Today, more and more people are suffering from brain fog, burnout, and mental fatigue. There are many reasons for this: working longer hours, spending less time outdoors, lack of socialization, and poor diet can all impact our overall brain health and cognition.
It’s easy to feel powerless, or like this is just the way it has to be. We often find ourselves reaching for a second or third cup of coffee in hopes that it will provide us with a mental edge, all at the risk of disrupting our sleep cycles and repeating the same patterns the following day.
What if we told you that there was a special mushroom that can help improve your mental clarity, banish brain fog and potentially even help to promote the growth of neurons in the brain? And, what if we told you that it has also been shown to be one of the most promising natural ways to prevent Alzheimer’s disease?
You’d probably want to get your hands on some, right? It may sound too good to be true, but this mushroom is the real deal. You may want to refer to it as a magic mushroom, but it’s not that sort - it’s called Lion’s Mane, and it’s accessible to anyone interested in improving their cognition and safeguarding their mind against the damaging effects of aging.
What are Lion’s Mane Mushrooms?
Lion’s Mane, also known as Hericium erinaceus, is an edible mushroom named after its unusual appearance. The white mushroom is commonly referred to as shaggy, beard-like, or like icicles in appearance.
Lion’s Mane mushrooms commonly grow on the trunks of dead hardwood trees, and it is believed that this fungi can live up to forty years, fruiting intermittently on the same tree. Growth of Lion’s Mane mushrooms is widespread in Asia, and the mushroom is most commonly found in the Northern Hemisphere.
Lion’s Mane has both culinary and medicinal applications, with a long, rich history in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Lion’s Mane Mushrooms in Traditional Chinese Medicine
The popularity of Lion’s Mane has exploded in recent times as people search for non-pharmaceutical alternatives to treat and combat modern ailments. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, however, this mushroom has been used for thousands of years.
In TCM, Lion’s Mane is known to be a natural tonic, used to balance Qi energy, aid digestion, and replenish the spleen. Lion’s Mane is also recognized for its cognitive health benefits and ability to sharpen both concentration and memory.
Lion’s Mane is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to benefit all five vital organs: the liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, and heart. In China and Japan, Lion’s Mane is often consumed by monks to cultivate the spirit and enhance meditative practices.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Benefits
At Hao Life, we love any herbal supplement that can help balance our bodies and promote well-being. When it comes to Lion’s Mane, these mushrooms are loaded with outstanding health benefits. Primary benefits of Lion’s Mane mushrooms include:
- Immune system support
- Regulation of diabetes
- Antioxidation
- Gut health support
- Ulcer prevention
While the benefits of Lion’s Mane mushrooms are plentiful, arguably the most astounding effects come from the ability of Lion’s Mane to provide cognitive support. These mushrooms have shown remarkable capacity to reduce brain fog, improve cognitive performance, and even have the potential to promote regeneration in the brain.
Brain fog, fatigue, and mood disorders are all-too-common in our stress-addled, sleep-deprived, on-the-go lives. Many factors and lifestyle habits can contribute to cognitive decline, and even those with excellent brain health can hardly say no to a safe, natural option for improving mental performance and health.
The Top Cognitive Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
To enhance your cognition in the present and prevent cognitive decline in the future, Lion’s Mane is a fantastic fungus to add to your wellness routine.
Here are the top ways that Lion’s Mane supports brain health:
1. Lion’s Mane Relieves Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression are separate mood disorders that can have a profound impact on quality of life. Both can cause physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms that make it hard to concentrate on daily tasks and get adequate rest - as such, these disorders can have a profound effect on overall cognition.
For those suffering from the effects of mild anxiety and depression, Lion’s Mane may be helpful in providing relief. Various studies have shown that these mushrooms may be able to:
- Promote calmness and relaxation
- Reduce overall symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Promote neurogenesis - research has shown that reduced neurogenesis may be linked to anxiety-related disorders.
- Improve sleep quality
- Reduce inflammation, which can contribute to anxiety and depressive disorders
Research suggests that Lion’s mane may have a substantial impact on anxiety and depression, with encouraging early research showing that this medicinal mushroom can help to balance the mind and promote an energized sense of calm.
Those looking to Lion’s Mane for treatment or to supplement medications used to treat these disorders should always consult a doctor before doing so.
2. Lion’s Mane Reduces Inflammation in the Brain
Inflammation in the brain is a common marker linked to mental illness and cognitive decline, and symptoms of brain inflammation can include brain fog, lack of clarity, and slow mental performance.
Lion’s Mane Mushrooms are anti-inflammatory, helping to reduce the impacts of inflammation throughout the body. In the brain, they have been found to slow the production of proteins that cause inflammation, helping to promote overall brain health.
Reducing inflammation also improves blood-flow, particularly to the areas that were inflamed. Our blood carries oxygen to the brain, and this improved blood-flow helps us to get the oxygen we need to take on critical thinking and cognitive tasks.
3. Lion’s Mane Improve Memory and Learning
Lion’s Mane mushrooms exhibit many nootropic properties that improve memory and enhance overall learning and cognition.
Firstly, Lion’s Mane has shown the ability to promote neurogenesis in the hippocampus of the brain. Neurogenesis is a process by which neurons in the brain are created and repaired. Neurogenesis helps our brain to form new connections, generate ideas, and think. Improved brain signaling from neurogenesis can help to improve mood, recall, memory, and learning.
The anti-inflammatory effects of Lion’s Mane also help to improve blood flow and the delivery of oxygen to the brain, which in turn improves mental performance and cognition.
Another way that Lion’s Mane improves memory and learning is by helping to rebuild myelin, a protective coating that surrounds nerve fibers in the brain. Myelin acts as a kind of insulation for the nervous system, and helps to speed up communication between brain cells. This results in better alertness and faster information processing.
Other Ways to Improve Brain Health and Cognition
When it comes to brain health, no single action acts as the silver bullet to achieve optimal brain performance. Thinking clearly and performing our best is the result of compounding habits that benefit the mind and body.
Other actions that can be taken to improve brain health include:
- Staying physically active to help promote blood flow
- Exercising your brain with brain-training games and activities
- Prioritize sleep and rest
- Meditate
Nutrition also plays a critical role in the health of our brains - the food and supplements we consume daily are the foundation on which our cells are built, directly impacting our health. A healthy diet will go a long way in supporting brain health, and nootropic supplements are an excellent way to push your nutrition even further to support brain health.
Our Sharp Focus formula includes not only Lion’s Mane; it contains Reishi, Ginseng, and Gingko leaf, too. Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Ginseng increase the source qi that feeds all five vital organs in the body, and help clear pathways that allow Qi to flow to the brain.
Are you ready to sharpen your mind? With the power to improve cognition in a short period of time and help future-proof the brain against devastating disease, Lion’s Mane is an ancient, now modernized solution for brain wellness in the 21st century.
