Written by, Renata Filiaci, MSHW

The Western diet was established during the Industrial era and completely altered the nutritional physiognomies of ancestral diets. The Western diet is associated with the excessive overconsumption of sugars, carbohydrates, omega-6 fatty acids, proteins, salt, and processed foods. A proper nutritious diet should consist of the balance between micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids) for the body to function appropriately. However, the evolution of the Western diet has affected the disposition of the human body with the adjustment of seven fundamental qualities

• glycemic load
• fatty acid composition
• macronutrient composition
• micronutrient density
• acid-base balance
• sodium/potassium ratio
• fiber content

The constant imbalances in these nutritional qualities have contributed to an influx of inflammation, reduced regulation of fighting off infection, increased rates of cancer proliferation and metastasis, and increased risk for allergic and auto-inflammatory disease, which is also associated with an accumulation of oxidative stress influencing the development of chronic inflammatory illnesses.

I have talked about CBD being extremely beneficial for inflammation, the immune system, chronic illness, and overall maintaining a good quality of life, but what about other holistic resources?

Mushrooms, culinary and medicinal, have been a hot topic recently due to their bioactive compounds and use for healing. However, not only are they tasty but mushrooms have been used in Eastern medicine for managing chronic illness for thousands of years. I wanted to discuss three different mushrooms that are beneficial in similar ways as CBD is for the body.

Fungi is its own classification of living organisms now as they are dependent on obtaining nutrients from other organisms, such as soil, plants, or the human body, by releasing enzymes to breakdown food sources, like weakened, decaying or dead matter, which categorize many mushrooms as saprotrophs. Mushrooms are low in calories, cholesterol free, and nutrient dense including selenium, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B, niacin, vitamin D, proteins, and fiber. Not only do mushrooms consist of important nutrients, the bioactive compounds of mushrooms, such as polysaccharides, amino acids, triterpenes, and terpenoids, have antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antioxidant, antiallergic, adaptogen, immunomodulating, antiatherogenic, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties that have been used against chronic illnesses.

Lions mane: Research has found that lion’s mane may protect against dementia, reduce mild symptoms of anxiety and depression and help repair nerve damage. This is due to its complex bioactive terpenes called erinacine and hericenones, which help regenerate and protect the neural growth factor, amyloid plaque, and myelin sheath as well as endoplasmic reticulum in the brain. It also has strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune-boosting abilities and been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, ulcers and diabetes. This could be relative to the works of CBG within the nervous system as CBG helps with boosting cognitive function, lessening brain fog, and increasing mental clarity. It also reduces intraocular pressure, IBS symptoms, and cancer proliferation.

Reishi is an excellent mushroom for boosting your immune system, potentially fight off cancerous cells and free radicals, as well as act have a mood stabilizer. Its calming properties come from the compound triterpene, which reishi is abundant in. Triterpene is also used for its anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects. As you see, this is similar to the use of CBD. CBD boosts the immune system, especially in autoimmune patients, and acts as a mood stabilizer.

Shiitake is a heart healthy mushroom! Its plentiful in polysaccharides, which is an extremely beneficial carbohydrate found in food, helps lower cholesterol naturally, supporting cardiovascular health. Not only that, it has a lot of great vitamins and nutrients to help boost immunity and reduce cancer proliferation. With CBD being an anti-inflammatory, it works by supporting cardiovascular health as well. Also, the carrier oil in tinctures is heart healthy because of their abundance in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.