This month, I’ve been speaking at wellness festivals all over—Mindset Unlimited, Wellnergy, Better Man—and in between the stages, one thing on the stalls keeps catching my attention: mushrooms. Tinctures, tonics, teas—each promising everything from better brainpower to bulletproof immunity. Which means, before you sip the latest lion’s mane latte or stock up on reishi tinctures, ask yourself this: 👉 Have you trained your foundation?
This month, I’ve been speaking at wellness festivals all over—Mindset Unlimited, Wellnergy, Better Man—and in between the stages, one thing on the stalls keeps catching my attention: mushrooms. Tinctures, tonics, teas—each promising everything from better brainpower to bulletproof immunity. Here’s what’s important: Mushrooms sit at the top of my Hierarchy of Health. They’re Focal. Which means, before you sip the latest lion’s mane latte or stock up on reishi tinctures, ask yourself this: 👉 Have you trained your foundation? 👉 Have you tracked your function? Your breath, your movement, your sleep, your light. Your glucose, your gut, your HRV, your hormones. That’s where the real work begins. Then—and only then—comes the finesse. The Focal tier. The biohacking layer. The precision polish.
Where insight becomes impact
What I’ve been looking at this week…
Here’s your Focal Five Fungi: 5 mushrooms I trust, use, and recommend.
🍄 Lion’s Mane: Mind + Memory (Hericium erinaceus) Main benefit: clarity, memory, focus.
Why: Stimulates nerve growth factor (NGF), supporting neuroplasticity and even regeneration of damaged neurons. When: Mornings before deep work, pre-meetings or before talks.
How: Powdered in a coffee or capsule or a gummie.
🍄 Reishi: Rest + Resilience (Ganoderma lucidum) Main benefit: calm, sleep, immune support.
Why: Rich in triterpenes which modulate cortisol and increase deep sleep.
When: Evening wind-down, especially post-travel or post- events for decompression.
How: Tincture or tea. Avoid powders—can taste bitter like old bark.
🍄 Turkey Tail: T-cells + Terrain (Trametes versicolor) Main benefit: gut health, anti-viral, immune modulation.
Why: Contains polysaccharide-K (PSK), shown to support T-cell activity and gut microbiome diversity.
When If exposed to bugs, viruses or post-antibiotics.
How: Capsules or hot water extract. Heat can activate beta-glucans.
🍄 Cordyceps: Carido + Capacity (Cordyceps militaris) Main benefit: energy, stamina, VO₂ max, ATP production.
Why: Increases adenosine and oxygen utilisation;also increases cortisol.
When: Pre-workout or before a physically demanding day.
How: Capsule or shot. Avoids the bitter aftertaste.
🍄 Chaga: Cytoprotection + Calm (Inonotus obliquus) Main benefit: DNA protection, skin health, anti-inflammatory.
Why: Highest ORAC score of any known natural substance – indicates antioxidant effect.
When: Between flights, post-sun exposure, or skin-stressed days.
How: Slow-brewed tea or elixir. Hot water can activate polyphenols.
Track it to hack it.
What I’ve been monitoring this week…
I’m so often asked ”how do I know if this is working?” My answer is always, “working for what?” Know what you want to target and track. Here’s what to track:
HRV: Reishi should elevate HRV if you’re calming your nervous system.
Cognitive speed apps (BrainHQ): Lion’s Mane should sharpen processing. VO₂ Max tracking: Cordyceps may nudge this up if your mitochondrial machinery is responding.
hs-CRP & IL-6 bloods: Chaga’s anti-inflammatory effects can show up here.
Stool testing: Turkey Tail’s terrain effect shows up in microbiome markers like butyrate, and diversity.
From knowing to doing.
What this means for YOU…
Here’s what many people get wrong: They mix mushrooms without matching their needs. Or take them all in one! Smart supplementation means identifying the bottleneck in your biology—and biohacking that with intention. Here’s a quick guide:
You Need Mushroom Use this strategy Brain Clarity Lion's mane Pair with Omega 3's Better Sleep Reishi Pair with magnesium glycinate Immune Reset Turkey Tail Combine with gut testing and probiotics Energy/Stamina Cordycepts Pair with CoQ10 and cortisol testing Cellular resilience Chaga Pair with infra-red light
💼 Case in point:
One of my private clients—an investment strategist managing over £1B in assets—came to me with brain fog and burnout. He was already taking lion’s mane and cordyceps every day But here’s the thing: He was running on 5 hours of sleep, hadn’t had his cortisol or testosterone tested in years, and was skipping meals between flights and boardrooms. We paused the potions.
Now? He doesn’t just take lion’s mane. He leverages it. Because once the foundation is strong, that's when the focal tools can truly perform.
🎯 If you'd like to make decisions with precision based on your personal data and using devices that are specific for you, then book a private consultation and let's start to decode your health.
Where you’ll find me…
Last week: What a week of speaking! - hosted the SME Xpo stage, been peaking at Elevate and Mindset Unlimited and recorded a podcast with Dr Orlena- keep a look out for it later this week.
This week: Speaking at The Groucho Club on Thursday evening – let me know if you’d like to come along – will be a great night. Next week: Lots of consultations- love my one-to-one time with my clients, unrushed, focused.
A thought to pause on…
“Sometimes the most powerful interventions are the most ancient.” Tap into the ancient wisdom of the forest floor. The mycelium network mirrors your neural networks—both work through connectivity. Which mushroom is calling you to connect?
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead! Dr Alka
Be sure to send this email to anyone who you also want to live their longest, healthiest life!
If you've been forwarded this email, sign up for future newsletters here
Book A Private Consultation Apply To Join The Million Hour Club Become 10 Years Younger in 10 Weeks
Sent to: alkapatel114@gmail.com
Lifestyle First, POBox London, , United Kingdom
The Longevity Quotient is free. It is a short set of questions, not a test, and it shows you where your habits may be shaping how you age.
Take the free LQThis article is general education, not medical advice, and reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. If something has been going on for a while, please get it properly looked at by your own doctor.