The domain of shilajit is pretty vast. As we have seen so far it’s innumerable benefits for humankind ranging from internal health issues like that of the heart, and brain, hormones for all genders, or shilajit’s external application for skin and hair issues. The story doesn’t end here. There is still a lot to unravel in the mystery of shilajit.
Shilajit is a natural concentrate of plants of the regions of the Himalayas and is found in the Himalayan ranges in India, Nepal, Pakistan, China, Tibet, and Scandinavia. It has also now been discovered in the Altai Mountains in central Asia, Russia, Afghanistan, and now in the north of Chile, named Andean Shilajit. You may have seen that there are different varieties of shilajit sold worldwide. Pure shilajit is available in several different types. These types are categorized according to the region they originated from and also from their appearance/color. To truly understand shilajit let us take a look at the source of shilajit which are the mountains.
HIMALAYAN SHILAJIT
The Himalayas stretch across the northeastern portion of India. They cover approximately 1,500 mi (2,400 km) and pass through the nations of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Bhutan and Nepal. The Himalayan range is made up of three parallel ranges often referred to as the Greater Himalayas, the Lesser Himalayas, and the Outer Himalayas. The Himalayas are rich in biodiversity. Climates range from tropical at the base of the mountains to perennial snow and ice at the highest elevations.
The raw Shilajit originates at altitudes between 16,000 and 18,000 feet on these mountains. Due to the high altitude and short gathering period, the Shilajit from remote Himalayan region of India near the Tibetan border is extremely rare. The environment is immaculate and free from pollutants, fertilizers and chemicals. During the summer months, the temperature of the mountains gets warm enough to allow the Himalayan Shilajit to become more gooey and viscous. It can be seen gleaming between the nooks and crannies in the layers of rock and this is when the local people of the area carefully collect the precious substance by hand. Pure Himalayan Shilajit from this particular region and altitude is highly valued by Ayurvedic specialists and is considered to possess the greatest healing power.
When purified, all types of Shilajit will look virtually the same, a black gooey resin, and in order to sure that you are getting the highest the type of rock it is from is of most importance. Like red or gold rock for gold Shilajit, black for black Shilajit, etc. The highest grade comes from a rock that is red and gold in color while the lower grades come from black, grey and brown rocks. Gold Shilajit is the most potent and the other ones need special preparation and added herbs to get the full potential out of them. Gold Shilajit can only be obtained from the highest and most remote places in the Himalayas and hence is of rare quality.
ALTAI MOUNTAIN SHILAJIT
Altai Mountains, spreading approximately 1,200 miles (2,000 km) in a southeast-northwest direction from the Gobi (Desert) to the West Siberian Plain, through China, Mongolia, Russia, and Kazakhstan. The serrated mountain ridges derive their name from the Turkic-Mongolian Altan, meaning “golden.” In the past these mountains were remote and sporadically populated; but in the 20th century they were opened to extensive resource exploitation, and the ancient ways of life of the local peoples have been rapidly transformed. (Nikolay Ivanovich Mikhaylov, Lewis Owen)
These regions not only provide high elevation, but also have a rich flora and fauna with little pollution which makes the perfect environment for Shilajit to form. The blackish-brown exudate is obtained from steep rocks at a high altitude of 14,000 feet. Raw Mumio can be found in places over 1000 m above the sea level such as caves, crevices and rock cavities, in the form of penetrations or collections of icicles in dry places that are sheltered from wind and sun. People have reported that it can form in such a thick mass, that it starts forming stalagmites and even forms large pools of this rich crusty resin. Sites like this provide the main source of Altai Shilajit for locals to collect the best possible natural resin.
It is pertinent to note here that both Himalayan and Altai Shilajit show the same advantageous properties. But we cannot deny the fact there is also Shilajit available that has a reduced mineral composition, but it’s worth noting that both of these Shilajits’ final potency comes from purification process. This essentially means that it is really important the drying process is handled carefully, keeping in view the fact that the temperature is low and slow so as not to destroy the potent ingredients. The cleaning of the product should only include purest spring water and last but not the least the storage conditions should be faultless.
THE SELECTION
All this discussion comes to the conclusion then that how to select which shilajit to buy? An inquiry with your preferred company about how they handle the whole processing of Shilajit and where they get it should be the best course of action. A few necessary lab tests that show the quality of the product is just what is needed to convince you of the company’s integrity.
Shilajit you buy should be approved by all the necessary standards and have everything to back up their claim of quality. Not only that, but we also advise you to stay away from powders, capsules, and every Shilajit that can’t even pinpoint their source, since its highly likely that you’re dealing with an inferior product.
Choosing a reputable source, like shilajit USA is very important for the supplement to be effective and safe. Shilajit USA directly sources shilajit above 18,000 ft. from the Himalayan range near K2 Mountain. We only select the best gold grade and discard all other material that is of inferior quality. Purified at source using ancient techniques, glacial water and sun; we are privileged to introduce the K2 Himalayan Gold graded shilajit – the finest standard you can buy. Our Shilajit is fair traded where villagers are earning full value for their hard work and we are supporting communities by giving back a percentage of our sales for health care and education. We are making a difference in people’s lives and now you have an opportunity to make a difference too by choosing us.
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/768/
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/the-himalayas-himalayas-facts/6341/