Healing with Medicinal Mushrooms. A practical handbook E-Book

Walter Ardigò

• Herausgeber: Youcanprint
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

“HEALING WITH MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS, A practical handbook” recommends the use of medicinal mushrooms for the treatment of different pathologies in various medical fields. While explaining key-concepts and giving some practical rules the author, Dr Walter Ardigò, informs professionals and patients on how medicinal mushrooms act positively on the symptoms and causes of many illnesses. This practical handbook helps to select the most suitable healing mushrooms to treat over 200 diseases and disorders.Dr Walter Ardigò, in his long career as a qualified doctor, an expert both in conventional medicine as physician and researcher, psychiatrist, psychotherapist and formerly as psychiatric hospital manager, as well as in alternative medicine as acupuncturist and homeopath, has been constantly working, studying and carrying out research on medical mushrooms since 2004 when he started using medicinal mushrooms to treat minor illnesses such as flu, allergy, gastritis, colitis and dermatitis. As of 2008, step by step, he started treating major illnesses like autoimmune disorders (e.g. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis), asthma, heart disease, kidney disease and chronic disease in different medical fields achieving really encouraging results. The book, written in an informative style, is extremely clear and easy to read, ideal for doctors, GPs, health professionals, naturopaths and all those interested in medicinal mushrooms.Prof. Solomon P. Wasser & Prof. Paul A. Volz, world experts on medicinal mushrooms, edited the book and wrote the foreword.

Leseprobe

CONTENTS

Foreword by Solomon P. Wasser & Paul A. Volz

INTRODUCTION

PART A

Practical mycotherapy

Chap 1: From its origins to the present day

Chap 2: A treasure trove of invaluable substances

Chap 3: Certified remedies with no side effects

Chap 4: Also together with conventional medicine

Chap 5: An expert is better

PART B

Holistic Functional Medicine

Chap 6: The body is a set of apparatuses and communicating functions

Chap 7: From function to dysfunction: how health is damaged

Chap 8: Pseudo-health

Chap 9: The progression from dysfunction to illness

PART C

Preventing and treating disease with mycotherapy

Chap 10: Healing mushrooms are the basis of prevention

Chap 11: How to decide on treatment

Chap 12: The "successful protocols" - (how to combine mushrooms)

Chap 13: The infallible diet (fruit, vegetables, legumes and oilseeds)

PART D

The diseases of the four apparatuses and the four powers of healing mushrooms

Chap 14: Immune system disease: Lentinus, Ganoderma and Agaricus

Chap 15: Diseases of the digestive system and metabolism: Hericium, Auricularia, Grifola and Coprinus

Chap 16: Diseases of the cleansing apparatuses: Polyporus, Pleurotus, Cordyceps and Ganoderma

Chap 17: Diseases of the energy apparatuses (muscles, mind, heart, hormones and structure): Cordyceps, Agaricus, Ganoderma and Auricularia

PART E

Information on each of the 10 healing mushrooms

Agaricus (Agaricus brasiliensis)

Auricularia (Auricularia auriculae-judae)

Coprinus (Coprinus comatus)

Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis)

Ganoderma (Ganoderma lucidum)

Grifola (Grifola frondosa)

Hericium (Hericium erinaceus)

Lentinus (Lentinus edodes)

Pleurotus (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Polyporus (Polyporus umbellatus)

PART F

Appendices

Short Dictionary

Bibliography

Index of diseases and problems

Index of the 18 successful protocols

Index of pictures of mushrooms

Dr WALTER ARDIGÒ

HEALING WITHMEDICINALMUSHROOMS

A practical handbook

Agaricus - Auricularia - CoprinusCordyceps - Ganoderma - Grifola - HericiumLentinus - Pleurotus - Polyporus

Take care of yourself

Edited bySolomon P. Wasser & Paul A. Volz

To my daughters Francesca and Susanna And my parents-in-law Ester and Giuseppe

Let no doctor say this sickness is incurable.He denies God our Creator,he denies naturewith her abundance of hidden powers,he depreciates the great arcana of natureand the mysteries of creation…there is no disease so greatthat He has not provided its cure.PARACELSUS(16th century A.D.)

N.B.

The scientific knowledge presented in this book was taken from prestigious research papers published in international scientific journals. The objective of the book, therefore, is simply to provide information; it is not intended to replace diagnosis and treatment, tasks which pertain to a doctor.

Title | HEALING WITH MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS

A practical handbook

Author | Walter Ardigò

ISBN | 9788892646858

© All rights reserved by the Author

No part of this book may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Author.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank:

. Professor Solomon P. Wasser Ph.D. for the foreword and useful advice;

. Professor Paul A. Volz Ph.D. for the foreword;

. my wife Nadia for her loving presence and her stimulating considerations;

. Justine Crellin who translated the book from Italian into English.

Foreword

Medicinal mushrooms have an established history of use in traditional ancient therapies. Contemporary research has validated and documented much of the ancient knowledge. The interdisciplinary field of science that studies medicinal mushrooms has been developed and for the last three decades continues to demonstrate potent and unique properties of compounds extracted from a range of mushroom species. Modern clinical practice in Japan, China, Korea, Russia, the USA, France, and several other countries rely on mushroom-derived preparations.

Ancient oriental traditions have stressed the importance of several mushroom species, namely, Ling Zhi or Ganoderma mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum (W. Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst.) and Lentinus mushroom (Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Singer). Mushrooms have also played an important role in the treatment of ailments affecting rural populations of Eastern European countries. The most important species in these countries were Inonotus obliquus (Pers.: Fr.) Pilát (Chaga), Fomitopsis officinalis (Vill.: Fr.) Bond. et Singer (Wood Conk or Agaricon), Piptoporus betulinus (Bull.:Fr.) P.Karst. (Birch Polypore), and Fomes fomentarius Fr.: Fr (Tinder Bracket). These species were used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, various forms of cancers, bronchial asthma, night sweats, etc. There is also a long history of traditional use of mushrooms as curatives in Mesoamerica (especially for species of the genus Psilocybe), in Africa (Yoruba populations in Nigeria and Benin), Algeria, and Egypt. A very special role was found in Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria (L.:Fr.) Pers.) in Siberia and Tibetan shamanism, Buddhism, and Celtic myths.

Mushrooms and fungi in general are extremely abundant and diverse worldwide. Recent estimates of the number of fungi on Earth range from 500,000 to more than 5 million species, with a widely accepted number of around 1.5 million published more than 20 years ago. To date, it is recommended that as many as 3 million species of fungi should be accepted for general application. Meanwhile, the total number of described fungi of all kinds is currently 110,000 species. The figure is based on the total number of species added to each genus given in the last edition of the Dictionary of Fungi and other recent publications. Mushrooms constitute 16,000 species of this total amount. The number of mushroom species on Earth is currently estimated at 150,000-160,000, so only around 10% of the existing mushroom species are known to science. Summarizing these data, we can assume that, currently, approximately 2% of world fungal biota and around 10% of world mushroom biodiversity were discovered by mycologists, thus the bulk of fungal biodiversity still remains unknown.

Specialists in the taxonomy of some groups of medicinal mushrooms are familiar with “known” species, but some of their biochemical and pharmacological properties are still unknown. We have summarized the data on approximately 700 mushroom species with pharmacological properties from 2,000 known safe species. It can be seen that there is great potential for uncovering medicinal mushroom diversity.

Nowadays, medicinal mushrooms are used as: a) dietary food (world mushroom production was 33 million tons in 2015); b) dietary supplement (DS) products (the market of medicinal mushroom DS products is rapidly growing and comprises a value of more than 20 billion US dollars per year); c) natural bio-control agents in plant protection demonstrating insecticidal, fungicidal, bactericidal, herbicidal, nematocidal, and antiphytoviral activities; d) cosmeceuticals – different compounds of medicinal mushrooms are used by cosmetic companies for their film-forming capability, activation of epidermal growth factor, antioxidative, antiallergic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities, stimulation of collagen activity, inhibition of autoimmune vitiligo, and treating acne, and e) a new class of drugs called “mushroom pharmaceuticals”. Medicinal mushrooms are comparable to “medicinal plants” and can be defined as macroscopic fungi, mostly higher Basidiomycetes and some Ascomycetes, which are used in the form of extracts or powder for prevention, alleviation or healing multiple diseases, and/or in balancing a healthy diet. According to the definition of “herbal drugs”, dried fruit bodies, mycelia, or spores are considered “mushroom drugs” or “fungal drugs”. Analogous to “phytopharmaceuticals” or “herbal preparations”, the resulting mushroom preparations should be considered as “mushroom pharmaceuticals” or “mushroom preparations”.

Particularly, and most importantly for modern medicine, are polysaccharides with antitumor and immunostimulating properties. Several of the mushroom polysaccharide compounds have successfully completed Phase I, II, and III clinical trials and are used extensively and successfully in Asia to treat various cancers and other diseases. There are a total of more than 200 medicinal functions produced by medicinal mushrooms and fungi. Recently studied medicinal actions of mushrooms included antitumor, immunomodulating, antioxidant, radical scavenging, cardiovascular, cholesterol-lowering, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, antifungal, detoxicative, hepatoprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, neu-roprotective, neuroregenerative, and some other effects as well. Also, substances derived from medicinal mushrooms can be used as painkillers and analgesics. The best implementation of medicinal mushrooms drugs and medicinal mushroom dietary supplements has been in preventing immune disorders and maintaining a good quality of life, especially in immunodeficient and immunodepressed patients, patients under chemotherapy or radiotherapy, patients with different types of cancers, chronic blood-borne viral infections of Hepatitis B, C, and D, different types of anemia, the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), Herpes simplex virus (HSV), chronic fatigue syndrome, Epstein Bar virus, patients with chronic gastritis and gastric ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori, and people suffering from dementia (especially Alzheimer’s disease). Very important studies are conducted in anti-tumor and immunomodulating actions of polysaccharides like B-glucan. It is important to note that B-glucans directly affect many kinds of immune cells and different types of chemical messengers, including increases in antibodies, interferons, interleukins, TNF, colony stimulating factors produion, and the activation of macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils, NK cells, dendritic cells, T-cells, B-cells, and many other immune cells. Anticancer therapies using MMs have been effectively applied effectively in the prevention of oncogenesis by oral consumption; in direct antitumor activity; immunopotentiation activity in conjunction with chemotherapy, and in prevention against tumor metastasis.

Dr. Walter Ardigò's book, “Healing with medicinal mushrooms. A practical handbook", is the first book in Europe published in English by an Italian scientist and medical doctor. In all of Europe only four books were published in the last 25 years dedicated to medicinal mushrooms. Another book in Italian of the same author is "I 4 poteri del Ganoderma e della Micoterapia". Professor J. Lelley wrote "Kompendium der Mykotherapies" in German. Czeck authors wrote "Houby jako lek", M. Stajic wrote "Nutritivna svojstva I medicinski potential macromiceta" in the Serbian language. The structure of the book of W. Ardigò is clear and compact. It contains an Introduction and the main body of the book is divided in 5 main parts, plus a short dictionary, bibliography, and indexes.

It is important to point out that this book has been prepared not by a mycologist, as with previously published European books, but by a medical doctor which helps in the understanding of the holistic approach to medicine using medicinal mushrooms and combines eastern (especially traditional Chinese medicine) and western medicine, as well as conventional and alternative medicine. Part A, "Practical mycotherapy", contains 5 chapters dedicated to general knowledge including historical information on using medicinal mushrooms from ancient times to the present time; similarities and differences of mycotherapy and herbal medicine; chemical composition and active ingredients of medicinal mushrooms useful to promote health; how to use medicinal mushrooms, dosages of different types of medicinal mushroom preparations, and possible side effects; how to combine treatment using medicinal mushrooms and conventional medicine; the last chapter of Part A is dedicated to the importance of consulting with an expert in mycotherapy before using medicinal mushroom products. Part B is dedicated to "Holistic functional medicine" and contains 4 chapters, describing the four functions needed for normal functionality of our body including immunity, digestion, cleansing, and production of energy. Medicinal mushrooms are important biological response modifiers (BRM). BRMs are defined as non-specific agents that modify the host's biological response by stimulation of the immune system. An important concept here is found in the words «non-specific». Medicinal mushrooms act through many pathways, and their action is very holistic; it affects many physiological systems at the same time. When Chinese medicine claims that Ganoderma mushrooms activate «chi or ki», energy, they mean about the same thing. It is not only the immune system, or just the heart, or liver - medicinal mushrooms activate heart and liver, blood, brain, etc. - at the same time.

Part C, "Preventing and treating disease with mycotherapy", contains 4 chapters dedicated to informing readers on the impact of medicinal mushrooms on an individual’s general health, the impact of medicinal mushrooms on different health conditions including strengthening the immune system, detoxification effects, improving mental and physical conditions, improving sleep, etc. For overall general health, the author gives a list of medicinal mushroom species that are recommended in the prevention and treatment of specific health conditions. In part C a very important chapter, "The successful protocols" gives information on how to combine mushrooms dedicated to the prevention of different types of illnesses (approximately 200 illnesses or their combinations are listed). The end of part C is dedicated to the importance of correctly combining mushrooms together with healthy dried fruits, vegetables, legumes, and oilseeds for more effective results. Parts D and E represent the core of the book. Part D, "The diseases of the four apparatuses and the four powers of healing mushrooms", contains four chapters describing immune system diseases, diseases of the digestive system, metabolism, cleansing apparatuses, of the energy apparatuses (muscles, mind, heart, hormones and structure) and lists helpful medicinal mushrooms Lentinus edodes, Ganoderma lucidum, Agaricus brasiliensis, Hericium erinaceus, Auricularia auricularjudae, Grifola frondosa, Coprinus comatus, Cordyceps sinensis, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Polyporus umbellatus used for promoting different health conditions (approx. 200).

Part E: "Information on each of the 10 healing mushrooms". In a unified form the author describes the medicinal values of the 10 most powerful medicinal mushrooms: Agaricus brasiliensis, Auricularia auricular-judae, Coprinus comatus, Cordyceps sinensis, Hericium erinceus, Grifola frondosa, Pleurotus ostreatus, Polyporus umbellatus, Ganoderma lucidum, and Lentinus edodes For each mushroom the author describes historical information, strong points, active ingredients, and health values for treatment of various diseases. For example, for Agaricus brasiliensis, the author describes diseases related to the immune system and to inflammation including diseases from pathogens (influenza, flu-like syndromes, sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, cystitis and recurrent cystitis, vaginal Candida, cold sores, and genital herpes), allergic diseases (allergic rhinitis, urticarial, atopic dermatitis, and asthma) and autoimmune diseases (Hashimoto's thyroidis, Graves' disease, and Sjorgen's syndrome), metabolic diseases including diabetes, liver disease (high transaminase, hepatitis A, B, and C, and liver toxicity), skin problems, and diseases (homogeneous suntan, protection from solar and artificial UVA rays, acne, atopic and allergic dermatitis, inflammatory dermatitis, eczema, reaction to cosmetics, and wrinkles), and other conditions also.

We are sure that the current book by Dr. Walter Ardigò “Healing with medicinal mushrooms. A practical handbook" will be of interest to medical doctors and specialists in alternative medicine, mycologists, taxonomists, biotechnologists, mushroom producers, researchers, environmentalists, ecologists, wild-crafters, scientists, and anyone else interested in medicinal mushrooms. From folklore to modern scientific analysis, this book presents inspiration and hope for advancing the health and well-being of humans and all other inhabitants of our planet. We recommend this book not only to the specialists but also to everyone who is eager to learn more about the intriguing world of medicinal mushrooms. This book will help to build the bridge between western and eastern medicine in the field of medicinal mushroom science in the 21st century.

Solomon P. Wasser, PhD, Dr. Sci. (Biol.)

Professor of Botany and Mycology

Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms (Begell House, USA)

Paul A. Volz, Professor of Botany and Medical Mycology

INTRODUCTIONTake care of yourself

We are perhaps not fully aware of the wonders of our bodies, of good health, that precious gift that we waste in a thousand ways. We are not even aware of the wonders of the world around us. For example, few people know that medicinal mushrooms are powerful guardians which protect health and are great allies in treating disease. This source of health for mankind can be used daily, just like vegetables, fruit, shoots and legumes.

This book takes you on a journey of discovery to find out about healing mushrooms and their extraordinary powers. It is extremely useful to be aware of their efficacy because they always produce a noticeable improvement in any situation. They maintain and improve health, are unbeatable in preventing health problems and can treat illness, from the most minor ailments to the most serious diseases.

Over the next few pages you can discover the simple story of medicinal mushrooms and their prodigious results. Step by step, almost imperceptibly, a framework for a new vision of medicine – integrated and modern - is outlined. The body appears in a new way - its functions, how it falls ill and the way in which, with the help of healing mushrooms, it heads for recovery. All systems and organs, like soloists in an orchestra, reveal their individual functions, but also how they are connected with the rest of the body. Solo and ensemble work, individual work and teamwork are the two fundamental factors affecting health and disease. Just as an orchestra’s performance depends on its soloists but also on all the musicians, and unity creates strength, so it is in the body. In fact, no organ or system exists in its own right: they all work together. In this model, which I have called "Holistic functional medicine" each organ is studied and treated both as regards its individual function and in relation to the functions of the rest of the body.

Mycotherapy fits in very well with this holistic functional approach, because it strengthens both individual functions and those of the whole organism. Indeed, from this point of view, medicinal mushrooms acquire a more precise identity and their use becomes more simple and intuitive. These ideas largely stem from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the knowledge of which, over the years, has illuminated my work and stimulated my research. It has taught me that the body is one whole integrated system and that it works thanks to the energy it has available. In TCM, wholeness and function are not just theories, but form the basis of all reasoning about health and illness and are concretely reflected in treatment. Wholeness and function, in a simple, systematic and scientifically-based model, are essential for the progress of medicine, because they explain health, disease and treatment in a unified, not fragmented, way. This alone, however, is obviously not enough, because what counts is the result of treatment with medicinal mushrooms.

This book, which is an easy reference guide, summarizes in a simple way the results that can be achieved with healing mushroom remedies for more than 200 diseases. I have been observing these results since 2004, when I returned home from taking a Master's degree at the University of Shanghai and my professional life changed totally. These results are consistent with those of more than 5,000 research projects, conducted with rigorous scientific methods by thousands of researchers in universities around the world over the last forty years, since 1969, date of the first research project on Lentinus at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo (Ikekawa, 1969). The information provided in this book can be an extra tool that can enrich or even change your personal and professional life, as in my case.

And what place does conventional medicine have in this journey? It is not an absolute point of reference, but it is the other voice of science, with a different approach to health and disease. It boasts indisputable scientific depth and important results but there are also issues which are still open and unresolved. In communicating with holistic functional medicine it encounters not a younger and inexperienced brother, but an adult interlocutor, whose methods are partly similar and partly different. It is a dialogue between equals in which the contributions of both parties can be harmonized and provide a new vision of medicine.

Also as regards treatment the two types of medicine can work together with excellent results: drugs which act above all on symptoms and medicinal mushrooms which act on symptoms and causes. These great gifts of nature and fruits of human ingenuity, if properly used, can achieve the "miracle" of a life without disease or almost without disease. This result, which seems far away in a society in which more than 50% of the population suffers from chronic disease, is actually very close.

In conclusion, this simple and clear guide allows you to move easily between symptoms and diseases that are not separate entities but are all linked by a single thread. The information provided in this book reveals the link between symptoms and causes, and also how diet, the mind, and other factors influence disease. In this view, the action of healing mushrooms both on the symptoms and causes of diseases is clear. Moreover, they restore the functions of each apparatus that has weakened, even if it is not closely related to the disease.

Those in search of a manual, a guide to selecting mushrooms in health or in illness, find an easy reference handbook that suggests which mushrooms to choose in the treatment of 200 diseases. Here's how I have organized the guide:

Part A briefly explains the transition from tradition to a ready-foruse tablet and provides effective dosages and useful practical information.

Part B talks about "holistic functional medicine" and what it means to treat an individual part in relation to the rest of the body and to treat the "body machine" according to how it works. Each of the four functions needed to live - immunity, digestion, cleansing, production of energy - is initially thriving, then slowly breaks down and finally succumbs to disease. Health and disease are linked by a thread, similar to a continuous line, in which the cursor heads for decline more or less slowly according to how we treat our bodies.

Part C explains the results of using healing mushrooms, which slow down the advancing cursor, stopping it or heading it back towards health. These results are thanks to the "successful protocols" or to the use of individual mushrooms, both in prevention and in almost all types of illness, from functional diseases to those with organ lesions. An "infallible" diet enhances resources for wellbeing.

Part D describes the action of medicinal mushrooms in all diseases, divided into the four functions essential for life (immunity, digestion, cleansing and production of energy).

Part E explains the properties of each mushroom in detail, its effects and its benefits. This part will be particularly useful to those seeking more detailed knowledge, still explained from a holistic point of view. The international scientific name of each mushroom, which identifies it univocally, consists in the name of the genus and of the species and is shown in brackets in the indexes and in the titles. However, in order to make the book easier to read, each mushroom is generally identified just by using its genus - the first of the two names used in mycology: Agaricus (Agaricus brasiliensis), Auricularia (Auricularia auricula-judae), Coprinus (Coprinus comatus), Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis), Hericium (Hericium erinaceus), Ganoderma (Ganoderma lucidum), Grifola (Grifola frondosa), Lentinus (Lentinus edodes), Pleurotus (Pleurotus ostreatus) and Polyporus (Polyporus umbellatus).

Reading this book will have far-reaching implications because these pages can sow in hearts and minds an idea of treatment and prevention which, as many people have told me, can change your approach to life.

dr WALTER ARDIGÒ

PS

Everything which is happening in my life is a gift - a gift which I have received and which I offer to all those of good will, as a great opportunity to alleviate suffering.

All over the world, both in scientific literature and in everyday speech, the terms “medicinal mushrooms” and “healing mushrooms” are used. These terms identify mushrooms which are useful as health supplements but their use must not be considered medical intervention.

PART A

PRACTICAL MYCOTHERAPY

Healing with mushrooms -or mycotherapy - is an ancient discipline,with 5,000 years of history,but is not well-known all over the world.In recent decades it has also beenlegitimized by science,which has recognized its enormous potential.Indeed, mushrooms can maintainthe body’s equilibrium and health and,when there is some problem or disease,restore well-being.Here's how they work.

CHAPTER 1From its origins to the present day

Everything you can imagine, nature has already created.

ALBERT EINSTEIN

(1879-1955)

Medicinal mushrooms are so full of beneficial properties for the body that they have become important remedies in a branch of natural medicine now recognized all over the world: mycotherapy.

Healing with mushrooms

Mycotherapy is the science that studies and uses mushrooms to improve human and animal health. Although still relatively unknown in some countries, its origins are ancient. Suffice it to say that mushrooms have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 4000 years. They were already mentioned in the first manual of Chinese medicine, the origin of which is attributed to the Chinese Emperor Shennong, who lived around 2,800 B.C.. The Great Herbal of Medicine (Pen-Ts'ao Kang Mu), written towards the end of the 16th century by Li Shizhen, considered the greatest Chinese doctor, also talks about these remedies, especially Ganoderma and Lentinus.

How mycotherapy has evolved over time

As time has passed, mycotherapy has no longer been confined to Asia and is now well-known all over the world, with a real boom in the last 50 years. Research carried out with increasingly sophisticated techniques has started to prove without doubt what ancient peoples knew and described as far back as the time of the pyramids. Science became aware of the value of medicinal mushrooms in the 1960s and 1970s, discovering that these fungi are the secret of the world’s longest living populations. Obviously, in order to reach the desired results, they must be used regularly and on the advice of competent experts.

Confirmation from scientists has given mycotherapy a boost; it is increasingly proving to be an innovative healing method which is highly effective for the health of the whole body. It is estimated, on the basis of 2004 data, that 9 to 10 million people throughout the world, approximately one person in every 2500, including both Western and Eastern countries, rely on these remedies regularly. In Asian countries, mushrooms are appreciated so much that they have become one of the key elements in nutrition.

Similarities and differences with herbal medicine

The use of healing mushrooms is, in some ways, similar to herbal medicine since it too uses remedies of the plant world to restore the body’s equilibrium. However, mushrooms give more effective results than herbs and plants. For example, for inflammation and allergies Ganoderma is much more powerful than Ribes nigrum; in circulatory disorders Auricularia is better than Gingko biloba; forgastritis Hericium has a stronger action than Papaya; in prostate disease Grifola is much more effective (10-20 times more, because 1 g of Grifola is equivalent, as regards its effect on the prostate, to 10-20 g of Serenoa repens); in flu diseases Agaricus acts in a more targeted way than Echinacea; in hepatitis Cordyceps is stronger than Taraxacum; in kidney failure Polyporus is better than Equisetum.

In any case, medicinal mushrooms are more similar to human beings than to plants. Like human beings, they need oxygen to live, eliminate carbon dioxide and have no absolute need for light. The two also have similar biological mechanisms, such as immunity, cleansing and elimination of excess fluids.

CHAPTER 2A treasure trove of invaluable substances

Why can mycotherapy reinforce or recreate a state of health? What makes healing mushrooms so special? The secret lies in their composition: these remedies are full of invaluable active ingredients which give them enormous powers.

Rich in beta-glucans and terpenes

Mushrooms contain very high amounts of biological substances useful to health. According to scientific studies conducted to date, the "poorest" mushroom, Pleurotus, contains more than 150, while the "richest", Ganoderma, over 400. Most of the active components enhance immune functions. Others provide excellent healing effects, rare in nature, that are active in the rest of the body.

Between the 1970s and 1990s, the interest of scientists focused primarily on beta-glucans. These molecules are extremely beneficial because they enhance the immune system with their antiinflammatory properties, proving effective in many illnesses, from inflammation to autoimmune disease. In addition, they are able (depending on the type) to regenerate stomach mucosa in gastritis and ulcer, to eliminate Helicobacter pylori (bacteria that can cause stomach disease), to improve the utilization of glucose in tissues and/or lower blood sugar levels. Beta-glucans account for half the immunostimulatory power of mushrooms. To understand the importance of this powerful characteristic, it is worth noting that the only plant that is similar to mushrooms in beta-glucan content (although it contains less, about half) is Aloe arborescens, which is attributed with considerable anticancer effects due to the presence of these molecules. However, this plant does not contain terpenes or the hundreds of other active ingredients present in mushrooms, which are effective in all other functions too. Much smaller amounts of beta-glucans are present in certain seeds, such as malt. Since the end of the 1990s researchers have also been devoting increasing attention to terpenes, the small odorous molecules of mushrooms. They too are important in viral, inflammatory and immune disease but also in hormonal, allergic and degenerative illnesses. They act at a much more minute level: for example, they are able to influence cellular DNA and prevent viruses from entering the nucleus of cells to reproduce. Moreover, they possess a powerful antihistaminic and ACE inhibitor effect (reducing high blood pressure).

Other active ingredients useful to health

In addition to the main families of beta-glucans and terpenes, other very important active ingredients contained in mushrooms are:- nucleotides. The main nucleotide is adenosine, an excellent vasodilator which influences the blood vessels of the heart, brain, retina, kidneys, muscles, skin and, in general, of the whole body. Furthermore, it has antiplatelet properties, which can reduce blood viscosity, and is an effective anxiolytic and anti-stress agent, which relaxes the muscles; - some proteins with biological activity. In particular, LZ 8, a protein that combats anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction);- substances similar to certain hormones produced by the pituitary, which in women induce the ovaries to produce female hormones, when they are lacking, and in men the testes to produce lacking male hormone. In addition, they stimulate the adrenal gland with invigorating and anti-stress effects;- tyrosinase, which keeps the skin beautiful and smooth and modulates the production of melanin (the pigment that colors the skin), eliminating skin spots.

A source of vitamins, minerals, proteins and antioxidants

Besides these, mushrooms are composed of other beneficial substances, such as:- antioxidants in general, that counteract the action of free radicals which are harmful molecules responsible for the premature aging of cells and tissues, DNA degeneration and the onset of many diseases(Asatiani, 2010; Chen, 2015);- polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties and protect the cardiovascular system;- some chelating agents which capture heavy metals;- vitamin D (ergosterol), important for bone synthesis;- the B-complex vitamins (riboflavin, niacin, biotin, folic acid). Mushrooms, in particular, contain vitamin B12 or cobalamin, a substance essential for the health of the nervous system, for iron metabolism and the production of hemoglobin. The only other food with a similar content of vitamin B12 is meat. For this reason, mushrooms are very useful in vegetarian diets;- minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, manganese and very little sodium. In addition, iron, in which many people are deficient, germanium (very rare), which has an energizing and purifying action, selenium, which has a high antioxidant potential, and zinc, useful for acne, pregnancy and sexuality;- essential amino acids that, apart from in mushrooms, are found only in legumes and meat and which are important to integrate a vegetarian diet.

Moreover, mushrooms are rich in protein and fibre and low in fat: they are, therefore, also useful for keeping fit.

They restore or strengthen the body’s state of equilibrium

Healing mushrooms, thanks to their particular composition, are therefore useful to everyone, both to people who are ill and to those who are perfectly healthy. The active ingredients they contain, in fact, activate the self-healing force of the whole body, restoring a state of well-being and equilibrium if this is impaired or strengthening it as necessary.

CHAPTER 3Certified remedies with no side effects

Where do healing mushrooms come from? How are they used? And for how long? Here, in detail, what mycotherapy is and how to use it.

Safe products

The mushrooms used in mycotherapy are not those that grow wild in the woods; they are cultivated on special farms, respecting strict quality and safety standards. This guarantees 100% purity and the total absence of pesticides, heavy metals and pathogenic germs. However, it is important to buy from companies that sell quality certified mushrooms and which guarantee that the remedies are grown in healthy environments, as if they were organic food products, and therefore without chemical additives, pesticides and heavy metals.

They are not harmful

Mushrooms have a bad reputation: that of being toxic and of damaging the liver. Actually, exactly the opposite is true: they give excellent results in the treatment of all liver diseases, including hepatitis. There are no toxins in medicinal mushrooms: we now know the hundreds of substances contained in these remedies and they are all beneficial or neutral (or inert). The only toxic substance is agaritine, in Agaricus brasiliensis: however, it is present in a minute amount and is very volatile, so it evaporates during drying or cooking processes and is absent in supplements.

Some people are afraid of using these remedies because they fear some kind of risk. I can assure you it is much more harmful to eat animal foods or preserved foods: mushrooms are completely healthy foods. They do not even cause allergies: in ten years I have never seen anyone allergic to mushrooms. Many of those who consider themselves to be allergic to mushrooms really did not digest them on one occasion, and reactions such as nausea or vomiting were due to indigestion.

No contraindications

The use of mushrooms has no outright contraindications. Moreover, these are real foods present naturally in diet. Some believe that Auricularia is to be avoided in case of pregnancy and is not compatible in people who have to take anticoagulants (it has the same effect as these drugs). Instead, in my studies and in my medical experience, I have found it to be perfectly compatible. Moreover, healing mushrooms, unlike conventional medicines, have no side effects because they act by respecting the body’s physiology.

Tablets are best

Medicinal mushrooms are available in tablets, capsules or powder form. The ideal supplement form is tablets: in fact, this form protects the active ingredients better, so that they arrive intact in the stomach, and it contains greater amounts (an average of 500 mg of

active ingredients and 500 mg of excipients required for preparation). Capsules can be made from powder or concentrated powder, also called concentrated and titrated dry extract. The term titrated means that a substance has a standardized concentration. Usually, it is the most important substance. In the case of mushrooms, the standardized substance is represented by beta-glucans, which are present in a high percentage (20 or 30%). There are also enriched products on the market, such as coffee or tea with Ganoderma. Whilst they are undoubtedly healthy drinks, they contain a very low quantity of mushrooms, so they cannot be considered as alternatives to tablets, capsules and powder.

Read the labels

Before buying mycotherapy products, you should check the labels carefully. They must indicate the quantity of mushrooms and other ingredients clearly. In fact, studies have demonstrated that at least two grams, excluding excipients, of a single remedy, must be taken per day in order for it to work.

The role of vitamin C

Generally, we always advise associating mycotherapy supplements with vitamin C. This substance, in fact, fractures the long molecules contained in mushrooms and increases absorption in the intestine, accelerating and accentuating their action. Vitamin C, moreover, promotes the synthesis of connective tissue and has an antioxidant effect which, consequently, amplifies the beneficial effects of mushrooms.

How to take them

You can take the mushrooms when you prefer: in my years of experience I have found that the effects are similar regardless of when they are taken. I recommend you take them all together (often a combination of mushrooms is indicated) because they are highly digestible. They can be taken on an empty stomach or on a

full stomach: it makes no difference. Rarely, when taking mushrooms, problems can arise, such as an upset stomach or intestine. If this happens, however, it depends on the fact that the digestive system is not in perfect health and is not an indication that mushrooms are "heavy" to digest. In this case, it is useful to take the remedies after meals, preferably after plain food such as boiled rice and boiled vegetables, avoiding cheese, meat or fish.

It takes a little patience

Mycotherapy is not the best solution for those who want everything at once: it takes time, because the remedies and the body enter into synergy and begin to "collaborate", recreating equilibrium, health and well-being. During the first month, healing mushrooms act above all by cleansing, and this gives an initial sensation of well-being, whereas from the second and third month the deteriorated components of the body that create the symptoms of disease are progressively eliminated and tissues regenerate. New cells appear, organs become healthier again and functions are restored. Of course, most diseases are deeply-rooted and more time may be required to restore cleansing and maintenance processes when a system is ill. Conversely, when the body is less in difficulty, it may take just two or three weeks to notice the first signs of improvement.

If possible, take them for long periods

To get maximum results, it is preferable to use mycotherapy for long periods. Anyway, why stop a treatment which helps you to feel better without causing any side effects? Those who do not like the idea of taking the mushrooms indefinitely, however, can take them for cycles of three months, for example at particularly stressful times, such as the change of season. Nevertheless, in this case, there will be fewer benefits.

CHAPTER 4Also together with conventional medicine

Medicine and food are from the same root.

JAPANESE PROVERB

Many people think that mushrooms and conventional medicines cannot be taken at the same time, but that is not the case. Mycotherapy can also be used by those who regularly use conventional medicine. Indeed, in these cases it is particularly useful: it contrasts the side effects of pharmaceuticals, but also strengthens the physiological functions of the body, increases energy and improves the emotional state.

The benefits of combined treatment

Here, in brief, are the reasons why I advise people who are following a course of treatment with conventional medicine to take medicinal mushrooms as well:- they do not, in any way, alter the action or the effect of conventional medicine therapy;-they drastically reduce many side effects of conventional medicine;-they are very effective in the diseases (approximately 200) described in this book;-they are so powerful that in many cases pharmaceuticals can be reduced;-they strengthen the physiological functions of the body, increase energy and improve psychological aspects;-they promote quality of life.-Asian populations, aware that mushrooms can counteract the side effects of pharmaceuticals without hampering their benefits, often combine the two treatments.

To eliminate the side effects

Taking medicinal mushrooms in combination with conventional medicines, in particular, is the most effective way to protect the body from the side effects of medicines which, over time, cause a deterioration, especially to the cleansing and recovery systems. Some pharmaceuticals even cause diseases. For example, the use of the contraceptive pill destroys antioxidant defences and causes circulation problems, with broken capillaries in the legs and varicose saphenous veins. Healing mushrooms strengthen the microcirculatory system, prevent further broken capillaries and gradually repair those already existing.

They are always compatible

Mushrooms and conventional medicine are always compatible. In fact, they have two completely different mechanisms of action. When a pharmaceutical is used, a clearly defined dose is required to obtain the therapeutic effect: a lower dosage is ineffective, while a high dose can cause damage. For example, in the case of a drug for hypertension, if the dosage is too low, blood pressure remains high, if the dosage is too high, blood pressure drops too drastically. In any case, the effect appears quite quickly, because the molecule acts on a part of the main control mechanism, which is impaired. The medicine is useful: in a short time it can resolve a hypertensive crisis. This brilliant result inevitably involves some side effects, such as a reduction in sexual desire in the case of beta-blockers or an annoying dry cough in the case of ACE-inhibitors.

Instead, medicinal mushrooms act on the symptom, but not with an immediate and direct effect which modifies and alters part of the main control mechanism because this would create further imbalance. Going back to the previous example, blood pressure which was high due to some type of alteration is counteracted by conventional medicine, but by means of imposing another alteration. Instead, healing mushrooms intervene by resolving the initial alteration which caused an increase in blood pressure in the first place. They restore the altered function to a healthy state and consequently the symptom, in this case high blood pressure, disappears, too. This also explains why healing mushrooms do not give side effects and why there are no problems of overdose.

How to combine treatment

Healing mushrooms are not in contrast with conventional medicine, on the contrary: when the two methods are used in combination they treat disease more efficiently. Conventional medicine acts more quickly, while medicinal mushrooms, with their gentle but enduring effectiveness enable a return to health, doubling the chances of a cure. Like good cleaners, too, they expertly eliminate many of the side effects caused by synthetic molecules. In the acute phase, pharmaceuticals help to manage an emergency, while healing mushrooms, used from the start and for as long as necessary, contribute to restoring balance. In many diseases, an expert can gradually reduce the dose of conventional medication or even eliminate it altogether, continuing only with mushrooms, which act both on the symptoms and on the causes. In more severe conditions, however, conventional medicine and medicinal mushrooms can coexist extremely well, each making its own contribution.

Conventional medicine and natural medicine

There has been talk of integrating conventional and natural medicine for almost twenty years. The need is increasingly felt to complete the vision of the former, which reasons according to body parts, areas, apparatuses, with the holistic view of the latter, which considers the whole person as a union of body, mind and spirit. Dr. Servain-Schreiben, during a trip to India, where Western medicine and a traditional medicine called Ayurveda coexist, discovered to his surprise that people there have very clear ideas. They turn to conventional medicine for acute diseases and for life-saving operations, in which symptomatic intervention is a priority. In other cases, however, they turn to the Ayurvedic tradition, which decides treatment according to the symptoms and the causes, which it corrects with herbs, mushrooms, dietary suggestions and specific yoga exercises. Perhaps this is the future for which to hope.

CHAPTER 5An expert is better

Mycotherapy is quite simple to implement. However, “do-ityourself” is not recommended because small details can make a big difference in prevention and healing, so it is important to consult an expert.

Consult an expert

You should consult an experienced professional to treat any disease, even an apparently minor one. One consultation is often enough to identify minor problems and resolve them before they progress. In fact, although mycotherapy is simple enough to implement, small details can make a big difference, so “do-ityourself” can be risky in the event of illness. Consultation with an expert who knows exactly how medicinal mushrooms work guarantees effective treatment: it is fundamental to understand disease and the subtle action of pathogenic factors well, in order to identify weak points and make a careful diagnosis. Observing a symptom is not enough, because the causes and weak points which require strengthening, which are hidden and therefore unexpected from the patient’s point of view, are instead critical points which require defensive action.

Together with the official strategy there is also increasing interest in “energetic diagnosis”, which highlights imbalances in the circulation of energy and of the four functions (immunity, digestion, cleansing and production of energy) needed to live. This is important in apparently healthy people, because it identifies weaknesses which sooner or later can lead to the onset of symptoms. But it is even more important in case of illness because it indicates likely evolution of disease. It is an assessment of the disease at the present time, but it is also an indication of current problems, which may lead to further symptoms. It is useful both in treatment and in prevention. It is helpful to identify the mushrooms most suitable for a specific case. It is often a good idea to use the "successful protocols" explained later (Chapter 12) and which I have found, during my clinical experience, to be very effective.

Moreover, a consultation customizes treatment better and is based on the symptoms present, the general health conditions of the individual, eating habits, lifestyle, emotional aspects. In addition, a consultant can indicate any necessary tests, prescribe medication, make suggestions in regards to which diet to follow, identify possible psychological problems and advise on how to deal with them.

Maps help diagnosis

The first step consists in diagnosis. Nowadays, more and more doctors are trying to add other modes of inquiry to those of conventional medicine in order to grasp finer aspects, also related to energy, of patients and their diseases in order to gain a wider view. For example, medical experts in traditional Chinese medicine carefully examine the patient’s tongue and wrist during their assessment. These are two maps that can provide a lot of information concerning an individual’s health. Such methods may seem outdated in an era of advanced technology and diagnostic imaging. Instead, to learn to read these maps means being able to access highly accurate information, which is still regularly used today, in addition to clinical and instrumental data, in Chinese hospitals and universities.

Maps allow us to understand many secrets about disease. For example, simply by examining the tongue it is possible to identify gastritis even if it is still asymptomatic, together with its position, whether in the upper or the lower part of the stomach. Or, if blood tests show markers for inflammation to be high, looking at the tongue can reveal which body organ is in trouble, and thus locate inflammation. Or, if the liver is working badly, by observing the tongue it is easy to see if the cause is due to psychological stress or to diet, and so on. Conventional diagnostic tools are certainly very useful, but these maps give important information too.

Just as an expert sailor uses the instruments on board, but also his knowledge and experience of the sea, the type of wave, the nuances of the wind, the color of the water, the clouds, or the position of the stars, in the same way a doctor, referring to data collected by diagnostic tests, can also learn how to read the messages of the body. It is like knowing another language, in addition to one’s native tongue. Chinese medicine has been able to read body language with great precision since ancient times. It highlights the cause: firstly, where and how dysfunction arises and then, where and how disease will occur. The study of the mechanisms through which these steps develop is not an end in itself, but the basis on which therapy coherently takes shape, with specific treatment of causes and symptoms.

Remedies must be chosen carefully

After making a diagnosis and identifying the symptoms and causes, a course of treatment must be chosen, utilizing the most suitable remedies. The priority is to combat symptoms to eliminate suffering, but the ultimate goal of treatment is a complete and lasting cure, which can only be achieved by efficiently tackling the cause (see Chapter 11). Sometimes, priority must be given to the symptom rather than the cause. For example, in the presence of high fever the first task is to lower the temperature and only then can the cause, in this case a weak immune system, be dealt with. On other occasions the symptoms and the causes can be addressed together: for example, in gastritis, the symptom and the cause can be healed at the same time. The cause is psychosomatic in 90% of cases. Treatment with mushrooms has two actions: on the one hand it strengthens the digestive function of the stomach and on the other it calms the psycho-emotional state, soothing anxiety and healing the symptom (stomach pain) and the psychological cause (anxiety).

The importance of constitution

Another factor to be taken into account in deciding treatment is the patient’s constitution, a term that refers to a series of personal physical and mental characteristics. For example, high temperature is different in childhood, in the elderly or in the adult, both from the point of view of symptoms and as regards pathogenic factors. Small children need their weak immune system to be strengthened. In the elderly, in addition to restoring the immune system to good health, the whole body will require strengthening to facilitate recovery and shorten convalescence. In healthy adults it is enough to strengthen the immune system, without any other support. In any case, we must not forget that each case has its own individual features, with weak points which require support from mushrooms, diet and so on.

PART B

HOLISTIC FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

The body is one whole integrated system.For this reason "holistic functional medicine"heals the individual part in relation to the rest of the body,which is studied concentrating on the individual functionsand their constant interactions.In practice, the "body machine "can be divided intofour functions needed to live,four apparatuses or groups of apparatuses:defence (immunity), nutrition,cleansing and the production of psychophysical energy.When the four basic functions are strongand full of energy, health flourishes.Instead, when causes which are enemies to healtherode basic functions, health is ruined.The first signs may pass almost unnoticed.However, they should not be ignored:if we listen to them, they allow usto understand that there is something wrongand to take action to reinforce the point that has been weakened,before more serious illnesses appear.Mycotherapy is a great gift for the health of the body:it strengthens the immune system,it facilitates nutrition,it cleanses and disposes of toxins from the liver and the blood,it gives more mental and physical energy and serenity.Useful both in prevention and in illness,it promotes recovery and better health.