Mushrooms for Menopause Part 1: REISHI RAMPART
As women enter their mid-life years, they experience a significant life change known as menopause. This natural biological process marks the end of menstrual cycles due to a decline in the production of estrogen and progesterone hormones. Now you may be thinking, what does a young man of 40 have anything to say about menopause, or even that I should speak to it at all? Well, it's an important issue that half the population will experience and mushrooms can help manage the symptoms.
Pre-menopause, the period leading up to menopause, and menopause itself can bring about a range of symptoms such as mood changes, sleep disturbances, hot flashes, anxiety, thinning and loss of hair, weight gain and slowed metabolism. There are things you can do to support your body and ease the transition. Including leveraging the benefits of mushrooms. These superfoods can help alleviate some of the most common menopausal symptoms. Menopause is a natural part of a woman's life, but it doesn't have to be a time of suffering. I have learned from some of the many inspiring women in my life that this can be a time to embrace transformation.
Which types of mushrooms are best for women experiencing menopause? In this series we will take a look at four: Reishi, Chaga, Cordyceps and Lion’s mane.
Reishi for Menopause: Reishi mushrooms, also known as the Ganoderma genus, have been making waves in the world of health and wellness due to their plethora of health benefits. Reishi can help with hormone regulation, Sleep problems, immune support, and mood changes and slowed metabolism. Let's get into the details and science!
One of the most common symptoms of menopause is sleep disturbances, and reishi mushrooms may be able to help, It is often referred to colloquially as The Sleep Mushroom
According to experts, around 12% of women experience sleep difficulties, but this number increases significantly among women in their late 40s to early 50s, which is when they typically transition to menopause. This correlation suggests that there may be a link between sleep disturbances and menopause transition.
Evaluation and Management of Sleep Disturbance during the Menopause Transition
The bioactive compounds in reishi mushrooms may affect the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) pathway, an inhibitory neurotransmitter known for reducing stress and enhancing sleep.
Reishi For Stress: Stress causes cortisol to be produced, sustained stress can cause a kind of “overdose” of cortisol which can lead to adrenal fatigue. Cortisol on its own is not a “bad” thing because it is part of our survival, however too much of anything can lead to imbalances and negative satellite effects. Reishi has been shown to relax, calm and lower anxiety. With lower anxiety comes lower stress and the body's systems function better.[Studies on Ganoderma lucidum. I. Efficacy against hypertension and side effects]
In a 2009 study, It was concluded that the ethanol extract of G. lucidum showed estrogen-like activity, which may be useful in regulating hormone levels to treat related diseases such as osteoporosis. Estrogen-like activity of ethanol extract of Ganoderma lucidum | Journal of Wood Science
Reishi for mood: Mood is an interesting quality to quantify. There are lots of variables that affect our mood or how we feel. According to the work of Robert Dale Rogers, in his book the Fungal Pharmacy, Reishi acts as a calmative helping alleviate anxiety, insomnia, and nervousness associated with adrenal deficient conditions. It helps relax the muscles and reduces the effect of caffeine on the body. We feel better when our systems are working better. So the cumulative effects of reishis' immune support, anti inflammation and its calming effects adds up to a person who feels better and can handle the challenges of daily life with ease and grace.
Reishi for metabolic support: Metabolic functions are the chemical changes that take place in a cell or an organism. These changes make energy and the materials cells and organisms need to grow, reproduce, and stay healthy. We can look at the blood, the breath and our cellular health just to name a few of the categories that are included in our metabolism.
Reishi treats high blood cholesterol with improvements to dyspnea, edema, and heart palpitations (Rogers TPF 2011) relieves arrhythmia (Ding, G.-S. 1987) Anti atherogenic (Ryong et al 1989) Alleviates altitude sickness (rogers TFP 2011) improves aerobic endurance in women GANODERMA LUCIDUM IMPROVES PHYSICAL FITNESS IN WOMEN WITH FIBROMYALGIA
To be continued with Chaga, Cordyceps and Lions mane.
