The guide to medicinal mushrooms for cats 🐈‍⬛

Hi there 🍄 

This week’s highlights include an update on the Massachusetts’ psychedelic campaign and a larger-than-life crochet mushroom.

The medicinal mushrooms that support cats

Would Garfield eat shiitake lasagna? 🍽️ Cat owners are adding medicinal mushrooms to their furry friends’ diets to ensure a long, happy life. While cancer is on the rise and many mushroom supplements are marketed toward cat cancer care, the very same mushrooms will keep cats healthy before trouble starts.

The highlight reel 📹️ of the mushrooms and their top-known benefits to incorporate into your cat’s diet:

• Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)

  • High antioxidant levels and rich in triterpenoids.

  • Can kill cancer cells and reduce tumor sizes.

• Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris)

  • Contains anti-fungal proteins that kill cancer cells.

  • Boosts the production of T cells, enhancing immunity.

• Maitake (Grifola frondosa)

  • High in anti-inflammatory beta-glucans.

  • Contains D-Fraction, which has antitumor effects and enhances immunity.

• Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

  • Used in traditional Chinese medicine for immune support.

  • Contains triterpenoids and polysaccharides that strengthen immunity.

• Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)

  • Enhances natural immunity defenses.

  • Contains lentinan, which has cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties.

• Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)

  • Rich in compounds like Polysaccharide K and Polysaccharide Peptide that promote immunomodulatory effects.

  • Has antioxidant compounds that combat free radicals.

For those looking to introduce these mushrooms to their pets, consult your vet beforehand to ensure you’re using the correct products for your furry friend.

Read more about medicinal mushrooms and cats.

Massachusetts psychedelics campaign receives over 75k signatures

The wave continues 🌊 Massachusetts is progressing towards a reevaluation of its stance on natural psychedelic substances, with several initiatives underway. The "Massachusetts for Mental Health Options" campaign recently collected over 75,000 signatures for an initiative to legalize psychedelics, surpassing the required threshold to consider placing it on the 2024 state ballot.

If state officials confirm the signatures and the state legislature doesn't approve the initiative by May 1, the campaign will need an additional 12,429 signatures by July 3 to ensure the proposal's appearance on the November 2024 ballot. Earlier, the campaign had submitted the "Natural Psychedelic Substances Act" for potential placement on the 2024 ballot.

What’s at stake? 📰 This act seeks to decriminalize low-level possession of psilocybin and other entheogens, allow home cultivation for adults, and establish a licensing framework for psychedelic service centers where trained professionals can administer these substances safely.

Read more about the campaign. 

Around the web

• 👤 A recent study has revealed that two fungi traditionally used in food production possess probiotic properties that could potentially help in reducing gut inflammation. The research, conducted by the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment in France, identified strains Cyberlindnera jadinii and Kluyveromyces lactis as promising in alleviating gut inflammation, emphasizing the untapped probiotic potential of fungi and the importance of further exploration for potential health benefits.

• 🧺 The City of London Corporation has cautioned against picking mushrooms in Epping Forest, emphasizing their significance to the health of the forest's one million trees and their role in maintaining biodiversity. Epping Forest is a unique conservation site in southern England that houses 440 rare and endangered fungi species, which are crucial for the ecosystem, including providing food for animals like deer. Foragers risk prosecution and criminal records, with efforts being made to educate visitors about the importance of the fungi to deter such activities.

• 🕊️ Duncan Trussell, creator of “Midnight Gospel” on Netflix sat down with Rachel Martin on NPR’s “Enlighten Me,” to discuss a poignant episode of his show. In the final weeks of his mother’s life, Trussell recorded an interview with her for his podcast, “Duncan Trussell Family Hour.” In this interview, he speaks to the episode's creation and the life her words have taken on since. You can listen to the original podcast episode here in Part One and Part Two.

Featured artist: Gina Gallina

I was walking around Fayetteville, Arkansas, in September when this gigantic, gorgeous, crocheted mushroom jumped out at me from the Walton Arts Center.

This is Humongous Fungus, and the crochet artist is Gina Gallina. Known for larger-than-life installations and accessible crochet patterns, Gallina is a visionary in the threaded arts. Her work can be found coast to coast and her format is ever-changing while the medium is the same: crochet! She’s made costumes, parade pieces, and even an entire building through crochet.

The best part of the piece when I saw it? The fairy ring of mushrooms right next to it in the grass! ✨ 🌎️