Health Benefits

The healing effects of bee related products is known as Apitherapy

 

Apitherapy is as old as beekeeping itself. It was written about by Hippocrates, and there are many mentions of it in 2,000 year old Chinese texts. Apitherapy began as part of folk medicine and continues to be used today to treat a range of conditions and diseases as well as to promote overall health and well-being. In some southern European countries, apitherapy is a medically recognized treatment. Apitherapy includes the use of honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, and bee venom.

BEE POLLEN

What IS HONEYBEE Pollen?

Pollen is the male element of the flowers and is necessary (for the fertilization of the plant and continuation of the species. The honeybee is directly responsible for over 80% of all vital pollinization.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

NATURAL WEIGHT CONTROL – 1 oz. of honeybee pollen 10-15 minutes before eating stabilizes faulty metabolism, often involved in unhealthy weight gain or loss. Rich in lecithin pollen causes a speedy increase in calorie burning. Antiputrefactive effect benefits digestion.

COMPLETE NUTRITION – Honeybee pollen gives you all essential nutrients, all vitamins, all minerals, enzymes and trace elements needed lor glowing good health and vitality.

SKIN RESTORATIVE POWER – Exhaustive studies abroad show honeybee pollen can improve unhealthy and/or aging skin when taken internally. Eliminates acne and clears unattractive age spots. plumps wrinkles. The clear skin of youth and health comes from within.

INCREASES RED BLOOD CELLS  – Studies show that honeybee pollen increases vital oxygen-carrying red blood cells up lo 25% You feel better when your circulation is better.

INCREASES RECOVERY POWER – Two year research program at Pratt Institute in New York shows that pollen improves the crucial recovery power of athletes after stressed performance. Just think what it can do for you daily.

THE POWER OF STEROIDS – Honeybee pollen-power outpowers harmful steroids without chemical side effects. “Honeybee pollen is the greatest body-builder on earth, contributing not one ounce to obesity or excess fat and should be the cornerstone for every weight-loss diet.” says F. Huber, German naturalist.

INCREASED SEXUAL STAMINA – Some magazine reports pollen contains natural hormonal substances which stimulate and nourish the reproductive systems of both men and women, with a direct impact on sexual ability.

LONG LIVES ARE ATTAINED BY BEE POLLEN USERS. “It is one of the original treasure-houses of nutrition and medicine.” says Dr. Joirich of the USSR.

Recommended use:
Take a teaspoonful of bee pollen granules daily

HOW IS POLLEN COLLECTED?

The honeybee fills her pollen baskets, one on each rear leg, with these golden grains on every trip back and forth from the hive. Pollen is a microscopically-fine dust and is mixed with honey by the bee for transport. The bee passes through a series of screens in the pollen trap as she enters the hive, resulting In approximately 60% of the pollen granules being brushed into the pollen-drawer for harvest by the beekeeper.

The honeybee instinctively collects only the freshest and most potent pollen from those available. As there are numerous varieties of flowers In bloom at any given time, so the pollen collection varies with the season, resulting in all colors of pollen with differing and distinctive taste, some sweet and some bitter. The overall taste of most pollens is slightly bitter. Although pollen is a food – not a drug – it should be eaten because it ‘s good FOR you, not because it tastes good!

BEE POLLEN – COMPOSITE ANALYSIS

PROTEIN
THE BUILDING BLOCKS of LIFE

Since the inborn instinct of the honeybee is to collect only the highest-quality most nutritious pollens, protein content of the the collected pollen averages 20-25%, half are essential free amino acids (complete protein).

*Isoleucine 4 5% Alanine
*Leucine 6.7% Arginine 4.7%
*Lysine 8.7% Aspartic Acid
*Methionine 1.8% Cystine 0.6%
*Phenylalanine 3.9% Glutamic Acid 1%
*Threonine 1% Glycine
*Tryptophan 1.3% Histidine
*Valine 5.7% Proline
Serine
Tyrosine
*Essential Amino Acids.

VITAMINS ARE VITAL

Pollen is reported lo be the richest  food source known in all vitamins. Remember, a diet deficient in only one nutrient can result in ill health and disease.

A (Carotenoid) 5-9 Mg Per Gram
B1 (Thiamine) 92 Mg Per Gram
B2 (Riboflavin) 18.5 Mg Per Gram
B3 (Niacin)
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 20-50 Mg Per Gram
B6 (Pyndoxine) 5 Mg Per Gram
C (Ascorbic Acid) 7-15 Mg Per Gram
D
E (Tokopheral)
Folic Acid 5-8 Mg Per Gram
Rutin 16 Mg Per Gram
Plus: B12 (Cyanocobalamin), Inositol. Biotin, Nicotinic Acid

MINERALS and TRACE ELEMENTS

All minerals have been found in pollen, plus vital trace elements necessary for health. Mineral content averages 2.7% and Includes:

Calcium 1-15% of Ash
Magnesium 1-12% of Ash
Phosphorus 1-20% of Ash
Manganese 1-4% of Ash
Iron 0.1-13% of Ash
Silica 2-10% of Ash
Copper 05-08% of Ash
Sulfur 1% of Ash
Potasium 20-45% of Ash
Plus: Titanium, Selenium, Iodine, Chlorine, Boron, Zinc, Molybdenum
There are 22 basic elements in the human body. Enzymes, Hormones, Vitamins, Amino Acids, and others – Which must be renewed by nutrient intake, no one food contains them all . . except Bee Pollen!

 

HEALTH AUTHORITIES SAY…

Dr. Betty Lee Morales says, “Bee Pollen is the only known food which contains every essential nutrient needed by mankind for perfect health. This fact  can hardly be disputed since it has been proved by analysis in the laboratories of the world many times.”

Dr. Leo Conway, by 1972 had treated over 60,000 verified cases of allergies with bee pollen and says, “I believe pollen immunization can be achieved by incorporating pollen in food.” Resistance is built by continuing ingestion of bee-gathered (entemophile) pollens from any location.

Steven Blauer, Hippocrates Health Institute says, “Pollen minimizes, reduces or eliminates craving for heavy concentrated protein. An additional benefit is that pollen self-digests, aiding in the healthy digestion of other food as well.”

Dr. G.J.. Binding, British scientist says, “Pollen is a giant germ-killer in which bacteria simply cannot exist and not only builds up strength and energy. but gives increased resistance to infection.”

Lars-Erik Essen, MD Swedish Dermatologist says, “Pollen has a profound biological effect preventing premature aging of the cells and promoting growth of new tissue. It smooths away wrinkles and stimulates blood supply to all skin cells.”

Dr. Maurice Hanssen,  British researcher says, “Pollen should be part of the ideal ‘athletes  diet’, a diet pattern which produces maximum performance with no harmful side effects. Pollen is rich in micro-elements that may not be present in the normal diet. The prescription of pollen allows the trace elements lo be incorporated in the body without excessive loss.”

Dr. Howard H. Hillman, Director, Lee Foundation for Nutritional research says, “Virgil, Hippocrates and Pliny all considered pollen lo contain the secret against old age.”


 

HONEY

Honey – Our old friend keeps getting better
By Gina Mohammed, Ph.D.  mohammed@onlink.net

One of my life’s purest pleasures is a crockery mug of steaming tea sweetened with golden honey. With that comfort in hand, I can tackle just about anything — or gratefully do absolutely nothing. But what really sweetens the pot is knowing the honey in my tea is at work even if I’m not. In this liquid gold, I find a cache of antioxidants, a digestive aid, a detoxifier and even a soothing balm for wounds, all rolled into one delightful concoction.

Honey is the ultimate in products derived from herbs. Fashioned through an ingenious alliance between animal and plant kingdoms, honey delivers a diverse array of phytochemicals in one package. This bounty arrives courtesy of the industrious honeybee, who visits some 2 million flowers to manufacture just one pound of honey.

Honey of a History

Since ancient times, people have used honey as medicine. Hippocrates recommended it for optimal health. The Egyptians, and many people since, used it as a wound treatment. Old texts heralded honey as a salve for eye ailments and a restorative in complaints of the heart, kidneys, liver and lungs. Today, honey with lemon is still a favorite for colds and sore throats.

Nowadays, we are uncovering much about the nature of honey and its actions. For instance, it really does help heal wounds. A randomized clinical study published in the journal Burns found honey salve healed superficial burns more effectively and quickly, and with less inflammation, than a standard treatment of silver sulfadiazine. Honey helps wounds in several ways. Its high viscosity deters infection; its sugar draws lymph out of the wound; it stimulates formation of new blood capillaries and connective tissues; and it’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. A recent study found that antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which can infect wounds, succumb readily to honey.

Antibacterial Ally

Most common honeys derive their antibacterial activity from hydrogen peroxide, produced by an enzyme naturally present in honey. But others – notably the Leptospermum species from New Zealand and Australia – battle bacteria with rather mysterious non-peroxide components. Leptospermum honeys are now approved as therapeutic honeys by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (equivalent to the Food and Drug Administration in the United States) and are marketed under such names as Medihoney and Active Manuka honey.

But honey is not antagonistic to all bacteria. Scientists at Michigan State University added it to fermented dairy products and found honey enhanced the growth, activity and viability of certain bifidobacteria, bacteria believed to help sustain a healthy gastrointestinal tract. Fermented dairy products are used to deliver bifidobacteria to the GI tract, but the products’ microbial strength is often diminished during dairy processing and storage. The investigators suggest this could make honey the sweetener of choice in many foods. Honey’s fermentable carbohydrates, including oligosaccharides, may be the keys to this action.

Antioxidant Power

Honey also hosts a horde of antioxidants. These consist of a symphony of phenolics (plant-based chemicals), peptides, organic acids, enzymes and other constituents performing in concert. For instance, the flavonoid  pinocembrin is unique to honey and supercedes other antioxidants in concentration.

From a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, we now know the antioxidant activity of honey is comparable to that of many fruits and vegetables on a fresh-weight basis. And while you likely will not devour a cup of honey in lieu of broccoli, the golden liquid may be a respectable alternative to sugar and a pleasant way to supplement your diet with antioxidants. Researchers at the University of Illinois studied 25 healthy men who consumed various combinations of hot water, buckwheat honey, black tea and sugar. They found that serum antioxidant capacity increased by 7 percent within two hours of ingesting 2 cups of hot water containing about 4 tablespoons of honey. Those antioxidants also may help your arteries: Honey reduces oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (known as “bad” cholesterol), a benefit which likely thwarts development of atherosclerosis.

The color of honey hints at its antioxidant capacity. The rule is: Darker is better. For instance, buckwheat honey has 5.5 times more antioxidant strength than the very light acacia variety, and other honeys of intermediate color are arrayed in between. But rules can be broken. A University of Illinois researcher found that sweet-clover honey, though fairly light, was rich in antioxidants, whereas a dark golden mesquite honey was relatively poor. Other factors that can influence antioxidant content, particularly within a species, are climate, soil, processing, handling and storage. Color also indicates mineral content, which ranges from 0.04 percent in pale honeys to 0.2 percent in some dark ones.

But the story doesn’t end there. Pinostrobin, another flavonoid from honey, apparently is a potent inducer of certain enzymes that deactivate carcinogens. Known as mammalian phase 2 detoxification enzymes, they help to destroy the reaction centers of carcinogens or assist in their elimination from the body. Researchers reporting in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry tested 35 honeys and found they all elevated enzyme activity, with buckwheat honey at the top of the list. (But note that cruciferous vegetables were 10 times more potent inducers than buckwheat honey.)

These benefits make honey a queen among sweeteners and are enticements to sampling its myriad varieties – from more than 300 plant sources in the United States alone!

Use Honey Safely

Do not feed honey (even pasteurized honey) to children younger than 1 year old, as honey may contain the botulism agent Clostridium botulinum. The bacterium, while inactive in honey, can multiply in a baby’s undeveloped digestive system. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before using honey.

Getting the Best Honey

Honey can be damaged by too much heat, which can destroy its antibacterial properties. Pasteurization, in which honey is heat-treated to prevent fermentation by yeasts and to delay crystallization, is therefore a concern. Whipped honey also may be problematic, as a double-heating method usually is used to produce these spreadable products. However, the impact of heat treatment and filtration on antioxidant capacity of honey is not well understood. Some antioxidants may be destroyed, and others created. Storage temperature and the honey’s container also can have complex effects. A safe guideline is to store honey either below 52 degrees or at 70 to 80 degrees, in airtight containers.

Honey proclaimed as organic can be found, but it’s almost impossible to ensure against contamination, either by wind or by bee travel, of the bees’ forage by non-organic pollen. Newly proposed guidelines in Canada, for example, specify a 3.5-km buffer between apiaries and prohibited substances (including genetically modified organisms), which beekeepers consider unfeasible.

A recent concern has been the contamination of bulk honey imported from China with chloramphenicol, a potentially harmful human antibiotic that can cause aplastic anemia. Chinese honey or its blends have been recalled and are being detained at Canadian and U.S. Customs if they contain this antibiotic.

Gina Mohammed, Ph.D. mohammed@onlink.net, is a plant physiologist in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. She is author of Catnip and Kerosene Grass — What Plants Teach Us About Life (Candlenut Books, 2002). 

PROPOLIS

(From the Greek pro=before, polis=city, referring to its use in partially closing the entrance to the colony – bee city)

 

Bee Propolis, Nature’s Antibiotic

What is Bee Propolis? Commonly reffered to as bee glue, Bees collect resinous saps from trees and treat it with their own enzymes to create propolis. Beekeepers use a special tool to pry hives apart because the bees are constantly applying this sticky substance to seal cracks and holes in the hive,  but it’s a lot more than just bee glue.  Often Called “Natures penicillin,” bee propolis has effective antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antibiotic properties. So much so in fact that the bee hive is a more sterile environment than hospitals despite having up to 60,000 bees crammed together. Hippocrates, the father of medicine knew about the healing  properties of propolis almost 2,500 years ago.

What’s in it? This gummy substance is comprised of about 50% resin and balsam, 40 % wax, with the last 10% varying, dependent upon the foliage source. Researchers have  identified over 180 compounds, with many being biologically active.  All known vitamins with the exception of Vitamin K, all 14 minerals the human body requires for normal function with the exception of Sulphur and 16 amino acids. Flavonoids are also abundant, counting over 38, all have antiinflamitory, spasmolytic, antiallergenic, antioxidant, anti mutagenic, antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral and/or  antibacterial properties…….WOW!

What will it do for me? Propolis is known to be a safe, natural supplement, producing no known negative side  effects, and when taken regularly can create a positive reaction to almost any disease. Like the critters that create it, propolis has a long list of benefits and applications for humans ranging from a toothpaste additive to prevent bad breath to the inhibition of cancerous growths.  Bee propolis is a naturally occurring antibiotic and works as many antibiotic drugs do, it inhibits bacterial cell division and destroys their ability to protect themselves. However unlike man made antibiotics , propolis eliminate’s toxins and pollutants while not only killing viruses but preventing their reproduction, all this without the fear of    creating superbugs like other antibiotics.  In a world where antibiotics are routinely overprescribed, propolis may be your very best natural defense against illness and   chronic disease.

How do i use it? A few drops in the morning mixed with honey is all it takes to boost the immune system, if your body is fighting sickness or disease this dose should be upped to 3 x a day. If prescription antibiotics must be used, propolis works synergistically to boost the effectiveness of the prescription, while strengthening the body and drastically  reducing recovery times. Propolis can also be used as a very effective liquid bandage, simply apply the tincture directly to a wound and let dry, the propolis will actually hold the wound closed and provide a antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral envelope around the wound. You will be truly amazed with the speed that wounds heal!