Vitality, Longevity and Strength: the secret wellness routine of Bhutan Royalty
Kathleen McCaul Moura
Cordyceps are an almost magical combination of fungus and caterpillar, revered for centuries by the Bhutanese for their health-giving properties, known locally in the pristine mountain ranges as ‘winter worm, summer grass’. A local Himalayan parasite infects caterpillars beneath the earth, growing inside their heads and forcing them to the surface, where the fungal parasite bursts from the dead caterpillar, sprouting as a golden mushroom. First discovered by Bhutanese Yak herders, who found these mushrooms made their animals healthier and stronger, local doctors soon realised these fungi had powerful medicinal benefits for humans. Cordyceps ability to enhance vitality, strengthen the immune system and promote good ageing made these mushrooms a cherished part of Bhutanese culture and integral to the health routine of Bhutan’s Royal Family for centuries.
New scientific research into Cordyceps has confirmed many of the findings of the ancient Bhutanese doctors. Clinical trials have proved that the fungus really can enhance immune function, reduce fatigue and benefit athletic performance, as well as modulating stress response in humans and increasing libido. The contemporary wellness community have, in recent years, embraced the mushroom as a ‘superfood’ for its myriad of potential health properties, with Cordyceps now offered in tea, pill and powder form. Cordyceps have also become popular in modern skin care for their antioxidant, hydrating, anti-inflammatory and collagen boosting properties, increasingly integrated into serums, moisturisers and essences.
However, Cordyceps in their original and most potent form are still harvested in the painstaking, traditional way, as they have been for centuries. Whole families decamp to the mountain grasslands for the summer season, scouring the land for the golden blooms which they then gouge carefully from the ground. Increasing global demand for these mushrooms combined with the difficulty in harvesting Cordyceps have made these fungi some of the most expensive in the world. Overharvesting and commercialisation have become a problem across the Tibetan plateau, in countries including Nepal, Tibet, China and India. In Bhutan, however, where Lan Health Cordyceps is harvested, strict laws keep the mushroom protected. The highest quality and best Cordyceps are now known to come from Bhutan because of the cleanliness of it’s environment, where the fungi can thrive in unpolluted soils
In the new world of holistic and alternative medicine, Cordyceps is a clear example of the wisdom and expertise of ancient traditions as well as nature’s profound ability to keep us healthy. Like all Lan Health products, our Cordyceps can be purchased and consumed knowing that they are not only the very best that are available in the world, but that they have been harvested under strict and sustainable laws, ensuring that these magical fungi will available for our consumption, hopefully for centuries to come.
