This week, Joy and Walker chat with Tonya Papanikolov, Holistic Nutritionist, educator, founder and CEO of Rainbo, a Canadian medicinal mushroom company. She is a graduate of the Institute of Holistic Nutrition, holds a Bachelor of Nutrition and Nutraceutical Sciences from the University of Guelph and is a certified Reiki and Kundalini practitioner. She believes that radiance starts on the inside by eating whole plant foods and learning to interpret and listen to the wisdom of your body.   

In this episode Tonya discusses the connection she has with nourishing foods and her self-care rituals to inspire others so they can experience health and vitality. A major part of her healing journey included medicinal mushrooms and her passion for their healing power led her to create her own mushroom company in 2018. Her knowledge on the interconnection between fungi and health is sure to empower you!

If you’ve been hearing a lot about “adaptogens” and “functional” or “medicinal” mushrooms, but aren’t quite sure what that means or how they work, then you won’t want to miss this episode. Tonya shares the history and magical healing powers of medicinal mushrooms in a fun, approachable, and inspiring way that will have you ready to discover your very own spirit mushroom!

 

Episode Highlights:

• Tonya’s morning practice that helps her start the day feeling grounded and alert.
• How she transitioned from a night owl to an early bird!
• The power of ritual for creating lasting health changes. 
• The practices Tonya used to heal her illness from mold in her home.
• How she coped with living in an environment that was making her sick. 
• The importance of trusting your body’s healing powers. 
• The magical encounter where Tonya first fell in love with mushrooms.  
• Her first hand experience with the miraculous healing magic of mushrooms.
• How she felt called to create her mushroom company, Rainbo.
• The beautiful benefits of reishi mushrooms.
• The history of magical, medicinal mushrooms in human civilization. 
• Why Tonya wants to educate and change the narrative around the power of mushrooms. 
• The unique, combustible mushroom you’ve never heard of!
• Tonya breaks down adaptogens and how they work in the body.
• The connection between mushrooms and adaptogens.
• Best mushrooms to support the nervous system: cordyceps and reishi 
• Tonya’s favourite spirit mushroom!
• The immune modulating powers of medicinal mushrooms. 
• Lion’s Mane and the compounds it contains for neuroprotection & focus!
• The importance of using mushrooms long term for optimal benefits. 
• What inspired Tonya to start her own mushroom company. 
• Her advice to entrepreneurs just getting started. 
• The story of her entrepreneurial journey. 
• Her best-selling functional mushroom products.
• The best process to access the nutrients inside mushrooms. 
• How to choose the right medicinal mushroom for your needs.
• The king and queen of medicinal mushrooms. 
• The unique difference between fungi and mushrooms.
• What to look for when choosing a clean mushroom product. 
• Bioaccumulation: what is it and how do mushrooms fit in? 

 

Resources:

Tonya Papanikolov’s Instagram

Rainbo Mushrooms’ Instagram

The Well Woman Co. Website

Join The Well Woman Community

Rainbo Mushrooms’ Website

Get 11% off Your First Rainbo Order!

 

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