Fungi

They’re not a plant or an animal — fungi are their very own kingdom of life. And their unique composition means they offer novel, often unbelievable, benefits to our health. Certain species of fungi are currently used to treat conditions ranging from cancer to depression. 

The love of mushrooms (or mycophilia) has grown in recent years. And at the heart of this movement is biologist Dr. Merlin Sheldrake, author of the bestseller Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures. 

In today’s episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan, Merlin, and ZOE Co-Founder Prof. Tim Spector ask: Why are mushrooms so special?

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Timecodes:

00:00 - Introduction 

1:42 - Quickfire round

3:04 - What are fungi?

8:40 - The connection between fungi, plants & gut health

14:10 - The human impact on fungi

19:41 - Mushrooms and mental health 

28:01 - Fungi as medicine

35:34 - Why should we eat mushrooms

40:39 - How to introduce more mushrooms into your diet

46:56 - How often should you eat mushrooms

51:17 - Summary

56:01 - Outro

Mentioned in today’s episode: 

• Potential role of ergothioneine rich mushroom as anti-aging candidate through elimination of neuronal senescent cells from Brain Research
• 
  
• Medicinal mushrooms in adjuvant cancer therapies: An approach to anticancer effects and presumed mechanisms of action from Nutrire
• 
  
• Immunomodulatory effect of mushrooms and their bioactive compounds in cancer: A comprehensive review from Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

What’s on your mind? ZOMBIES. The planet is full of mind-controlling foes, and “Plight of the Living Dead” author Matt Simon researched deep and traveled the world to document tales of fungus-controlled zombie ants, bellies and brains full of worms, wasp bunkers, decapitated ants, brutal stings, hapless cockroaches, the attraction of light, moonlit skinny dipping, and the philosophy of where I stop and you begin. The two of us also discuss the Last of Us, of course. 

Visit Matt Simon’s website and follow him on Twitter

Shop Matt Simon’s books including Plight of the Living Dead: What Real-Life Zombies Reveal about Our World – And Ourselves

A donation went to the World Wildlife Fund

More episode sources and links

Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

Other episodes you may enjoy: SPOOKTOBER episodes, Acarology (TICKS & LYME DISEASE) Quantum Ontology (WHAT IS REAL?), Invisible Photology (INVISIBILITY CLOAKS), Gustology (TASTE), Chiropterology (BATS),  Scotohylology (DARK MATTER), Dendrology (TREES), Mycology (MUSHROOMS), Myrmecology (ANTS), Felinology (CATS), Cicadology (CICADAS)

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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions

Transcripts by Emily White of The Wordary

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

Theme song by Nick Thorburn

This episode is brought to you by Rupa Health, Sensate, ButcherBox, and Thrive Market.

We’re in the midst of a psychedelic renaissance. Compounds that have long been considered recreational drugs by conventional standards are finally being recognized through science as powerful tools for overcoming hard-to-treat health issues like PTSD, depression, addiction, and more. 

Today on The Doctor’s Farmacy, I’m excited to talk to my good friend and one of the world’s most renowned mycologists, Paul Stamets, all about psilocybin and how this compound is helping us reimagine our way of treating one of the most important public health crises today—mental illness. 

Paul Stamets is a speaker, author, mycologist, medical researcher, and entrepreneur and is considered an intellectual and industry leader in fungi: habitat, medicinal use, and production. His breakthrough research has created a paradigm shift for helping ecosystems worldwide. He has received numerous awards, including Invention Ambassador for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the National Mycologist Award from the North American Mycological Association (NAMA), and the Gordon & Tina Wasson Award from the Mycological Society of America (MSA). In 2020, Paul was inducted into the Explorer’s Club. He has been awarded myriad patents in the field of mycology. Paul is the founder and sole owner of Fungi Perfecti, LLC, the maker, and marketer of the category-leading myco-supplement Host Defense line.

This episode is brought to you by Rupa Health, Sensate, ButcherBox, and Thrive Market.

Access more than 3,000 specialty lab tests with Rupa Health. You can check out a free, live demo with a Q&A or create an account at RupaHealth.com today.

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Here are more details from our interview (audio version / Apple Subscriber version):

• Why we should care about mushrooms (6:50 / 4:39)
• Why mushrooms are the zeitgeist of our time (12:35 / 10:00) 
• Health benefits of mushrooms (13:54 / 12:07) 
• How psilocybin works in human brains (29:34 / 25:48) 
• Psilocybin as treatment for mental health and addiction (33:07 / 28:55) 
• Specific psilocybin molecules that influence us neurologically (40:04 / 35:46)
• Research on psilocybin for mental health issues (51:58 / 48:06)
• The Stamets Stack microdosing method (1:02:41 / 58:57)
• The future of psilocybin use in our society (1:15:43 / 1:11:50) 
• A day in the life of Paul Stamets (1:20:16 / 1:16:22) 

Learn more at paulstamets.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From medicines to restoring damaged soil, the kingdom of fungi is the world's unsung hero playing a huge role in maintaining and supporting our ecosystems. 

Hello Food Fam,

I’m your host Carl fiadini,  and this is the Walk-In Talk: Podcast 

We’re podcasting on-site at the Doubletree Hotel at the entrance of Universal Studios- in Orlando 

Special thanks to Chef Anthony Fathergill and the team here at the hotel for allowing us to record on property!

I’m big into meat! From pork to beef and all in between. With that said, Quorn offers a healthy selection of fungi based products that, (ahem).. “meat” my standard of flavor! 

Take a listen my friend Coco Frey from Quorn. 

www.Quorn.us

Attn Chefs & Food Buyers 

If you haven’t heard of Cahaba Club Herbal Outpost - you must look into this amazing Florida Farm! 

 We’re talking about a wide selection of micro greens, to micro flowers!  If you’re in the Central Florida area, Puzycki’s Produce & Specialty Foods proudly carries all of Marvin’s pretty products! 

Or Contact Marvin directly- he is a wonderful human being and my friend - 

Jump on his website: www.Cahabaclub.com

Walk-In Talk Podcast now sweetened by Noble Citrus! Bite into a Juicy Crunch tangerine, 40 years perfected; seedless and oh-so-tasty. Or savor a Starburst Pummelo, the giant citrus with a unique zing. Don't miss Autumn Honey tangerines, big and easy to peel. Noble - generations of citrus expertise, delivering exceptional flavor year-round. Taste the difference with Noble Citrus!

Peninsula Foodservice: The Best Beef! 
Peninsula Foodservice delivers Creekstone Farm beef, with top-quality meats and #1 service for Chefs

Here is a word about our partners:

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Elevate your beverage game to new heights! 

Thank you for listening to the Walk-In Talk Podcast, hosted by Carl Fiadini and Company. Our show not only explores the exciting and chaotic world of the restaurant business and amazing eateries but also advocates for mental health awareness in the food industry.

Our podcast offers a behind-the-scenes look at the industry. Don't miss out on upcoming episodes where we'll continue to cook up thought-provoking discussions on important topics, including mental health awareness.

Be sure to visit our website for more food industry-related content, including our very own TV show called Restaurant Recipes where we feature Chefs cooking up their dishes and also The Dirty Dash Cocktail Hour; the focus is mixology and amazing drinks!


Thank you for tuning in, and we'll catch you next time on the Walk-In Talk Podcast.
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In celebration of Dr. Tom Volk’s life: Mushrooms! Psilocybin! Humongous fungus! Black mold! Foraging! The incredibly charming and warm Dr. Tom Volk, world-renowned mushroom expert, welcomes Alie into his office to dive deep into the underground world of fungal enthusiasts and touch on pathogens and medicinal therapies. Dr. Volk himself was a heart transplant patient, and shared how his life had been changed since a donor saved it. Also: Alie holds his old heart in her hands. Dr. Tom Volk passed away on November 28, 2022 at the age of 63, and this encore is to celebrate his life and his life’s work with you. 

Dr. Tom Volk's awesome fungus website

This week's donations were made to DonateLife.net and The Mycological Society of America and his beloved BlueStars.org

More episode sources and links

More episodes you may enjoy: Foraging Ecology (EATING WILD PLANTS) with Alexis Nelson aka @BlackForager, Bryology (MOSS) Encore with Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, Cycadology (RARE PLANT DRAMA) with Dr. Nathalie Nagalingum, Dendrology (TREES) with J. Casey Clapp, Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS) with Dr. Crystal Dilworth

Sponsors of Ologies

Transcripts and bleeped episodes

Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Twitter and Instagram

Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram

Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Transcripts by Emily White of The Wordary

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

Theme song by Nick Thorburn

In this episode we go on a journey led by revered mycologist John Michelotti into the forests of the Catskill mountains to learn the basics about what makes mushrooms so special. Can fungi change the way we approach our ecosystem? Can they give us healthier food systems, healthier bodies, healthier materials, and healthier housing? That’s what we want to explore this season, and there was no better place to start than deep in the woods with an expert.

Visit catskillfungi.com to schedule a mushroom walk or purchase a mushroom extract. Give them a follow on instagram @catskillfungi

For more information, head to our website at healthymaterialslab.org/podcast, or give us a follow on Instagram @healthymaterialslab and Twitter @parsons_HML. If you've been enjoying this season, please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.

Meet Jasper Degenaars is the Chief Educational Officer of Fungi Academy and the co-founder of the Sacred Mycology Online School. The first fungi-focused online school that teaches individuals how to grow, and work with Sacred Mushrooms anywhere in the world. He has taught over 2000 people how to successfully grow all kinds of mushrooms. Born and raised in the Netherlands he knows the potential of a legal psychedelic landscape where the cultivation and consumption of Psychoactive substances are not punished by law. He believes that Sacred Mushrooms have the potential to deepen our connection with nature, ourselves, and our communities.

Website: fungiacademy.com

Social Media handles:

@fungiacademy

@fungi.academy

@jasperiuss

In this episode Jasper discusses: 

• Living in a society that doesn't resonate with personal views
• Psychotropic mushrooms guidance 
• Understanding the structure of mycelium
• Psychedelics accessibility and the downside of a non-diverse influence into the research and medical space
• Psychedelics and safety usages
• The narrative of a 'bad trip' and the chemical studies debunking 'optimal' ways
• Our birthright to experience nature and explore our consciousness
• Making your own compounds
• Working with mushrooms bring you into the hearth and 'We'
• Tribalism, community, and group containers
• Different approaches to the ceremony and experiencing these psychedelic mushrooms
• Rites of passages needed in our society
• Cultivating a symbiotic relationship with the inner and external realms

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU!

We are partnering up with the team over at @FungiAcademy, in support of their vision to connect a global community to empower the growing and sharing of fungal wisdom.🙌

Never have we faced such daunting challenges to both our personal and environmental health, yet a remedy exists right beneath our feet.

Learn lifelong tangible skills for resilience and get the tools to:

• Grow food
• Grow medicine (and psychedelic medicine)
• Take charge of your mental and physical wellness
• Release anxiety and trust life
• Reconnect with nature, and ourselves
• Build community
• Help others in need 

As sacred mushrooms are becoming less stigmatized, we bring you a course with fun, fast-paced, easy-to-follow mushroom Cultivation and psychedelic Journeywork lessons.

So, if you’d like to step into the world of Sacred Mycology here is an introduction to growing, using, and integrating all kinds of mushrooms into your life. We encourage you to join the Sacred Mycology School with over 90+ lesson videos and 120+ page PDF workbook!

Head over to https://fungiacademy.com/awaken and receive a 30% discount by adding the AWAKEN coupon code!

*additional perk! this coupon code can be used for all the online courses!

Little disclaimer:
The healing services and information offered in this episode are not intended as a substitute for professional medical and/or psychiatric treatment and advice. We are not licensed medical doctors, nor do we prescribe any medications. You are responsible for your own medical treatment and care. Always consult your local doctor and in all cases, it is recommended that you continue to follow medical treatment as prescribed by your health care professional. However, mushrooms containing psilocybin are a positive addition to regular medical care and are offered as an alternative and complementary healing method. This greatly expands your treatment options. No healing can be guaranteed to cure you, prevent or treat your condition/disorder

How do mind controlling (or rather, behavior controlling) parasites work? Are elephants right or left handed? And what is so great about Naruto Bohemian Rhapsody AMVs?           

Read Tom's essay on Tor.com!           

Get tickets to Ella's science comedy show!           

Support us with a Max Fun Membership!

Join our Discord!           

We also learn about: being cancelled by ants, Ella tries to pronounce latin names, bugs losing their butts, the parasite of the day, thanks for the parasites Charlie! Phylogenetic Inirtia, I DON’T OWN QUEEN OR NARUTO I DONT OWN ANYTHING, and Torchwood X Florence & The Machine fanvids!

Sources:

Mind Control: How Parasites Manipulate Cognitive Functions in Their Insect Hosts               

Ophiocordyceps unilateralis               

How a parasitic fungus turns ants into zombies               

A specialized fungal parasite

This Parasite Drugs Its Hosts With the Psychedelic Chemical in Shrooms

Parasites brainwash grasshoppers into death dive

How does rabies cause aggression?

Rabies virus modifies host behaviour through a snake-toxin

Parasite makes mice lose fear of cats permanently

Brain parasite may strip away rodents' fear of predators, not just of cats

Parasites - Toxoplasmosis

Right or Left: Elephant calves pick their trunk handedness early on in life

Did 20-foot-tall giant fungi rule the earth 400 million years ago? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the puzzling prototaxites fossils from the Devonian period. (Originally published 12/17/2019)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lichen are incredibly widespread and easy to take for granted, but these composite organisms are some of the most fascinating lifeforms on the planet. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore their remarkable qualities.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are psychedelics? How have these substances influenced human minds and culture? What exactly do they invoke in the brain and how could a renaissance of scientific study into their properties improve our lives? In this series of Stuff to Blow Your Mind episodes, Robert and Joe explore the world of entheogens.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fungal accident in the early 20th century opened the door for the medical wonders of the antibiotic age. In this episode, Robert and Joe explore what came before and how Alexander Fleming’s discovery changed the world.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.