How healthy is Yarsagumba?
We have heard and seen that people risk their lives to pick Yarsagumba in the Himalayas of Nepal. Yarsagumba is sold in foreign countries from Nepal at the price of lakhs.
It can be understood that Yarsagumba is precious. It is full of health-enhancing, strength-enhancing and disease-fighting abilities. Many diseases that can affect the body can be cured with the correct use of Yarsagumba. It is used not only in Ayurveda but also in allopathic medicine.
Is Yarsagumba a plant or an insect?
Yarsagumba is made from a combination of Jhusilkeera and Dhusi. In summer it is like a weed, in winter it remains as an insect. There is an influx of mushroom species in Jhusilkeera. After this mound grows, it is called Yarsagumba. Therefore, it is also called a combination of flora and fauna.
Yarsagumba is the name given by the Himalayan language. Yarsa means plant and Gumbu means insect. Some people call it the second form of Sanjeevani Booti. Some have even named it the sexually stimulating Himalayan Viagra. The scientific name of Yarsagumba is 'cardiac sinuses'.
What elements are found?
Yarsagumba contains cordycepin and other chemical substances such as nucleoside, cordycepic acid, amino acid, fatty acid, polysaccharide, vitamin B12, B, B1, carbohydrate, glucose, protein, sterol, melanin.
Recent scientific research has confirmed that some of the chemical elements found in it are also useful in cancer and tumor treatment.
How is it prepared as an herb?
When living underground as an insect, the infection is caused by the spores of Ophicordiceps sinensis. After the spore enters the body of the larva, the spore turns into a filamentous cell (like a thread) and starts spreading throughout the body of the larva.
The mycelium absorbs food from the larva's body and makes it hollow and spreads its body inside the larva's body. Finally, the larva dies after attacking the head. From the head of the dead larva grows a stalk-like part, which averages two to four inches long, and is brown in color. When the snow starts to melt in the spring, people collect such stems.
During collection, the parts with insects are removed from the ground by digging with a stick or finger. And after cleaning it can be prepared as a medicine by drying it in cold for some time.
In which area is it found?
It is found at an altitude of 3,600 meters to 5,000 meters above sea level. There are 100 species of Yarsagumba all over the world, while only 21 species of Yarsagumba are found in China, 7 in India and 2 in Nepal.
Yarsagumba is found in Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Gorkha, Darchula, Bajhang, Bajura, Jumla, Humla, Mugu, Dolpa, Manang, Sindhupalchok, Rasuwa, Dolakha and other districts of Nepal.
Which is exported from Nepal to Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, UK and USA.
How did you find it?
The existence of Yarsagumba has been found in Nepal since mythological times. It was used by the Sherpas of the Himalayas. Yarchagumba, which is being used as a different herb, has not been discovered for the first time.
The credit for collecting Yarsagumba for the first time goes to Polunin Cycle and William who came to collect plants on behalf of the British Museum London in 1952. They found a very valuable yarsagumba from Chakhur Lake at an altitude of 4,200 meters and took it away.
In Tibet, it has been pounded and used as a medicine for hundreds of years. It has been used in asthma, liver, heart and kidney diseases under Chinese medicine.
At that time, its discussion was limited. There is an interesting anecdote in the spread of the discussion of Yarsagumba.
In 1993, three Chinese women athletes won the title at the World Track and Field Championships in Germany. They maintained five world records in the 1,500, 3,000 and 10,000 meter races. After the coach revealed that the secret of such a player's excellent performance is to consume Yarsagumba during daily practice, its discussion spread around the world. Along with its discussion, its price has also increased.
Legend
There is a legend that when Lakshmana was injured by an arrow in the battle between Rama and Ravana, Hanuman woke up Lakshmana by feeding him Sanjeevani booti from the northern Himalayas of Nepal. The Sanjeevani Buti is compared to the current Yarsagumba.
Uses of Yarsagumba
Earlier in Nepal, it was used locally in the Himalayan regions for the treatment of diarrhea, headache, hand and knee pain. Eating it mixed with bee honey and milk is believed to increase stamina. Also, it is believed that if its powder is eaten with boiled milk, it will fulfill the deficiency of vitamins.
However, it is now used as an anti-cancer drug, kidney, semen quality, cholesterol, metabolism regulation, back pain, blood circulation, swelling reduction and heart medicine. It is also used as a medicine for anemia, chronic asthma, tumor patients, bone marrow problems.
Yarsagumba is also used in some people who are taking radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It is also used in male and female infertility. As mentioned in WebMD, it is used for respiratory problems, lung infections, frequent urination at night, high cholesterol and ringing in the ears.
Hepatitis B virus, drug-induced kidney damage It is also used in cases. It is also used in mental problems. But how much is used in mental problems? No substantial evidence has been received.
It is also used as an aphrodisiac. Regular intake of yarsagumba by men increases the amount of ketosteroid in the urine. This element increases the production of sex hormones, including androgen and testosterone, which increase sexual arousal in men.
According to experts, if Yarsagumba is mixed with 13 other herbs and consumed continuously for three years, one becomes strong, agile and beautiful.
How much can be eaten?
Yarsagumba is available in the market in both tablet and powder forms. Yarsagumba 500 mg tablets can be mixed with milk twice a day and consumed. Similarly, dust can be taken from three to six grams.
It is only in Nepal that Yarsagumba is not registered in the Drug Administration Department. However, Yarsagumba is also found mixed in the production materials like Chewanprash as a supplement.
Side-effects
Yarsagumba is considered a safe herb and medicine. However, taking yarsagumba may cause side-effects during breastfeeding, pregnancy, blood related problems and surgery. Diarrhea, constipation and stomach related problems can sometimes occur while consuming Yarsagumba.