Not many of us have come across lion’s mane mushrooms in our local food store, but this unusual-looking culinary mushroom may have some serious health benefits, especially when it comes to the brain.
We learned about lion’s mane from our friends at Aether Apothecary who have created a tincture using this mushroom. (You can check out our blog post on Alma Herbs for more information on medicinal mushrooms.) We were amazed at what this mushroom can do for our health!
What’s more, Dr Bredesen (known for his research on Alzheimer’s) recently mentioned lion’s mane as one of the supplements that has shown some promise in protecting and enhancing brain function, especially if the brain has already been compromised.
In some of the research, lion’s mane has shown neuroprotective properties and protection against cognitive decline; it’s been shown to help reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms; it appears to modulate the immune system; it may help in reducing cholesterol and there is some suggestion that it may help in slowing some cancers.
Pretty impressive!
As we get older, we face the prospect that our brains are no longer as sharp as they were. For many elderly people, this advances into dementia (Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy-body dementia or vascular dementia) or Parkinson’s disease.
Protecting our brains should really be an important part of our daily health routine. We need to include foods that help the brain, do things to reduce stress and anxiety – and toxins – and take supplements when we need them. Lion’s mane can play an important role in this health routine, keeping our brains sharper longer so that we can live long and healthy lives.