Medicinal mushrooms can be helpful in metabolic syndrome. This is a condition to which a lot of attention must be paid due to its severity and indicates a set of predisposing factors which, combined together, place the subject in a high risk range for diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems in general and hepatic steatosis (liver fat). Let’s find out better.
Metabolic syndrome and risk factors
In individuals with metabolic syndrome, individual diagnostic and blood test values may be perfectly normal. So how do you understand which people are at risk?
Metabolic syndrome affects nearly half of adults over the age of 50-60. An incidence, this, already alarming in itself, but which is likely to grow in the coming years in the wake of the spread of childhood obesity.
The most important risk factor is in fact overweight : the more this is accentuated and the greater the chances of being affected by the metabolic syndrome. An excess of body fat, especially if concentrated in the abdominal region, leads to an imbalance in the metabolism of fats and sugars which results in hyperinflation. While in severe cases this situation worsens to the point of quickly causing the onset of diabetes, in milder cases a multifactorial condition known as metabolic syndrome develops.
The risk of developing metabolic syndrome increases with age and is almost always a direct consequence of poor lifestyles (reduced physical activity, poor diet, alcohol and / or drug abuse). People with this condition run a higher risk of suffering some cardiovascular, kidney, eye and liver diseases (this risk is two to four times higher than normal people).
When insulin resistance occurs, cells require a higher than normal amount of insulin in order to absorb blood glucose and maintain normal blood sugar levels. In such conditions, the beta cells of the pancreas responsible for the production of insulin undergo a slow degenerative process caused by too much work. Thus the foundations are laid for diabetes, with all the consequences of the case.
Medicinal mushrooms against metabolic syndrome
The first thing to definitely consider is a change in lifestyle, food with proper nutrition, and sporting activity.
Based on the terrain and the constitution, the internal organs will first help eliminate toxins and then eliminate the organic overload to help the subject live better in his body, it will therefore also be necessary to lose that excess amount of both external weight. than internal, always reminding us that first of all when there is overweight and dysmetabolism, it is the internal organs that endure a great deal of stress and a lot of extra work than they should.
Everything we see on the outside is nothing more than a mirror of what is happening inside our body.
In this case we will see how Coprinus, Maitake, Shiitake and Reishi are the main natural remedies, even Polyporus is among those mushrooms that can be used when fluid retention is considerable and when the kidneys also suffer from this condition.
Coprinus is the first that is indicated in this problem given its hypoglycemic effect, it is able to chelate vanadium : vanadium is an oral hypoglycemic agent, an activator of the beta cells of the pancreas; but it also contains potassium in high quantities, but also calcium, iron, copper and zinc, rich in about 20 amino acids including all the essentials and a high protein content.
Coprinus comatus regulates insulin release, increasing its peripheral sensitivity and modulating the immune system at the same time. As we have said, its action is explained by the richness of vanadium, insulin mimetic through an inhibition mechanism of intracellular tyrosine kinase. It is therefore recommended for diabetics.
A powerful action in the metabolic syndrome and blood sugar reduction, which all mushrooms have, but the Maitake in particular has multiple actions of blood sugar regulation. One of the mechanisms of action for this mushroom is the inhibition of the alpha-glucosidase enzyme responsible for the digestion of starches and therefore for the absorption of sugars.
This action is significantly increased by the simultaneous intake of two other mushrooms, Coprinus comatus and Cordyceps sinensis.
Finally, Reishi works on the nervous system if there is depression or if there is an anxious state, it has hepatoprotective properties with detoxification activities, it also regulates the production of gastric juices and, over time, also improves intestinal peristalsis (stispi, spastic colon etc …) this thanks to the existing connection between the nervous system and the whole digestive system, finally this fungus acts on the ability to manage stress seems to improve the gastrointestinal somatization of some very sensitive subjects.
Shitake has healing properties, legendary in the East, in fact in a materia medica it is written “Shiitake accentuates vital energy, reduces hunger and colds “, also indicated in hypercholesterolemia.
Finally , the Polyporus that can be used in the metabolic syndrome as it is an excellent diuretic and above all a potassium saver, in fact in this mushroom the ratio between sodium and potassium is 5: 1, as it should be in our diet, in fact usually the ratio is 1: 2 and this means putting strain on the kidneys.
High blood pressure often treated with diuretics can improve with the use of this important medicinal mushroom. Its most important action is diuretic and on the lymphatic system, but it is also a powerful eliminator of toxins. Therefore excellent in this pathology where the accumulation of toxins is considerable and the lymphatic and micro circulatory system are in net overload.
