Your body’s immune system functions as a surveillance system, constantly monitoring and protecting your state of internal and external health 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These protective measures range from simple defences such as maintaining healthy skin and mucous membranes, to more complex defences, such as the production of specific antibodies and chemical agents that fight and destroy foreign organisms, including bacteria and viruses.
Traditional Chinese mushrooms have a long history of medicinal use across many cultures and contain biologically active polysaccharides, including beta-glucans, proteoglycans and related compounds in their fruiting bodies. Polysaccharides form the major class of immunologically active molecules in these mushrooms.
Is your immune system unhappy?
Signs of an unhappy immune system include decreased resistance to bacterial, fungal and viral infections, prolonged recovery after illness and feeling tired and run down. There are many factors that can influence the health of your immune system including excessive consumption of simple sugars, processed foods and alcohol, environmental toxins and pollutants, certain medication, pre-existing health conditions and gastrointestinal disturbances to name a few.
The benefits of traditional Chinese mushrooms
Traditional Chinese mushrooms help support your immune system on a number of levels. Some of the most popular traditional Chinese mushrooms include Shiitake, Reishi, Cordyceps, Snow fungus and Turkey tail.
Mushrooms are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to:
- Strengthen the lungs
- Relieve coughs and loosen chest phlegm
- Clear respiratory tract mucous due to their expectorant activity
- Maintain a healthy immune system
- Strengthen and replenish qi (the body’s vital force)
So, if you think you might need a little extra immune support before winter arrives, consider traditional Chinese mushrooms to help support your immune system. See Mushroom 5 Complex.
