Healing with Medicinal Mushrooms. A practical handbook

Walter Ardigò

• Publisher: Youcanprint
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9788892646858
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Nutrition, Dietics & Bariatrics

"HEALING WITH MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS, A practical handbook" recommends the use of medicinal mushrooms for the treatment of different pathologies in various medical fields. While explaining key-concepts and giving some practical rules the author, Dr Walter Ardigò, informs professionals and patients on how medicinal mushrooms act positively on the symptoms and causes of many illnesses. This practical handbook helps to select the most suitable healing mushrooms to treat over 200 diseases and disorders.
Dr Walter Ardigò, in his long career as a qualified doctor, an expert both in conventional medicine as physician and researcher, psychiatrist, psychotherapist and formerly as psychiatric hospital manager, as well as in alternative medicine as acupuncturist and homeopath, has been constantly working, studying and carrying out research on medical mushrooms since 2004 when he started using medicinal mushrooms to treat minor illnesses such as flu, allergy, gastritis, colitis and dermatitis. As of 2008, step by step, he started treating major illnesses like autoimmune disorders (e.g. Hashimoto's thyroiditis), asthma, heart disease, kidney disease and chronic disease in different medical fields achieving really encouraging results.
The book, written in an informative style, is extremely clear and easy to read, ideal for doctors, GPs, health professionals, naturopaths and all those interested in medicinal mushrooms.
Prof. Solomon P. Wasser & Prof. Paul A. Volz, world experts on medicinal mushrooms, edited the book and wrote the foreword.

PART D

THE DISEASES
OF THE FOUR APPARATUSES
AND THE FOUR POWERS
OF HEALING MUSHROOMS

To group illness according to impaired functions,
and not according to anatomical divisions
makes mycotherapy treatment easier.
One of the four groups of diseases
corresponds to each of the four essential functions.
For each disease within each group
I have highlighted the most suitable mushrooms.
Often the same treatment strategy, with few variations,
treats the whole group.
When impaired function
involves different functions and organs,
treatment varies more,
using other mushrooms,
in addition or in alternative.

CHAPTER 14
Immune system disease
Lentinus, Ganoderma and Agaricus

The 1st power of healing mushrooms is defence. Mycotherapy is a very powerful immune stimulator that makes the immune system "invincible". In nature and also in the chemical pharmaceutical repertoire there is nothing equally powerful as a stimulant for the immune system. Mushrooms help to erect a barrier which is difficult to overcome by pathogens, allergies and chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

The causes of disease

The body is unlikely to fall ill when the immune system is healthy because its defence barriers protect health efficiently. They repel the assaults of many pathogenic agents with which they come into contact daily: germs or harmful substances that can trigger flu, allergic or inflammatory diseases.

Instead, illness takes over sooner or later if the defences are weakened. Unfortunately, this is much more common now than in the past: more and more frequently people have weak and insufficient immune defences, as shown by the continued increase in immune system diseases. Allergies and autoimmune diseases have never been as widespread in the population as in the last twenty years. The fault is, in most cases, due to lifestyle: poor nutrition, the repeated use of antibiotics and stress. The consequences are borne by the intestine, which develops toxicity and becomes inflamed in a way which tends to be chronic. Age also plays a decisive role: children and the elderly are constitutionally more vulnerable from this point of view.

The habit of treating only the symptoms, without worrying about the causes, just makes things worse: in fact, in this way, the underlying causes continue to worsen and the illness progresses from mild to severe forms. Lastly, we must not forget the very questionable, or even negative, effect of recommended vaccines, administered within the first two years of age when the immune system is very weak and the brain is not well protected (by the blood-brain barrier). Infants are vaccinated as a routine, without assessing if some are weaker and may risk not tolerating vaccination well. In Japan, vaccinations are authorized only after two years of age, because of the risks involved.

A critical point: the intestine

The Achilles heel of the immune system is represented by the small intestine. In fact, most of the immune defences are located there. Consequently, for the immune system to be efficient, the small intestine must be healthy. This means that the bacterial flora of which it is composed must be in equilibrium. Otherwise, defences will become insufficient, "crumbling", like a ruined tower.

Things get worse with age

Often, over the years, we see an escalation in inflammatory and immune illness: this starts in childhood with recurrent bouts of the flu, continues in adolescence with allergies until, at 40-50 years of age, autoimmune or inflammatory diseases develop. After 65-70 years of age the situation worsens drastically, because a physiologic reduction in immunity develops.

The four levels of severity

Diseases like influenza, colds and pharyngitis appear in the early stages of weakness. These ailments should be seen as a warning that defences are weak and require strengthening. If no action is taken and immune function continues to weaken, the second level of disease severity develops: recurrent flu diseases.

If still no action is taken to address the causes of the problem, the third level of severity is reached, in which the defences are further impaired due to the weaker immune response (Th2), in which the body defends itself mainly with antibody defences and less with cellular defences. The risk of allergies and autoimmune disease is very high at this point, because defence is entrusted to antibodies which easily become pathological in a system already in difficulty. Hence, allergies, rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis and asthma develop.

Finally, the fourth level of severity is reached, with the development of chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the production of autoantibodies that affect a significant part of the body, creating damage that alters the structure in a way that may be irreversible. For example, in Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroiditis "nodules" - colloid cysts are formed, while in multiple sclerosis plaques appear, which hinder the passage of the nerve impulse along the nerve. Other diseases of the fourth level are Lupus (SLE) and scleroderma.

Lentinus

Once healed, treatment can be continued with maintenance therapy, which provides a high level of protection. Defences become stronger, "invincible" and viral and bacterial diseases are no longer able to take root or, at least, have much milder relapses: prevention is high. Medicinal mushrooms transform a weak immune system, in disarray, into a formidable and efficient army.

1. Flu diseases and other inflammation caused by germs

In diseases caused by germs, such as the flu, sore throat, inflammation of the tonsils, ears, respiratory tract and urinary tract, healing mushrooms provide very effective results, both in treatment and in prevention.

Influenza (prevention):

“Immunity and Skin” Protocol: Lentinus (cause), Ganoderma and/or Agaricus (symptoms).

Although almost all mushrooms are capable of providing effective protection, the most potent immunostimulants are Lentinus,

Ganoderma and Agaricus. They are able to provide extremely high protection (99%) from the flu, whether of viral (due to the influenza virus and parainfluenza virus) or bacterial origin (due to Haemophylus influenzae, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus etc.).

* The different characteristics of each mushroom offer a more specific choice, using the least number of remedies: Lentinus is useful for enhancing intestinal immunity, for example, it is the recommended mushroom for those who follow a diet based on milk or proteins of animal origin. In this case, however, it is usually advisable to add Ganoderma or Agaricus in order to enhance general immunity. Ganoderma is best suited to those who suffer from influenza with low fever and abundant inflammation, while Agaricus is more useful to prevent flu with high fever.

Usually, however, to take any mushroom (also for other objectives) provides effective protection from the flu. If diet is healthy, with plenty (at least five daily servings) of fruit and vegetables and almost no dairy products one mushroom may be sufficient: Ganoderma or Agaricus provide adequate protection. In all cases the most important thing is to start using the mushroom a month before the start of the flu season. For healthy latecomers even 10-15 days before may suffice.

Influenza:

“Immunity and Skin” Protocol: Lentinus (cause), Ganoderma and Agaricus (symptoms).

It is a viral infection of the respiratory tract, characterized by a rapid rise in temperature, chills, aching muscles. The cause is always a weakened immune system which is unable to protect the body. The main pathogens are influenza viruses (Orthomyxovirus).

* Lentinus enhances intestinal immunity, which is the basis for the immunity of the whole body. Ganoderma and Agaricus strengthen immunity in all cells. Ganoderma also adds an anti-inflammatory and
cortisone-like effect and Agaricus high germicidal power.

Influenza-like illness:

“Immunity and Skin” Protocol: Lentinus (cause), Ganoderma and Agari-cus (symptoms).

It is a viral infection of the respiratory tract, identical to the flu, but with milder symptoms and shorter duration. It is triggered by a different pathogenic virus (Paramyxovirus), which is much more common than the influenza viruses. For this reason more than 90% of so-called "flu" illnesses are actually flu-like syndromes. The cause is always a weakened immune system which is unable to protect the body.

* Lentinus enhances intestinal immunity, which is the basis for the immunity of the whole body. Ganoderma and Agaricus strengthen immunity in all cells. Ganoderma also adds an anti-inflammatory and cortisone-like effect and Agaricus high germicidal power.

Recurring flu:

“Immunity and Skin” Protocol: Lentinus (cause), Ganoderma and Agaricus (symptoms).

When defences are particularly low, the flu can easily recur.

* Lentinus, Ganoderma and Agaricus are useful for influenza, flu-like syndromes and even more so when the flu recurs. Lentinus enhances intestinal immunity, which is the basis for the immunity of the whole body. Ganoderma and Agaricus strengthen immunity in all cells. Ganoderma also adds an anti-inflammatory and cortisone-like effect and Agaricus high germicidal power. A diet without milk, cheese and dairy products is extremely useful.

Viral pharyngitis (sore throat):

“Immunity and Skin” Protocol: Lentinus (cause), Ganoderma and Agaricus (symptoms).

It is an inflammation of the pharynx, which causes difficulty in swallowing. The aggressive germs are, in the majority of cases, viruses (influenza) and less frequently bacteria. The cause is a weak immune system.

* To strengthen the body’s defences simply take Lentinus and Ganoderma. If, however, pharyngitis relapses or persists, it is advisable to strengthen the immune system in a more comprehensive way, with Lentinus, Ganoderma and Agaricus.

Tonsillitis:

“Immunity and Skin” Protocol: Lentinus (cause), Ganoderma and Agaricus (symptoms).

It is an inflammation of the tonsils, often accompanied by other respiratory illnesses, such as bacterial influenza (Streptococcus pyogenes β-hemolytic, Staphylococcus, Haemophilus influenzae) or mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr Virus). A throat swab allows to identify the active bacteria.

* Since it is a more aggressive form than pharyngitis and often
tends to relapse it is advisable to strengthen the immune system
with the com...

Table of contents

• Healing With Medicinal Mushrooms
• Content
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Foreword by Solomon P. Wasser & Paul A. Volz
• INTRODUCTION
• PART A: Practical mycotherapy
• PART B: Holistic Functional Medicine
• PART C: Preventing and treating disease with mycotherapy
• PART D: The diseases of the four apparatuses and the four powers of healing mushrooms
• PART E: Information on each of the 10 healing mushrooms
• PART F: Appendices