The Last Of Us Spreads Fear About Mushrooms
The Truth About Cordyceps And What You Need To Know About A Fungi Zombie Apocalypse
Spoiler alert!!!
For anyone watching the latest apocalypse drama on HBO The Last of Us, it’s easy to get carried away thinking that fungus might actually cause the next pandemic.
After all, we’ve barely recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic which none of us ever saw coming. Many still firmly believe in the theory that this was caused by pathogenic viruses that evolved from humans who were eating wild animals in China. Now, it’s easy to think that anything else is possible, including fungi who evolve to take over our bodies. Right?
Meet Cordyceps
The cordyceps fungus is very much a real type of fungus. It has been known to infect the bodies of bugs, particularly ants, and other including spiders. After the infection, the fungus turns them into zombies because it takes over their bodies without killing them.
Cordyceps live and thrive in subtropical and tropical forests around the globe. There are many different species of Cordyceps as well as Ophiocordyceps out there.
For those who have been in the health scene for a while, hearing about cordyceps is nothing new. Many are already taking cordyceps to improve energy and immunity as well as reduce inflammation.
Nature is metal indeed.
In addition, cordyceps is widely consumed by humans in real life. These edible mushrooms have been grown for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, typically used to promote well-being. Many even consume cordyceps supplements as they are classified as a functional mushroom or an adaptogenic, a type of plant or mushroom that helps the human body react more effectively to fatigue, stress, or anxiety.
Other popular adaptogenic mushrooms include reishi, chaga, turkey tail, shiitake, and lion’s mane to name a few. They all play important roles in the eco-system. Even when cordyceps infect ants, it is believed that it does control them by releasing a certain chemical that binds with the receptors found in the invertebrate’s nervous system, prompting them to behave in ways that they normally don’t.
But the truth is that cordyceps mushrooms simply would not be able to thrive in the human body. The human physiology, even the very temperature we keep inside, is starkly different from those of ants. Worst case scenario, let’s say that the fungus was successful in infecting a human, our physiology doesn’t have what it takes for the mushroom’s chemicals to take over the human body entirely the way it has evolved through the millennia to do so with ants and other insects.
Furthermore, it is simply not plausible scientifically speaking, for the infection to jump from ants to humans.
That said, remember that the show is purely fiction. And it should be enjoyed in that way, without any fear of these mushrooms infecting humans.
Mushrooms Are Healing
The Last of Us put an interesting spin on the rage that’s surrounding mushrooms right now. Psilocybin or magic mushrooms in particular, have become tremendously popular over the last few years for its notable healing properties. Psychedelic magic mushrooms are no longer seen as the enemy: mushrooms are now used for all kinds of healing.
People from all walks of life are now able to benefit from using magic mushrooms for managing treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and so much more. Thanks to psilocybin, which is nothing short of a miraculous compound, people can have a new lease on life once again – no longer bound to the struggles of mental health disorders. On top of that, many
There is no doubt that we are living in the midst of a mushroom boom.
Mushrooms won’t infect us and turn us into zombies, but they are helping humanity in a way we never thought possible too.
Adaptogens and psilocybin mushrooms can be consumed in many forms to assist with mental and physical health. In fact, certain types of mushrooms, such as the turkey tail, may even have the potential to treat certain types of cancers.
Mushrooms Are Fascinating!
Did you know that humans actually share nearly half of our genetic composition with mushrooms? That’s why we are actually prone to the same kind of biological problems and diseases that they are. The difference is that fungus have, through the centuries, successfully developed survival tools to help them evolve. And that is why we can benefit from medicating with mushrooms: they possess immune-strengthening compounds that are not found anywhere else.
Conclusion
Mushrooms are a much simpler and more affordable way to medicate for prevention as well as treatment of numerous ailments. Take mushrooms on a regular basis to boost your immunity, calm both body and mind, or even to recover and increase your energy. There is a mushroom for everyone out there.
You can even consume mushrooms in an array of forms. Psilocybin mushrooms, for example, can be taken raw or mixed into smoothies or other food. There are many psilocybin-infused chocolates that you can buy as well. Other types of medicinal mushrooms are available in powders, coffees, capsules, or extracts. There are many medicinal mushroom products that are even combined with CBD for added immune-boosting properties that pharmaceutical drugs just can’t match.
They are also a safer recreational drug compared to pills and other chemicals out there.
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