Medicinal mushrooms for pets

[mhassine]

We had a sensational AH Webinar session with Dr. Ihor Basko on November 19, so I thought following up with the group on medicinal mushrooms could be a great idea. I ordered a 14-mushroom blend from Mushroom Harvest ($35/pound + shipment) and gave it to my dog Cassie right away as a dry supplement in her breakfast/dinner mix (later on on what she gets—there are a lot of things right there!)
Not much effect with using the mushroom blend off the package. However, a few days later I mixed the powdered mushrooms in the ingredients of her stew and that was a game changer. She had it for dinner. On the next day, we had a longer-than usual walk, and the dog pooped 5 times—suggesting that Cassie was offloading more than usual.
Later on this thread I will discuss how I used the mushroom blend and will offer a review of the book by Christopher Hobbs Medicinal Mushrooms: an Exploration of Tradition, Healing, & Culture (Herbs and Health Series). Stay tuned!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wow, thanks for sharing @mhassine .

Great pic!

 

[mhassine]

Here's the book review!

Medicinal Mushrooms—An exploration of tradition, healing, and culture, by Christopher Hobbs, Botanica Press, 2002 ed.

The author is an herbalist and botanist with a long experience in herbal medicine. Using medical reports from Asia (china and Japan), Europe (Germany) and US, the author gives an overview on the medicinal properties of 28 fungi in the second part of the book. Among the main benefits of fungi, the author mentions boosting the immune system, reduction in cancer and metastasis, and support to the liver.
Fungi in the soil associate with roots of about 90 percent of plants and plants depleted of fungi tend to grow more slowly. Fungi absorb and concentrate nutrients, and enter the plant cells, thereby introducing the nutrients directly into the plant. In return the fungus can absorb complex compounds produced by the plant—sugars and amino acids. The association of fungi and plants ensures health for both organisms.
To animals, fungi bring certain ferments and yeasts that interact in the gut to accelerate the absorption of nutrients. The properties of fungi have been known in traditional medicine, especially Chinese traditional medicine and Ayurvedic medicine (the traditional Indian medicine). In modern science, fungi are known as adaptogens—they help a person’s body adapt, chiefly to stress and persistent fatigue because they work to regulate key hormones working in the body. The book has a full chapter on how mushrooms act as adaptogens, by supporting the adrenal function, and possibly helping in taking up and utilizing oxygen in blood tissues.

Mushrooms are not necessarily high in nutrients but may contain certain minerals. Nutrients include proteins, vitamin C, Provitamin D (a precursor to vitamin D), folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, and sometimes vitamin E, thiamine. Minerals abound in mushrooms, and include calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, silicon, iron, and zinc. It is usually recommended to blend various mushrooms together to get the best out of each species. Medical literature has profusely reviewed the benefits of shiitake and oyster mushrooms, and the book discusses these two species together with 26 other types of mushrooms.

Newcomers to mushrooms need to be aware that mushrooms—which are not plants whose enzymes may be destroyed during cooking—retain their properties through cooking. They may even have superior benefits when cooked with a little of fat.

The book, initially released in 1986, is quite helpful to start exploring how we can supplement mushrooms to achieve better immunity and improve certain health conditions for oneself and for our pets. It may be a stepping stone into more medically-oriented literature as it offers many forays into medical research. The author inserted a few recipes, that could inspire on how to include mushrooms in ones’ pantry. But the book is no field guide and has no pretense to direct on when and how to grow mushrooms. Its references are sometimes outdated. It remains, nevertheless, a great first read for any new mushroom enthusiast.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Excellent, thanks so much for your review @mhassine !

Does Hobb's discuss the mushroom essences which you wrote about in a previous post?

 

[mhassine]

No, it does not. I will discuss mushroom essences in another post. Mushroom/flower essences are vibrational; they do not work by interactions with nutrients or through chemical reactions. They work on emotions, so not directly on the physical body.

 

[kristen_acri]

Thank you @mhassine for all of the info on mushrooms in your previous posts. After the Empower Hour with Dr. Basko I purchased Vitality Blend for Reyah, a 10-mushroom blend in powder form. It's been on and off with her tolerating it but I recently started it again and it's going much better. She'll enthusiastically eat anything, however, she vomited when I first started it. Reyah is 11 years old and was surrendered to a shelter with an ulcerated mammary tumor. She had it for one year. Her owners didn't address it. The cancer metastasized to her lung. That was 3-1/2 years ago. She now has a second mammary tumor. In 2015, she was given 6 to 9 months to live and here were are. Thanks again!

 

[mhassine]

Your experience with Reyah is much uplifting!

 

[kristen_acri]

Your experience with Reyah is much uplifting!

Thank you! Keep your fingers crossed for her...she has another mammary tumor. Working with Dr. Jeff.

 

[Dr. Christina]

Thanks for all the mushroom info.
Yes, surprising to me since I grew up with raw button mushrooms in the salad bar, it is much better for dogs and people to cook the mushrooms.

A great companion book about the incredible role mushrooms, fungi and their mycelium play in our web of life is the Hidden Life of Trees.

One invasive species that lives under trees and damages the mycelium, therefore eventually can damage trees is garlic mustard. Pull it up ... then eat it. Great in pesto, on sandwiches, in quiche and in your dog's food (maybe a tiny bit for the cats).

Dr. C

 

[ChristineL]

@mhassine Hello! Thank you so much for your posts. How is your pup doing on Mushroom Harvest blend? I am looking for mushroom supplement for my dog. Thank you.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Yes, how are Cassie's blood sugars and BEAM with this blend @mhassine ?