I hope you are enjoying the winter season and that you have had some time off of work to rest and rejuvenate.

In the past, I know that when I finally had time to rest and relax during holiday vacation…. that’s when I would get sick! 😷

I figured this was happening for a lot of reasons so I started to focus on making sure I did the things that I recommend to patients…I tried to eat healthy, get a good night’s rest, be sure that I got enough vitamin a, d, c, zinc, I tried to stay active, wash my hands frequently etc. I also discovered that when I added in some immune boosting herbal supplements that seemed to give me even extra buffer to help prevent getting sick or helped me get better quicker.

There are a lot of immune boosting herbal supplements available, but the one category that seemed to help me the most were medicinal mushrooms. No, these are not hallucinogenic mushrooms or anything of the sort.

Here is a photo I took at a farmer’s market in Wisconsin of a beautiful display of different types of mushrooms.

Medicinal mushrooms have been known to Eastern medicine for thousands of years for their immune boosting properties. Their immune boosting qualities is because they contain biologically active polysaccharides (multiple sugars joined together) called beta glucans. These beta glucans enhance the immune system by activating complement system, enhancing macrophages and natural killer cell function. These parts of the immune system are integral in detecting, engulfing and destroying microbes among other things.

My favorite medicinal mushrooms are

  • Reishi
  • Chaga
  • Cordyceps
  • Shiitake
  • Maitake

There are several different supplements on the market that contain these immune boosting medicinal mushrooms. Here are some that I have tried and found helpful. Before you try them, please consult with your healthcare provider and read disclaimer below.*

These Designs for Health Immune Support Packets are a comprehensive option with all of the supplement capsules in one packet. It not only has the above medicinal mushrooms but also astragalus, vitamin c, zinc, vitamin d, echinacea, elderberry, green tea extract, n-acetyl-l-cysteine, vitamin a, vitamin K1 & k2, quercetin, rutin, and much more! You can purchase them thru your integrative or functional medicine health care provider or sign up for a Fullscript account here. I throw these packets in my bag and take them to work with me. I don’t tend to take these packets everyday, but on days I take the packet I typically don’t take my multivitamin as it has so many micronutrients in it already!

The Great Guardian supplement from Jing Herbs is a beautiful combination: Reishi, Astragalus, Schissandra and Gynostemma. This is a perfect supplement if you just want to focus on the adaptogenic herbs and don’t need the extra vitamins and micronutrients that are in the Immune Support Packets. You can read more about it and purchase here.

Stamets 7 is one of my favorite products by Host Defense. Dr. Paul Stamets is a well-known mushroom expert and he has been engaging in many visionary research projects that focus on the power and potential of medicinal mushrooms in healthcare. This product focuses on a blend of seven mushroom species to promote immunity: Royal Sun Blazei, Cordyceps, Reishi, Maitake, Lion’s Mane, Chaga and Mesima. You can purchase these at your local natural grocery store or online here.

*The views and nutritional advice expressed by Dr. Michelle Jeffries is not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. Purchasing a product, program or wellness coaching does not establish a doctor patient relationship with Dr. Michelle Jeffries or any of our staff. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. We suggest that you continue to work with qualified medical professional as you engage in our material, products and services. No information offered here should be interpreted as a diagnosis of any disease, nor an attempt to treat or prevent or cure any disease or condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.