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Apitherapy - healing from the beehive (part 1)

Bee products such as honey, propolis or beeswax have been popular for thousands of years and are used in a wide variety of ways. Propolis e.g. B. was already used in ancient times for wound care. And for a long time honey was the only way to sweeten food.

Apitherapy - a useful addition to classical medicine

The term apitherapy (apis (Latin) = the (honey) bee) describes the use of bee products for medicinal purposes. In the past, apitherapy was mainly used by a small group of beekeepers. Today, however, their possibilities are moving more and more into the focus of the supporters of alternative healing methods.

We would like to give an overview of the different applications and also take a critical look at the limits of apitherapy.

In this part everything about:

  • Honey
  • Propolis
  • Royal jelly
  • Beeswax
  • Bee pollen

 

Honey - the all-round genius

Honey is a classic component of apitherapy
Honey - the all-round genius

By far the best-known and most widespread product from the beehive is honey. The sweet juice is not only a popular food, but also an indispensable home remedy for combating various diseases.

The anti-inflammatory and antiseptic ingredients contained in honey are mainly used internally to alleviate stomach problems (e.g. caused by heartburn or ulcers). The honey is taken pure or together with a liquid.

But be careful: Always use lukewarm drinks! Otherwise the valuable ingredients will be destroyed.

Externally, honey is mainly used for wound healing on the skin or in the mouth area. Honey has a protective effect here and can support the healing of the tissue. In addition, honey provides moisture. This is one of the reasons for its use in cosmetic care products.

New Zealand has a particularly strong therapeutic potential Manuka honey. The extremely high concentrations of the contained therein Methylglyoxal (MGO) make it so valuable and unique. MGO has special anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties that have even been scientifically proven.



Propolis - natural antibiotic

Propolis, the natural antibiotic in apitherapy
Propolis - natural antibiotic

The Propolis is a very complex mixture of substances produced by bees. It contains

  • Bee pollen
  • Tree resins
  • essential oils from various flower buds
  • Waxes and
  • Salivary secretions.

The extremely sticky mass is used by the Immen to plug openings in the beehive or to line the brood combs. The many ingredients in propolis can ensure that bacteria, fungi and viruses are prevented from growing or killed.

In apitherapy, propolis is mostly used as an alcoholic extract. The taking takes place z. B. in capsules, candies, mouth sprays, mouthwashes or drops. However, this can occasionally lead to allergic reactions. For the care of damaged or irritated skin, propolis is mainly used in the form of creams, balms or drops.

The area of ​​application includes

  • the protection of skin, gums and (oral) mucous membrane
  • the support of the immune system by activating certain immune cells
  • the binding and neutralization of pollutants, especially heavy metals
  • the support and acceleration of wound healing
  • Pain-relieving properties through the inhibition of certain messenger substances

Propolis is particularly effective in combination with honey.

 

Royal jelly - the royal fodder juice

Royal jelly - not without controversy in apitherapy
Queen bee - a lifetime of royal jelly

Every bee and drone larva receives royal jelly in its first days of life. From then on, all individuals in the beehive live on honey and pollen. There is only one exception - the queen! This is fed with royal jelly for the rest of its life.

All larvae in the hive have the same genetic make-up. Only lifelong feeding with royal jelly ensures that a normal bee larva becomes a queen. A special brood cell (queen cell) is also necessary for the development of a queen. The reasons when and whether such a cell is built by the workers are, however, largely unknown.

Royal jelly is made exclusively by young bees and has a slightly sour taste. It is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, enzymes, vitamins, hormones and other ingredients. Its outstanding property is the promotion of cell growth.

Royal jelly possesses many properties similar to Honey and Propolis. In addition, this nutrient has a positive effect on the metabolism, the immune system and secretory glands. It is also used in certain tumor therapies.

Obtaining Royal Jelly: During the swarming season (May / June), the bee colony is first removed from its own queen. Then many new queen cells, each with a queen larva, are hung in the hive. During the swarming period, the bees have a special reproductive instinct. Therefore, several queens are raised at the same time and supplied with royal jelly by the workers. The larvae "bathe" in this juice. After three days, the queen cells are removed again by the beekeeper. The larvae are then removed, the juice sucked up and placed in a collecting vessel.

This procedure means extreme stress for the bee colony. In addition, numerous queen maggots are destroyed in the process. For this reason, apitherapy with royal jelly is very controversial and is rejected by natural beekeepers.

 

Beeswax - not just as a candle

Beeswax - the basic building block of many cosmetic and medical products
Beeswax

Beeswax is the building material of the brood and honeycombs inside a beehive.

Approx. 65% of the wax consists of an ester mixture of long-chain alcohols and acids (myricin). The bees exude the wax in the form of small platelets through special wax glands.

As a candle building material, beeswax has been largely replaced by cheaper, synthetic waxes.

In medicine or physiotherapy, beeswax is used as a heat pack, e.g. B. used for tension (similar to fango) or joint pain. Beeswax is also used as a natural carrier for active ingredients in creams, ointments, pastes, lipsticks, plasters or suppositories.

 

Bee pollen - the protein bombs

Bee pollen - the protein powerhouse in apitherapy
Bee pollen

In addition to the flower nectar, the bees also collect flower pollen and carry it into the beehive in the form of so-called pollen pants. Like nectar, it is collected there in special honeycombs and serves as a protein-rich nutrient for rearing the brood.

The beekeeper collects this pollen in so-called pollen traps. These are special constrictions at the entrance hole that the bees have to squeeze through before they can get inside the hive. In doing so, they strip off some of the pollen pants, which fall into a collecting container and can be removed there.

Ingredients: Approx. 50% free amino acids, approx. 40% high-quality proteins, approx. 10% minerals, vitamins (up to 18 pieces) and other organic substances.

Bee pollen is considered a superfood and is supposed to improve the blood count, break down cholesterol and reduce free radicals. Therefore, it is taken regularly by many fans and especially athletes as a topping on mueslis or yoghurt, in smoothies or even on its own.

 


Photos: s-katyjay / 123RF.com; Cseh-Ioan / 123RF.com; daviden / 123RF.com; Zichrini / 123RF.com

2 thoughts on "Apitherapy - healing from the beehive (part 1)"

  1. Todella hyvä. Olen hoitanut yhden perotoneaali abskessin kotihoidon Manuka- hunajavoiteella, ja sain askessi onkalon umpeen, ei jäänyt fisteliä, iota kovin pelkäsin. Myös alkavan herpeksen olen saanut kolmessa vrk: ssa hoidettua mehiläisvaha voiteella kun heti ensi oireiden ilmaannuttua olen voidetta laittanut! Aivan parasta hoitoa, iota julkinen sektori ei mainosta, eikä moni yksityinenkään.

    Reply
    • Translation:
      Very well. I treated a perotoneal abscess with manuka honey ointment and closed the ascites cavity without leaving a fistula, which I was so afraid of. I also treated an incipient herpes with beeswax ointment within three days of applying the ointment immediately after the first symptoms appeared! The absolute best treatment that is not advertised by either the public sector or many private providers.

      Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

      Thank you for the detailed comment

      Reply

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