10 Mushroom Combination

There are more than 100,000 varieties of mushroom on earth, some 700 of which are edible. In laboratory tests (mostly in Japan and China), about fifty species have been confirmed to have some medicinal properties. Most edible mushrooms are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and amino acids.*

Known in Japan as the “dancing mushroom,” the maitake mushroom is called the “hen of the woods” by American mushroom hunters. An extract from maitake mushrooms called D-fraction is marketed in the US and Japan as a dietary supplement. D-fraction has been shown to stimulate the production of immune cells and increase their effectiveness. As well as protecting healthy cells from cancer, D fraction helps prevent the spread of cancer (metastasis) and slows the growth of tumors. Unlike other mushroom extracts, D fraction is effective not only by injection but orally as well. Results of a study of D-fraction by Kodama et al led the researchers to conclude: "...its administration may enhance host defense against foreign pathogens and protect healthy individuals from infectious diseases.”*

The shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushroom has been revered in Asia for centuries, both as a food and as a medicine. Its most studied active ingredient is the polysaccharide lentinan. Shiitake extract can boost the immune system, protect the body from cancer, lower blood cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, and combat viruses and bacteria. Shiitake contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and a number of polysaccharides, which are linked to countering cancer, primarily by promoting immune function rather than attack­ing cancer cells directly.*

Both maitake and shiitake are used traditionally to prevent the common cold and flu.*