MUSHROOMS 1 If we think about mushrooms at all, we may consider them a tasty addition to a salad or casserole. In fact, an estimated 38,000 species of mushrooms, most provide a wealth of protein, fiber, B vitamins, and vitamin C, as well as calcium and other minerals. ============================================================================================================================================= And at least three species have demonstrated phenomenal healing potential: maitake, shiitake, and reishi. These medicinal mushrooms have been shown to boost heart health; lower the risk of cancer,; promote immune function; ward off viruses, bacteria, and fungi; reduce inflammation; combat allergies; help balance blood sugar levels; and support the body's detoxification mechanisms. Why are medicinal mushrooms becoming increasingly popular in North America? Harriet Beinfield, acupuncturist and co-author of Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine, explains: " the movement began with healthy food in the late '60s; now it's health medicine. People are interested in medicinal mushrooms because they've been used effectively for thousands of years". Maitake, shiitake, and reishi mushrooms have many overlapping properties: all boost immune function, all support cardiovascular health, and all show promise in lowering the risk of - or treating - cancer. However, maitake is specifically recommended for the stomach and intestines, as well as blood sugar levels; shiitake treats nutritional deficiencies and liver ailments; and reishi promotes respiratory health and spirituality. They consider mushrooms to be "good sources of several vitamins including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and biotin." Pro-vitamin D is present in some mushrooms, particularly shiitake, and is converted to vitamin D by ultraviolet irradiation, including sunlight. They conclude that "the Essential Amino Acid Scores of the most nutritive mushrooms rank in potential nutritive value with those calculated for meat and milk. They are significantly higher than those for most legumes and vegetables. The least nutritive mushrooms, on the other hand, rank considerably lower but are comparable to some common vegetables." They note that there is a great compositional variation between mushroom species and strains(varieties of the same species), a fact born out by the analytical tables they present. ============================================================================================================================================= The common bond that is shared by these mushrooms is the occurrence of complex carbohydrates called polysaccharides. Of these, glucans and mannans have been been the primary focus of research due to their ability to inhibit tumors in laboratory test animals. Researchers have found that the structural linkages of these substances is the primary determinant of biological activity and that the active links are most often beta(1-3) and beta(1-6). Furthermore, the activity of these polysaccharides has been shown to be immuno-stimulating rather than directly cell killing. In fact, according to P.K. Tsung, in "Anti-Cancer and Immuno-stimulating Polysaccharides", (OHAI Bulletin, 1987) " ============================================================================================================================================= Studies of Biologically or immunologically active polysaccharides can be said to constitute the history of the search for anti-cancer agents from an immuno-therapeutical viewpoint." Traditionally, medical practitioners in China and Japan have used the following herbs as anti-cancer medications: ginseng, astragalus, brasenia, laminaria, as well as many of the mushrooms named above. All share a high polysaccharide content.