🌿 SHOW NOTES — Heal With Mushrooms Podcast: Miki Agrawal & HIRO Technologies

Episode Title: How Mycelium Is Disrupting Diapers: A Conversation with Miki Agrawal

Keywords: mycelium diapers, Miki Agrawal, biodegradable, fungal technology

Host: Cassandra Beaumont

Episode Overview

In this special episode, Cassandra sits down with visionary entrepreneur Miki Agrawal, creator of TUSHY, THINX, WILD, and now HIRO Technologies — a groundbreaking diaper company using mycelium activators to help diapers break down dramatically faster in landfills.

Most baby diapers take 400–500 years to decompose. HIRO is engineering an applied-mycology solution that leverages friendly, culinary-grade fungi to accelerate biodegradation to under 12 months.

This conversation bridges mycology, design thinking, feminine innovation, and the future of regenerative products.

In This Episode We Explore:

How HIRO uses mycelium to support rapid diaper decomposition

Why diapers are the #1 household plastic waste item

The vision of “plastic-eating bombs” that regenerate instead of pollute

How fungi naturally break down carbon backbones

Miki’s design philosophy of “no compromise innovation”

How inspired action and ecosystem thinking reshapes product design

Why mycelium is safer than many substances in conventional diapers

The future of menstrual pads, adult diapers, and other mycelium-based innovations

How parents can embrace elimination communication to reduce diaper use

The global impact of diaper waste in countries without landfill infrastructure

About This Week’s Guest — Miki Agrawal

Miki Agrawal is a visionary entrepreneur, bestselling author (Do Cool Sht*, Disrupt-Her), and the founder behind industry-shifting companies. HIRO is her fourth venture and aims to address plastic waste using nature-inspired fungal technology.

Links Mentioned:

🌱 HIRO Diapers — hirodiapers.com/heal

🎙️ Miki’s work — hirodiapers.com

🍄 Become an Ambassador — join.hirodiapers.com

✨ Connect with Cassandra — @healwithmushrooms

Share This Episode

If you know a mama, pregnant friend, or someone raising littles — this is the episode to send her. It offers a fresh, hopeful perspective on baby care, introduces a diaper that supports both little bodies and the world they’ll grow up in, and opens the door to understanding how fungi can play a surprising role in everyday parenting. Sometimes all a new parent needs is one inspired idea, one better option, or one moment of relief — and this conversation might be exactly that.

www.healwithmushrooms.com

Follow us on Instagram: @healwithmushrooms

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Subscribe to Heal With Mushrooms on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

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Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heal-with-mushrooms/id1796591242

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Episode Title: From Molecules to Mycelium: Mandie Quark on DNA Barcoding, Rainforest Mycology & Citizen Science

Guest: Mandie Quark

Host: Cassandra Beaumont

🌿 Episode Summary:

In this episode, Cassanda welcomes molecular biologist turned rainforest mycologist Mandie Quark — a leading visionary in the world of mushroom DNA sequencing and citizen science. From her early days in pharmaceutical research to her rainforest expeditions and public education projects, Mandie shares how she’s transforming the field of mycology by making DNA barcoding accessible and engaging.

They dive into:

The power of iNaturalist and citizen-generated data

Mycology as a portal to healing, curiosity, and community

Upcoming field forays, courses, and tips for aspiring mushroom photographers

Mandie shares the story behind her course Molecular Biology for Mycologists, her fieldwork in Ecuador and Costa Rica, and why women belong front and center in the future of fungal science. Whether you’re an amateur forager or advanced researcher, this episode invites you to see fungi — and your place in the mycelial web — with fresh eyes.

🍄 Top 3 Takeaways:

1. DNA Barcoding Is for Everyone.

Mandie breaks down how citizen scientists can meaningfully contribute to fungal research — no PhD required. Tools like iNaturalist, a jeweler’s loupe, and a dried specimen in a bag are all you need to start observing mushrooms in your region.

2. The Field of Mycology Is Wide Open.

With less than 5% of the world’s fungi formally described, we’re in a golden age of discovery. Mandie emphasizes that anyone — especially women — can make a lasting impact by collecting, photographing, and sharing fungal observations.

3. Education is a Portal to Empowerment.

From her online course offerings to in-person Costa Rica forays and NAMA workshops, Mandie is committed to making molecular mycology accessible, practical, and joyful. Her classes combine scientific rigor with real-world application, inviting everyone to learn at their own pace.

🔗 Links & Resources:

🌐 Mycena LLC Website & Courses: www.mycena.llc

📸 Instagram: @mandie_quark

🧬 Submit specimens (CA residents): https://mycota.com/the-mycomap-ac-network/

Mycota https://mycota.com/

Ohio Mushroom DNA Lab https://www.ohiomushroomdnalab.com/

📚 Sign up for Mandie’s newsletter: via https://www.mycena.llc/newsletters/mycena-news

🎓 Mushroom Photography Course (happening now!) https://www.mycena.llc/mushroom-photography-course

🌍 Upcoming Foray: Costa Rica, July 20–26, 2025 https://www.mycena.llc/costa-rica-foray

🎶 Mycena x Atlantic Connection Music: Available on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/1FNiIXYlH4vmvFhvqpL6BM?si=mBvIPXBERs62-f4Hk6ZunQ

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Subscribe to Heal With Mushrooms on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4FZvg7jiTYSWmbEQizARFK?si=5de8a99f537e43bf

Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heal-with-mushrooms/id1796591242

Listen on Pocketcasts https://pca.st/iytnkvce

https://healwithmushrooms.kit.com/profile

Follow us on Instagram: @healwithmushrooms

https://healwithmushrooms.kit.com/profile

https://youmushroom.com/

Episode Summary

In this episode of Heal With Mushrooms, Cassandra sits down with Joni Wildman, PhD researcher at the University of Bath and 2025 Lincoff Scholarship recipient, whose work explores how fungi can reshape the future of sustainable construction. Joni shares her journey from studying physics at Cambridge to becoming an award-winning science communicator and mycologist, driven by a fascination with fungi’s power to solve real-world challenges.

Together, we dive into:

• 🌱 How Joni is developing mycelium-based insulation materials from waste substrates like hemp chips and even tetra packs.

• 🏗️ The promise and challenges of using fungal biomaterials in construction — from durability to mold resistance.

• 🚀 Emerging applications of fungi in biotechnology, from packaging and textiles to potential uses in space habitats and refugee shelters.

• 🎤 The art of science communication: why outreach, storytelling, and mycology education matter as much as lab research.

• 🍄 Joni’s personal path into mycology, her favorite mushrooms, and her dream of weaving fungi more deeply into school curriculums and public life.

This conversation is a blend of science, storytelling, and vision — showing us how fungi can help build not only structures, but also a more sustainable and connected future.

⸻

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Mycelium isn’t just for food — it can be grown into biodegradable building blocks with promising insulation properties.

• Fungi’s unique biology offers solutions for both earthly challenges and off-world applications.

• Science communication and community outreach are vital to overcoming mycophobia and sparking public imagination.

• Joni’s work demonstrates the value of curiosity-driven career shifts — from physics to fungi.

⸻

🌟 Guest Bio: Joni Wildman

Joni Wildman is a PhD student at the University of Bath (UK), where she researches mycelium-based insulation materials as sustainable alternatives for the construction industry. She holds a Master’s in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, where she founded the Cambridge Mycological Society. An award-winning science communicator, Joni has presented at international conferences and festivals across the UK, Europe, and the US, and continues to create educational content for both academic and public audiences. When not in the lab, you’ll likely find her in the forest — still thinking about fungi, and probably searching for them too.

📸 Instagram: @joniofthewoods

⸻

📌 Resources & Mentions

• Lincoff Scholarship – Telluride Institute recognition for emerging mycologists.

• University of Bath Mycelium Research

• Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life (inspiration for Joni’s path into fungi).

Come Visit me at YouMushroom in Everett, WA on Tuesday's from 4pm- 6pm for Mushroom Social Hour and Tea Time

2927 Rucker Ave. Everett, WA

⸻

🙏 Support the Show

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow Heal With Mushrooms on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform. Share it with a fellow mushroom lover, and help us grow this mycelial network of knowledge and inspiration.

https://healwithmushrooms.kit.com/profile

https://youmushroom.com/

🎙 Heal With Mushrooms Podcast

Episode Title: Critters, Spores & Storytelling: Eva Gordon on Animal Mycophiles and Fungal Literacy

Host: Cassandra Beaumont

Guest: Eva Gordon

Air Date: August 9st 2025

🌿 Episode Summary:

In this joyful and knowledge-rich episode, Cassandra welcomes science educator turned storyteller Eva Gordon—a self-described fungal zoologist—to explore the captivating world of animal mycophiles: creatures that forage, farm, self-medicate, and even get high on fungi.

With over 20 years teaching AP Biology and Chemistry, Eva now blends zoology, evolutionary biology, and mycology into engaging talks and written works that illuminate the overlooked ecological relationships between animals and fungi. Her upcoming book, Animal Mycophiles: Critters That Hunt, Farm, Self-Medicate, and Get High on Fungi, is now available for preorder, offering both rigorous science and whimsical delight.

Together, Cassandra and Eva discuss mushroom-eating slugs, truffle-digging pigs, medicinal fungi for bees, and frog-mushroom symbiosis. Eva also shares her vision for Mycelium Mindful Meditation, fungal education through NAMA, and a growing movement to establish an international World Fungi Day.

🍄 Topics Covered:

Eva’s journey from naturalist child to “fungal zoologist”

The moment mushrooms captured her heart

Why animal-fungal interactions are underexplored (and why that matters)

Snails, squirrels, and pigs as fungal dispersers

Medicinal mushroom use by animals (and implications for humans)

Frogs on Amanitas: aesthetics, ecology, and the rise of Cottagecore

How fungi show up in Eva’s fantasy fiction

The power of storytelling in science education

Eva’s work as Co-Chair of the NAMA Education Committee

Vision for World Fungi Day in classrooms nationwide

Her upcoming talk at the Olympic Peninsula Mushroom Festival (Oct 19, 2025)

Mycelium Mindful Meditation as ecological wellness practice

📚 Preorder Eva’s New Book:

Title: Animal Mycophiles: Critters That Hunt, Farm, Self-Medicate, and Get High on Fungi

Release Date: August 19, 2025

🔗 Preorder Link: tevagordon.blogspot.com

Publisher: Green Writers Press

📌 Connect with Eva Gordon:

Instagram: @evagordonauthor

Facebook: Eva Gordon

Substack: egordon56.substack.com

Contact: [email protected]

💫 Like What You Heard?

🎧 Subscribe, rate, and review Heal With Mushrooms

🌱 Share this episode with a fellow fungi lover

📸 Tag us on Instagram @healwithmushrooms and use #AnimalMycophiles

Tenders of the Mycelial Future: Gabriela D’Elia on Fungal Conservation & Sacred Feminine Psychedelia

🌿 Show Notes — Heal With Mushrooms Podcast

Host: Cassandra Beaumont

Guest: Gabriela D’Elia

Air Date: 8/6/2025

In this rich and reverent episode, Cassandra is joined by Gabriela D’Elia—mycologist, writer, educator, and former Executive Director of the Fungal Diversity Survey (FunDiS). Together, they journey through the forest of fungal advocacy, spiritual ecology, psychedelic wisdom, and embodied imagination.

Gabriela shares stories from her pioneering work in fungal conservation, including the successful campaign to recognize Boletus edulis as Utah’s state mushroom and the launch of the first statewide, government-funded fungal diversity project in California. She also offers insights into community science, legislative advocacy, and how to bring fungal justice into local environmental policy—like the case of Snohomish County’s Critical Area Regulations, which still lack fungal inclusion.

But this conversation is more than policy—it’s poetic. Gabriela guides listeners into a deep imagination practice, speaks to the forgotten women of psychedelic history, and reminds us that fungi are more than functional—they are wisdom keepers, storytellers, and kin.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How Gabriela helped make Porcini the official state mushroom of Utah

• What’s missing in fungal conservation policy—and how local advocates can change that

• How mushrooms invite us into deep imagination and embodied listening

• Why women’s stories in psychedelics need to be reclaimed

• What it means to center fungal beings in both science and spirit

• A guided visualization to connect with mushroom messages

• How to use the term Funga to elevate fungal presence alongside Flora and Fauna

Website: gabrieladelia.com

Substack: gabrieladelia.substack.com – Fungi Talk

Instagram: @gabrielamushroom

FUNDISOrganization: https://www.fundis.org/

Retreats: Catskill Fungi

https://catskillfungi.com/pages/puerto-rico-foray-2025

Heal With Mushrooms IG: https://www.instagram.com/healwithmushrooms/

HWM Website https://healwithmushrooms.kit.com/

🎙️ Heal With Mushrooms https://healwithmushrooms.kit.com/profile

Episode Title: From Molecules to Mycelium: Mandie Quark on DNA Barcoding, Rainforest Mycology & Citizen Science

Guest: Mandie Quark

Host: Cassandra Beaumont

Air Date: 6/13/2025

Duration: 1 hour

🌿 Episode Summary:

In this episode, Cassanda welcomes molecular biologist turned rainforest mycologist Mandie Quark — a leading visionary in the world of mushroom DNA sequencing and citizen science. From her early days in pharmaceutical research to her rainforest expeditions and public education projects, Mandie shares how she’s transforming the field of mycology by making DNA barcoding accessible and engaging.

They dive into:

The power of iNaturalist and citizen-generated data

Mycology as a portal to healing, curiosity, and community

Upcoming field forays, courses, and tips for aspiring mushroom photographers

Mandie shares the story behind her course Molecular Biology for Mycologists, her fieldwork in Ecuador and Costa Rica, and why women belong front and center in the future of fungal science. Whether you’re an amateur forager or advanced researcher, this episode invites you to see fungi — and your place in the mycelial web — with fresh eyes.

🍄 Top 3 Takeaways:

1. DNA Barcoding Is for Everyone.

Mandie breaks down how citizen scientists can meaningfully contribute to fungal research — no PhD required. Tools like iNaturalist, a jeweler’s loupe, and a dried specimen in a bag are all you need to start observing mushrooms in your region.

2. The Field of Mycology Is Wide Open.

With less than 5% of the world’s fungi formally described, we’re in a golden age of discovery. Mandie emphasizes that anyone — especially women — can make a lasting impact by collecting, photographing, and sharing fungal observations.

3. Education is a Portal to Empowerment.

From her online course offerings to in-person Costa Rica forays and NAMA workshops, Mandie is committed to making molecular mycology accessible, practical, and joyful. Her classes combine scientific rigor with real-world application, inviting everyone to learn at their own pace.

🔗 Links & Resources:

🌐 Mycena LLC Website & Courses: www.mycena.llc

📸 Instagram: @mandie_quark

🧬 Submit specimens (CA residents): https://mycota.com/the-mycomap-ac-network/

Mycota https://mycota.com/

Ohio Mushroom DNA Lab https://www.ohiomushroomdnalab.com/

📚 Sign up for Mandie’s newsletter: via https://www.mycena.llc/newsletters/mycena-news

🎓 Mushroom Photography Course (happening now!) https://www.mycena.llc/mushroom-photography-course

🌍 Upcoming Foray: Costa Rica, July 20–26, 2025 https://www.mycena.llc/costa-rica-foray

🎶 Mycena x Atlantic Connection Music: Available on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/1FNiIXYlH4vmvFhvqpL6BM?si=mBvIPXBERs62-f4Hk6ZunQ

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Subscribe to Heal With Mushrooms on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4FZvg7jiTYSWmbEQizARFK?si=5de8a99f537e43bf

Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heal-with-mushrooms/id1796591242

Listen on Pocketcasts https://pca.st/iytnkvce

https://healwithmushrooms.kit.com/profile

Follow us on Instagram: @healwithmushrooms

Festival Recap: Folk & Forage, Radical Mycology & Mushroom Magic in Oregon

🌿 Show Notes — Heal With Mushrooms Podcast

https://healwithmushrooms.kit.com/profile

Host: Cassandra Beaumont

Location: McKenzie River, Oregon

Air Date: Friday May 16th 2025

Episode Summary:

Cassandra reports live from the lush woodlands of McKenzie River, Oregon, sharing heartfelt stories and vibrant insights from the Folk & Forage Festival. From mushroom dyeing with Liz Vermillion to visionary screenings like Sporelandia, this episode weaves together the radical spirit of community mycology, low-tech cultivation methods, and forest-floor creativity.

Discover the healing power of river time, the joy of hula hooping under the stars, and the beauty of gathering with like-hearted mycophiles. Cassandra also dives into DIY mushroom cultivation tips, festival highlights, and the importance of family-friendly spaces in the world of fungi.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear About:

🍄 Mushroom dyeing with Liz Vermillion

🌳 Forest forays led by Jess Starwood & Lorelle Sherman

🎥 Sporelandia documentary — growing psychedelics with low-tech setups

🌱 Lasagna method of mushroom cultivation with Matthew Rabinowitz

🎶 Musical highlights: Quattlebaum, Drumspyder, Muddy Soles, Yemen Joe, Libra Cello

🛍️ The Makers Market: stained glass at pieces, mushroom pottery, embroidered sweaters & more

🎉 Hula hoop light shows, sauna sessions, and riverside reflections

🌈 Community magic, family vibes, and why this micro-festival matters

Special Mentions:

• Jess Starwood (Arizona, on her way from Santa Cruz Mushroom Festival)

• Brandi of NorCal Forager – creator of whimsical mushroom pottery

• Lisa Tynan – healing Gentle Yoga & Sound Bath

• Pica Flores – gracious land host on the McKenzie River

• Folk & Forage founder Austin – for curating such an intentional, soulful gathering

Resources & Links:

• 🎬 Sporelandia Documentary https://sporelandia.net/

• 🧑‍🎨 NorCal Forager Pottery – Brandi’s Shop

• 🍄 Jess Starwood’s Work

• 🌐 Santa Cruz Mushroom Festival

• 📸 Follow @healwithmushrooms for behind-the-scenes images & festival moments

✨ Quote from the Episode:

“Rivers just bring me so much peace… I was by myself, processing, letting it flow… letting it help me move some emotions.” – Cassandra

⸻

🌿 Next Up:

Cass journeys to Mount Rainier for a multi-club foray with six mycology communities. Expect stories, interviews, and spores of wisdom from the heart of the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

📣 Help Us Grow the Mycelial Network!

Rate & review on Apple Podcasts 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Share this episode with your favorite mushroom-loving friend 🧡

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

https://healwithmushrooms.kit.com/profile

🌿 Show Notes — Heal With Mushrooms Podcast

Host: Cassandra Beaumont

Air Date: May 2nd

In this radiant solo episode, Cassandra shares an inspired glimpse into what's ahead for Heal With Mushrooms—spotlighting the incredible women reshaping the mycological world and the transformational gatherings happening this season. This is a celebration of luminous connection, embodied curiosity, and the wisdom of the forest floor.

✨ Honoring Visionary Women in Mycology

Meet four groundbreaking guests whose work continues to shape the future of fungi:

Maria Finn — Forager, author, and ocean advocate exploring the sacred intersections of fungi, food, and wild ecology.

Tess Burzynski — Detroit-based mycoremediation scientist, founder of Fungi Freights, and advocate for psilocybin access and community science.

Anna Sitkoff — Community builder and cofounder of the SCMS Mycology Campout, cultivating deep-rooted connections in the Pacific Northwest fungal scene.

Jess Starwood — Author of Mushroom Wanderland, herbalist, and educator known for her integrative, artistic, and ritual-rich approach to fungi.

Each of these women brings a distinct voice and vision, weaving together science, activism, and creativity through the lens of mycology.

🎪 Upcoming Mushroom Events to Join

🧚‍♀️ Forest Fairy Rave & Wild Food CelebrationMcKenzie River, OR | May 9–11

A magical multi-day gathering blending wild food, music, art, and fungal enchantment. Cassandra will be attending—come connect and celebrate.

https://www.folkandforage.com/

🍄 SCMS Mycology CampoutWashington | May 16–18

A community-rooted event for mushroom lovers featuring forays, workshops, and fireside conversations beneath the stars.

https://www.scmsfungi.org/

🍄 Puget Sound Mycological Society MeetingsOngoing | Seattle, WA

Engage with one of the nation's most active mycological groups—monthly meetings, species identification nights, and seasonal outings.

https://www.psms.org/

🌈 MAPS Psychedelic Science 2025Denver, CO | June 16–20

A landmark global event gathering psychedelic scientists, practitioners, and visionaries. Cassandra will attend to uplift spirits, feminine leadership, and regenerative research.

https://www.psychedelicscience.org/

✨ Call to Action

The mushroom portal is open—will you walk through it?

Follow @healwithmushrooms for show updates, behind-the-scenes stories, and upcoming guest reveals. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a review to help this movement grow—spore by spore.

https://heal-with-mushrooms.mailchimpsites.com/

Thanks for listening to Heal With Mushrooms. The information shared in this episode is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a licensed healthcare professional before making changes to your wellness routine. We do not condone the use of illegal substances, nor do we encourage the use of psychedelics by minors. Any discussions involving entheogens are intended for adult audiences and offered in the spirit of harm reduction and informed exploration. By listening, you acknowledge that you are solely responsible for your own health decisions.

In this episode of Heal With Mushrooms, Cassandra sits down with author, educator, and integrative herbalist Jess Starwood to explore the sacred intersection of foraging, fungi, and healing. From ethical wildcrafting to psychedelic integration, Jess brings decades of earth-based wisdom and community mycology experience. She unpacks the challenges of today’s mushroom supplement industry, shares culinary delights from her immersive mushroom dinners, and opens up about her psychedelic facilitation training.

Jess is the author and photographer behind Mushroom Wanderland, a richly illustrated guide to identifying and using over 25 wild fungi. With certifications in psilo cybin and cannabis wellness from the American College of Healthcare Sciences, she blends science with spirit in her teachings. Currently president of the Los Angeles Mycological Society and a board member of the Arizona Mushroom Society, Jess is deeply rooted in the modern mycological movement.

🧠 What We Talk About:

Ethical foraging and being in right relationship with land

How to decode mushroom supplement labels & avoid filler-laced products

The importance of fruiting body vs. mycelium in supplementation

Psychedelic mushrooms, integration, and safe practices

Jess’s immersive mushroom culinary events—from puffball waffles to porcini ice cream

How fungi teach us about community, healing, and interconnection

🍄 Guest Bio:

Jess Starwood is an author, photographer, and integrative health educator focused on the healing properties of fungi and plants. She holds a Master’s in Herbal Medicine and certifications as an Integrative Psilocybin and Cannabis Specialist. Jess teaches through immersive, sensory-rich experiences and serves as president of the Los Angeles Mycological Society and board member of the Arizona Mushroom Society.

🌐 jstarwood.com

📸 https://www.instagram.com/jess.starwood/

📆 Upcoming Events with Jess:

Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival | May 3–4 – Use code STARWOOD for 20% off https://scmmfest.com/

Folk & Forage (Oregon) | May 9–11th https://www.folkandforage.com/

Arizona Mushroom Society Annual Foray | August 8–10 https://arizonamushroomsociety.org/coming-events

Mushroom Adventure in Greece | October (see Instagram for details)

🧪 Product Shoutout:

Jess endorses the mushroom extracts by Jason Scott (Feral Fungi) for their use of fruiting body, wildcrafted species, and potency. Learn more at feralfungi.com.

💬 Favorite Quotes:

“We’ve lost our relationship with nature. Foraging is not about free food—it’s about reciprocal connection.”

“Mushrooms aren’t saving the world—we are. They just remind us how to reconnect.”

“The fruiting body is where the magic is. Read your mushroom supplement labels.”

“Integration is where the real healing begins—not in the trip, but in what we do after.”

📍 Connect With Us:

🎧 Heal With Mushrooms is available on Spotify, Apple, and everywhere you listen.

📲 Follow @healwithmushrooms for more fungi-fueled episodes, foraging tips, and upcoming guests.

👤 Guest: Dr. Anna Sitkoff, ND – Naturopathic Physician, Mycologist, Founder of Lucidum Medicinals

🌿 Host: Cassandra

Episode Summary

In this episode of *Heal With Mushrooms*, Cassandra welcomes Dr. Anna Sitkoff, a trailblazing naturopathic doctor and mycology educator who merges clinical rigor with nature-based healing. Dr. Sitkoff shares her personal initiation into mushroom medicine through a healing psilocybin journey that helped her recover from an eating disorder and reconnect with her hunger cues. This intimate and empowering conversation offers deep insight for women drawn to clinical mycology, from education pathways to formulation science.

Listeners will learn about chitin sensitivity and how to distinguish mushroom-induced GI upset from allergic reactions, the power of oyster mushrooms and ergothioneine in antioxidant defense, and the hormonal balancing properties of Reishi and Maitake mushrooms. Cassandra and Anna also discuss delivery innovations like sublingual extracts and mycelium pearls, the limitations of multi-mushroom blends, and Anna’s inspiration behind Lucidum Medicinals’ lung and immune formulas.

This is a must-listen for aspiring mushroom clinicians, herbalists, and wellness seekers craving clarity on how mushrooms interact with the body—especially for women navigating hormonal transitions.

Key Topics Covered

• How psilocybin helped Anna recover from disordered eating and restore hunger signaling

• Why chitin can trigger allergic or GI responses and how to test your tolerance

• The antioxidant ergothioneine in oyster mushrooms—and its link to pregnancy support and mitochondrial resilience

• Using Maitake to regulate ovulation post-birth control via insulin sensitivity

• Reishi’s impact on testosterone metabolism and nervous system support

• Why less is more: the problem with “kitchen sink” mushroom blends

• New methods for mushroom delivery: sublingual extracts and mycelium pearls

• Raising mushroom-aware children and the beauty of fungal literacy from birth

Timestamps

00:01 – Introduction & Anna’s healing story with psilocybin

06:00 – Clinical education gaps in mushroom medicine

11:30 – Becoming a teacher of forest-based mycology

16:45 – Advice for women pursuing clinical mycology

23:10 – Lucidum Medicinals: Why oyster mushrooms matter

28:20 – Ergothioneine for pregnancy, stress, and oxidative repair

33:00 – Understanding chitin, enzymes, and GI sensitivity

39:45 – Sublingual mushroom delivery & mycelium pearls

46:00 – Reishi & Maitake for fertility and hormone transitions

55:20 – Why she avoids overcomplicated mushroom formulas

1:02:00 – Parenting a future mycologist

1:09:00 – Final reflections: Mushrooms as nature’s doulas

Connect & Resources

🌐 Website: https://www.drannasitkoff.com

Chitin Study https://www.drannasitkoff.com/post/fungal-chitin-the-indigestible-fiber-that-is-in-fact-digestible-by-most-people

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drannasitkoff

NAMA https://namyco.org/publications/mycophile/

🛒 Use code **HEALWITHMUSHROOMS** for 20% off Lucidum products at https://www.lucidummedicinals.com

Sacred Mycology Summit

https://fungiacademy.com/sacred-mycology-summit/

Mushroom Education https://fungiacademy.com/

Mycelium “Pearls” https://www.lucid.news/natural-psilocybin-droplets-exact-dosages-dont-upset-stomach/

Legal Disclaimer:

The information provided on the Heal With Mushrooms podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast, you agree that the hosts, guests, and producers are not liable for any harm or loss that may arise in connection with the information discussed.