110 - Inside the World of Medicinal Mushrooms with Derek Fleming

Finally!

After over 100 episodes I am finally doing an interview on Medicinal Mushrooms. These foods have been a part of my life for almost two decades and I have experienced multiple personal benefits and witnessed many in others.

Today I sit down with Derek Fleming, herbalist and founder of New Earth Organics, to talk about medicinal mushrooms — the science, the history, the marketing myths, and the practical ways to get them into your daily life.

Derek has been deep in this world for 20 years, and his take is one grounded in practicality and tradition. He views these fungi as foods, not supplements, and the longer you use them, the more they work. Whether you're brand new to mushrooms or already taking lion's mane, reishi, a blend or otherwise, this conversation will deepen your understanding of medicinal mushrooms and further your dedication to keeping them in your life.

This is what we've got for you in this episode:

4:00 – Why Derek started New Earth Organics and his passion for plant medicine and food as medicine

6:40 – The proactive vs. reactive approach to health and teaching the next generation fundamental wellness

14:52 – The history of medicinal mushrooms and how fungi have been on earth for 1.3 billion years

16:23 – Humans share 67–70% DNA overlap with fungi, making us closer to mushrooms than mushrooms are to plants

17:20 – How consuming mushrooms lets us piggyback on their evolved immune and digestive systems

20:18 – How marketing has confused the medicinal mushroom space and what to watch out for

22:02 – Mycelium as the "internet of the earth" and its role in ecosystems and regenerative agriculture