Not all mushrooms are poisonous. In fact, quite a lot of famous dishes all over the world use mushrooms (the edible type) to add texture and flavor people cannot resist! The best part: mushrooms can do wonders for your health too! Lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) is especially famous for being rich in healing compounds that help protect the body against dysbiosis, neurodegeneration, and inflammation!
Historical Background
Lion’s mane is a type of mushroom that is predominantly found in Asia. It can be easily distinguished from other members of the mushroom family through its white-colored spines that are long and dangling, resembling the hair of a lion’s mane.1 This unique form of mushroom can grow both on alive and dead hardwood trees! With centuries-worth of healing testimonials, Lion’s mane was a staple in traditional Eastern medicine because of its neuroprotective and immunoprotective properties. The vast majority of lion mane’s healing properties are due to two active compounds: hericenones and erinacines.
Therapeutic Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Lion’s mane mushroom is rich in bioactive compounds, such as polysaccharides and proteins, that help protect the brain and regulate the immune system. Its wonders in nurturing brain health comes from its abilities in generating new brain cells, improving concentration, maintaining memory, and protecting you against chronic conditions caused by neurodegeneration.2 Additionally, lion’s mane mushroom contains powerful antioxidant properties that help fight off stress and inflammation, protecting your body against health consequences stemming from these imbalances.
Protection Against Neurodegeneration
The nervous system, which is responsible for sending and receiving signals throughout the body, is divided into two major components: the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. The major organ that houses the central nervous system is the brain, while the spinal cord is the major component of the peripheral nervous system. Problems affecting the brain have been a major cause of disease worldwide. Unlike neurons in the brain, cells in the peripheral nervous system can re-enter the growth cycle and partly regenerate when damaged.3 The unique distinction exists because of the vital need to prevent any problematic growth that could affect the complex connections that occur inside the brain.3 Because cells in the brain have limited abilities to regenerate, conditions affecting this major organ are mostly irreversible and permanent.3 This is why protecting your brain cells from degeneration is very important, especially as you grow older. The bioactive compounds hericenones and erinacines present in lion’s mane mushroom help nurture the production of nerve growth factor (NGF), which is a special protein for neuronal growth and survival.2 Additionally, hericenones can help improve memory and cognition, thereby supporting optimal brain health.2 Fight Against Chronic Inflammation Inflammation is a natural response that your body makes when it senses a problem, making it a normal and essential mechanism for your body to stay strong and healthy. However, prolonged and unregulated inflammation can cause damage to your cells instead of healing. This is why nurturing your body’s inflammatory response is important in keeping your health in check. Lion’s mane mushroom is especially helpful in managing this inflammatory response, through its abilities to regulate the various mechanisms that drive inflammation, such as enzyme production and microbial balance.2 Gut Microbial Support Lion’s mane mushroom, aside from its abilities to calm down inflammation, can also help heal your gut lining and nurture the population of your gut microbiota.2 This powerful fungus can therefore nurture your gut-brain axis and prevent diseases in the gastrointestinal lining caused by chronic inflammation. Safety and Considerations
Lion’s mane mushroom has wonderful healing properties for your health when used with the right guidance. Although it is generally considered safe for use, individuals with allergic reactions to mushrooms should avoid it. Exploring the wonders of lion’s mane mushroom, as well as other herbal remedies, should be done with the guidance of a naturopathic doctor whose expertise will help you in assessing whether or not this herbal medicine is for you. Additionally, most herbal medicines and preparations are contraindicated in special populations, such as those with chronic disease or pregnancy. Hence, consulting with your healthcare provider or naturopathic doctor should be done first to ensure that this will not cause harm to you or your baby.
The Naturopathic Approach
Lion’s mane mushroom is a whole package that targets and heals both your mind and body. Its effects are best seen when integrated with holistic regimens that consider nutrition, lifestyle, and body-mind connection. At Natural Path to Wellness, your team of naturopathic medicine providers will help you discover the best natural and holistic options for your optimal health. Talk to us today!
This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your licensed naturopathic physician or other licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your medications or supplements. Disclosures & Policies: This and other blog posts may contain affiliate links. Please view our disclosures page for more information. REFERENCES:
 Having to experience persistent symptoms of hormonal dysfunction, such as persistent fatigue, menstrual migraines, unexplained weight gain, menstrual cramps, acne, or brain fog, and undergo staggering amounts of conventional blood tests to determine the problem can be quite frustrating, especially when results come back indeterminate or vague. While laboratory blood tests can detect levels of certain hormones in real-time, such as thyroxine (a thyroid hormone), assessing hormonal imbalances may need a more comprehensive and proactive test that is able to examine how hormones are being secreted, metabolized, and cleared from the body. The Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH) Test is a revolutionary method of hormone testing that illustrates a complete picture of the life cycle of your hormones, thereby providing answers to your questions without having to undergo a complex cycle of testing! What is the DUTCH Test?The DUTCH test is a non-invasive and convenient method of assessing hormone production and metabolism through the use of dried urine samples collected for at least 24 hours. It uses mass spectrometry technology which is highly sensitive and precise in assessing steroid hormones even with small sample volumes, thereby showing complete and comprehensive hormone profiles.1 The DUTCH test specifically measures sex hormones, adrenal hormones, and organic acids that play essential roles in keeping the body strong and healthy. The best part is that you can take the test at home! Urine samples are obtained through filter papers, which are dried and sent to the laboratory after an elapsed time. The DUTCH test includes different collection rounds and intervals throughout the day, helping capture different hormonal variations that happen on a day-to-day basis.1 Additionally, it helps assess how your body produces and metabolizes hormones, helping understand the mechanisms behind imbalances, such as estrogen dominance. The DUTCH test is more comprehensive than a single laboratory test, because it is able to assess the daily pattern of your hormones instead of a static amount captured during medical laboratory testing. Click here to learn more about the DUTCH test. Signs You Might Need a DUTCH TestThe DUTCH test will help you uncover the presence and degree of hormonal imbalance no matter your gender. Hormone problems may present with:
How the Testing Process WorksThe whole testing process begins by ordering a kit through us at Natural Path to Wellness once you thoroughly discuss your care plan with our naturopathic medicine advisors. Afterwards, you will then receive your test kit in the mail with detailed instructions to show you how to effectively obtain adequate samples. Once you have completed the kit, you may then mail the specimens back and visit us again to discuss your test results! A detailed instruction guide is included in your test kits. If you have not received any, you may check out these instructions to help you understand what to do before, during, and after collecting your own samples. The Naturopathic ApproachThe DUTCH test may be requested by your naturopathic doctor to help identify the root causes of hormonal imbalance. Your test results will serve as a guide to your naturopathic treatment plan, which includes targeted supplements according to your unique health needs, herbal medicine to support your body’s natural abilities to heal itself, and nutritional and lifestyle changes to help nurture balance within! At Natural Path to Wellness, your team of naturopathic medicine advisors will help you nurture your optimal health through intensive and holistic care. Talk to us today!
This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your licensed naturopathic physician or other licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your medications or supplements. Disclosures & Policies: This and other blog posts may contain affiliate links. Please view our disclosures page for more information. REFERENCE:
Estrogen is a vital hormone needed by the body to sustain processes that keep it alive and well. However, too much estrogen relative to progesterone, its balancing hormone, can cause chaos, eventually causing reproductive and metabolic problems which we want to avoid as much as possible. This is where naturopathy comes in! One of the goals of naturopathic medicine is to help your body balance hormone levels in the body efficiently with the help of the healing power of nature, preventing the consequences of estrogen dominance to your health!
The Estrogen Irony
Hormones play a major role in making our bodies actually work. Among them, estrogen is present and equally essential in both sexes for survival. This hormone is important in maintaining healthy blood glucose levels, strong bones, fertility, and offers protection against heart disease. However, estrogen, ironically, can become the center of health problems, from infections and immune dysfunction, to degenerative diseases, when too much or too little of it is present in the body. This is why elderly females often experience bone degeneration after menopause, because the body is not able to produce adequate levels of estrogen anymore.
Specifically, too much estrogen or low levels of progesterone in comparison to estrogen can lead to a phenomenon termed “estrogen dominance.”1 This excess can overstimulate estrogen receptors in the body responsible for driving cell regulation and action, eventually causing harm to organs that require estrogen to function (e.g. almost every organ in the body). As such, estrogen is essential in preventing inflammation, but it can also be the reason behind inflammation.1 This may put you at risk of having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), infertility problems, or breast enlargement or increased density.1 Hence, taking care of your hormones is as essential as taking care of each organ system in the body, because your organs need hormones to drive them. Signs and Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance
The clinical manifestations of estrogen dominance can be compared to what you may experience when you have hormonal imbalance. Physically, you may have severe menstrual cramps, headaches, bloating, or breast pain. Emotionally, you may feel anxious or irritable, and even have problems focusing on a certain task! These bothersome signs and symptoms are your body’s way of saying that it needs your help because it is experiencing problems balancing out your hormones!
Causes of Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen is filtered out by the liver and metabolized through the gut. Hence, estrogen dominance can be caused by problems within these essential organs. As such, liver problems caused by exposure to toxins, unhealthy diet, and improper use of medications can affect the liver’s optimal functioning, thereby preventing its efficiency in filtering out estrogen. On the other hand, estrogen metabolism through the gut is primarily driven by estrobolome, which is innately present in the gut microbiota to deconjugate and reactivate this essential hormone, thereby affecting its circulating levels in the body.2 This means that an imbalance in the population of your gut microbiota can significantly impact estrogen levels and increase your risk of developing estrogen-related disease conditions, when not properly addressed!
Another intriguing (and commonly man-made) cause of estrogen imbalance are xenoestrogens, which are chemicals that can be found in plastic containers, laundry detergents, and even your favorite skincare product! Xenoestrogens are estrogen mimics, in that they act similarly to estrogen to cause damage and destruction! These chemicals are especially dangerous because they are easily able to enter and accumulate within the body, triggering the development of life-threatening diseases such as cancer.3 The Naturopathic Approach
The role of estrogen in maintaining your body’s internal homeostasis cannot be understated, which is why maintaining healthy levels of this vital hormone is essential to prevent diseases caused by too much or too little estrogen. Through dietary and lifestyle changes, personalized herbal formulations, and conservative use of specialized hormone testing, you can reverse estrogen dominance and rebalance hormone levels.
At Natural Path to Wellness, your team of naturopathic medicine advisors will guide you through understanding and avoiding estrogen dominance, helping to nurture adequate hormone levels for your optimal health. Whether you are still starting your health and wellness journey or want to explore what nature has to offer, we are here to help. Talk to us today! This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your licensed naturopathic physician or other licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your medications or supplements. Disclosures & Policies: This and other blog posts may contain affiliate links. Please view our disclosures page for more information. REFERENCES:
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THE BLOG AT NATURAL PATH TO WELLNESSAuthorSNatural Path to Wellness values community education and welcomes contributions from writers with a background in Naturopathic Medicine, natural health and wellness, herbalism, homeopathy, Nature Cure, and more. Disclosures & Policies: This and other blog posts may contain affiliate links. Please view our disclosures page for more information.
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