Free Fantastic Fungi Global Summit: Oct 15-17
By Neenah Payne
The FREE Virtual Fungi Summit hosted by Fantastic Fungi filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg is from October 15-17.  When you register, you get immediate access to three fascinating, informative videos. Premium tiers are also available.
This virtual, consciousness-shifting event features LIVE panel discussions, music, immersive experiences, and much more. Each conversation is a deep dive, tell-all look at the cutting edge of all things fungi featuring 40+ leading experts such as Deepak Chopra, Paul Stamets, Dr. Suzanne Simard, Michael Pollan, Dr. Mark Hyman, Michael Beckwith, Jack Kornfield, Dr. Andrew Weil, Spike Mendelsohn, Dennis McKenna, and MANY more. A Fungi Community Summit that Feeds you, Heals you, Reveals nature’s mysteries, Helps Save the planet and Unlocks the Power of MUSHROOMS.
Fantastic Fungi is now on Netflix.
“Fantastic Fungi is a journey into the mysterious subterranean world of mycelium and its fruit— the mushroom. A story that begins 3.5 billion years ago, fungi makes the soil that supports life, connecting roots from plants and trees all over the planet, an underground Internet.
Through the eyes of renowned mycologist Paul Stamets and others, we experience the power, beauty and complexity of the fungi kingdom. The film is a blueprint for what connects all humanity and the natural world. There is much to learn from the world of mycelium and Fantastic Fungi is an inspiring place to begin.”
Live Panels and Topic-Based MushROOMS
Livestream Live Panels Friday starting at 11 AM PST (2 PM EST) — with replays all weekend. See the Live Panel schedule. Access the 7 topic-based “MushROOMS” anytime from Oct 15-17 to see video clips from our Leading Experts.
In addition to Live Panels & Replays, topic-based “MushROOMS” are available with video clips from Leading Experts. Explore videos in the MushRooms from Oct 15-17.
Fantastic Fungi Book
Fantastic Fungi: How Mushrooms Can Heal, Shift Consciousness, and Save the Planet is an Amazon Best Seller. The Fantastic Fungi film by mycologist Paul Stamets and filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg won the 2019 Audience Award for Documentary Feature at the Maui Film Festival. See the trailer.
Turkey Tail Mushroom Helped Heal Stage 4 Breast Cancer
In the video Paul Stamets | Mushroom Science NO Trace of Cancer, Stamets explains that in 2009 his 84-year-old mother Patty was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Her doctor said it was the second worst case she had seen in 20 years of practice — and gave her just three months to live! However, the doctor recommended Turkey Tail mushrooms!
So, Patty took the Turkey Tail mushroom supplement Stamets creates at his Fungi Perfecti firm along with the drugs Taxol and Herceptin. Stamets initially praised Taxol but later said that it’s a terrible drug. He explains in his fascinating presentation Mushrooms as Medicine with Paul Stamets at Exponential Medicine that of the 50 people in a Herceptin drug study 48 died. Only his mother also took the Turkey Tail supplement!  Patty was still cancer free as of 2018. Although Stamets doesn’t say the Turkey Tail mushroom supplement cured his mother’s cancer – only that it helped – it looks like the drugs didn’t help! So, people can draw their own conclusions.
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The 2016 CNN article The ‘forbidden fruit’ of medicinal mushrooms follows the story. 7 Medicinal Mushrooms That Fight Cancer is by Ty Bollinger, host of The Truth About Cancer. It says Turkey Tail mushroom has anti-viral properties which target tumor viruses.
Mushrooms Create The Web of Life
Mushrooms are neither plants nor animals, but have traits of both and are most closely related to humans. Mushrooms heal us and the planet, enlighten us, and are the original world wide web of life that facilitates communication throughout the plant world and recycles life’s nutrients.
In the Organixx podcast “Boosting Your Immune System Using Mushrooms” which is no longer available, Jonathan Hunsaker, founder of Organixx, and TeriAnn Trevenen, CEO of Organixx, interviewed Dr. Daniel Nuzum, former chief formulator of Organixx products, about how to use mushrooms.
Dr. Nuzum explained that just as each person has a gut microbiome, the Earth has its own microbiome. A “microbiome” is the community of micro-organisms (including bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that live in a habitat. Topsoil is a microbiome with bio-activated nutrients – minerals from rocks. Topsoil consists of mineral particles, organic matter, water, and air. It is where Earth’s biological activity occurs.
The Earth’s topsoil is a mixture of the microbiome made of bacteria and the mycobiome made of fungi. The mycobiome is like a spider web intertwining the microbiome. The mycobiome acts as a detox mechanism in the microbiome. For example, if your neighbor sprays pesticides on the ground, that begins to kill the microbiome. So, within a day or so, the mycobiome dissipates the pesticides over four city blocks to protect the microbiome.
Nature’s solution to pollution is dilution, and the mycobiome is part of that process.
World’s Largest Living Organism
The largest mushroom in the world is armillaria ostoyae — or as it has been nicknamed the ”Humongous Fungus”. Covering 2,385 acres of Malheur National Forest, Oregon, it is the world’s largest organism. From the way the fungus has been growing, it may also be the world’s oldest organism.
Humongous is estimated to be around 2,400 years to 8,650 years old. Scientists mapped the population of Armillaria in eastern Oregon, the genetic material of the fungus, to determine where one fungus started and the other ended. The expanse of the forest and the stable environment has enabled the fungus to spread far. Known as honey mushrooms for their yellow cap and sweet, fruity bodies, they are safe to eat.
The discovery of the giant mushroom has sparked a discussion of what constitutes an individual organism. However, it is agreed that if a being has a set of cells that are genetically identical and communicate with each other, it can be classed as one single organism. So, the blue whale and the Humongous Fungus both fit the bill.
The next largest honey fungus is in Washington state. Honey fungus is widely distributed across the cooler regions of the US and Canada. It is common in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. These fungi grow in individual networks of above- and below-ground fibers called mycelia. Mycelia work like a plant’s roots. They draw water and nutrients from the soil to feed the fungus. They also make chemicals they share with other organisms in the soil.
How Mushrooms Heal Us and The Planet
6 ways mushrooms can save the world | Paul Stamets shows that mushrooms are highly active against flu viruses. Mushroom Supplements Boost Your Immune System explains that as we each have a gut microbiome, the Earth has its own microbiome – the community of micro-organisms (including bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that live in a habitat. Topsoil is a microbiome with bio-activated nutrients – minerals from rocks. Topsoil is composed of mineral particles, organic matter, water, and air. It is where Earth’s biological activity occurs.
The Earth’s topsoil is a mixture of the microbiome made of bacteria and the mycobiome made of fungi. The mycobiome is like a spider web intertwining the microbiome. The mycobiome acts as a detox mechanism in the microbiome. The microbiome is the top layer with the mycobiome beneath which acts as an information-relaying network throughout the microbiome of the planet. There may be a layer of the microbiome underneath the mycobiome as well.
The video Paul Stamets – Mushroom Magic | Bioneers shows how mushrooms can help heal the planet. It explains that Stamets achieved remarkable results cleaning up toxins using “fungal bioremediation” and radically improving soil fertility with mushrooms. Stamets explains that the mushroom network beneath the ground all over the Earth is the original communication network which is replicated in the internet. His work has shown that mushrooms can turn waste dumps into gardens.
Stamets loves walking the old growth forests with his wife Dr. Carolyn Dusty Wu Yao who is a plant specialist. In Mushrooms as Medicine with Paul Stamets at Exponential Medicine, Stamets discusses a variety of mushrooms and their uses. He explains how Turkey Tail mushrooms helped his mother recover from cancer. He also shows that mushrooms have proven to be more effective than drugs in treating flu viruses like H1N1. Stamets discusses new data supporting the role of fungi in biosecurity and the health of the bees that pollinate our planet.
The Power of Wonder and Awe
The Power of Wonder & Awe by Louie Schwartzberg reminds us of the importance of reconnecting with the beauty of nature now at a time of growing uncertainty. It says: “Sometimes, our darkest moments can help us discover a profound purpose. The career of director and photographer Louie Schwartzberg began by documenting Vietnam War protests that changed the course of that conflict. Louie wanted to make the world a better place and fight for social justice. He photographed a generation in turmoil and bore witness to an epochal shift in American values.
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We stand at a similar crossroads today. Visual imagery can help us find hope and transformation. Visuals can capture great beauty, but also express the fullness of humanity and the human experience. Louie’s message of hope and courage is needed now, and the power of the image will be essential to our future.
Louie explained during his TED Talk:
“Today the battleground is consciousness, grabbing your attention, your eyeballs. Politicians can do it by being dark, vulgar, and divisive, and pushing our fear buttons. We need to counter that with beauty and wonder, shining a light into the darkness, connecting and opening our hearts to shift behavior and celebrate life. We need to be resilient to make our voices heard.”
Podcast: The Magic of Mushrooms!
In the Organixx podcast Episode 47, The Magic of Mushrooms, Jonathan Hunsaker, founder of Organixx, and TeriAnn Trevenen, CEO of Organixx, discuss many amazing facts about mushrooms.
Mushroom Supplements Boost Your Immune System shows how to use mushrooms.
Organixx 7M+ Supplement
Jonathan and TeriAnn focus on the Organixx 7M+ supplement is now their second-best seller after their Turmeric 3D. The Organixx 7M+ contains Chaga, Lentinan, Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Shitake, Turkey Tail, and Reishi mushrooms. Using centuries-old knowledge with a unique formulation process, Organixx unleashed the power of these mushrooms in a way never done before. 7M+ does not contain yeast, soy protein, sodium, starch, artificial coloring, preservatives, or flavoring and is GMO-Free.
Mushrooms and Telomeres: Slowing Down Aging
TeriAnn referenced podcast Episode 46 Telomeres and Slowing Down Aging.
The Organixx article explains that mushrooms help lengthen telomeres and slow down aging because they boost micro-nutrients, reduce inflammation, and provide antioxidants.
The article explains that the unique, fermented 7M+ mushroom supplement supports:
- Heart – Patented fermented mushroom extracts help keep your heart healthy
- Liver – Live brown seaweed extracts help support healthy liver function
- Stomach – Lion’s Mane fermentation maintains healthy gut function
- Immune System – Helps maintain healthy immune function
- Thyroid – Supports natural energy and mood balance
- Adrenals – Helps your body recover from long-term stress
For centuries, the Japanese have understood the unsurpassed benefits of certain mushrooms. The article points out:
“In fact, the last 3 men to hold records for oldest on Earth were all Japanese… of the 100 oldest people living today nearly 30% are from Japan…one dietary factor stands out that is unique to the Japanese diet: for centuries, the Japanese have been consuming a variety of mushrooms. Mushrooms like Chaga, Shiitake, Reishi, and more.
They’re known to be some of the most powerful natural elements on Earth, and they’ve been a big part of the local diet in Okinawa for centuries. The Japanese and other Asian cultures have cooked, made tea and other powerful elixirs to combat everything from inflammation to a poorly functioning heart. As it turns out, their love for these powerful fungi has translated into longer lives filled with youthful enthusiasm, boundless energy, strong immune systems, and a higher quality of life.”
Dr. Suzanne Simard is the author of Finding the Mother Tree.
Amazon Description
“NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • From the world’s leading forest ecologist who forever changed how people view trees and their connections to one another and to other living things in the forest—a moving, deeply personal journey of discovery
Suzanne Simard is a pioneer on the frontier of plant communication and intelligence; she’s been compared to Rachel Carson, hailed as a scientist who conveys complex, technical ideas in a way that is dazzling and profound. Her work has influenced filmmakers (the Tree of Souls of James Cameron’s Avatar) and her TED talks have been viewed by more than 10 million people worldwide.
Now, in her first book, Simard brings us into her world, the intimate world of the trees, in which she brilliantly illuminates the fascinating and vital truths — that trees are not simply the source of timber or pulp, but are a complicated, interdependent circle of life; that forests are social, cooperative creatures connected through underground networks by which trees communicate their vitality and vulnerabilities with communal lives not that different from our own.
Simard writes — in inspiring, illuminating, and accessible ways — how trees, living side by side for hundreds of years, have evolved, how they perceive one another, learn and adapt their behaviors, recognize neighbors, and remember the past; how they have agency about the future; elicit warnings and mount defenses, compete and cooperate with one another with sophistication, characteristics ascribed to human intelligence, traits that are the essence of civil societies — and at the center of it all, the Mother Trees: the mysterious, powerful forces that connect and sustain the others that surround them.
Simard writes of her own life, born and raised into a logging world in the rainforests of British Columbia, of her days as a child spent cataloging the trees from the forest and how she came to love and respect them—embarking on a journey of discovery, and struggle. And as she writes of her scientific quest, she writes of her own journey–of love and loss, of observation and change, of risk and reward, making us understand how deeply human scientific inquiry exists beyond data and technology, that it is about understanding who we are and our place in the world, and, in writing of her own life, we come to see the true connectedness of the Mother Tree that nurtures the forest in the profound ways that families and human societies do, and how these inseparable bonds enable all our survival.”
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“A forest is much more than what you see,” says ecologist Suzanne Simard. Her 30 years of research in Canadian forests have led to an astounding discovery — trees talk, often and over vast distances.  Learn more about the harmonious yet complicated social lives of trees and prepare to see the natural world with new eyes.”
Neenah Payne writes for Natural Blaze and Activist Post
