MS and Medicinal Mushrooms

Today we have a wonderful little guest post by Nicole Apelian all about mushrooms! And the amazing properties they contain that can help with managing a chronic illness. 🙂

We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did! xxxx

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How I Manage My Multiple Sclerosis With Medicinal Mushrooms My MS Diagnosis 

When I was thirty years old, I received my multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis. I was scared. 

The MRI showed lesions on my brain, my balance was faltering, and my eyesight was deteriorating. I felt that I was much too young to be experiencing such a devastating disease. 

So I followed my neurologist’s orders. I was given drugs. Then more drugs to counteract the side effects. I was told the medication would help the muscle spasms and crushing fatigue. I started daily injections of Copaxone. But my health continued to deteriorate. 

Within three years I was forced to quit the job that I loved, and was using a cane to walk during the day and a wheelchair at night. That was on the good days. Most of the time I was so weak and fatigued that I was bed-bound. There were times when even a book was too heavy for me 

to pick up. Everyday it was a struggle to concentrate. My once sharp memory was replaced with constant brain fog. I had been a vibrant, healthy woman. Now I was just a shadow of my former self. 

One day I woke up and knew that things had to change. I wanted to be healthy again. I wanted to have another child. It was time to take charge of my own health. 

The Turning Point

Today, 20 years later, I have no new lesions. My mind, body, and spirit are healthy and strong. No one would know by looking at me that I have MS. I am a herbalist and survival skills instructor and even took on the challenge of the History’s Channel’s TV series “Alone”, where I lived completely solo in the woods, self-filming my experience for 57 days straight living off the land, all during the intense fall/winter season. 

After my debut on “Alone”, where millions of people witnessed someone with MS thriving in the wilderness, my inbox was flooded with the question “How do you manage your MS?“. The basis of my healing protocol is rooted in diet, medicinal herbs (especially mushrooms), supplements, along with lifestyle and exercise. The mind-body connection, gratitude, and nature connection are important as well. It does take work to maintain my health. And I do have a few minor symptoms occasionally, but my progressive MS is no longer progressing. 

The Power of Medicinal Mushrooms for Managing MS 

The four medicinal mushrooms I use each day are reishi, lion’s mane, turkey tail, and cordyceps. All four are known to help with leaky gut syndrome and gut inflammation. Researchers have found there is a strong link between the gut and autoimmunity. I take these mushrooms in their double/dual-extracted form where only the fruiting bodies are used, not the mycelium. This is an important distinction because the fruiting bodies contain the highest levels of β-glucans, which have antibiotic and antiviral properties and support immunity, along with triterpenoids that are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The fruiting bodies also contain most of the vitamins and minerals of the fungi. 

With dual-extraction, the full spectrum of medicinal compounds is accessed through both a water and alcohol extraction. A case in point is reishi mushroom. The polysaccharides (including beta-glucans) extract in water while the triterpenoids, like ganoderic acid, extract in alcohol. 

Many times people drink a reishi mushroom tea believing they will get the full therapeutic spectrum of this adaptogenic mushroom, but sadly they are missing out on the bioactive compounds that can only be accessed through alcohol extraction. 

I use all four mushrooms each day. I strongly believe these medicinal mushrooms play a key role in keeping me healthy with MS — and there is plenty of research to back me up. Additionally, they do so without the extreme side effects of many modern medicines. 

“Taken together, the chemical activity of many mushroom species points to a marked anti-pathogenic action coupled with the ability to modulate the human immune response: helping decrease it when it is overactive (as in allergies or autoimmune conditions), increase it when it is underactive (as in chronic debility and fatigue, or a pattern of recurrent infection), and stimulate it to attack cells that have mutated or are growing out of control (like cancer).” Mase, 2012**

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) 

Known as the “Mushroom of Longevity”, reishi has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine. As an adaptogenic herb, reishi helps to strengthen the body against the negative effects of stress—like inflammation, hormonal imbalances, high cortisol, fatigue, and low energy. These mushrooms foster quality sleep, lleviate adrenal fatigue, and encourage healthy immune function. Reishi is also neuroprotective, assists with allergies, and is a potent antiviral. 

I take it daily for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties because, like many autoimmune disorders, MS is inflammatory in nature. Reishi is also immunomodulatory; it increases immune function if needed or inhibits an overactive immune response. This is crucial for autoimmune conditions such as MS. 

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) 

An outstanding medicinal herbal remedy for those times  when we feel overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, lion’s mane mushroom can help us regain equilibrium and focus. Possessing an impressive range of healing attributes, it is also helpful for depression, slowing the progression of dementia, boosting energy, and reducing fatigue. 

I take it daily to fortify my nervous system and to address gut inflammation. Importantly, studies have shown that lion’s mane mushroom helps to encourage Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), which is necessary for the repair of the protective, fatty coating surrounding nerve fibers known as the myelin sheath. For those with MS, the myelin sheath is often severely damaged. This protein 

maintains the neurons that are involved in learning, memory, and focus. Research has established that lion’s mane also improves cognitive function. 

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) 

High in anti-inflammatory compounds, turkey tail mushroom assists in reducing internal inflammation and is an excellent medicinal remedy for a range of chronic diseases, including MS. Additionally, the mushroom is known as an immune modulator, making it an effective medicinal herb for autoimmune conditions. It also helps to heal leaky gut, chronic fatigue syndrome, and treats a range of bacterial and viral infections. Turkey tail is a prebiotic and tackles candida and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Moreover, it has been shown to be effective against influenza, HPV, herpes, and HIV. 

Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) 

Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries, cordyceps mushroom is an excellent anti-inflammatory and is known to have neuroprotective properties to reduce neuronal cell death. It is also anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and antiprotozoal. Moreover, the mushroom combats fatigue and boosts energy. Cordyceps is anti-cancer and regulates blood sugar as well. I take it daily for its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, along with its ability to boost energy. 

Culinary Mushrooms 

In addition to medicinal mushrooms, those that are used in cooking are also beneficial for health. Common yellow morel mushrooms (Morchella esculenta) are one example. These delicious wild mushrooms inhibit cancer growth, possess anti-inflammatory properties, and enhance the immune system. They also act as a prebiotic and improve the gut microbiota, which in turn supports immune health. Besides adding a wonderful flavor and texture to meals, oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to relax the joints and muscles. These mushrooms also have anti-cancer properties. Golden chanterelles 

(Cantharellus cibarius) are one of my favorite mushrooms not only for culinary use, but also for the health benefits. It is currently being investigated for anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial potential. 

All three are found in my new book, “The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods: Edible Plants, Lichens, Mushrooms, and Seaweeds,” along with many other mushrooms that you can identify and forage in the wild. 

Diet

My favourite diet for managing multiple sclerosis is gluten-free, anti-inflammatory, and ketogenic. I also practice intermittent fasting. I protect my nerves. I take reishi, lion’s mane, turkey tail, and cordyceps mushrooms everyday. I find this helps to mitigate my stress response and decrease inflammation. And I use herbal remedies to help avoid becoming sick with the cold and flu. 

I hope you have found this information helpful and that it has been a good introduction to the relationship between medicinal mushrooms and multiple sclerosis. Please share this post with those you know who are struggling with their own autoimmune challenges. 

Wishing you the very best on your journey to wellness! 

Nicole 

If you would like to learn more about natural herbs and remedies, Dr. Nicole Apelian’s book, The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies: The Healing Power of Plant Medicine, is available here. 

For access to Dr. Nicole’s Apothecary at a discounted rate, please use the coupon WILDHERBS at checkout for 10% off your first order. And to learn how Nicole manages her MS on a daily basis please read her detailed blog on this subject. Thank you! 

* Do note that Reishi is a vasodilator, so it is contraindicated for those with a bleeding disorder or for use before surgery. 

**Masé, G. (2012). Medicinal mushrooms: A brief history and overview of principal species. Retrieved on 08/27/2016 from 

http://www.vtherbcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Medicinal-Mushrooms.pdf 

Please note that the contents of this article are for informational purposes only, do not constitute medical advice, and are not intended to be a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of

something you have read on this website. In the event of a medical emergency, call a doctor or 911 immediately. Reliance on any information provided by this website is solely at your own risk. 

Nicole Apelian, Ph.D. 

Dr. Nicole Apelian is an herbalist, a mother, a survival skills instructor, an anthropologist, and a biologist. She has B.S and M.S. degrees in Biology from McGill University in Canada and the University of Oregon. She earned her Doctorate through Prescott College while working as an anthropologist and ethnobotanist in Botswana. 

She has spent years living in nature with the San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert, one of the last indigenous peoples who still live as hunter-gatherers. Developing strong relationships within the tribe 

helped Nicole learn many of the remedies and skills she practices and teaches today and she continues her work with the San through her non-profit, “The Origins Project“. 

An unexpected diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 2000 led Nicole to apply her research skills towards her own personal wellness. She focused on a healthy living strategy, including deep nature connection and gratitude practices. Through changes in her lifestyle, recognizing profound mind-body linkages, and making and using her own remedies, Nicole went from bedridden to being fully alive and from surviving to thriving. 

She believes that there are many more people suffering who need to find their own remedy. This became her life’s mission and the main reason for writing her book “The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies: The Healing Power of Plant Medicine”. In it she poured over 28 years of plant knowledge and her first-hand experiences of making her own poultices, tinctures, decoctions, salves, infused oils, and other herbal remedies. 

In 2015 she was among the first women ever selected for the History Channel’s hit TV show “Alone”. Despite having MS, she went on to survive solo for 57 days straight in a remote area of Vancouver Island with little more than her hunting knife and the wild foods and medicines she found there. 

For more about Dr. Nicole Apelian please visit www.nicoleapelian.com. 

https://www.instagram.com/nicole_apelian/