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BE HEALTHY WITH BEE PRODUCTS
Article by herbalist
Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
Due to the upcoming Honey Festival, I
thought it would be appropriate to write about the
benefits of bee products. Most of us think
only of honey when it comes to bees, but this
article will also discuss other different bee products
like bee pollen, propolis and
royal jelly. Bee products have been used since
ancient times for medicinal purposes, and that
knowledge has provided research into the value of these
substances
Let’s begin with
Honey. It is a natural sugar source
that many of you put into teas, on toast, or include in
recipes. It is considered the nectar of the Gods,
and it consists mainly of glucose and fructose. It
contains Vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, E, K,
and Beta Carotene as well as minerals and enzymes. The
medicinal properties of honey include the
ability to heal wounds; fight inflections; suppress dry
cough; and treat ulcers, canker sores, high blood pressure,
and constipation; and it has antibiotic and
antiviral properties. It
also helps to break up excessive mucus. According to C.
Leigh Broadhurst, Ph.D. there
are four mechanisms proposed for honey’s healing
properties:
Honey’s sugars are strongly attracted to water,
forming a type of syrup. When spread onto a burn
or wound, honey absorbs water
and bodily fluids, thus inhibiting bacterial and
fungal growth.
Raw honey contains an enzyme
“glucose oxidase”;
and when in the presence of water, it produces
hydrogen peroxide (a mild antiseptic). This
enzyme is heat and light sensitive; thus, cooked honey does
not work in this application.
Raw honey contains bee pollen
and propolis that
stimulate tissue growth.
Additional constituents like essential oils,
flavanoids, and polyphenols
give honey some of its healing properties.
The only cautions
with the use of honey involve infants and diabetics.
Otherwise, it is very agreeable for most people. We prefer
to use uncooked local honey for best results. Remember to
cherish this nectar as it takes the lifework of 12 bees to
make one teaspoon of honey!
The next bee
product is Bee Pollen. Pollen is the primary
food of bees and is rich in nutrients. It is
considered a complete protein, contains
numerous vitamins including B vitamins, minerals and
numerous phytochemicals. Of
course, the make-up of pollen is dependent on the plant
life in the vicinity of the hives. Bee pollen is
considered an energy and nutritive
tonic and is used for longevity, endurance,
recovery from illness, aiding in addictions, reducing the
craving for sugars, building blood, alleviating hay fever
and allergies, and stimulating immunity. The optimal dose
of pollen is based on individual need. It is
recommended for airborne allergies if it is
local pollen, but one caution is to try very small amounts
at first to see how one will react. Higher amounts are
needed once you know that it can be consumed.
Anywhere from 6-15 grams can
be consumed at a time. When eating bee pollen, consider
that it takes one bee working eight hours a day for one
month to gather a 6-gram dose. Each bee pollen
pellet contains over 2 million flower pollen grains.
I use pollen from an organic source and love to put it into
an energy shake once a day.
Bee
Propolis
is mainly made up of tree resins that the bees
use like putty to seal cracks and openings in the hive,
strengthen the comb, and seal brood cells.
Propolis also sterilizes the
hive and helps protect the bees from infections. More than
180 compounds have been identified and many are considered
biologically active. Propolis
has exhibited anti-inflammatory, antioxidant,
anti-allergenic, and antimutagenic
properties.
Propolis
contains organic acids that give it
antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral properties
as well. In cultures it has inhibited the growth
of viruses and fungi including herpes,
influenza, candida and
aspergillus, bacteria including
E coli, staph and strep. It is
also known to enhance the effectiveness of certain
antibiotics, and it can be taken in conjunction with other
prescribed medications. Propolis
has been used in the following conditions: Wounds, ulcers,
upper respiratory inflections, and for tissue growth.
The final bee
product we will discuss is Royal Jelly. Royal
jelly is a thick creamy fluid made by nurse bees’ bodies
during the digestion of bee pollen and secreted by glands
located in their heads. Royal jelly is the
exclusive food for the queen bee, and it is fed
to new bee larvae for just three days.
Royal jelly
contains a substance called HDA, a hydroxyl
fatty acid, collagen, lecithin, Vitamins A, C, D, E,
pantothenic acid,
acetylcholine, estradiol,
testosterone and live enzymes. Royal jelly has
been shown to strengthen the bodies
glandular system. It has been used effectively
to treat malnutrition in children, arthritis, leukemia,
skin disorders, high cholesterol and obesity.
As you can see, bee products
have many benefits for us. You can consider bee products
as valuable sources of nutrients for many preventive
purposes as well when we have certain conditions.
These substances
come in many shapes and sizes from powders,
liquids, and capsules. Remember the bee when using these
substances and be mindful of the work involved. As with
any substance, it is advisable to consult with your health
care practitioner when considering them for therapeutic
benefits
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