Today’s Solutions: December 17, 2025

Shiitake mushrooms have been used in eastern medicine for more than 6,000 years. Traditional uses range from curing repertory disease to improving blood circulation, increasing energy and upping your qi, what is referred to in traditional Chinese culture as ‘life energy’. While the historic uses of this versatile fungus are extensive, modern applications cannot be ignored and will have you enjoying this centuries old medicinal magician. Growing your own mushrooms at home is simple and easily organic.

Anti–cancer

Preliminary lab studies show that shiitake mushroom can inhibit tumor growth. Shiitake mushrooms are used in alternative Japanese healing remedies for their immune boosting capabilities.

Source for iron

Shiitake mushrooms are an excellent source of non–animal iron. Iron’s main function is to transport oxygen from our lungs to our muscles and organs.

Improves skin

Shiitake mushroom extract contains kojic acid. Kojic acid can be used to help lighten skin, and also reduce the appearance of age spots and scars. Kojic acid also has antibacterial properties.

Prevents blood clots

Thrombosis is the formation of blood clots in your vessels, which can inhibit blood flow and cause serious health problems. Shiitake mushrooms help prevent thrombosis.

Improves cardiovascular health

Shitake mushrooms stop excess immune cell binding from occurring in your blood vessels, which will reduce the chance of developing cardiovascular disease.

Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation regains ancestral lands near Yosemite in major c...

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Nearly 900 acres of ancestral territory have been officially returned to the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, marking a ...

Read More

8 fermented foods that your gut will love (and that taste great, too!) 

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Fermented foods have been a dietary staple in many cultures for centuries, but in the U.S., they’re only ...

Read More

Breaking the silence: empowering menopausal women in the workplace

Addressing menopause in the workplace is long overdue in today's fast-changing work scene, where many are extending their careers into their 60s. According to ...

Read More

Insect migration: the hidden superhighway of the Pyrenees

Insects, while frequently disregarded, are critical to the planet's ecosystems. They make up about 90 percent of all animal species and play important functions ...

Read More