Improving Cognition- There's a fungus among us...

Greetings!

Lion’s Mane, no I’m not talking about Oranges the cat (my sidekick, or maybe, more accurately, I’m his) but that pom pom looking shaggy mushroom that is popping up in health food stores, restaurants, and all over the internet.

Well, today at the farmers market a vendor had a gorgeous display of Lion’s Mane and Oyster mushrooms, so I declared today a good day for a mushroom bisque. For those of you not eating solids, bisques are a great way to eat what you are craving and despite the fancy French origin, are quite simple to make and easier for those of us with tongue immobility than a traditional soup or stew.

So a word on the Lion, there is so much exciting research underway on mushrooms right now!

(Side note-I’ve been taking Turkey Tail mushroom powder for 2 years as cancer prevention, research suggests it inhibits tumor growth, but I’ll save that story for another day.

Here’s a TED talk if you’re interested: https://bastyr.edu/about/news/ted-talk-turkey-tail-helped-my-mother-through-cancer)

Many of us have gone through the treatments for SCC (such as chemo and a lymphadenectomy) and now have compromised immunity and trauma associated with cancer. We may suffer from foggy brain, forgetfulness, depression, and inflammation caused by stress. We also know that inflammation and disease go hand and hand.  

Well, there is good news for us, according to many scientific and reputable studies, Lion’s Mane has been reported to do the following things:

·      Reduce anxiety and stress

·      Repair damaged DNA and ensure active neurotransmitters

·      Improve cognitive impairment

·      Minimize inflammation linked to depression

·      Protects the liver, kidneys and heart

·      Combats fatigue

·      Regulates blood sugar and blood pressure

Lions’ mane may be new to us Westerners but it’s been a staple in Chinese medicine for centuries and Hippocrates dating back to 450 BCE used fungi for their anti-inflammatory properties.

Now, I would like to say, that I’m just your average gal with an enthusiastic interest in health and a proclivity toward research, I’m not in the health industry nor am I a scientist. I can only share with you first-hand experiences and things I think are worth considering. Here’s an article by Forbes on Lion’s Mane that has an impressive list of sources (footnoted and referenced). https://www.forbes.com/health/supplements/health-benefits-of-lions-mane/#footnote_3

And here’s an article from the National Library of Medicine / National Center for Biotechnology Information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10675414/

Okay, so now for the good stuff, the crazy, yummy mushroom bisque recipe (which by the way, I’m now enjoying in my favorite pink mug, as I write to you).

Medicinal Mushroom Bisque:

·      Gather, wash, and chop a whole mess of mushrooms including Lion’s Mane and any other favored mushroom of your choice (I used Oyster mushrooms). *Side note—lions mane has a similar texture to shredded chicken and tastes a bit like crab, if you are aiming to eat less meat, this is an excellent substitute.

·      Chop one carrot, ½ an onion, ½ red or yellow bell pepper, and 3 small Yukon potatoes (you can add more or less of any of these veggies but just be careful not to add so much that it overpowers the shrooms)

·      Mix all ingredients in a large casserole baking dish and cover thoroughly with olive oil. Work the veggies with your hands to ensure everything is coated in oil.

·      Add salt, pepper, and either marjoram, sage, or thyme (all work well) to your liking.

·      Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (no worries if you don’t have any, it adds a layer of that umami yumminess).

·      Bake at 390 for about 45 minutes—everything should be soft and slightly browned

·      While your shrooms are baking, make (or buy) some veggie or meat stock, you will blend this with your shroom and veggie mixture.

·      Once both stock and shrooms are ready, allow stock to cool a bit then add to a blender the shrooms so that it fills up a third of the blender, and veggie stock to fill to the top of the blender. Use less water if you want a thick soup (or a yummy gravy for mashed tators). Once blended, top with fresh parsley and/or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or a tablespoon of tart, unsweetened yogurt. * Be careful when you blend, soup will be hot, I place a kitchen towel around the top of the blender’s pitcher to keep liquid from coming out and burning my hand.

Would love to hear from you about your experiences with mushrooms and if you tried this recipe, how you liked it, and if you modified it to your liking.

With love,

Angilee (and Oranges, the cat)