Why are so many Westerners turning to traditional Chinese medicine?
Simple: unlike Western allopathic medicine, which almost always focuses on symptoms - even if there are other signs of change in the body - traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) focuses on treating the person as a whole, not just eliminating the symptom, but coming to cure the causes that cause the disease or disorder.
In recent decades, science is increasingly recognizing the beneficial effects of many natural elements used in traditional oriental medicines and, among these ancient remedies, a place of honor goes to medicinal mushrooms believed to be able to help restore psychophysical balance thanks to mycotherapy.
L'Hericius Hedgehog
L ' Hericium Erinaceus is one of the most distinguished representatives of the oriental therapeutic fungi and is appreciated both in China (where it is known as Shishigashira) and Japan (Yamabushitake) . Its appearance is very original: it looks like a thick blanket of white filaments similar to hair or hair, which have earned it the nicknames of lion's mane, monkey's head or old man's beard.
Recently, many studies have devoted themselves to understanding the beneficial properties of Hericium Erinaceus.
The health benefits
As for all medicinal mushrooms known from TCM, the immunomodulatory action deriving from polysaccharides has been confirmed but, as regards Hericium Erinaceus in particular, other beneficial effects have also been documented:
- An antioxidant capacity
- A lipid-lowering, hemagglutinating action,
- An adjuvant activity for oncological therapies (recognized by TCM)
Strengthened by the Chinese medical philosophy of treating the balance of the organism "upstream" of pathological situations, this medicinal mushroom extends its field of biological phytoactive activity also to valid support for the health of the gastrointestinal system and the nervous system .
Hericium Erinaceus and the nervous system
The neuroprotective and anti - inflammatory action on the nervous system is linked to the presence of erinacin H, which stimulates the synthesis of NGF and myelin by nerve cells.
This "NGF" is a substance of fundamental importance at the level of the frontal cortex, hypothalamus and spinal cord, and its synthesis is regulated by some endogenous hormones such as thyroid hormones, corticosterodes, neuropeptides and cytokines.
The neuropotective action assists in the treatment of brain damage from ischemia, helping to protect the cells of the nervous system that can be affected by terrible diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis.
It is not surprising that Hericium Erinaceus has ended up in the spotlight of the Western medical world given this prodigious ability to help protect neurons from the damage of certain neurotoxic substances and to participate in the regeneration of nerve cells, assisting in the improvement of cognitive abilities, especially in Senior citizens.
Also appreciated for helping to reduce the symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia and concentration deficit , this mushroom can be considered a very useful "adaptogen" not only for elderly people with reduced cognitive abilities, but also for students, professionals under severe stress. or people who easily somatize stress, even on the gastrointestinal level.
Hericium Erinaceus and the gastrointestinal system
Speaking of belly: the great fame of Hericium also derives from the protective effect on the intestine, the "second brain" that we know is closely connected to the central nervous system. The therapeutic mushroom can therefore be used to help treat:
- Inflammatory diseases of the intestine
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Digestive difficulties
- Gastritis and chronic and acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa
- Helicobater P.
- Ulcer
Hericium also assists in the regeneration of the gastric mucosa, nourishing and rebalancing the intestinal bacterial flora, burning the mucous membranes and supporting situations of dysbiosis and / or impaired intestinal permeability (the so-called "leaky gut").
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