The key to having good overall health is having a healthy heart. Your heart is responsible for circulating nutrient-rich blood throughout the body, helping to provide your body with oxygen and remove any waste and toxins.
Your heart is responsible for the overall health of your whole body, including the operation of your immune system.
Leading a healthy lifestyle can help to lower your risk of a stroke or heart attack, and it can also prevent heart disease. Eating the right foods contribute to a healthy and strong heart.
The normal functioning of your heart can be supported by medicinal mushrooms as they are filled with dietary fibres, lowering your risk of getting sick.
In this article, we will explore the different medicinal mushrooms that help to keep your heart healthy! Read on for an ultimate guide to using medicinal mushrooms for heart problems. Let’s dive in!
Types Of Medicinal Mushrooms For Heart Health
Edible mushrooms are great for supporting heart health in lots of different ways. They have low-calorie content and low sodium content and contain no cholesterol or fat.
They also contain very high levels of potassium which are great for controlling blood pressure.
Mushrooms also contain lots of other important nutrients that support your overall health, including B vitamins which support heart health production of red blood cells.
Medicinal mushrooms (see also: What Are Medicinal Mushrooms? – A Detailed Overview)also contain several different active constituents that help to lower bad cholesterol and improve good cholesterol levels.
Let’s take a look at three medicinal mushrooms that are beneficial to heart health.
Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Lion’s mane mushrooms are great at supporting heart health. It was found during research on mice that those who were given a diet with lots of Lion’s mane mushrooms will experience a significant decline in body weight gain.
The levels of fat in the blood and liver also decreased in those who ate a diet high in these mushrooms.
Research also suggests that Lion’s mane mushrooms can also prevent chronic heart disease because of the antioxidant properties present in the mushrooms.
The mushroom can also stop the formation of blood clots and the oxidation of fat. This has been strongly linked to the development of atherosclerosis, meaning these mushrooms can help to prevent this.
Lion’s mane also exhibits ACE inhibitory activity, which works similarly to medications that lower blood pressure.
Various medicinal mushrooms are good for their antioxidant properties, including Lion’s mane mushrooms.
Cordyceps Mushrooms
Cordyceps is another mushroom that is beneficial to the cardiovascular and heart systems. These mushrooms have been used to support regular heartbeats and treat heart arrhythmias.
They are very commonly used in this way in many different Asian nations.
Cordyceps have very high adenosine levels which are beneficial to heart health.
Adenosine is very important when it comes to maintaining heart health as it allows the blood to flow through the coronary arteries effectively by dilating the blood vessels.
The cordyceps mushroom also has an anti-hypertensive quality. This further supports the cardioprotective abilities of the mushroom.
Cordyceps mushrooms have also been used to lower blood pressure in lots of instances. The cordycepin compounds present in the mushroom are the reason for this, and the effects of this are comparable to adenosine.
Turkey Tail Mushrooms
Turkey tail mushrooms are great for your heart for lots of reasons. They contain ternatin which is a natural protein used to prevent the body from storing fat.
Eating ternatin-rich mushrooms has also been found to reduce the production of triglycerides, a type of bad fat that can harm the body.
Why Are Medicinal Mushrooms A Heart-Friendly Food?
Modern medications are often used to lower cholesterol levels, but there are some side effects of these medications.
For instance, these medications impair the Q10 enzyme’s synthesis which is essential for the energy production of the body.
Q10 deficiency can also result in sensitivity to the gums and muscle pains.
For this reason, medicinal mushrooms gained popularity as they do not have any side effects.
It was found that those who consumed medicinal mushrooms did not often experience heart and blood vessel diseases.
Many different healers have prescribed medicinal mushrooms to patients with high blood and cholesterol levels. They are found to have been able to lower blood lipids and increase the levels of good cholesterol.
Pros Of Using Medicinal Mushrooms
Medicinal mushrooms are a great way to promote good heart health. There are lots of great pros to using medicinal mushrooms in this way. These include:
No Side Effects
If you are taking prescribed medication for certain heart problems, you may experience some side effects.
Side effects of this type of medication include an impairment of the Q10 enzyme’s synthesis, leading to a lack of energy, aching muscles, and gum sensitivity.
Using medicinal mushrooms for these heart problems will remove these side effects.
Healthy In Lots Of Other Ways
Medicinal mushrooms are not only good for treating heart problems, but they are also beneficial for your health in lots of different ways.
They promote a healthy immune system and have been linked to an increased mood. Lots of people use medicinal mushrooms as a treatment for anxiety and depression as research suggests they can improve your mental health.
Natural
Medicinal mushrooms are completely natural and you can consume as many of these mushrooms as you like. You are unlikely to consume too many mushrooms, as there are no negative effects of eating too many!
Cons Of Using Medicinal Mushrooms
There are also certain disadvantages to using medicinal mushrooms to treat heart problems. Let’s take a look at these disadvantages:
Lack Of Research
When it comes to using medicinal mushrooms to treat heart problems, there is not enough research to determine the success of this method.
There has been a lot of research into the treatment of these heart problems, and prescription medications have been tested and proven to work.
May Interfere With Prescription Medication
Using certain natural remedies for illnesses and diseases can be problematic if they are used alongside prescription medications.
You should consult a healthcare professional if you are using prescription medications and are not sure if they can be used alongside medicinal mushrooms.
Not All Mushrooms Have These Properties
Not all mushrooms have healing properties when it comes to your heart health. You should be careful to ensure that the mushrooms that you have chosen contain the health benefits that are needed for treating these heart problems.
The mushrooms explored on this list are great for helping when it comes to certain heart problems, and some others will also have these benefits, but you should check this before you start.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it! If you’ve been wondering if you can use medicinal mushrooms for heart problems, you’ve come to the right place.
You should now have all the information you need on this topic, including which mushrooms contain the best properties to promote heart health.
I'm Clare, the owner and operator of Off The Couch, where I serve as a qualified Nutrition & Health Coach.
Based in Dublin, Ireland, I offer coaching services both locally and globally, providing personalized strategies in nutrition, stress management, sleep quality, and fitness.
My journey into this field began as I navigated my own chronic illnesses, including early menopause, Interstitial Cystitis, Lyme Disease, and hydrocephalus.
