With a total of 88 medals, China came out second in the total medal count in the London Olympics of 2012. A young Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen swam so fast in her final lap that many experts believed that that would not be possible with out some performance enhancing drug. But all the Chinese athletes passed the mandatory drug tests. No trace of substance abuse. Could they still have a secret that western medicine has not been able to detect.

In the spring of 1993, eight female Chinese runners ran faster than the 2:27 previous world record for similar marathon. Chinese athletes have continued to do well.

Many Chinese atheletes are known to take large quantities of Cordyceps, a medicinal mushroom found in the upper Himalayas on Nepal. The Chinese name for for this mushroom is “summer plant, winter worm”. The mushroom grows on the larvae of a moth. During the harvesting season May to early July, many Chinese traders cross the border from Tibet can come to Nepal to buy these herbs. Sold for a $1000 US per KG in the local market, the price can go up to $10,000 in the international market.

The Cordyceps (also known as Yarsagumba) in Nepal are known to be extremely potent because of their growth in an extreme environment. Read the article on uniqueness of Nepali herbs. Is the Chinese sports machine making a consorted effort to buy these herbs from Nepal and providing them to their athletes. It is definitely worth a thought.

Local people first noticed that when their animals grazed in these hills and ate the mushrooms, they became more energized. So the story of the discovery of Yarsagumba. The Chinese have been using these medicinal mushrooms for 500 years as aphrodisiacs.

Here is how Cordyceps could help the athletes:

1. Help the body to relieve stress bringing it back to normal balance. The high pressure of performing well in these games is tremendously stressful to the athletes. An herb which helps to distress them will help the body not relax, sleep well and therefore perform well.

2. It also acts as a tonic and and stamina and strength builder. The advantage to an athlete is tremendous. Especially, if the drug tests do not detect this type of performance enhancing substance.

3. It is also believed that Cordyceps relaxes the respiratory system so that athletes are able to take in more Oxygen by increasing their lung capacity.

Nepali Strain Cordyceps are marketed in the US. Many athletes including swimmers, runners and body builders are slowly experiencing the value of the extraordinary herb which has no known side effect.

For more info on this fascinating herb : nepalhomepage01@gmail.com

It takes 4 days to walk to where the Yarsagumba grows. The route is accessible only by walking. The first camp is at a place called Kothari 3210 m. The second night is spent at Humdumti 3850 m. The thrid camp is at the high pass of Benkulak 4800 meters. The mushroom grows between the Api and Namjug mountains – Darchula. This is the remote areas of Sunsara and Rapla district of Nepal. The herb is also found around Dolpo near the Annapurna range. These medicinal mushrooms are found between the altitude of 3200 – 4500 meters. This is near the snow line where the snow melts in the summer. There is usually snow for six months of the year. The mushroom is usually found in the north facing slope of the mountain. The slope of the mountain is usually 5 to 10 degrees.

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Yarsagumba collection period is about two months. As the snow starts melting in May, the harvesting season starts. The season lasts from May to the first half of July. If they are not collected during this time, they will rot. Yarsagumba is left to dry for a day before cleaning. If cleaned on the same day it turns dark. Dark Yarsagumba doesn’t command a good price.

Price of Yarsagumba is about 80,000 Rs per KG. This is close to a $1000 US. In the international market the price is at lease 10 fold. Between 3500 to 4000 pieces of Yarsagumba is required to make one KG. To collect this amount it takes 5 people a month. It is estimated that 2000 KG of Yarsagumba is harvested per year in this area of Nepal. This amounts to a revenue of Rs 200 to 250 million or about 2.5 million to 3 million US dollars. The government gets Rs 20,000 per KG of Yarsagumba as royalty.

Local impact from this medicinal mushroom has been very visible. Most homes in Dolpa have solar panels now. The revenue generated supplements other sources of income and farming. The food that most of the local people grow lasts only about five to six months of the year.

Non profit organizations like ANSAB (Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources) have been instrumental in providing research and other support to make this revenue source a more sustainable venture.

http://www.ansab.org

http://www.life.illinois.edu/whitfield/pubs/pdfs/Cordyceps.pdf

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/magic-mushrooms-boost-fitness-legally-123500917.html

For further information – please send email to nepalhomepage01@gmail.com

Yarsagumba Cordyceps Collection

1. Most of the herbs found in Nepal are unique to the Himalayas. Even if they are available in other regions of the world, the Nepali strain of these medicinal mushrooms is unique to that part of the world. According to a study performed by Joshi A. R. and D. P. Joshi in 1991 there are 396 species of flora endemic to Nepal. There study titled “Endemic plants of Nepal Himalaya: conservation status and the future direction” was published in Asian Center for Environment Management and Sustainable Development.

2. Many Nepali herbs are 100% natural and fully organic. That is why they are called natural herbal remedies. Neither chemicals nor additives have been added to the herbs. Although they may not have an FDA proof of being organic, the sheer remoteness of the harvested herbs makes it impossible for it not to be organic.

3. More importantly, they have not had any human interventions except for during the time of harvesting. Humans can-not reach these remote areas easily. The region is accessible only during certain season due to snow. There are not that many dwellings above 18,000 feet in the Himalayas. The harsh environment and the low oxygen level make it very difficult for humans to survive, much less live.

4. Himalayan Herbs found in Nepal have high principle constituents (chemicals). These chemicals are unique and high-potent due to the fact that they need to survive and grow in one of the harshest environments in the earth: the Himalayas. Talk about the chemical composition of Yarsa Gumba (Cordyseps) and why the Nepal strain is the most expensive. Many companies in the developed countries tout the “Nepali Strain” of the herbs that they sell. One great example is Cordyseps sold in the US with the label “Nepali Strain”.

Natural Herbal Remedies

Are Chinese athletes doing well because of Yarsagumba. Read the article on how China did so well in the 2012 Olympics in London using performance enhancing herb.

Natural herbal remedies are found in many nutritional supplements. It makes sense to buy those supplements that use the best and most naturally available herbs. For more information on how to import or export herbs from Nepal , please leave us a comment or call us at (415) 857-2612. Our email address is nepalhomepage01@gmail.com.