Every season brings new beginnings. As autumn sets in, mushrooms start to pop up from the ground in many parts of the world. Mushrooms are not just a source of nutrients, but also a source of medicine.  

Hallucinogenic mushrooms are indigenous to Europe and have been used for centuries as medicines. Some cultures even have a spiritual relationship with magic mushrooms, and they consider these fungi sacred.

Hallucinogens gained widespread use in the 1960s and 70s before they were banned. With the ban, research into psychedelics also declined.. Recently, interest in psychedelics has risen and new findings show their medicinal benefits could provide a gateway to a better life.

Based on the new findings, legal restrictions on the use of psychedelics are loosening. You can now find dried mushrooms being sold at your local gas station.

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Some people just take the mushrooms for their euphoric effect while some go for the more therapeutic benefits. Whatever the reason, magic mushrooms are the gateway to a better life, and here is why:

1.    Mushrooms Can Change Your View of The World

Magic mushrooms contain a psychedelic chemical called psilocybin. When psilocybin interacts with the brain, it rewires brain communication pathways. The result changes the way in which the brain operates.

When you take a magic mushroom, the brain chemical reaction works in a way that dissolves your ego. Scientists now say that this temporal ego loss can be beneficial to the mind and can even be life-changing for some people.

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When experiencing the high of the psychedelic effect, the individual feels more alive and connected with the surroundings. These experiences help one see life in a different way.

Magic mushrooms open up the mind and the individual can think about life, circumstances, and the universe in general, in a different way. This way, the person comes to the realization that there is something greater in life than the individual.

2.    Mushrooms Can Help You Find Purpose in Life

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Another amazing connection with magic mushrooms is their ability to inspire a new sense of meaning and purpose in life. By dissolving the ego, psilocybin relieves the brain of past perceptions and a new sense of self develops.

When you take a magic mushroom trip, the experience brings forth transpersonal insights and a sense of belonging. The feelings of isolation fade and a sense of connection develops.

In the psychedelic state, the individual realizes that there is more to life than they might have thought. For some individuals, this transformation can be life-long.

3.    Treatment For PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression

The main reason psychedelics exploded in the 60s and 70s was their ability to suppress depression. Many people were facing the economic effects of the cold war and psychedelics provided a gateway from all that stressful life.

Psilocybin mushrooms have been a source of spiritual and psychological healing for many years. The psychoactive properties of the mushrooms react with the brain in a way that can inspire hope.

Modern studies on neuroscience have confirmed that psilocybin acts on serotonin receptors in the brain. A neurotransmitter that causes wellbeing and happiness, Serotonin is commonly known as the ‘happy chemical.’

By its action with these receptors, psilocybin produces a variety of consciousness-altering effects. Happiness is one of the main outcomes that are similar to the effect of serotonin.

The psychoactive effects of psilocybin can be beneficial in treating treatment-resistant depression. The therapeutics effects also show positive effects in the treatment of anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

4.    Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy

Many people struggle with addiction and they keep relapsing even after trying some of the best treatments available. What if there was one single drug that could cure addiction without adverse side effects?

The answer could be in magic mushrooms. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy is gaining prominence as a treatment for smoking cessation as well as other addictions.

Psychedelics have the ability to access inner realms of consciousness that other treatments cannot reach.  When used judiciously, the psychoactive properties of magic mushrooms and magic truffles can help individuals recovering from addiction manage the withdrawal symptoms, and stop the craving.

The fact that magic mushrooms can help individuals find purpose in life is also another reason they can offer better treatment for addiction.

Drugs are part of the sources of addiction. Addiction normally arises from a lack of sense of meaning in life. When an individual lacks meaning, value, and purpose, they turn to drugs to help them escape from the psychological pain of lack of meaning.

Psychedelics can help individuals find this meaning in life and escape from their addictive behaviors.

Conclusion

Recent research into magic mushrooms indicates that these plants could be the cure for many psychological conditions. Studies are still being conducted but the results are promising.

Like many other drugs, the use of magic mushrooms for recreational or therapeutic benefits requires a moderate application. However, the good thing about magic mushrooms is that they are not addictive.

Psychedelic mushrooms also have few adverse side effects. This gives them a big advantage over commercial drugs for the treatment of depression, withdrawal symptoms, or even for recreational use.

Disclaimer: This post is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Curious about Kratom? Perhaps, you might have encountered the term while scrolling online. Or maybe, you’ve heard it somewhere and got curious on what the word refers to.

Often, for people who are familiar with the Southeast Asian culture, Kratom may originally refer to the herbal supplement used traditionally by the masses to relieve aches and pains in the past. However, to date, the identity of Kratom has become more complicated than that.

Specifically, from an herbal supplement, the plant shifted to a recreational drug often used to elevate mode, boost physical endurance, and even relieve opioid withdrawal symptoms.

Below, we have rounded up everything you need to know about this traditional herbal medicine, along with its benefits, uses, and dosage. Read on to know more.

What is Kratom?

Essentially, the term Kratom refers to a type of evergreen tree found in Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines and other South Asian countries.

What gave the tree a special status is its leaves, which are used as medicine and as recreational drug when chopped, chewed, or made into tea.

Are there Benefits Attached to Consuming Kratom?

Specifically, the leaves of Kratom contains two potent alkaloids, named the mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. When ingested, these alkaloids can produce euphoria and provide pain relieving, anti-inflammatory, and muscle relaxant effects.

Due to this, the plant has been used traditionally by local labourers in Asia to combat fatigue and relieve pain that come with their day-to-day tasks

However, that is just the beginning.

Soon, due to the plant’s mood-boosting effects, it was later adapted to become an alternative med to treating mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Its sedative feature, which evokes feelings of euphoria, also made it an ideal treatment to ease withdrawal symptoms from illicit drug use.

How Much Kratom Should One Take?

Generally, consuming Kratom can lead to either a stimulant or sedative effect.

To achieve the first one, it is advised to take the substance in low doses, usually lower than 10 grams. When this happens, people who take the plant are expected to feel a boost in their energy, alertness, and giddiness. However, similar to the ‘high’ effect associated with marijuana, kratom consumption also leads to reduced motor coordination.

The effects are said to usually start within 10 minutes after ingesting the plant and can last up to one and half hour.

Meanwhile, when taken in larger dose, usually between 10 to 25 grams, users are to experience kratom’s sedative effect, which are often described with general feelings of calmness and euphoria lasting up to six hours.

Why Is It Banned in Other Countries?

Generally, while there is good anecdotal emerging evidence that kratom are effective in relieving withdrawal symptoms, there are also a few studies suggesting that using the herbal medicine can lead to the development of another addiction.

In one particular study, for instance, people who took kratom for over six months were reported to had experienced withdrawal symptoms similar to those that occur after opioid use.

Other side effects also often linked to the drug include constipation, severe weight loss, insomnia, and loss of appetite.

Because of these, kratom remains to be a controversial medicine in the science field.

What Now?

To date, with still no sufficient clinical and rigorous studies focusing on kratom, its benefits remain to be deeply anecdotal.

However, despite this, many proponents still believe that the true medicinal potential of the herbal medicine is still yet to be unveiled.

Israeli archaeologists reportedly found cannabis residue in a 3,000-year-old Jewish temple located in southern Israel. The said traces of marijuana in the temple are one of the first signs and proof that the ancient Jewish religion relied on the drug as part of their religion and belief system.

According to Reuters, the traces of cannabis was found at the Tel Arad temple, located in the Negev Desert. The religious site is located within 10 kilometers of the southern Israeli town of Arad.

Although the Tel Arad’s temple was discovered around 50 years ago, the findings of the use of marijuana were surprising to the researchers. Based on the lead archaeologist Eran Arie, who led the research project on behalf of the Israel Museum and Volcani Institute of Israel, the found the said material on the limestone altar of Tel Arad to contain residue of what appears to be a mixture of cannabis and animal dung. The animal waste was supposedly used to help the marijuana plant burn.

Apart from the plant and the dung mixture, traces of frankincense were also found at another altar in the same shrine, notes Reuters.

Prior to this discovery, Arie revealed that there has been no proof that cannabis was used and cultivated in the 8th century BC. Arie remarked that this was the “first time we see psychoactive substances in Judahite religion,” notes the Associated Press.

Numerous attempts spanning decades initially resulted inbre inconclusive findings, making this discovery a major breakthrough for archaeologists. The two limestone altars found in the Tel Arad shrine can now be seen at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

Findings of the study were published last Friday, May 29, 2020, in the academic journal titled, “Tel Aviv: Journal of the Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University.”

Based on the findings presented in the academic journal, it appears that the plant was imported via the existence of trade routes. This is indicative of the marijuana plant’s lack of pollen and seeds and it was possibly transported in the form of hashish or resin.

In a statement, another expert in the field, archaeology professor Yossi Garfinkel from the Hebrew University said the act of using opium, wine, as well as the discovery of psychoactives, point out that ancient Israelites and those who observed Judaism found it a “desirable thing to get into ecstasy and connect with God.” Garfinkel is not associated with the study, notes the Associated Press.