EP 43: Medicinal Mushroom Magic with Tonya Papanikolov of Rainbo

This week I’m chatting with Tonya Papanikolov, the founder of Rainbo. Rainbo is a medicinal mushroom based line of supplements and functional foods whose mission is to optimize health and open minds with medicinal mushrooms. They believe that plants, food and fungi are medicine for the body, mind and consciousness.

What I appreciate so much about Rainbo is how educating people on the healing power of fungi is so central to their purpose, and that is exactly what we do in this episode!

In this conversation we discuss: How Tonya’s own healing journey turned her attention towards mushrooms, the definition of medicinal mushrooms, how mushrooms heal ecosystems, what mushrooms can teach us about ourselves, Tonya’s theory about why they’re trending right now and Tonya even briefly goes over the different tinctures Rainbo offers and their benefits.

The world of fungi is so vast and complex that there’s no way we could cover everything in this episode, but if you’re new to the medicinal mushroom world like I was, I encourage you to check out Rainbo’s website, where you’ll find so many helpful resources about this magical, mysterious mushroom world. Enjoy!

“I like to think about them (mushrooms) as environmental guardians, so they’re pretty much responsible for decomposing all living matter or dead matter and repurposing it and creating lush, fertile soils.” - Tonya Papanikolov x Our Nature

Resources

Show Notes

What Tonya’s connection to nature was like as a child
Why Tonya studied holistic nutrition and how her own healing journey was a catalyst for further exploration into the world of alternative health
Why she began to focus on mushrooms exclusively
Medicinal Mushrooms 101 - the definition
How mushrooms heal ecosystems
What mushrooms can teach us about ourselves
Tonya’s theory about why mushrooms are trending right now
Psychedelics - mushrooms for mental health
How creating Rainbo has shifted Tonya’s relationship to the natural world
Rainbo’s tinctures and the properties of each
The Last 5 Questions

The Last Five Questions

What is your favorite place in nature?
Big Sur.
What is the animal, mineral or plant that resonates with you the most?
I’m a huge animal person and the eagle has been one of my spirit animals for a while.
What is one thing we can do right now to connect with the natural world and bring more harmony into our lives?
Go on a walking meditation outside and pay close attention to the beauty of nature and see that reflected back in you.
What’s the greatest lesson nature has taught you?
That we are truly all connected in many many ways and through many webs and networks. That connection is something accessible every moment and every day.
Complete this sentence: Nature brings me…
Harmony.

Connect with Tonya and Rainbo:

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