How Mushroom Matcha Can Improve Mental Health

I'm a big believer that little things can make a big difference in your life. 

I also believe in the massive impact that food can have on your life. For better, and for worse.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so we decided to write a bit about how products like Wonder Matcha can fit into an overall routine for improving mental health. 

Let's start by looking at the way the mental and physical health are related.

The interconnectivity of mental and physical health

The more you look at research around health, the more that the same things crop up. And this goes for mental health as well. And there is so much overlap between the things that work for physical health and those that work for mental health. 

Health boosting activities like:

• Getting good sleep
• Exercise
• Connecting with others
• Eating right
• Meditation

Some of these things are often looked at more for physical health, rather than mental, and vice versa. But, each of these can benefit you in both ways.

For example, most people first thing of exercise as something to do for their physical health, yet it is also soooo cruicial for your mental health. 

Take stress as another example. We tend to think of stress as a purely mental issue. Yet, studies have linked stress directly to increased inflammation. And we know chronic inflammation is a leading cause of most chronic illness. 

This is all to say that these little things you can do to benefit your physical health can also benefit your mental health and vice versa. 

So, let's take a quick look at the plethora of health benefits you can get from ingredients like matcha, functional mushrooms, and adaptogens.

Mental health benefits of mushroom matcha

We've actually written a bit about the benefits of functional mushrooms on mental health before. 

In studies, these functional mushrooms have been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, improve mood, reduce fatigue, and more.

But, here we'll do a quick break down of each ingredient in Wonder Matcha: matcha, lion's mane mushroom, ceylon cinnamon, and ashwagandha.

Grab a glass of Wonder Matcha and let's dive in...

1. Ceremonial Grade Matcha

For starters, matcha is rich in antioxidants, particularly catechins, which protect brain cells from oxidative stress.

Then you have the L-theanine in matcha which promotes relaxation and enhances mood by increasing serotonin and dopamine levels.

Plus, the chlorophyll in matcha also has anti-inflammatory properties. So beyond a direct to mental health, matcha also has a more indirect connection through its impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that promote overall health in your body. 

2. Lion's Mane Mushroom

Lion's mane is kind of famous for its impact on brain health.

Lion's mane contains hericenones and erinacines, compounds that stimulate the production of nerve growth factor (NGF), crucial for brain health.

But, not as many people know that this mushroom has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in addition to improving cognitive function.

3. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that helps the body cope with stress. 

It lowers cortisol levels -- the stress hormone -- which can reduce anxiety and improve overall mental well-being.

Research also suggests it can enhance memory and cognitive function.

4. Ceylon Cinnamon

Ceylon cinnamon is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

It supports brain health by improving blood flow and reducing oxidative stress. Some studies even indicate that it may enhance cognitive function and protect against neurodegenerative diseases.

How you take these ingredients matters

At the end of the day though, you can't just get any old lion's mane mushroom or ashwangadha supplement to get the benefits. Most supplements are made in the least expensive way possible, and at the end of the day they're usually not effective as such. 

We've written extensively about lion's mane mushroom and mushroom supplements more generally. And we've written even about selecting the right mushroom matcha (near and dear to our heart).

Quality and effectiveness is crucial to getting the benefits. 

Even cinnamon is not so simple. Cassia cinnamon is the most prevalent cinnamon you'll find, yet a high quality Ceylon cinnamon is what you really want to look for.

Anyway, have any questions or want us to dive deeper into any of this? Let us know. We'd love to write more about the things that you care about. 

Wrapping up

So, these ingredients are not only there to support your physical health, but your mental health too. 

It's truly impressive what a huge impact something so simple can have on your life. Especially when it is just one part with a well rounded mental health routine. 

Let Wonder Matcha be a part of this routine. It may even inspire and help you achieve more in other parts of your routine and certainly in your life. 

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