Fungi and their medicinal properties were the topic of discussion at Maddy’s Market on Tuesday when Guy Devin, Ph.D. and director of education for Host Defense—a dietary supplement company, discussed their many uses.

There are more than 30,000 species of mushrooms, but the general public only uses a select few in their diet which have no significant value to one’s health, said Devin, who earned his doctorate in nutrition.

“We have catalog of about 62 very specific mushrooms that we know produce tremendous health benefits,” Devin said. “One of our formulas called Mycommunity is very comprehensive and consists of 17 different species that are known to show the highest anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-tumor properties.”

For thousands of years, mushrooms have played an intricate role in human history, he said. Their healing nature was well known to many ancient people.

“In some of the sacred sites up in the Pacific Northwest, there are cave drawings of mushrooms dating back tens of thousands of years,” Devin said. “Man could not be here if it wasn’t for mushrooms terraforming the planet and creating a profile for species to exist.”

Mushrooms have a built-in cellular memory that supports our immune system and that is their biggest strength, said Devin. As complex beings consisting of billions upon trillion of cells and bacteria, humans need a food source that is just as multifaceted as they are.

An Arizona resident who suffers from Valley Fever, Devin himself uses a blend of Cordyceps and Reishi mushrooms in a formula named Cordychi to battle a lung infection wrought by the ailment.

“This one product allows me to keep off of three different steroids and seven different inhalers,” Devin said.

Paul Stamen, the founder of Host Defense, is a leading figure and author in the world mycology. Stamen’s own mother used the properties found in the Turkey Tail mushroom (Trametes Versicolor) to fight off breast cancer, Devin said.

“We have just completed a seven year human trial with the mushroom for breast cancer,” Devin said. “We got his mother into the study and put her on eight Turkey Tails a day and now 14 months down the road, she is cancer free.”

Even so-called “magic mushrooms”—psychedelics containing psilocybin—are being studied for beneficial healing effects. Research seems to indicate that they are useful in dealing with damaged neurons and chemical imbalances, Devin said. Currently, oncologists have used psilocybin to treat their terminally ill patients for anxiety and depression.

Devin said currently he’s working with the U.S. Department of Defense in researching mushrooms, but that the company’s work in that realm is highly confidential, he said

“It just goes to show even the federal government realizes the importance of these species,” Devin said.

Host Defense mushrooms are raised on a 20-acre open rain forest farm in Olympia, WA. Only parts of the mushroom are harvested from the field and then indoors grown from mycelium on a petri dish, said Devin. The foundation of the original mushroom future strains are cultivated from is preserved like a mold for future cultivation.

For research and development, Host Defense also utilizes an additional 120-acre farm located on a remote island between the waters bordering Washington and Canada.

In the audience, Calabasas resident Eric Zumstein was interested in the mushrooms that could help increase stamina.

“I cycle a lot and could always use the extra stamina,” Zumstein said. “It was a pretty interesting lecture.”

For more information about Host Defense’s work and fungi, click here.

The next speaker to appear at Maddy’s Market will be Debbie Merrill, who will make a presentation about raw food for longevity March 19.