Functional Mushrooms: Meet Mama Shrooms Founder Gemma Ogston at GoodGood Studio Wimbledon
There is something quietly powerful about the rituals we return to every day. The ones that do not feel forced or performative, but simply… work.
This Saturday, we are welcoming Gemma Ogston, founder of Mama Shrooms, to GoodGood Studio in Wimbledon for an intimate session exploring functional mushrooms, energy, sleep, and what modern wellness can actually look like in real life. If you have been curious about functional mushrooms in London, this is a very good place to start.
Gemma’s Introduction to Functional Mushrooms? It Started With a Cup of Tea
Gemma’s introduction to functional mushrooms was not clinical or complicated. It was instinctive, the kind of feeling you cannot quite explain, only notice. She was in Ibiza, early morning, that hazy light that feels a little too bright after a long night. No sleep, barefoot in a quiet kitchen, everything still slightly out of focus. Someone handed her a cup of chaga tea, no explanation, just a quiet suggestion to try it. “I remember just thinking… what is this? I felt so grounded.” Not energised in a sharp or jittery way, just a sense of calm clarity. Steady, present, back in her body.
At that point, she had never even heard of chaga. It was not something she had been seeking out, but something about that moment stayed with her, subtle but distinct enough to return to. Back home in London, that curiosity deepened gradually. She started reading, trying different mushrooms, paying attention to how she felt, noticing small changes that over time felt significant. Fewer dips in energy, a stronger sense of balance, less of the background noise you do not always realise you are carrying.
It was not a quick fix, it was a quiet accumulation. A cup in the morning, another in the evening, days turning into weeks, weeks into something more consistent. And then, almost without realising, the shift happened. “They just became part of my everyday.” Not a trend, not a phase, just something that fit.
Food, But Deeper
Before Mama Shrooms, Gemma was a chef. And that lens has never really left her. It shapes how she thinks, how she creates, and how she understands wellness at its core.
“Food has always been everything to me. It was never just about cooking. It was about care. About instinct. About the way something as simple as a meal can shift how you feel, almost immediately.”
But Gemma’s relationship with food deepened in a way she had not expected. During a more difficult chapter in her life, navigating multiple miscarriages, food became something else entirely. Less about routine. Less about what was convenient. More about what could support her. She started looking at food as something that could actually help her heal.
This shift was intentional and became quite significant as she was attuned to how different ingredients made her feel, not just in the moment, but over time. That was when she began moving towards a more plant focused way of eating. Not from restriction, but from curiosity. From wanting to feel better in her body. To soften the impact of stress. To create some sense of steadiness during a time that felt anything but. And she noticed the difference.
“I started to notice the shift in small, quiet ways. My energy felt more consistent. My stress levels began to ease. I felt more supported in my body, more resilient. It was never about being perfect. It was just about paying attention.”
Over time, that way of eating became second nature. Something intuitive. Something she returned to without thinking. It is a philosophy that feels very aligned with what we do at GoodGood Studio. Wellness that integrates into your life quietly. That meets you where you are. That supports you without asking for more than you can give. Not something you have to perform. Just something that works.
What Are Functional Mushrooms?
Functional mushrooms are non psychoactive mushrooms used to support different areas of the body, from focus and energy to sleep and immunity. There is often confusion here. They are not psychedelic. They are not about microdosing.
“Functional mushrooms are simply a more natural way to support how you feel, something that has been part of traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and is now finding its place in modern wellness routines across London.”
The Functional Mushrooms to Know
If you are new to functional mushrooms, it can feel like a lot. It does not need to be. Here are the more common types of functional mushrooms and their benefits:
Lion’s Mane supports focus and clarity
Chaga supports immunity and overall wellbeing
Reishi supports sleep and recovery
Tremella supports hydration and skin health
Cordyceps supports energy and stamina
“They all have their place. I always say, just focus on what you need.”
Turning Functional Mushrooms Into a Ritual
What makes Mama Shrooms feel different to me is how Gemma approaches it. Gemma’s approach isn’t about adding another supplement to your routine. It is about creating something you actually look forward to.
A morning blend that helps you ease into the day. An evening drink that signals it is time to slow down. It is subtle, but it changes everything.
“I always think about what I am eating and drinking first. That is where this fits.”
Why Gemma Created Mama Shrooms
The idea for Mama Shrooms did not come from a business plan. It came from a moment in life that felt off balance. For Gemma, that moment was perimenopause.
Energy that once felt steady began to dip, almost predictably, in the middle of the afternoon. Sleep, which had always been something she could rely on, became lighter, more fragmented. Not dramatically at first. Just enough to notice. Enough to feel the accumulation over time.
“It was that feeling of not quite being yourself.”
There is a subtle frustration in that. When nothing is technically wrong, but everything feels slightly harder than it should. She found herself looking for something that could support her through it. Not something extreme. Not something that required overthinking.
“I wanted something simple that actually worked. Something I could reach for in the morning without questioning it and something to gently support me in the evening, without adding another layer of complexity to her day.”
So she created it. A day blend to carry her through those slower afternoons. To bring back a sense of clarity, focus, and sustained energy. And a night blend to help her soften into the evening. To support deeper rest. To feel, again, like sleep was something she could return to.
For Gemma, it was never about doing more. It was about doing less, more intentionally. Something easy to integrate. Something that felt realistic. Something that could quietly become part of everyday life.
Where to Start
If you are exploring functional mushrooms, the best place to begin is not with everything at once, but with how you feel right now. Not how you think you should feel, or what someone else is doing, just your own baseline. If your energy feels low, start there. If your sleep feels off, begin there. There is no need to overcomplicate it. Choose one area and let that be your focus.
From there, keep it simple and intentional. Let it fold into your day in a way that feels natural, something you reach for in the morning without thinking, or return to in the evening as a way to slow down. No pressure, no perfection. Just small, consistent moments that begin to add up. Because that is where the shift actually happens.
Wellness can feel like a lot at the moment, especially in a city like London where there is always something more to optimise, more to add in, more to keep up with. It is easy for it to become overwhelming. Gemma’s approach is much quieter than that. “It is small things, done daily, that make you feel better.” A walk, a good meal, a moment to pause. Nothing excessive, nothing performative, just what works. That is enough. It is also very much how we think about things at GoodGood Studio, creating space for movement, connection, and small, consistent shifts that actually last.
Join Us This Saturday at GoodGood Studio in Wimbledon
We are bringing this conversation into the studio.
Join us at GoodGood Studio in Wimbledon for an intimate session with Gemma Ogston from Mama Shrooms, exploring functional mushrooms, daily rituals, and how to support your energy and sleep in a way that feels natural.
Spaces are limited.
