Moonrize - Blog

Dec 27, 20192 min read

Change Your Aura: Lion's Mane For Your Brain

Updated: Jan 16, 2020

Let’s break down the facts--- It’s the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the U.S. that are 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population each year. It’s not uncommon to see those diagnosed with anxiety also suffer from depression (nearly one-half). Less than half of those seek treatment for whatever reason. Enter our New Aura formula, packed with powerful ingredients that support cognitive function, boost brain health, and helps promote hormone stabilization. While there are 12 key ingredients that all pack a super-punch to your body, today we’re focusing on the leader of the pack, Lion’s Mane (Hericium Erinaceus)

King of The Forest:

There’s no Cowardly Lion in this story, but when you first look at this fungi, it’s clear where it gets its name. This medicinal mushroom is a nootropic, which is just a fancy word for a supplement that may improve cognitive functions as well as boosting memory, creativity, and motivation.

Lion’s Mane is essentially a giant hug for your brain.

Often seen in ancient Chinese medicine, this mushroom has been getting a lot of attention recently within the last decade. This mushroom has proven neuroprotective qualities, as well as the ability to stimulate the production of nerve growth factor (NGF) is what puts this Lion in the spotlight. Let’s break down the importance of NGF. It’s a protein in the brain that plays a crucial role in the survival and function of neurons responsible for attention, arousal, motivation, memory, and consciousness. Increased levels of NGF enhance memory and learning.

The Lone Research Study:

In a 2010 Japanese study, 30 females were randomly placed into either Lion’s Mane group or the placebo group. They took Lion’s Mane cookies or placebo cookies for four weeks. Both the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Indefinite Complaints Index (ICI) score after the Lion’s Mane intake was significantly lower than before. In two terms of the ICI, "insensitive" each of the mean score of the fungi group was considerably lower than the placebo group. "Concentration," "irritable," and "anxious" feelings also tended to appear smaller than the placebo group. The final results showed that the intake of this nootropic mushroom could help reduce depression and anxiety. That is the only study done on humans highlighting the benefits of this functional mushroom. However, in 2015, there was a study done with mice, and those given the supplement displayed fewer signs of depression.‍

When you try out our New Aura blend, you'll get not only the benefits of Lion’s Mane but also an entire host of other medicinal mushrooms and supplements, creating a well-rounded dose of brain loving goodness! Now available in capsules and powders to adapt to your lifestyle.

Mind-Blowing Podcast Episode Alert:

If you’re looking for a great podcast episode that explains how ‘mushrooms are the architects of this environment,’ check out Joe Rogan’s interview with Paul Stamets back in 2017.

Disclaimer: Please always consult your doctor before changing any medications that you’re currently taking. We are not doctors, but we do encourage education and research before switching your regimen.

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Nicole Castellano

Dec 18, 20193 min read

5 Things You Should Know About Mushrooms

Updated: Dec 21, 2019

Group of Mushrooms — Photo by Andrew Ridley on Unsplash

When you first think of a mushroom, a few things might come to mind:

That time you ate magic mushrooms in college, or last weekend
A new life in Super Mario.
Death Cap = literal death.
Trying to avoid a dad joke about being a ‘fun-gi.’
A topping on your pizza.

But we’re not here to make a pizza, or enjoy a night of video games (at least for the sake of this post). Functional mushrooms have been popping up in natural food stores and health blogs within the last few years, when, in fact, mushrooms have been used medicinally for centuries. We’ve compiled a list of five essential things to know about medicinal mushrooms.

1. The Oldest Living Organism

Mushroom’s history spans millennia. Archeologists have found evidence showing how Egyptians considered the mushroom food for royalty. Then there’s 6,000-year-old Ötzi the Iceman who carried around a medicine kit predating the oldest-known Egyptian remedy by one or two thousand years. This ‘kit’ contained a birch tree fungus called Piptoporus betulinus. When consumed, short-lived diarrhea acts as an antibiotic due to an oil that is toxic to intestinal parasites due to a chronic illness. Ancient Greeks believed that mushrooms provided strength for warriors in battle, and the Romans perceived them as the “Food of the Gods.” It’s also known in Chinese culture as an “elixir of life.”

2. Many Species

There are around 46,000 species of mushrooms, about 25 can add flavor to your favorite dish, and hundreds of fungi are known for their medicinal properties. However, it can be rather tricky to tell the difference between edible and medicinal mushrooms. Many of the common edible species have therapeutic properties, and several used for medical purposes are also edible.

3. The Ultimate Superfood

Now more than ever, people, doctors included, are starting to pay more attention to how different foods help us prevent illnesses and fight diseases. The word superfood has become a household staple these days, and the mushroom is getting the superfood gold star! This super-fungus is high in antioxidants, beta-glucans, and polysaccharides, making them one of nature’s most perfect foods. Not only are they loaded with healthy nutrients, but those nutrients are easily absorbed. A unique, powerful antioxidant that’s been getting recent attention is L-Ergothioneine (ERGO). Acting as a natural way of nutritionally supporting your body’s immune system to fight off diseases ranging from cancer to HIV AIDS. ERGO appears to be a far more powerful antioxidant than other substances such as beta-carotene and vitamins C and E.

4. Types of Medicinal Mushrooms

As mentioned earlier, there are many types of mushrooms with medicinal benefits, and we’re going to focus on the six mushrooms that can be found in our capsules and powders.

Turkey Tail: The perfect ingredient for stimulating the immune system.
Chaga: Lower your “bad” cholesterol and fight inflammation with this powerhouse of antioxidants.
Lion’s Mane: Battling severe brain fog? Clear it up with this powerful brainfood that almost aids with concentration and memory.
Shiitake: This heart-healthy fungus also helps with lowering cholesterol.
Cordyceps: Feeling low on energy? This aids in the stimulation of both energy and libido.
Red Reishi: Known as “nature’s Xanax,” this is one of the oldest used fungi’s helping with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

5. Improving Quality of Life

The National Center for Biotechnology Information cites a journal showing that “Mushrooms act as antibacterial, immune system enhancer and cholesterol-lowering agents. Additionally, they are important sources of bioactive compounds. As a result of these properties, some mushroom extracts are to promote human health and are in dietary supplements.” After seeing just a few of the benefits from the mushrooms we use at Moonrize, it’s evident that these powerful ‘shrooms pack a punch when it comes to improving your overall health.

In recent years, the main focus has been on various immunological and anti-cancer properties of certain mushrooms, they also offer other significant health benefits, including antioxidants, anti-hypertensive and cholesterol-lowering properties, liver protection, as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-viral and anti-microbial properties. These properties have attracted the interest of many pharmaceutical companies, which are viewing the medicinal mushroom as a rich source of innovative biomedical molecules.

Now that you’re a little more versed in function/medicinal mushrooms, you can see why we’re so excited to teach you about the many ways this fungus can help you feel and live your best life. At Moonrize, our goal is to bring the benefits of this versatile fungus in combination with other botanicals to create a super supplement to support your overall well being. Head over to our Shop section to find the correct formula for your needs and invite medicinal mushrooms into your daily regime.

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