Medicinal mushrooms

Reishi, Coriolus, Shitake, Cordyceps may not be mushrooms you are entirely familiar with, but this super group all help enhance the strength of the immune system and provide symptomatic relief of upper respiratory tract infections. Medicinal mushrooms provide effective, broad-spectrum treatment for a variety of acute, recurrent and chronic infections. They enhance innate and adaptive immunity while also providing antibacterial and antiviral action.

Coriolus, for example is antibacterial, and increases phagocytic activity (cells that protect the body by ingesting harmful foreign particles, bacteria, and dead or dying cells) and induce cytokine production, cells which produce such substances as interferon, interleukin, and growth factors. While Reishi is antiviral and increases the activity of phagocytes, T helper cells and natural killer (NK) cells.

A combination of Cordyceps, Coriolus and Reishi is extremely beneficial in the management of recurrent infections (such as multiple bouts of tonsillitis), lingering infections, and infections requiring a longer period of recovery, such as bronchitis.

For those with serious chronic infections such as Lyme-like illness or stubborn infections such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), studies have shown that combining Shitake (AHCC) with ginger is the most indicated option. AHCC is a highly researched extract of shitake mycelia that has shown evidence of effectiveness against a variety of infections, including hepatitis C, influenza, Klebsiella, Chlamydia, E. coli and salmonella. AHCC and ginger may also provide relief in tenacious infections where other treatments have been unsuccessful.

The above medicinal mushrooms with and without ginger are available in various practitioner supplements.