Prevention is Upstream

A late-summer hot-tip! Support your immune system today, for a healthier fall and winter.

Wild oyster mushrooms growing on a log. Photo by Zdeněk Macháček on Unsplash

One of the best things about herbal and traditional medicine, and what sets it apart in leaps and bounds from allopathic or western medicine is that there is A LOT you can do for your body/mind and spirit PREVENTIVELY.

For example, when I worked at the herb-shop in SF this was a classic theme of late fall and early winter. There seemed to be certain days in early December when suddenly dozens of people would come in describing the same or similar symptoms; sneezing, sore throat, wet cough, etc.

It felt like we had our fingers on the pulse of the city's well-being. And we got real good real fast at recommending herbs to reduce symptoms and help the body heal swiftly.

However, wouldn't it have been better if those same folks had walked into the shop before they were sick, asking how they could prevent the seasonal flu?

Herbs can be helpful at many stages of well-being, and yet usually people don't seek support until they feel sick. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it when clients seek support before symptoms get out of hand, or if there is a known history of a symptom or disease in the family that they'd like to get ahead of.

From a public health perspective, this is referred to as "upstream". The term comes from the analogy of a river, that if you address symptoms, lab results or lifestyle factors before they fully progress and worsen into the full-blown disease, you're able to prevent an individual or a population from getting a full diagnosis and poor health.

Upstream, or preventative care is the idea that we can take action BEFORE we get sick.

I want to offer you my professional insight on what herbs I recommend for Late Summer, particularly if you live with people who attend school.

This is a hot-tip for parents, children, teachers, paraprofessionals, school administrators, college students, siblings, roommates, partners of teachers, you get the idea. If you're going to a school, or if you're in close-contact with people going to a school, listen up --

Start taking those medicinal mushrooms TODAY*.

*Note, if you have any type of auto-immune condition like Multiple Sclerosis, Hashimoto's, Lyme, Rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's, Graves, Lupus, Irritable Bowel Disease, Psoriasis, Type 1 Diabetes, please check in with a clinical herbalist or other holistic practitioner trained in herbalism to see if these recomendations are appropriate for you at this time.

The beautiful colors of Turkey Tail mushrooms. Photo by Tessa Hennis on Unsplash

It's commonly said in herbal circles to start taking functional mushrooms, aka, medicinal mushrooms during the fall, usually in October, to prep your immune system for the cold and flu season that often hits in late November or December and can last through February or March.

However, it's so common that when kids and adults alike start back at school, especially if they are entering a new school, will be exposed to an explosion of germs and thus there are many outbreaks of RSV, or the common cold. Especially if you tend to get sick more often or if you notice that the early school year is a time your immune system struggles to stay robust and well-resourced, start today.

For a healthier late summer, fall and winter, you can't wait till you feel that tickle in your throat.

There are a number of ways you can seek support:

Cruise by the mushroom isle at the grocery and pick up some fresh shitake or maitake for dinner. You can add dry mushrooms, shitake, maitake, reishi, lion's mane, turkey tail into long-cooked broths and soups.

Note: Medicinal mushrooms MUST be cooked for a minimum of 20 minutes to offer us their medicinal benefits, which are long-chained sugars called muco-polysaccharides, which are most soluble in water, not alcohol. So remember to cook your mushrooms well (fresh or dry). You can add them to soups, stews, even brown rice or congee. Or toss them in a slow cooker and enjoy a few hours later as tea or broth.

Fresh shitake mushrooms. Photo by Kier in Sight Archives on Unsplash

You're also welcome to take your mushrooms as tinctures or capsules, which, when left on the table or counter can be taken 1-2 x day with meals. If you're sensitive to alcohol, or offering the tincture to a kid, there are also low alcohol or glycerine based extracts available as well. Most importantly when choosing a mushroom supplement of any type, make sure you're choosing something that says:

1. It's a water or aqueous extract (if it's not cooked, it's not medicinal)

2. The product is of the mushroom's fruiting body and NOT from the mycelium

If it says "fruiting body water extract" you're good to go!

If you're feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start, book a consultation with your local herbalist! We are ready to support you in building a robust immune system and stop chronic patterns in their tracks.

Many people in more western cultures are out of the habit of including mushrooms in their food, or if they are eating them, they are more familiar with the brown/white button or portabello mushroom that you see in salad bars, on pizzas or roasted on the BBQ (which, btw are all the same species with different amounts of sun exposure and growing time).

If you're new to medicinal mushrooms, and have questions feel free to reach out. Try a few of my favorite recipes with mushrooms like this mineral-rich umami mushroom broth (you can get creative if you don’t have all these ingredients), bok choi and shitake stir-fry or pumpkin miso broth with noodles.

Yummy soup with greens and well-cooked mushrooms. Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

Staying well doesn’t need to be a chore. Ideally it’s something that you look forward to, and perhaps even delicious. Wishing you a happy and healthy late summer into fall!

If you enjoyed this post and would like to receive similar seasonal herbal tips, recipes and herbal invitations, join the pod of folks who enjoy reading Whale Mail, every Wednesday morning. 🐋