Research on Propolis Lip Balm

A human research study was done in October of 2017 to test 0.5% Propolis in Lip Balm versus Aciclovir Cream 5% for patients with Herpes sores – fever blisters and cold sores.  189 patients used Propolis Cream and 190 patients were treated with Aciclovir Cream.  Application was made five times a day.

 

Propolis  extract lip balm 0.5% was found superior in the treatment of episodes of Herpes labialis over Aciclovir Cream 5% in patients.  Encrustation or epithelization of the sores (crusting over, closing up, forming a scab) occurred a day sooner (4 days) with the Propolis Lip Balm.  In addition, there were significant faster improvements of the pain, burning, itching, tension and swelling with the propolis lip balm versus the Aciclovir Cream.

 

The research was published at ScienceDirect.com and is linked here:   Current Therapeutic Research

 

Once again, BEE Powered ingredients show superior results than the use of pharmaceuticals!

Health ~ Powered by BEES

 

Psalm 71:23

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered.

Speakers Available!

Let Us Tell You About Honey Bee Resources

As beekeepers and bee lovers, we love to share about the riches that come from bee hive resources.   As a business, BEEpothecary creates artisan batches of  health, skin and hair care products made with beehive resources – propolis, honey, pollen and beeswax. We have a particular passion for propolis and have pent several years pouring over scientific research on the use of propolis for health and illness. We have several presentations that we do for beekeeping conferences, honey festivals, individual beekeeper clubs and homesteading/natural living festivals.  We offer Power Point programs with demonstrations and sampling of various products and raw materials. We also buy raw propolis (and other hive resources) from other beekeepers by the pound and can provide instructions for how to clean it to prepare for sale.

Our presentations include:

• The health benefits of hive resources;
• How to collect clean and prepare hive products for use in value added products;
• Different forms of hive products that can be marketed;
• How to make many different products using bee resources;
• The categorizing, production and labeling laws that must be followed to market value added hive products other than honey;
• Honey Bees and Beekeeping, for non-beekeepers
• Combinations of two or more of these topics in one presentation.

Our speaking charge is $100 for a 45 – 90 min presentation,  plus travel costs.  (We are willing to negotiate, in some cases, for smaller groups with a limited budget.)  We love sharing about the amazing health benefits of hive resources with others! If your club, conference or event is in need of a speaker on any of these topics, please contact us at beepothecary@gmail.com  or call 1-614-450-2339.

HEALTH ~ POWERED BY BEES!

Customer Successes Using BEE Rescue

Psalms from the Hive, by Jeannie Saum

How can people not believe

That God did not create these little bees

Who create perfect hexagonal beeswax cells

And make treasures in the hive that can treat people’s ills?

 

Clover, Bee, and Revery

Reverie (revery) –(n.) state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea

 

We’ve been sharing some customer stories and pictures for several years at fairs and festivals, telling about their successes using propolis on wounds.  Though the pictures can be found on our Facebook page, it recently occurred to me that we have never shared them on this blog, where you can see the pictures AND read the story.  So, today, I am going to do this and here is a warning:

 IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH ABOUT WOUND PICTURES, THEN SKIP THIS BLOG ENTRY. DO NOT SCROLL DOWN ANY FURTHER!

Now that you have been forewarned, if you want to see and hear about some amazing success stories about the Power of Propolis, keep reading.

Customer Story #1

Laurie heard on FaceBook about an old high school friend who had undergone elbow surgery and was having difficulty getting the little 2″ wound to heal.  It had been 2 months since the surgery, the doctors had tried all kinds of treatments, yet the wound was still gaping open and weeping.  This fellow, a law enforcement officer, was using up all his sick leave. Laurie sent him a tube of our BEE Rescue to try. He took pictures for us to document what happened.

2 month old elbow surgical wound

 

This is what his wound looked like after 2 months of treatment by his doctors, trying to get this to close up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wound had closed up after five days of using BEE Rescue Cream.

 

 

He got the BEE Rescue and started using it, applying three times a day. He was able to go back to work at this point.

 

 

 

 

 

Wound after one moth of treatment with BEE Rescue

 

 

He continued using the BEE Rescue Cream and took this picture after one month.  He said he continued to use the BEE Rescue Cream after this and said it  diminished the scar into a almost indiscernible line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Customer Story #2

Larry, a 60 something diabetic was working on his running lawnmower one day a few summers ago, when he fell over it.  he gashed his calf open and had to be rushed to the ER.  He received 20+ stitches.  Three weeks later, he called and asked for BEE Rescue.  At this point, his wound was black, oozing infection and gangrenous. It was strongly recommended that he go to the hospital, but he refused.  He stated he was going to use the propolis cream.  He also volunteered to have his wife take a picture each week to document his progress.

Larry’s leg wound 3 weeks after falling over a running lawnmower

 

 

 

This is what his wound looked like before he started using BEE Rescue Cream.

 

 

Larry’s wound after one week of twice a day BEE Rescue Cream dressing.

 

 

 

Larry had his wife put BEE Rescue Cream on his wound twice a day an re-bandage it.  This is the result, after one week!  All the gangrenous tissue is gone.
The infection is gone and a soft scab is starting to form. AMAZING! And look at the skin around the wound.  It looks better, too.

 

 

Larry’s leg after 4 weeks with BEE Rescue put on 2 times a day.

 

 

They continued to put BEE Rescue Cream on the wound twice a day.

 

 

 

 

Pretty amazing transformation using BEE Rescue Cream for 10 weeks.

 

 

And here it is after 10 weeks, with twice a day Bee Rescue Cream treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Customer #3

A young couple bought BEE Rescue from us at a festival a few years ago.  They used it on their chickens, on pecking wounds.  Here are the before and after pictures, 5 days apart.

Chicken with pecking wound on head

 

Chicken head wound after 5 days of BEE Rescue Cream treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to read more about propolis for treating hard to heal wounds go to this research study: Propolis for Poor and Chronic Non-Healing Wounds.

Psalm 147

¹ Praise the Lord.How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

² The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. 

³ He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 

⁴ He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

⁵ Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

 

Beekeepers Have the Best Questions!

Ohio State Beekeepers Association

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Beekeepers together,

Learning from each other.

Trying to protect our bees

And reaping their treasures.

Clover, Bee, and Revery

Reverie (revery) –(n.) state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea

 

We attended the Ohio State Beekeepers’ Summer Conference in Oxford Ohio at Miami University last week.  We were able to learn from sessions we attended and Laurie and I (Jeannie) got to share our excitement and passion for propolis and other hive products in two sessions as well.  As usual, people come up with the “I wonder” questions that we can’t answer.  So I always come back from these meetings with things to investigate!

We had two interesting questions about propolis and our bee products.  One questions was whether or not propolis would help tinnitus (ringing in the ears).  The gentleman who asked this said that he had been told to take lipoflavinoids  for his tinnitus, and since we had mentioned that propolis and honey contain flavonoids, he wondered if these would help him.  Here’s what I found:

Lipoflavonoid is a proprietary, over-the-counter, dietary supplement formula created in 1961, by NUMARK Laboratories.  It is claimed by the manufacturer to improve circulation in the inner ear, as a means of combating tinnitus (ringing in the ears).   It is made with a bioflavonoid found naturally in the peel of lemons and also has vitamin B6 and B12 (B complex), vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, choline, inositol, and pantothenic acid.  ^]There is significant anecdotal evidence that  Lipoflavonoid helps relieve the symptoms of tinnitus by consumers.   It has not been expressly approved by the Food and Drug Administration for this purpose.

So, as far as propolis being used in place of lipflavonoid, I would say it is not the same.  However, I did find some other references to propolis for tinnitus.  The following is from an Ezine Article:

Tinnitus is a symptom that can be caused by ear infections, foreign objects or wax in the ear, nose allergies that prevent fluid drain, aging, as a side effect of  medications, excessive noise exposure, or injury.

Bee propolis oil or tincture can be used orally, starting with a few drops and increasing each day to 25.  A mixture of garlic, alcohol, propolis and honey can be made and is said to be an effective home remedy to treat tinnitus. Put 200 grams by weight of alcohol (vodka) and ground garlic  into a lidded container (mason jar works well), cover tightly, shake and put it in a cool dark place.  Shake daily.   After 2 weeks, add 30 grams of propolis tincture and 2 tbs. of honey, to the garlic tincture and leave it for a few more days. Now the mixture is ready to treat tinnitus; drink few drops before having meal. Increase the number of drops with number of days.

I am not sure if any of this will work!  But it certainly can’t hurt.  Propolis has components that are shown to kill bacteria, viruses and molds, and it is also anti-inflammatory – which means it will reduce swelling and inflammation.  Besides trying it orally, I would suggest trying a few drops of propolis oil in the ears, once or twice a day.  If the tinnitus is related to any germ or inflammation, this might help.  It’s worth a try!

The second question we had from someone at the conference, was whether BEEpothecary’s Propolis Salve was safe for use with cloth diapers.  Being well beyond the child rearing years, I was not aware that some diaper creams can ruin the absorbancy of cloth diapers and not wash out in the laundry!   Who knew?!  I researched this on the web and found several blogs and forums on this subject!  According to what I read, from experienced cloth-diaper-using-moms – the ingredients in BEEpothecary Propolis Salve are all safe to use with cloth diapers.  The main  ingredients include olive oil, shea butter,  and beeswax.  These are all listed as safe for cloth diapers.

There was one other question asked in one of our sessions, that I can not for the life of me, remember!  If you were at one of our sessions, and asked a question not answered here, comment and let us know what it was.  I know a woman asked about the use of propolis for some disorder I had not researched, but I can’t remember what it was.  I would love to find our the information, if someone could jog my memory!

Job 5

“But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him.
⁹ He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
¹⁰ He provides rain for the earth; he sends water on the countryside.

Honey and Propolis on bee stings

The Land of Milk and Honey

Cooking with Honey

by Laurie Dotson

What a weekend! Pete and I picked up four Honeybee Nucs, from our friends John George and Terry Eddy, in Plain City, OH. You ask, what are Nucs? I’ll tell you what they are. Nucs are small honey bee colonies created from larger colonies. The term refers both to the smaller size box and the colony of honeybees within it. The name is derived from the fact that a nuc hive is centered around a queen – the nucleus of the honey bee colony. Pete installed our two in our bee yard, while I assisted. It went great so, we decide this is the way to go instead of buying 3 lbs packages of bees. Before we finished in the Bee yard, we feed the new family members sugar and water. Now we let them do what they do best. BEE stuff!

Nucs with five frames full of bees and a queen

Then we took the other two Nucs to Steve and Jeannie Saum’s bee yard, to install them into empty hives. Pete gets started on the first hive and I start on the second one. Pete’s hive was calm, gentle and easy to install. I opened my box of bees. You would have thought a volcano erupted, with an over flowing of bee lava. All of a sudden, I have bee stinging me through my gloves and clothes. The worst thing that can happen, happens.

My worst nightmares come to life. Two or three bees find their way up into my veil. I can feel one crawling on my neck and   then   comes the  “bleeping” sting.  Holy, moly! it hurts and the burning begins. It’s at that point, I need to get my veil off, while remaining calm. I had no idea how many bees were on me.  I’m telling you it felt thousands of buzzing, angry honeybees ramming into me, diving at me and into my hair, swarming around my head and body!  I started to leave the bee yard to free myself of my veil…I try to  stay calm …walking …STAYING calm… walking faster…then I panic and break into a “run for my life” kind of a run.  I’m running down the Saum’s neighbor’s driveway, heading towards their house.  I’m screaming and whacking at every buzzing noise I hear. Whacks to my face, head, body, arms and legs. That’s when I start ripping my clothes off to rid myself of the bees clinging to my jacket and clothes. I had bees stuck in my hair, crawling up my shirt, and down my under clothes. I ran for the carport to redress and to figure out what the heck,  just happened.  I still had a ton of bee following me.  uugh!

Pete is still watching me and looking at the eruption that just happened. Those bees wouldn’t even let Him install them.  So we left those HOT honeybees for the night and decided to come back the next morning.

ALL in all, I was only stung five times.  One on my neck, two on my wrist, one on my armpit and one on top of my head.   At home, I get out the BEEpothecary Propolis Oil to help with pain and inflammation.  I felt so much better, but few hours later my wrist was swollen, very hot and in painful. At this point, I put on the BEEpothecary Wound Salve, because I know it has soothing and healing herbal oil, in addition to,  propolis. Within a few minutes I feel better and now I can sleep.

The next day, we returned to the angry bees and opened up the box. First thing, Peter gets stung.  We decide to leave them again, only this time with the lid off the box, to let them cool down… A few hours later, with a smoker that was heavily smoking. We were able to install the bees, feed them sugar and leave without a bite.

Whew!  That is done!  I would do it again, because our bees are vanishing and without bees we won’t have food!

We Thank God for the honeybees and all the opportunities we have been given because of them.

Thank you, to each of person who have bought our products, listened to us talk about Bees and BEEpothecary!  We appreciate you and your feed back!  We have been given this moment, to help and promote health through the honeybees.

Your Health…Powered by BEES!

Blessings from Laurie and Pete –

Check out out Marketplace:  mkt.com/hive-and-honey-beepothecary

Psalms 40: 4-5

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.  Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

Bee Powered Athletes!

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Athletic energy,  Endurance, too.

That’s what bee products can do for you.

Take pollen, propolis, and honey in

For a boost of energy, playin’ to win!

Clover, Bee, and Revery

Reverie (revery) –(n.) state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea

 

The Arnold Fitness Classic is in town this week. So we’ve got to tell you about BEE POWER for Athletes!

Hey Arnold, check this out!   Bee products – honey, propolis, pollen and royal jelly can be used by athletes and fitness enthusiasts to improve their energy and endurance levels.  It is suggested that one use several bee products, as they are said to have a synergistic effect when used in combination with each other. It is often suggested that taking 1 tablespoon of honey and one tablespoon of bee pollen twice each day will enhance workouts. But pollen is not easily digestible, so much of it goes right through the body and its nutritional value not released into the body.  So, better yet,  take 1 tablespoon of BEEpothecary’s BEE BREAD!  It  is a fermented mixture of pollen and honey.  The honey softens the hard seed coat of the pollen, making all the nutrients in the pollen readily available to the body.  An once dose of  propolis and a royal jelly supplement is also recommended to enhance endurance. One to two hours before an event or extreme workout, an ounce of BEE BREAD can give  that extra energy boost during physical exertion.  An ounce of BEE BREAD after an intense workout will help the body’s recovery.

Many mainstream athletes take bee pollen before competitions but there is not yet conclusive research which supports that pollen enhances performance.  But there is a lot of anecdotal information from people who swear by the positive fitness, energy and endurance effects of bee products.  Our  friend, David, is an ultra-marathoner, running 50 and 100 mile races. (I could sure think of better things to do with 6-8 hours of my time, than doing that!) David uses our bee bread, mixing it with water to make it drinkable – in place of the typical “Runner’s Goo”, for his energy boost.  He swears it gives him an almost instant boost of new energy.

We do know that honey is a healthy, body friendly sugar and is metabolized more like fruit.  Raw, multi-flower, unheated, unfiltered and unprocessed honey is loaded with natural sugars, antioxidants, enzymes, amino acids, anti-inflammatories, phytochemicals, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals, just to name a few. Natural honey is an instant energy-building powerhouse. (Processed honey is heated and this destroys all beneficial qualities in honey.)

And we do know that pollen consists  of 40 percent proteins, 55 percent carbohydrates, 1 to 2 percent fats, 3 percent minerals. Bee pollen is close to being a whole food; one teaspoon of bee pollen is equivalent to a hearty serving of vegetables. So it makes sense that taking bee pollen prior to heavy physical exertion would be of benefit, but it does remain a mystery as to how the compounds in bee pollen interact.

Propolis,  bee pollen and  honey are all anti-inflammatory and help reduce pain and recovery.  Our BEEpothecary BEE BREAD is available from us, and also locally in Columbus at State and Third, Shops at Capitol Square,  and at The Well Coffee Shop, Broad St.,  in Lancaster

So, if you are a fitness fanatic, or attending the Arnold Fitness Classic, try adding bee products to your regimen and see what BEE POWER can do for you!

I Chronicles 16

⁸ Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;   make known among the nations what he has done.
⁹ Sing to him, sing praise to him;  tell of all his wonderful acts.
¹⁰ Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
¹¹ Look to the Lord and his strength;  seek his face always.

¹² Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
¹³ you his servants, the descendants of Israel, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
¹⁴ He is the Lord our God;  his judgments are in all the earth.

Stan Scheller: The Forerunner of Clinical Studies on Using Propolis for Poor and Chronic Nonhealing Wounds

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

So many years, the word’s been hidden

Across the ocean, curtains closed.

Propolis’ power kept unbidden.

Bees’ best kept secret,

Should no longer be forbidden,

Clover, Bee, and Revery

Reverie (revery) –(n.) state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea

 

I am continuously amazed at the research I find about propolis.  My latest discovery is an article on the National Institute of Health Website, entitled, ” Stan Scheller: The Forerunner of Clinical Studies on Using Propolis for Poor and Chronic Nonhealing Wounds”.   This study was done back in the 1960’s and 70’s by a researcher in Poland, Stan Scheller.  He collected his own propolis and made extracts the same way we do.  He soaked propolis in alcohol, shaking it occasionally, for 4 days, then filtered it. He then used it to treat poor and chronic nonhealing

wounds.

In 1975, poor and chronic non-healing wounds, in 100 patients, were treated between 1972 and 1974.  The target group, consisted of 12 patients with burns, 30 with venous crural ulceration, 10 with local sacral bone pressure ulcers, 23 with suppurative osteitis and arthritis, 15 with suppurative postoperative local wound complications, and 10 with infected traumatic wounds. All the 100 patients, described in the research had been unsuccessfully treated in the previous hospitals. Some people had suffered with the wounds for months and years.  All the patients were treated with 3% ethanol propolis solution. The patients with osteitis and fistulas underwent wound rinsing every day, whereas on the rest of the patients the propolis extract dressings were applied, which were changed every day.

The use of propolis on many kinds of serious burns and wounds showed incredible healing results and this report shows amazing before-and-after pictures.  What amazes me is that nothing seems to have ever come of this!  Propolis showed 80-100% healing of the serious burns and wounds, except for bone infection, which I understand is one
of the most difficult to get rid of.   Just more proof of the amazing power of propolis.

To see this report and the incredible pictures and documentation, go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3655617/

Psalm 91

⁹ If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,  so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

Bee Powered Beautiful Skin

Psalms from the Hive, by Jeannie Saum

Propolis to help our skin! Another great use, we find.

From eczema and psoriasis, Herpes 1 and 2,

To wounds and burns, Even wrinkles, too.

Pass this on, If you’d be so kind!

Clover, Bee, and Revery

Reverie (revery) –(n.) state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea

 

Whether your skin is unblemished and beautiful and you just want to keep it that way – or you have a bothersome skin condition, PROPOLIS could be the answer for you!  We’ve studied the research, tried it ourselves and want others to reap the benefits from this amazing substance made by the honeybees!

In  our first years as beekeepers, we found that honey was becoming more widely known for its antimicrobial properties and its benefit for a healing dressing on wounds and burns.  It was also being used more readily in treatment of skin conditions like pityriasis, tinea, seborrhea, dandruff, diaper dermatitis, psoriasis, and  hemorrhoids.  In cosmetics  it was known for moisturizing, softening, soothing, and hair conditioning effects,  helping keep the skin young-looking and slowing wrinkle formation, regulating pH and preventing infections.  All this had been known for decades, but honey had not been used widely in the US until recently.

We were excited to learn about these benefits of the honey our bees make.   But, we have found that honey is hard to keep in-solution in all natural cosmetic products without adding a chemical emulsifier to keep it mixed with the oils (honey is water based).  It tends to separate out of balms and ointments, and we just didn’t want to add artificial chemicals to our products.

Fortunately, we quickly found a solution!  We discovered something just as effective, or maybe even better that the bee’s honey – PROPOLIS, the sticky tree resin-based goo the bees make to seal and sterilize their hive.  It can be used to help with many conditions and health ailments, both inside and out, in ourselves and our animals.  And we find it  easier to keep it mixed in our skin care products.  We’ve used it ourselves for three years, and are truly amazed at what it can do!

As we have noted many times in our blog, over 50 years of research has proven that propolis contains flavonoids and plant esters that have  antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. (see previous blogs about propolis for additional research we have reported on.)   One study from 2011  found that poplar bud extract significantly regulated genes involved in antioxidant defenses, inflammatory response and cell renewal, processes involved in skin aging. Poplar bud resin is the main component of bee propolis. The  antioxidant properties  suggest potential anti-aging properties in propolis which could be utilized in cosmetic and nutraceutical formulations. (Stéphanie Dudonné, Pascal Poupard, Philippe Coutière, Marion Woillez, Tristan Richard, Jean-Michel Mérillon, Xavier Vitrac)

Beyond just the daily use of propolis in normal skin care routine, research has shown that propolis can be effective in treating many bothersome skin conditions.  In a 2013 study, propolis was used as a topical treatment for psoriasis.  While testing was done on mice, the conclusion was that propolis extract could possibly  treat psoriatic lesions by reducing the inflammatory cells without any

toxic effect.  (Fitoterapia)

From livestrong.com, in a 2013 article by Carol Sarao,  it was reported that propolis is being used by naturopathic healers and herbalists to treat eczema.  Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition which causes inflammation and itching. Symptoms include red or grayish patches, thickened, scaly skin and small raised bumps which may ooze and then crust over.   Eczema is usually treated with steroids, antihistamines and antibiotics, which often have undesirable side effects.  Propolis treats the infection and inflammation without these bothersome side effects. Our daughter, Sarah, who has had eczema all her life, has found skin balm, with propolis, helps her eczema outbreaks.

A clinical study published in 1993, in an issue of the journal “Drugs Under Experimental and Clinical Research,”  propolis was reported to be a potent anti-inflammatory agent.  It suppressed production of histamines and prostaglandins in animal tissue. Drugs.com states that both oral and topical applications of propolis can improve wound healing.   The University of Maryland Medical Center says that propolis is rich in antioxidant flavonoids, which help enhance the immune system, and notes that it may heal lesions from the HSV-1 virus more effectively than Zovirax, an antiviral ointment.

Propolis has shown to be an effective antimicrobial agent against many microorganisms including Staphylococcus aureus strains and Candida tropicalis, even those resistant to antibiotics!  (A Ugur, M Barlas, N Ceyhan, V Turkmen, 2000) This study can be found at greenmedinfo.com (see Blog Roll for link)  In a study on humans, propolis was found to be an effective treatment for cutaneous warts. In patients with plane and common warts treated

with Propolis, cure was achieved in 75% and 73% of patients, respectively.  (Hatem Zedan, Eman R M Hofny, Sahar A Ismail, 2009, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.) Found at greenmedinfo.com

A study reported in 2009 showed that Propolis extracts might be suitable for topical application against herpes infection.  (Paul Schnitzler, Annett Neuner, Silke Nolkemper, Christine Zundel, Hans Nowack, Karl Heinz Sensch, Jürgen Reichling) greenmedinfo.com  Another study reported in 2009 showed its effectiveness against HSV-2, the genital herpes virus that causes recurring outbreaks. It stated that propolis extracts might be suitable for topical therapy in recurrent herpetic infection.  (Silke Nolkemper, Jürgen Reichling, Karl Heinz Sensch, Paul Schnitzler)

A study reported in 1988 reported that propolis was an effective treatment for Herpes Zoster, the virus that causes Shingles.  (Silke Nolkemper, Jürgen Reichling, Karl Heinz Sench, Paul Schnitzler)  In a more recent study, Propolis  Ointment was applied topically to the Shingles blisters  of study patients, 4 times a day.  Those in the propolis test group showed faster healing than the other medication tested, and the placebo group. (Vynograd et al., 2000).

Propolis continues to amaze us, as a nature-made, God-Inspired substance that borders on the miraculous.  Nowhere have we ever seen one substance that can do so many things.  For healthy skin and bothersome skin conditions, it can have positive and safe results!  We encourage you to see for yourself.

We include  propolis for these possible benefits, in all our skin care products.  We use skin benefitting oils and butters that soften and moisturize and infuse them with herbs known for beneficial skin effects.

For Propolis Products go to :     mkt.com/beepothecary

PROPOLIS FOR HEALTHY SKIN – POWERED BY BEES

Song of Songs 4

9 You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes,   with one jewel of your necklace.
¹⁰ How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!  How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume     more than any spice!
¹¹ Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride;  milk and honey are under your tongue. The fragrance of your garments  is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
¹² You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.
¹³ Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates  with choice fruits, with henna and nard,
¹⁴ nard and saffron,  calamus and cinnamon,   with every kind of incense tree,  with myrrh and aloes  and all the finest spices.
¹⁵ You are^[b] a garden fountain,   a well of flowing water     streaming down from Lebanon.

BEE-Power – Propolis for Our Pets and Livestock

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Our four legged pets and livestock, too

Can benefit from the sticky goo

That honeybees make inside their hive.

Propolis can heal them many ways

Inside and out.

Healthy pets, happy days.

Clover, Bee, and Revery

Reverie (revery) –(n.) state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea

PROPOLIS has been used for thousands of years to fight infection and improve health and is still used all over the world as a natural antibiotic.  Yet it remains unknown to most Americans.  Made from tree resin by honeybees,  it is used to sterilize and seal up the hive.  This propolis coating inside the hive makes it one of the most antiseptic and sanitary environments found.  Propolis kills harmful bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and  viruses  without harming beneficial bacteria.  It is also anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, helps prevent allergies, and speeds healing.  Amazing isn’t it?  God has created this little creature to make this amazing substance that can do so much for us.  AND TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER, IT CAN BE USED TO TREAT AND HELP OUR ANIMALS, TOO!

Propolis can be given orally, in tincture or infused oil form, to our four-legged pets and livestock  for ailments like  canine flu, kennel cough, and other infectious illnesses. It can be applied to cuts, wounds, burns, bites, stings, hot spots, and lick granulomas (its bitter taste helps deter licking).   Propolis oil or ointment is best for this.  A propolis ointment or cream  can also be used to moisturize dry skin, heal sores or sooth cracked paw pads.   It can be mixed with honey to help heal gum disorders.  In veterinary medicine, propolis has been used to treat wounds and in the treatment of many conditions, such as diarrheas, abscesses, burns, dermatosis, mastitis, coccidiosis and eimeria in rabbits.  These uses are all supported by research, which can be found on the National Institutes of Health’s website, nih.gov.

Got rid of Roxie’s ear mites with propolis oil!

As always, we are dedicated to backing up information with verifiable studies that have been carried out.  Research can be found as far back as the 1970’s on the documented success of propolis for animal treatment!    A report of research by Tzakoff,  in 1978,  noted the use of propolis against foot-and-mouth disease,  for pigs against enzootic pneumonia,   and as a health supplement for the growth of underdeveloped lambs, pigs and calves.   Propolis used for the health of the respiratory and immune systems, and specific ailments where  antibacterial properties are needed were  reported in a study by Glinnik and Gapanovich in 1981 .

Application of propolis liniment  to treat mastitis in animals was reported by several researchers starting in the 1980’s. ( Mirolyubov and Barskov 1980; Meresta et al, 1989; Kegl et al ,1995; Dudko & Kurpisz , 1996 and Teterev ,1998.)  In 1998, Teterev reported  several veterinarian uses for propolis at .5% – 2% solution including  internal use against gastroenterology diseases, and as a preventative treatment.  It was shown to improve weight gain and reduce diarrhea in milk-fed calves with 20% propolis extract(Gubicza and Molnar 1987).  More recently, propolis had gained popularity  in veterinary applications such as treatment of young cattle for  dermatophytosis

Nate treats Bella’s hot spots with propolis oil or salve.

(Cametal, 2009).

Propolis has been studied as supportive treatment for mammals, poultry and fish. When paired with vaccines or other treatments, propolis seems to increase the treatment success and survival rate.  Propolis has high stability, slowly release in the body and long storage stage ( Chu, 2006) and (Shen et al,2002).

Propolis  has been shown to stimulate an increased immune response  and increased protection against the herpes virus , SuHV-1, which causes an infectious disease in swine.   Many studies showed that propolis and/or one of its active components reduced blood sugar level in experimental diabetic animals.

So, to summarize, propolis can be used to treat and heal your animals for many conditions, inside and out.   It has been shown to be effective for many of the same kinds of conditions it helps in us humans!

Just one thing to keep in mind – the size of the animal you are treating.  I have noticed that the propolis tincture percentages used in these studies  have been less than the 10% solution we use.  In the reading I have done, the percentages have been in the 1%-4% range, and even smaller with birds. (see my Propolis for Pet Birds and Poultry blog)  This makes sense, since  most pets, small animals and birds weigh  quite a bit less than an adult human.  While I have read it is almost impossible to overdose on propolis, since it is mostly nutrients and it does not seem to have harmful effects on “good” tissue or organisms, it still makes sense to me to give animals a dose proportionate to their weight.

For Propolis Products, go to:    mkt.com/beepothecary

HERE’S TO PROPOLIS FOR OUR PETS AND LIVESTOCK !

THEIR HEALTH –  POWERED BY BEES!

Genesis 1

²⁴ And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.

²⁵ God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Winter Renewing – Working with the Creator’s Gifts

New batch of propolis tincture “brewing”

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Holidays are over and  a new year’s coming on

Enough of rest and relaxation.  Jump in again, strong.

Re-branding and revising, making products new.

Get out that new propolis! Let’s start our new brew!

Clover, Bee, and Revery

Reverie (revery) –(n.) state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea

With hustle and bustle of the holidays behind us, the Saums and Dotsons are anxious to use these next few cold months of winter to reflect on and refocus our efforts to bring amazing bee products to the public.  We have decided we want to re-brand our company to focus more on the bees and the “BEE POWER” they can provide to our  health.  We also want to re-formulate some of our products to improve them,  evaluate  the demand for individual products, review customer feedback and decide on products to add, change or drop.  We also  will be  looking for new stores to carry our product and new venues to attend in the spring, summer and fall.

But most importantly, because of our success of the last few months, we desperately need to mix up some new batches of our proprietary

treasured box of golden propolis

ingredients, so we can make products to replenish our supply!  We spent a night in December, processing our dried, home-grown herbs used in our soothing and healing oils.  We sat on tarps in the Dotson’s living room and  rubbed bags full of herbs through screens to crush into little pieces and then put each kind into big mason jars.   And now that we have lots of golden, healing propolis, we can get down to business, mixing up our brews.

Cooking propolis in oil on an induction burner

Laurie and Jeannie got together on New Year’s Eve day to start  brewing.  (Jeannie had already started 3 big jars of propolis in vodka last week, which must be soaked and shaken every day for at least 2 weeks, to make our propolis tincture.)  We started the day infusing propolis in olive oil using our induction cooking burner, which keeps the oil at a constant temperature.  We mix propolis and oil in a ratio, by weight and heat to 120 degrees farenheit for 20 minutes.  Then we pour through organza to strain.  Now we have 2 big jars of wonderful propolis oil.

Freshly made propolis olive oil

Next, we started our herbal oil infusions, by measuring our dried herbs by weight and pouring (measured) olive oil over them in the mason jars, to cover.  We set these herb-oil mixtures on a shelf and will shake them every day.  We’ll let them sit for a month or two and add more plant material as it becomes available, if we decide it is needed.  Then we will mix these herbal oils together to make our special soothing and healing oils to use in our skin care products.

Starting our herb infused oils

A big batch of lemon balm in olive oil

Rosemary in olive oil

Making herb infused oils

~  ~  ~

It’s fun and rather awe-inspiring to work with the Creator’s gifts!

Deuteronomy 33

¹³ About Joseph he said: “May the Lord bless his land  with the precious dew from heaven above  and with the deep waters that lie below;

¹⁴ with the best the sun brings forth  and the finest the moon can yield;

¹⁵ with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains  and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;

¹⁶ with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness  and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,  on the brow of the prince among his brothers.