.
Mushrooms on cleanup duty
Fungi are the forest’s recyclers, breaking down fallen trees and returning them to the soil. Scientists are now putting that talent to work on pollution, a field called myco-remediation. Oyster mushrooms can break down many of the toxic compounds in crude oil, and researchers are testing them on oil spills and contaminated soil. Turkey tail produces enzymes that can break down textile dyes and other industrial pollutants in wastewater.
Psychedelic mushrooms and mental health
No overview of medicinal mushrooms would be complete these days without psilocybin, the active compound in so-called “magic mushrooms.” In 2016, two landmark trials at Johns Hopkins and New York University found that a single supervised dose eased depression and anxiety in people with life-threatening cancer, with benefits lasting months. Research has grown quickly since then. This year, a synthetic form of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression succeeded in two large phase 3 trials, and its maker has begun the approval process with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
In Canada, psilocybin remains illegal. Doctors can apply through Health Canada’s Special Access Program for patients with serious conditions, and clinical trials are underway. These treatments involve careful screening and professional support.
I’ve heard a few very promising testimonials about the clinical use of assisted psilocybin mushroom for treatment of trauma and depression; I love that we are breaking into new paradigms for health and I’ll be keeping an eye on this emerging therapeutic option.
Preparations
Mushroom medicine is drawn out with hot water, alcohol, or both, because much of it is locked inside tough cell walls.
Soups and broths: an easy, nourishing way to take mushrooms medicinally
Dried mushroom or mycelium extract powder: 1–15 g per day
Tincture: dual extraction with water and alcohol, 1–2 ml twice daily
If you are pregnant, taking medication or under treatment, please speak with a qualified practitioner before using medicinal mushrooms.
An easy way to get started with mushrooms is to pick up a package of fresh shiitake or enoki at the grocery store or market each week and make a broth. Or, try stirring a teaspoon of mushroom extract powder into a mug of hot chocolate or miso soup.
Simple regular health practices help keep us resilient. Consider making mushrooms your new daily habit.