3 Ways Reishi Mushroom Benefits Can Elevate Yoga or Meditation Practice

April 6, 2021
Lifestyle, Research

Enhance your Yoga and Meditation with Reishi Mushroom Benefits

Recent research with experienced meditators have revealed that combining mindfulness meditation with psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in “magic” mushrooms, enhances the positive effects that both modalities are shown to offer, including increased feelings of empathy, altruism, and happiness, as well as decreased stress. But while clinical and scientific interest in psychedelic drugs is rapidly expanding right now, most of us aren’t at a point where we are willing nor able to add these Schedule I substances into our self-care practice.

Thankfully, we have other effective, natural, and legal compounds to turn to that can optimize our spiritual practices—including reishi.

The reishi mushroom (also known as Ganoderma lucidum or lingzhi) has a 2,000-year track record as a traditional medicinal plant throughout Asian culture. Called the “immortality mushroom,” reishi is not psychoactive, so you won’t “trip” while using it. Both ancient and modern day evidence suggest this mushroom may offer antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic properties. Increasingly, people are discovering that reishi is also an excellent complement to their meditation, yoga, and other spiritual practices.

Why?

It turns out, reishi and these spiritual practices share a lot in common. Here are three health benefits you might notice when you start to incorporate reishi into your regular self-care routine:

1. Enhanced Immune System Support

We already know from scientific studies that meditation, yoga, and related spiritual practices can strengthen the immune system, reduce inflammation, and even slow cellular aging. But these same effects may also be offered reishi mushrooms.

For example, peer-reviewed research has found that reishi mushroom supports the activity of important immune molecules, including white blood cells and lymphocytes.

Taken together, spiritual practices and reishi have the potential to transform into a powerful anti-aging, immune-enhancing combo.

2. Natural Energy and Mood Booster

Research, including a randomized, placebo-controlled trial from the Journal of Medicinal Food, has found that supplementing with reishi mushroom helps alleviate fatigue. And the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that spiritual practices like mindfulness meditation help improve energy, too—along with alleviating symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders.

Our takeaway? The complementary effect of reishi plus a personalized spiritual practice could help you kick your reliance on that morning cup of coffee.

3. Parasympathetic Nervous System Activation

Did you know? Reishi mushrooms are packed with powerful plant nutrients, including triterpenes which have been shown to help lower blood pressure. Decreasing blood pressure, reducing heart rate, and even slowing the breath are also claims to fame for meditation and yoga. These cardiovascular benefits are linked to increased parasympathetic activity, the part of your nervous system involved in rest, relaxation, and digestion.

And let’s face it:

In the stress-inducing world we live in today, the more time we can tap into our bodies’ innate self-soothing powers, the better our short- and long-term health will be.

Support Your Shen, Raise Your Vibration

Get the most out of your meditative or yoga practices by checking out our entire Brainfood line, including our high quality, industry-leading purity reishi mushroom capsules.

Learn More about Reishi Mushrooms here.