If you could add just one food into your candida diet, Reishi Mushroom should be it.  In fact, this medicinal mushroom has been used for centuries in ancient Chinese Medicine in order to treat disease and promote longevity in the body.

Unfortunately, there seems to be confusion among the candida community as to whether or not mushrooms are good for this fungal overgrowth.  The theory is that since mushrooms are a fungus, they will contribute to candida overgrowth in the body.  However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Luckily, by the end of this post, you will understand why Reishi Mushroom can be so beneficial for those suffering with candida overgrowth and why you will want to include this super mushroom into your candida diet!

What is Reishi Mushroom?

Often referred to as Ganoderma Lucidum, Reishi Mushroom is a powerful medicinal mushroom that has been a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries.  It’s considered to be one of the top anti-aging herbs in all of Chinese Medicine.  For this reason, it’s often given to those dealing with age related disease or sickness.

However, many take this medicinal mushroom for preventative measures and it can provide a whole host of benefits to the body.

Unlike most mushrooms that are soft and rot quickly, Reishi is a hard woody mushroom that can be dried and stored for several years without going bad.  The preferred method for taking it is slicing it thinly and boiled into a tea.  However, there are various alcohol and powdered extracts available that work just as effectively.

Out of all of the medicinal herbs used in Chinese Medicine, Reishi is by the most commonly prescribed.  This is mainly due to its wide array of actions it has on the body and its ability to treat various disorders of all different origin.

Contains High Amounts of Beta-Glucans

There is no denying that those suffering with candida overgrowth oftentimes suffer from a weak immune system.  This is mainly due to candida and its high amounts of toxic byproducts that it releases into the body.  However, high amounts of intestinal inflammation and gut permeability can also lead to immune system problems.

Research has already confirmed that the health and integrity of our immune system is highly dependent on the health of our microbiome (1).  Those with poor gut health oftentimes suffer from immune system dysfunction and deficiency.

Luckily, Reishi is a rich source of immune boosting beta-glucans.  Beta-glucans are long chain sugars that can have an extremely nourishing effect on the immune system.  These beta-glucans are a form of polysaccharides and occur naturally in the cell walls of all fungi.  However, they’re are especially high in Reishi Mushroom.

Research has shown that beta-glucans act like an immune stimulant in the body and can help in the activation of macrophages and NK cell production (2).  For those unaware, macrophage is when the body’s white blood cells begin to eat and digest cellular debris, microbes, toxic substances, and anything else that shouldn’t be in the body.

Typically the only way to induce macrophage is through fasting (3).  However, foods high in beta glucans such as Reishi Mushroom can also induce this beneficial process.

Those dealing with candida overgrowth can benefit immensely from taking in more beta-glucans.  As mentioned before, the immune system of candida sufferers is oftentimes lacking and not performing at optimal function.  Thankfully, beta-glucan rich foods such as Reishi can help assist in immune system function and can help to detoxify some of the toxic byproducts that are released by this pathogenic fungus.

Excellent for the Kidneys

Based on The Law Of Similars in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Reishi is in the shape of a human kidney and as a result was often given to those with kidney disorders.  Interestingly, research has shown that this medicinal mushroom does in fact benefit the kidneys and can protect both the liver and kidneys from hepatic and renal damages (4).

This is important for those dealing with candida overgrowth because the kidneys can play an important role in helping the body overcome candida.  It’s important to understand that the kidneys help to filter the blood.

As a result, those with optimal kidney function will have strong blood and will typically have a strong immune system.  Unfortunately, the immune system is often working overtime in those dealing with candida overgrowth.  This is because they’re forced to filter all the toxic byproducts that this pathogenic fungus releases into the body.  In fact, it’s well known that candida can release over 70 different toxic byproducts; all of which can have a negative effect on both the kidneys and body.

It’s for this reason that kidney boosting herbs such as Reishi Mushroom can be extremely beneficial for those dealing with candida.  Reishi can help take a burden of the body’s kidneys so that they can properly filter the blood.  Because of this, Reishi is often referred to as “blood building” herb in Chinese Medicine.

Can Help Fight Against Candida

Despite being a fungus, Reishi has powerful anti-fungal properties.  In fact, this medicinal mushroom was used for centuries in order to naturally treat fungal infections in the body.  Those suffering from intestinal disorders due to pathogenic fungal overgrowths such as candida may find relief by taking Reishi Mushroom.

In fact, it’s been shown that Reishi contains powerful anti-candida properties and can actually help prevent the formation of candida biofilms (5).  Biofilms are a protective layer that this pathogenic fungus will use in order to help protect against antibiotics and the body’s immune system.  These biofilms are what make getting rid of candida from the body so difficult.

Luckily, simply by taking Reishi Mushroom daily, you can help prevent the formation of these candida biofilms which can help the immune system eliminate this fungus from the body!

Great For Reducing Stress

In our opinion, no other herb part of the Chinese Medicine system can have such a profound effect on stress levels in the body.  In particular, Reishi can be extremely useful for combating conditions such as adrenal fatigue and helping the body better cope with stress.

It’s for this reason that Reishi is often classified as an adaptogenic herb in Chinese Medicine.  Many report almost an immediate reduction in stress levels after incorporating this medicinal mushroom into their diet.

Those suffering with candida overgrowth will by default already be suffering from high amounts of stress in the body.  This is because this pathogenic fungus can cause an overreaction in the body’s immune system which can cause the body to produce too many stress hormones.

As a result, we highly recommend a quality Reishi Mushroom product for anyone under high amounts of stress or dealing with fungal overgrowth’s such as candida. 

Should you Take Reishi Mushroom?

In our opinion, everyone should be taking Reishi Mushroom.  The benefits of this mushroom are endless and seem to only help strengthen the body.  It has been used safely in Chinese Medicine for centuries and is considered a tonic herb; meaning it can be taken daily without issue.

However, those dealing with candida overgrowth will most likely get the most benefit out of Reishi.  Its powerful immune modulating and anti-fungal properties can be a godsend for anyone dealing with candida overgrowth.  The fact that this mushroom has been shown to inhibit the formation of candida biofilms makes it all the more beneficial for candida sufferers.

As always, it’s very important that you find a quality Reishi Mushroom product.  Although you may pay a little extra, low priced products are typically of poor quality and ineffective.  In particular, we really like Reishi by Host Defense.  Out of all the Reishi products we’ve tried, nothing can quite compare to the quality of Host Defense.

It should be mentioned that Host Defense products are created by world renown mycologist Paul Stamets.  As a result, anything coming from Host Defense will be of the utmost quality.

Try Our Candida Diet Protocol

For those interested, our Candida Diet Protocol can be a great resource for anyone looking for a free candida eating strategy.  Here you will find everything you need to know about the best foods for candida and what you should and shouldn’t be eating.  Don’t waste your money on an expensive candida diet program when you can get it for free!