Medicinal Mushrooms for the Cold and Flu Season
Latest News, Science, Product Controversies, and Therapeutic Uses
Author of Medicinal Mushrooms, the Essential Guide (2021), Dr. Hobbs will discuss the historical and modern uses of the most important fungal species for medicine, and their place in self-care, modern integrative health care and medical clinics.
Mushrooms are a powerhouse of nutrition, and among the highest fiber foods, and recent research on their health benefits as a source of prebiotics for helping to increase microbial diversity in the human microbiome, and associated health benefits will be reviewed.
Practical considerations for making mushroom powder concentrates (with live demo) for addition to prepared foods like soups and smoothies will be detailed with samples to try. How to make your own mushroom coffee at 1/4 the price!
How to collect or purchase fruiting bodies and make the best extracts and preparations, as well as choose the best commercial products including a discussion about recent controversies such as mycelium vs. fruiting body, and testing for starch content in myclelium products.
Medicinal mushrooms have moved from the fringes into mainstream integrative medicine—but the science, products, and claims can be confusing. In this four-hour, practical intensive, Dr. Christopher Hobbs, mycologist, clinical herbalist, and author of Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide (2021), will guide you through what we truly know (and don’t yet know) about the most important medicinal fungi.
We’ll explore both historical traditions and modern research on species such as reishi, lion’s mane, turkey tail, cordyceps, chaga, maitake and more. You’ll learn how mushrooms fit into self-care, functional nutrition, and integrative clinical practice—as daily tonics, immune system allies, metabolic and cardiovascular supports, and companions for healthy aging.
When: December 13, [time, e.g. 1:00pm – 5:00pm]
Where: Santa Cruz Community Center, Classroom 5
Who: Limited to 49 participants – intimate, interactive format