5 Boosting Benefits of Lions Mane Mushroom
What More Brain Power? Top 5 Reasons To Take Lions Mane
It’s Monday morning and a colleague comes over to your desk to chat about your weekend. You take a moment to think…You then take a few more moments to think... and nothing seems to come to the forefront of your mind about what you did this past weekend. How can that be? You had a good breakfast and a decent sleep, and to top it all off it was just yesterday! Wondering how you can get the brain to function better? Keep reading to find out!
Cognitive function is a reflection of a person's overall health and wellness status. Normal cognitive decline consists of: (1) Mild changes in how quick information can be processed (2) Ability to store new information (3) Mild changes in memory. High on the list of chronic diseases as we age include, Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative diseases. Alzheimer’s disease is a disorder of aging with loss of cognitive function and is characterized by the death of neurons.
Achieving optimal cognitive health and preventing Alzheimer’s diseases is rooted in prevention where good nutrition, regular aerobic exercise, restoring sleep and both mental and social engagement are fundamentals. Besides these factors, supplementation can be an added benefit, particularly Mushrooms!
Mushrooms have been used by humans for thousands of years as food (culinary) and/or as medicine. There are more than 14,000 species of mushrooms that are recognized and 2000 of these are edible. Of these 2000 edible mushrooms, about 270 of them are now considered as potential therapeutic agents that can aid in human health (Sabaratnam et al., 2013). Culinary mushrooms are a great addition to daily diet as they are rich in proteins, fibers, vitamins and minerals which plays a role in stimulating the immune system and possible applications in cancer management. As such, mushrooms are being developed as nutraceuticals to make consumption easier.
Today’s focus is a mushroom called, Hericium Erinaceus, commonly known as Lion’s Mane. It is an edible medicinal mushroom that has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This medicinal mushroom is native to areas across the northern hemisphere including, North America, Europe, China, Japan and Russia. Lion’s Mane is high in bioactive compounds including polysaccharides and micronutrients which can have neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties. It has gained quite a bit of popularity for its ability to enhance brain and nerve health.
Let’s get into more detail about the benefits of Lion’s Mane….
5 Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom
1. Improves Cognition
2. Promotes Increased Physical Energy
3. Improves Mood
4. Improves Digestive Health
5. Improve Immune Function
How Best to Take Lion’s Mane
Are you amazed with this edible medicinal mushroom? I know I sure am! So what’s the best way to add it into your daily routine?
Lion’s mane mushroom is considered to be a superfood that shows promising results! It is most commony used as a preventative tool for neurodegenerative diseases and can improve cognitive function. If you need a little extra support with memory and cognition, Lion’s Mane may be your best friend! Do keep in mind, that no superfood works on its own. So, always remember to continue making positive strides to improving diet and lifestyle and use Lion’s mane as an addition.
** Disclaimer: The advice is in this article is for informational purposes only. It does not replace the care of a Naturopathic physician.
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