Low in calories and easy to digest: the food that will reduce your chance of developing dementia by 50%

Most of us incorporate mushrooms in our kitchen. In recent years, you can find a wide variety of mushrooms on the shelves in the vegetable department, and if in the past we only knew champignon mushrooms, today the variety is very wide and has expanded mainly in light of the public's awareness of the taste and health benefits of mushrooms. We like to add mushrooms to food because they give a flavor called umami that enriches the taste receptors in our oral cavity, and thus they add flavor to any dish or pastry we use.

Mushrooms are a low-calorie, easy-to-digest food that contains considerable amounts of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Their protein is as full as that of animal protein or tofu, they are very satisfying, low in calories and help the digestive processes.

Medicinal mushrooms have been studied in the last 50 years more than any other plant or substance in natural medicine and their mechanisms of activity in our bodies are different from any other plant or nutritional supplement known today. They mainly work with the body or through the body, thereby optimizing the body's functions in diseased conditions and in maintaining health.

Remembering is challenging! A decrease in memory, concentration and cognitive indices affect many segments of the population, especially as you get older.

An observational study conducted at the University of Singapore and published in the "Journal of Alzheimer's Disease" in July 2019, examined the effect of mushroom consumption on the development of dementia. The study, in which 600 subjects aged 60 and over participated, was conducted over six years (2011-2017) and examined the appearance of dementia in accordance with the weekly consumption of various edible mushrooms. The researchers found that subjects who consumed 150 grams of cooked mushrooms per week reduced the chance of developing dementia by 50%.

Mushrooms (Photo: Eng Image)

The hirsium mushroom has been studied for many years in regards to brain health. Using the Herisium mushroom has been found to increase components in the nervous system that have important activity in the normal functioning of the brain, balancing neurotransmitters, activating repair and restoration mechanisms, secretion of NGF (nerve growth factor) and BDNF (Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor). The proposed mechanisms of activity of the Herisium mushroom are being studied worldwide in relation to dementia (senility), Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and neuropathic pain.

A Japanese study examined the effect of hirsium on seven subjects diagnosed with mild dementia. The subjects took five grams of Hirisium powder (body fruit) in soup on a daily basis. Six out of seven subjects showed an improvement in the indicators of speech understanding, communication skills, memory, etc., while all seven subjects showed an improvement in the indicators examining their functioning as independent (eating, dressing, walking, etc.).

In a randomized study, another placebo in humans, in which 30 subjects aged 50-80 who were diagnosed with dementia participated, the control group received 33 grams of Hirisium powder for 16 weeks. During the study, the group that received the Hirisium showed a distinct cognitive improvement.

Sharon Zur ND, RNa naturopath, therapist and lecturer at colleges of natural medicine and continuing education and professional specialization for therapists in the fields of nutrition and nutritional supplements, expert in medicinal mushrooms and lecturer in mycology, is one of the lecturers who will participate in "INSPIRATION 2023" , the largest annual conference in Israel for practitioners in complementary and integrative medicine, which will include dozens Lectures and workshops by the best experts and will be held on June 22-21, 2023 at the Wahl Center in Ramat Gan.