If you are new to the benefits of medicinal or functional mushrooms, the concept of a pet supplement made up mostly of mushrooms can be a little confusing!
But, mushrooms are low in calories and a great source of protein, antioxidants, as well as macro- and micro-nutrients!
If that hasn’t convinced you yet, read on for four reasons why we’re so in love with supplementing our pets with mushrooms.
#1 BENEFITS OF FUNCTIONAL MUSHROOMS
First of all, mushrooms have a plethora of health benefits!
Although each mushroom has their own unique benefits, some common benefits of functional mushrooms include:
● Adaptogenic properties - help the body deal with the effects of stress
● Reduce stress, as well as manage depression and provide anxiety relief
● Help with anti-aging
● Enhance cognition and memory
● Decrease fatigue and improve endurance
● Cancer fighting properties - or help minimize the side effects of chemotherapy
#2 SAFE TO FEED
The great thing about using functional mushrooms as a form of holistic medicine or supplementation to your pet’s meals is that they are completely safe to feed.
You can get all the health benefits of these morsels without having to worry about overdosing or loading your pet up on nasty chemicals, whose names we can’t pronounce.
Though there are a rare few mushrooms out there that are toxic to both us and our pets, it’s important to remember that the mushrooms toxic to us are also toxic to our pets. So if you wouldn’t or shouldn’t eat it - neither should your pets!
Mushrooms should also not be confused with mycotoxins! Though they do come from a form of fungi (mold) they are naturally occurring toxins produced by mold which form on spoiled food, and are not the same as functional mushrooms
#3 TRIED AND TESTED CENTURIES
Mushrooms have been used for thousands of years in both ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, and have exploded onto the health and wellness scene again more recently, appearing in coffee, smoothies, supplements, and more.
The benefit of using mushrooms holistically is that they are a great way of stimulating the body’s natural immune response to tackle chronic conditions, without necessarily needing a diagnosis like with conventional medicine, and is a great way to boost overall health.
A host of studies dive into the benefits of using mushrooms in both humans and pets, with more and more scientific studies supporting its use in both subjects today.
With that being said, it’s always best to consult a vet before starting any type of treatment, particularly if your pet is pregnant or has any medical conditions.
But don’t just take our word for it! There are a host of scientific studies out there proving the benefits of supplementing one’s diet with mushrooms!
#4 ORGANIC, CANCER FIGHTING SUPERFOOD,
WITHOUT THE NASTY SIDE EFFECTS
One of the most well-known and successful cases of using mushrooms to treat cancer was by mycologist, Paul Stamets, who used Turkey Tail mushrooms to cure his 89 year old mother of stage 4 breast cancer.
Today, a host of studies investigate using mushrooms either as preventative measures, a sole treatment against cancers and tumors or alongside chemotherapy to help reduce the side effects, and the results are astonishing.
Aside from keeping your pet's immune system balanced and reducing inflammation, science has shown that individuals who ate 18g of mushrooms daily were found to have a 45% lower risk of cancer compared to those who do not eat mushrooms.
