As the summer nights stretch into fall, the forests of the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York fill with magical, mystical, and medicinal mushrooms. “Toadstool” is a quaint name for the many mushrooms that sprout between rains, while “mushrooms” is the more technical term. Fungi are plants, but plants without flowers or roots or chlorophyll (which makes plants green). The bizarre shapes (some quite sexually suggestive), the ability to grow (and glow) in the dark, and psychedelic colors make mushrooms an obvious addition to any witch’s stew. But you’ll want other reasons to make mushrooms a constant part of your diet. Is being smarter than cancer reason enough?
It’s true. All edible mushrooms, including the common white mushrooms sold in supermarkets, are capable of preventing and reversing cancerous cell changes. We are not exactly sure why. Maybe it’s because fungi seek out, concentrate, and share with us the trace elements we need to build healthy and powerful immune systems. Or perhaps it is because of its richness in polysaccharides, interesting complex sugars that seem to promote health in all aspects. It could be because mushrooms are an excellent low-calorie, sodium-free source of protein and B vitamins. Or we could highlight the anticancer, antitumor, and antibacterial compounds found in the stem, caps, gills, and even underground structures (mycelia) of all edible mushrooms.
However, be sure to cook your mushrooms; avoid eating them raw. Scientists at the University of Nebraska School of Medicine found that mice that ate unlimited amounts of raw mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) developed significantly more malignant tumors in their lifetime than a control group.
Wherever you go in August and September, whether it’s walking barefoot over vibrant green moss or stepping gently on the deeply scented fallen pine and hemlock needles; either climbing rocky outcrops adorned with fern whiskers or skirting mosquito-infested swamps; Whether following the muddy bank of a meandering stream or balancing on old stone walls inhaling the scent of fair rot, I am on the lookout for my mushroom friends.
My woods are especially generous to me with chanterelles, beautiful horn-of-plenty mushrooms with a delicious flavor. I find the delicious little black ones, jokingly known as the “trumpet of death” because of their mysterious coloration, and the very tasty and much larger orange ones. Sometimes we return home naked from our walks in the mushrooms; If we find more mushrooms than we have in our bags, we have to use our shirts and pants as chargers to help carry dinner home.
The bright orange top and sulfur yellow bottom of sulfur shelf fungi (Polyporus sulphuroides) are easy to spot in late summer forest. Growing only on recently dead oak trees, these overlapping shelves are a great tasting immune-boosting dinner topping. I have harvested the “chicken of the forest” in oak forests around the world. In the Czech Republic, I saw a particularly large example when we were driving down a rural lane. Upon stopping, I discovered that a part had been harvested. I took only one part, being careful to leave lots for other mushroom lovers who might come down the road after me.
You don’t have to live in the forest and look for your own mushrooms to enjoy their health benefits. You can buy them: fresh or dried for use in cooking and medicine; and also dyed or powdered. Look for chanterelles, cepes, enoki, oyster mushrooms, portobellos, maitake, reishii, shiitake, chaga, and many other exotic and medicinal mushrooms in health food stores, supermarkets, specialty stores, and oriental markets.
Maitake (Grifolia frondosa) is more effective than any other mushroom ever tested in inhibiting tumor growth. It is very effective when taken orally, either in laboratory rats or humans suffering from cancer. The fruiting body of the maitake resembles the tail feathers of a small brown chicken, hence its popular name: “Hen of the woods.” If you buy maitake in pill form, be sure to get the fruiting body, not the mycelium.
Reishii (Ganoderma lucidum) is one of the most respected immune tonics in the world. Reishii is adaptogenic, revitalizing and regenerating, especially for the liver. Even occasional use builds powerful immunity and reduces the risk of cancer. In clinical studies, the use of reishii increased the production of interferon alpha and T cells, reduced and eliminated tumors, and improved the quality of life of terminally ill patients. Reishii and shiitake are great partners, the effects of one enhance the effects of the other. It is best to take Reishii as a tincture, 20 to 40 drops, 3 times a day.
Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) is very medicinal and tastes good enough to be eaten in quantity. I go to an oriental market and buy the big, big, big bag of dried shiitake mushrooms for a fraction of what I would pay for them at a health food store. To use them, I simply rehydrate them by pouring boiling water over them or placing chunks in soups. Those who make shiitake a regular part of their diets increase the production of the cancer-fighting interferon alpha, reduce inflammation throughout the body, prolong their lives, and improve their ability to produce and use vitamin D.
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a rather ugly and intensely tough mushroom found on birch trees. Baba Yaga and other Russian herbalists prefer it as an immune nutrient, cancer preventative, and an aid to those dealing with melanomas.
Mushrooms are not just for food and medicine; They are renowned for their ability to alter our perceptions of reality. Psychoactive psilocybin mushrooms were used by the famous shaman / healer María Sabina in Mexico. The red-cloaked mushroom with white dots that is usually drawn next to the witch’s house is the mind-altering Amanita muscaria, sometimes called mana, and is widely used in Siberian shamanic rites.
Whether you use mushrooms to make mushroom soup or as a remedy for someone dealing with cancer, whether you stir them in a spiral power witch cauldron or sew them into a spirit bag, mushrooms offer magic and mystery, good health and good humor. .