Mycotherapy, the use of mushrooms and other fungi for the prevention and treatment of health conditions, is a fascinating but complex subject.
Out of the many hundreds of species of mushrooms with potential medicinal properties, there are 20-30 that are widely recognised and used therapeutically, and which have traditionally been used in Chinese medicine. In this well-referenced essential guide, biochemist and Chinese herbalist, Martin Powell, has focused on ten primary medicinal mushrooms:
Powell gives the main active components in each medicinal species, the traditional application of the species, and the main health benefits that one might expect from taking that mushroom as a supplement.
The second part of the book lists various health conditions, including cancers, and briefly gives the mushroom species supplement and doses that might be helpful in that situation. This summary is very useful for practitioners who want the benefits of mushrooms without trawling through the research.
Finally, the book has a comprehensive glossary and index, maximising its usefulness.
Overall, Powell's Medicinal Mushrooms offers an important little guide for anyone wanting to rapidly apply mycotherapy and experience the astonishing healing properties of these fungi that have been successfully used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.
