Join Julie as she talks about mushroom benefits for a strong immune defense on Crunchy Christian Podcast. We don’t often think about fungi when we think about natural health, but mushrooms offer some awesome helps.
Some Facts About Mushrooms
Did you know that the plant and fungi kingdoms are so intertwined that one can’t really live without the other? Plants need mushrooms to help them absorb nutrients from the soil and mushrooms need the sugars and dead cells that plants leave in the soil. In fact, plants release sugars into the soil to attract mushrooms and other fungi.

In that same vein, it is important to know that all fungi—mushrooms or not—feed off other food sources, most often dead or decaying matter, but also sugars produced by living things, too. This is true no matter where they are living, including inside of other organisms. That means that yeast or candida (which is a fungus) in your body feeds on food sources you make available. That’s why if you want to get rid of a yeast infection, you need to eliminate the food sources—sugar and mucus.

Just like plants, mushrooms play a major role in new drug development. Did you know that mushrooms are used in 40% of drugs available on the market? Plants are used in 25%. Interesting how dependent the pharmaceutical industry is on these natural sources of drugs. And, amazingly, one of the most remarkable mushroom benefits is that they can break down even the most toxic man-made chemicals. Imagine what that can do for the human body exposed to toxins!
Mushroom Benefits for a Strong Immune Defense
Adaptogenic
Let’s take a look at some specific actions that mushrooms have on the human body. First, they are adaptogens. That means that they can sense what is going on in the body and adapt to the situation. So, they help wherever is necessary. Sounds a bit weird, right? But, think about carrying a healthy drink into a party. When you arrive, everyone except one person is holding a healthy drink already. So, rather than pour drinks for everyone, you only need to pour out a glass of your healthy beverage for that one person. Mushroom benefits the body in much the same way.
Immunomodulators
A second of the mushroom benefits is they are all immunomodulators. This works a lot like adaptogens, but is specific to the immune system. Mushrooms contain chemicals that help your immune system fight illness when necessary. But, they also help keep it in check when it gets overstimulated, as we see in allergic responses and autoimmune diseases.

Find out two more mushroom benefits on the podcast. Julie discusses one of the best benefits yet.
The Mushrooms
Reishi
If you only try one mushroom, this one should be it. It’s use in China goes back at least 2000 years. It’s often called the “queen of mushrooms” because it revitalizes the whole body and for a long time, its use was reserved for only the Chinese royalty. This well-researched mushroom benefits the entire body as it increases longevity and supports the immune system in fighting pathogens. It protects your skin and DNA from free radical damage, making you look and feel younger. It also improves circulation and balances hormones, which helps you de-stress and sleep better. New research shows that a high fat diet coupled with reishi mushrooms may help with weight control. There are many other reishi mushroom benefits as well, but you get the idea. This is a superfood worth adding to your diet.
Chaga
You may have never heard of this mushroom, but it’s been used in Russia at least since the 17th century and probably longer. Chaga is one of nature’s richest sources of antioxidants, packing as much in one cup of strong chaga tea as you would find in 30 pounds of carrots. 30 pounds! Antioxidants are important for combatting cell damage that leads to cancer, aging, chronic illness and pain.