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Medicinal Uses for Honey, Pollen, and Other Bee Products
Honey and pollen have been forgotten by some in our modern world. But the medicinal value of honey and pollen have been revered by humans over the centuries.Did you know that wax has higher in carotene than carrots? And for individuals suffering from poor circulation in their legs (cold feet), wax can help increase circulation.
To find out more about the medicinal properties of bee products, click one of the following links to read how worthwhile a little honey and pollen, royal jelly and propolis can be.
The Healing Benefits of Honey
About 2500 B.C. the Egyptians had a standard wound salve consisting of grease, honey and fibre. The Assyrians, Greeks, Chinese and Roman employed honey for wounds and diseases of the bowels. Honey was also the most popular Egyptian drug.
Hippocrates prescribed a simple diet using honey, and vinegar (oxymel) for pain, or honey and water (hydromel) for thirst. To treat fevers, honey was also used with other medicinal substances.
Honey received endorsement by both Christianity and Islam. Modern medicine uses honey in medicinally and surgically. Candida alba is inhibited in undiluted honey. Honey diluted to 40% was bactericidal to Salmonella shigella, E. coli and vibrio cholera, making honey both an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent. These diseases are the causes of millions of deaths world wide.
Used in concentrations of 30% to 50%, honey is superior to several well-known and currently prescribed antibiotics. Honey inhibits the growth of pathogenic organisms isolated in urine samples of patients with urinary tract infections. Honey has been valued in treating infected surgical wounds, ulcers, post-operative treatment of patients who had undergone radial treatment for vulvae cancer, post-operative wound breakdown, and skin grafting.
Honey also shortened the duration of bacterial diarrhoea in 169 infants and children. It was concluded that honey could be used as a substitute for glucose in electrolytes. However, reports of unprocessed honey contaminate with spores of clostridium botulinum, resulting in botulism, has tarnished honey’s traditional role of feeding infants.
Honey is extremely viscous and contains enzymes like catalase. Besides its antibiotic properties, honey is able to absorb water from its surrounding, which is useful when honey is placed on wounds. Honey absorbs the fluid and protects the wound from further infection. Further studies need to be conducted to evaluate the healing properties of honey.
The therapeutic potential of uncontaminated pure honey is grossly under
utilized. Honey is widely available in most countries, and although all
the truths of honey’s properties remain undiscovered, its time for
conventional medicine to give honey the recognition it deserves.
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The Benefits of Pollen
Bee pollen is derived from the anthers of flowering plants. It is a source of regenerative power for those in the quest of eternal youth. Early humans used pollen as food and medicine, knowing intuitively that bee pollen contains many nutrients.
The benefits of honey and pollen have been documented by several civilizations and religions. Britain was named by early Druid writers as, “The Isle of Honey”. Welsh legends are full of references to honey and pollen. Pollen is mentioned in the Bible, the Talmud, and the Koran. Hippocrates, the father of western medicine, believed pollen ensured good health, helped defend against the problems of aging.
Palynology, the study of pollen, has found that pollen is lasts forever. Grains of pollen millions of years old have been removed from archaeological digs. From these pollen grains, the flowers and plants of our ancient world can be identified.Pollen can be a beneficial addition to any diet. It energizes, restores weakened nervous systems, and helps nervous disorders and emotional conditions in the young and old. It is a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
The Benefits of Royal Jelly
Royal Jelly has been used since ancient times in China for successfully treating many conditions. Generally, royal jelly is taken for the same reasons for taking pollen. Royal jelly is a combination of honey and pollen that has been re-ingested by the worker bee that processes these substances, and with the addition of six more enzymes produces from the hypopharyngial glands, located above the bee's eyes, creates royal jelly.
The Benefits of Propolis
Propolis is produced from tree sap collected from trees. Tree sap covers the buds of the tree in order to act as a sunscreen and protect the tender buds from the sun. The sap is brought back to the hive where it is used as a means of keeping the hive sterile and disease free. Propolis is an antibiotic, and is effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Propolis is used to treat oral infections and stomach ulcers. It is taken
daily as a means of guarding against colds and influenza.
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