Why capsules?
When developing Mushroom M8 our primary focus was to create a product that offered accessible immune support to all.
Many people find it difficult to work with medicinal mushrooms and tonic herbs due to various factors such as taste, dosing and convenience. Carrying this knowledge, along with our deep desire and burning commitment to contributing to a space where individuals can be health sovereign and immunologically robust, birthing a capsule product was an absolute no-brainer, all hearter for us.
We hope in offering these ancient tonic herbs in a more modernised form, we can expand our reach further. There are a few perks that also come along with using our Mushroom M8 capsules of course.
- Easier dosing
- Convenient transportation - have you ever had a jar of herbs explode in your bag? We have and it’s not fun.
- No funky flavours, because at the end of the day, not everyone can get down and dirty with the taste of some of our herbs, the capsules go down a treat.
So let’s dive a little deeper into the health benefits, beginning with the foundational focus of our Mushroom M8 capsules, immunity.
Immunity
Revered for thousands of years, medicinal mushrooms have the power to support immune function and increase our defences against viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections. The polysaccharide compounds contained in medicinal mushrooms bind to specific immune cell receptor sites in the body that increase T-Cell, NK Cell, Macrophage, and Neutrophil activity (the cells required for immune function). Through a Taoist lens, the body’s first line of defence or surface immunity is referred to as our Wei Qi. Think of it as an innate armour or protective barrier that resides on the surface of your body. Protecting us against external invasion, Wei Qi is Yang in nature, and circulates on the surface between the skin and muscles and works to warm the body, supplying the skin with the energy to defend the body against any climatic or pathogenic forces (viruses and bacteria) that would otherwise penetrate the skin and cause disharmony. In general, Qi and Lung tonics can be used to strengthen our Wei Qi, which is where medicinal mushrooms can be utilised for their Qi tonifying abilities.
Digestive Health
The integrity of our gastrointestinal tract and the health of our microbiome are both integral to the harmonisation and function of multiple systems within the body. This innately intelligent, adaptive and complex ecosystem serves as the foundational focus in treating and preventing a wide variety of conditions and diseases ranging from immunological, nervous system, inflammatory and endocrine dysregulation.
There are very primordial immune receptors within the gastrointestinal tissue that specifically recognise the beta-glucan content of medicinal mushrooms, with their unique higher molecular weight. These polysaccharides are unable to be digested and broken down by our digestive enzymes, and thus, act as prebiotics to the bacteria that exist within our microbiome. From here a very complex activation of the immune system occurs including stimulation and activation of often atrophied aspects of the immune system, keeping in mind that up to 75% of the immune system is housed in our gut.
This activation manifests itself in multiple ways, firstly the prebiotic action of the mushroom feeds the beneficial bacteria within the gut, enhancing nutrient absorption and assimilation. This also encourages the eradication of opportunistic bacteria, which when there is an overgrowth, can result in disharmony within the gut (such as Candida).
Energy, Vitality & A Healthy Stress Response
Through a Taoist lens, medicinal mushrooms are classed as superior tonic herbs, and the Western translation of this is as an adaptogenic herb. Adaptogens enhance the body’s ability to respond to stress and work to restore homeostasis within the body. The many forms of stress, whether physical, emotional, environmental, or energetic can lead to energy depletion (and the leaking of our Jing Essence). The modulation of specific stress hormones such as cortisol can further ensure that the nervous and endocrine systems with a particular focus on the adrenal glands, don’t become overly taxed as they attempt to counteract the dysregulation that can occur from prolonged stress within the body.
One medicinal mushroom in particular, Cordyceps, has been revered for its energy-producing and rejuvenating properties, more specifically after times of physical exertion and fatigue. It does this by supporting mitochondrial health and function, which in turn supports the production of the molecule ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which in simpler terms is the body’s main energy supply. Therefore, the health of our mitochondria and specifically the production of ATP is vital to cultivating consistent energy and vitality.
Medicinal mushrooms can nourish and tonify the Liver, ensuring optimal hormonal detoxification, adaptogenic in nature they can bring regulation to the nervous system and adrenal glands, they support blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity and help to reduce inflammation, all of which when out of balance can greatly affect hormonal health.
Tonification / Treasures
Tonification
In ancient Taoist medicine, tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms were used to nourish and tonify specific systems within the body. These systems correlate with the natural elements, and their direct effect can be classified as either Major or Minor.
Major: Liver Wood/Spleen Earth
Minor: Heart Fire/Kidney Water
Treasures
When there is harmony between the body systems and elements, we cultivate the expression of health known as our Treasures.
Major: Qi
Minor: Yin and Yang Jing/Shen
Serving Suggestion
Frequently Asked Questions
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