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!

Summer of Swarms, Sales, Sweat, Snares, and Bee Wrangling

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Active heathy, hive box

Bees swarm

When we fail to brave the heat

To check on them

Chickens swoon to thieving raccoons

when doors don’t close in the dark

Cook and sell, travel and prosthelytize

Snare those bees, raccoons and possums

Wrangle some bees in the trees

All too soon, summer’s over.

Clover, Bee, and Revery

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

 

BEEpothecary kept us so busy all spring and summer, that I haven’t written about our ventures and adventures in months.  It was a juggling act to keep up with the growing business and still take care of our bees and chickens!  With BEEpothecary, we did festivals and conferences in Delaware, Gahanna,  Oxford,  Lithopolis, and Findlay, Ohio, and East Lansing and Frankenmuth, Michigan.  We spent a whirlwind three days in the Bee Pavilion at the Ohio State Fair and participated in Gay Street’s Moonlight Market several times. We also added products to three new stores and have had a wonderful increase  in online sales.  It is exciting and gratifying when people write or come back to see us and say, “Your products do exactly what you said they would do!” More important to us than anything else is that people can benefit from the amazing things made by bees, and that these products might help someone when nothing else has worked.

 

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

 

Since we lost all our hives but one, between our two apiaries,  we needed to replace and rebuild this past spring.  Keeping the bees is integral to our business and mission.  We got 2 nucs in early spring for each family, that were bursting at the seams.  We had to take a last trip out to Kansas right at this time, for the final clean out of my mom’s home, so Laurie and Pete had to install our nucs into full-sized hives, as well as their own.  Everything went fine until the last hive install at our house.  This nuc was full to the brim and hot!  Laurie got chased down the driveway, ripping her hat, veil and clothes off!  She ended up with several stings!

~   ~   ~   ~   ~   

We also ordered two bee packages and Ohio queens for both families.  Pete and Laurie got some Russian bees to try another strain.  When we picked them up, we found that the Ohio queens had not been available.  Disappointing.

Pete and Laurie installed some of their bees in two top bar hives that took off well.  Pete had built them with viewing windows and it was neat to watch the bees  build and develop the hives.  But  in less than one  week after putting in our package bees, one of the Dotson’s hives just absconded!  They actually were outside and saw it happen.  Then didn’t swarm, they just flew into the air, swirled around for a bit and then took off into the beyond.  They were so disappointed.  It’s hard to see over $100 in bees fly off into Neverland!

~ ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

The rest of our hives grew quickly, though, and we had a great spring and early summer.  And then the swarming started, en masse!  I think we had about 3 swarms a week for about 3 weeks in a row, between the Saums, Dotsons and our friends down the street.  Fortunately, the swarms landed nearby – mostly in our little trees out front, or in our son’s yard, next door to some beekeeping friends!

Steve and I were able to capture most of our swarms, since they landed in our little fruit trees.  Pete and Laurie had a few swarms, too, so we’d trade the swarms we caught and put them into hive boxes in the other apiary.  And for the swarms of our friends, that ended up in son, Nate’s, tall tree, so we had to call on him several times, to climb a ladder and capture a swarm!  Young adult sons are very handy.  We are so glad we let him live past 12 years old!!

Taking care of bees a hot sweaty job in the summer!  We aren’t brave enough to handle the bees without our gear on.  The extra layer – jacket, pants, helmet veil and gloves – makes quite a sweat box!  You can’t wipe your brow, your glasses slip down your nose, and you can’t take a drink of water without taking off your hat and veil!  We found we could only work on two or three hives at a time, and then take a break.  I don’t know how these beekeepers with 200+ hive, do it!

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

Steve and Nate were even called upon twice, to come “wrangle” some bees in cut down trees.  They brought home two big logs full of bees, by screwing boards over each end to cover up the holes, loading them into the truck with a farmer’s front loader, or by brute strength, and bringing them home.  The next step was to suck them out with a modified shop vac – a baffle to cut down on the suction so the bees didn’t end up – SPLAT! – on the inside of the shop vac.  But then an experienced beekeeper suggested just putting a hive box with a few honey frames in it on top of each log.  This would entice the bees and the queen to move up into the box and start laying there.  Much easier!  So that’s what we did.  We’re overwintering them this way!

Half way through the summer, one of the Dotson’s top bar colony’s just disappeared and shortly afterward, the other one was overcome by hive moths.  This was a disappointing loss to an interesting project.   It seems like we had swarms of swarms as the summer progressed!  When people asked us how many hives we had, we couldn’t remember, the number had changed so many times!  We got to  harvest honey mid summer and then again in early fall.  All in all, I think we ended up with over 400 pounds of honey!

And then there were the chicken adventures.  Laurie wanted more chickens and got pullets to raise in a box in the garage, 2 different times, two different ages. .  But once they got full-grown every time she tried to put the new ones in the coop with the old ones, all hell broke loose!  They pecked one poor little hen to death, and Laurie called the combining effort quits.  This meant, she had to make a second coop for the younger birds, quick, since they had outgrown the box in the garage!  She made a stationary one out of pallets, that was really quite nice, but lacked a door.  In order to get eggs, or add water, she had to climb in and out of it each day!  Eventually she decided to get rid of the older birds to a good home and put the younger ones in the movable coop!

We, on the other hand, had a different kind of problem – predators.  Since we had 25 birds, we really didn’t notice for a few weeks that our flock was shrinking.  We saw no evidence of critters at first.  But then, one day, we found a

They always expect a treat and love popcorn!

half-eaten chicken, in the coop, and realized that the automatic door was not closing at night and a critter was getting in.  By the time we realized this, we had lost 8 birds!  And of course this happened at a time we were scrambling to prepare product and running to shows. So I fixed the auto closer, while Steve got the live trap  ready!  It took only one night to snare a big, fat, well-fed raccoon!  We  read in the paper that week, that it was the season for all the young adult critters to leave their parents and head out on their own.  Evidently raccoons and possums were becoming a problem in town, too.  Interestingly, we read that it was against the law to relocate the critters!  Guess you are not allowed to pass your problem on to someone else!!  So, Steve dispatched that nasty, chicken-eating raccoon!

Since Pete and Laurie have a dog, they don’t have to worry much about critters getting to their chickens.  Rowdy usually takes care of wild critters who wander into his territory, and often brings his snared prize to the back door steps as a gift!  One day, he laid a big possum on the back steps and then lay inside  at the door, in the cool air conditioning “guarding: his catch outside!  And just before “Daddy” Pete came home, he moved his prize possum into Pete’s parking space in the driveway!  A proud hunter!  Thought sometimes, not too smart.  More than once, Rowdy unwisely tangled with a skunk and had to have many tomato juice and peroxide baths for his error! Never did see a prized skunk body on the back steps at the Dotsons’!

Somehow, we made it through the summer of swarms, sales, sweat, snares, and bee wrangling – with 12 hives (I think),  23 chickens, a growing business and a dear friendship still intact! Praise God for his blessings and strength!

2 Samuel 22

31“As for God, his way is perfect:  the e Lord’s word is flawless;  he shields all who take refuge in him.

³² For who is God besides the Lord?    And who is the Rock except our God?

³³ It is God who arms me with strength  and keeps my way secure.

³⁴ He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;  he causes me to stand on the heights.

³⁵ He trains my hands for battle;  my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁶ You make your saving help my shield;  your help has made^[i] me great.

³⁷ You provide a broad path for my feet,  so that my ankles do not give way

 

 

What I know about the Creator of the BEES

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum, with apologies to King David

by Rebekah Saum

“Let me tell you ’bout the birds and the bees

And the flowers and the trees

And the moon, up above,

And a thing called love…”

What I’m gonna tell you,

Is not from a song,

But from a Book of Love

Penned long ago.

Something I know in my heart to be true,

About the birds and the bees

And me and you.

Corny, I, know, but it says what I want it to say, as an introduction to what I am about to share.  I am sitting at my computer at 7:00 AM on a Tuesday morning. So, what’s the big deal?  I AM RETIRED!  I don’t need to be up at 7:00 AM!  I had forgotten that 7:00 AM even existed!  But here I sit, fortifications of coffee and hot cream of wheat beside me, feeling convicted to write something I know was placed on my heart to share.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~

by Rebekah Saum

This entry is going to be different from most I write.  While it is marginally about the bees, I am writing for a different purpose  than usual, and about a subject, a truth that makes some uncomfortable.  I am giving you permission right here, to stop reading this entry, now or at any time through it. I promise, I will still love you, if I know you and if I don’t know you, I won’t hold it against you!  Now I am a first-born, left brained,  bossy princess daughter, who often thinks she knows everything, can figure out or  fix anything and is (almost) always right.  ( And just realized, raised by not one, but TWO oldest child, bossy parents who alternately were  know-it-all, information junky , analyze everything, fix anything, brilliant people .  – Double Whammy!)   So not cramming this down your throat might seem unusual.  But I am also an insecure, people-pleasing, family fixer, child of an alcoholic, who doesn’t really want to offend anyone and desperately wants you to like me!  So I am going out on a limb, here, by sharing this and by giving you permission to reject, dismiss or disagree, up front.  I don’t really want to share what I believe has been revealed to me, but I am compelled.  And I know that the Creator of the birds and the bees, the universe – my God – who has created me in his image;  gives me, and all of his creation, that free will to accept and know; or disagree, dismiss and reject the truth.  So I am just  passing that  permission on to you.  But I am getting ahead of myself, a bit.

I was wakened from a sound sleep at 6:15 this morning by a dream, and (yes, I confess) a night-sweat, and the un-ignorable urge to go to the bathroom!  🙂 ). TMI?  Sorry, I tend to be a little casual and overly transparent about my reality!   As usual, I can’t remember most of what my dream was about, but I do remember that I was in some kind of life or death crisis and sharing with another person, what was on my heart about life and death.  Once I got back in bed, I lay there, in that half in-half-out state of dreaming; sort of analyzing my dream, thinking about what I was thinking, going over it and over it in my head.  Our incredible brain can be very strange…

After laying there for about 30 minutes in this state of rambling and confusion, I had a sudden moment of clarity: I KNEW I had been given an answer to a prayer I had been praying for years.  It didn’t come from my intellectual study, or my brilliance, or my work, or my efforts.  I JUST KNEW!  It was a gift.   And needed to get up and write it down, right away, before it slipped away.  So here I sit…praying for my God’s wisdom, clarity, and truth and praying I don’t offend those I love.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~

I am a God believer, a Christ’s-sacrifice-saved believer, an imperfect sinner, seeking Holy Spirit- giving- me- daily-strength believer.  I wasn’t always so.  I was raised in the 60’s, on evolution, agnosticism, war strategy( (military brat) and war protests, rock and roll, and flower power.  I thought Jesus Freaks were over-the-top weird.  Yet I had an urge to go to church as a child, dragged my mother there and asked to be baptized, not really knowing or understanding why. As a teen, I viewed my Christian “saved” friends as opinionated and pushy and brushed their sharings aside.  Oddly, it was years later, in an Al-Anon meeting, with its God-inspired, collective wisdom, that I first really believed and understood.  (What God has planted by one, will be watered by others) Sitting in a room of others trying to make meaning out of the struggles of life, my mind and heart were suddenly filled with the KNOWING that there was a “higher power”, GOD, who was in control of my life, who created me, who loved me, who was watching over me, who had a purpose for me and all the things that had and would happen to me.   He was infinitely bigger, wiser, more powerful than this little me.  And He was infinitely more  capable of taking care of me and those that I loved, than I was.  An indescribable sense of peace, relief and trust washed over me, and I KNEW, THAT I KNEW,  THAT I KNEW  that this was true.  This KNOWING didn’t come from my own strength or brilliance or any thing I did.  It was a gift – from a holy, just, all-powerful, all-wise GOD of the universe.

I latched on to Romans 8:28 as my “life verse” from that moment and struggle daily, in the ups and downs of life, to practice and believe that “All things work for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.”  I don’t do it perfectly or even well, most days.  But I pray each day, that God will teach me what I need to know and use the good things and bad things that life sends my way, to teach me his truths and mold me more into his image through them.  I have come to know that his ways are not our ways and the mind of God cannot be understood, he is so far above us.  But he loves us,  wants good for us, and can bring blessings out of tragedies to make us more holy like he is – just like he gives us the blessing of spending eternal life with him, through the tragic sacrifice of his only son, Jesus.  We get out of jail free, relieved of our sin-sentence, because Jesus took our punishment, paid our fine, did our time and suffered our death penalty!  A just and holy God, made a way that was previously impossible, for us to be free of our sin-debt, pure and righteous enough  to stand in his presence, and to live eternally basking in his holiness and peace.  You may not understand this, but I hope someday you will.   In fact you will probably think that I am nuts, and stop here. I hope someday But that is a chance I am compelled to take.

Through the years in my walking with Jesus, I have prayed for a way to comfortably share my faith, my KNOWING with  others – those I know and love, and those I don’t know.  I’ve never been comfortable doing this – fearing judgment, rejection and offending someone.  Always feeling like I have to see others’ sides to the faith issue, accept that others’ believe there are other ways to God, and do what is politically correct!  I have been reluctant and uncomfortable sharing  my faith and always marveled at people who could strike up this kind of conversation with a stranger on a plane, without offending.  Yet all the while, I knew God asks all of us to spread the Good News about Jesus – the embodiment of his love for us.  Early this morning, I think I got my answer.

Through my dream, I realized that what God was asking of me, what just what he had done with me.  He didn’t hit me over the head with his truth.  He didn’t get mad when I dismissed or disagreed.  He just kept putting the truth out there, sending it through; books, and speakers, and churches, and videos and events  good and bad, and strangers and his Holy Bible and friends (whom I call the “rescuing Eskimos of life” – but that’s a whole ‘nother story). From this dream, I realized that it is his model of sharing the truth that I need to use.  Just put it out there, with the message that this is what I KNOW TO BE TRUE.   But knowing  that you are free to accept or reject, take or leave, agree or disagree, ponder or dismiss.  I will still like and love you, no matter what, just like all those years God loved me while I wandered in the wilderness of confusion and tried to figure it out on my own.  God loved me enough to pursue me and risk rejection.  I must love God enough to do what he has asked of me.  And love you, family, friends and even strangers,  enough to risk your rejection. Love you enough to tell you the TRUTH I KNOW because I want you to have the gift I have, the eternal life promised, the purpose of living this life and the peace in your heart that can not be explained.

~  ~  ~  ~

I can’t look into a bee hive with all its intricacies and perfection and not believe in a creator GOD. Only an intelligent-beyond-all-we-can-imagine GOD could have created these incredible creatures with their amazing abilities:

 

 

 

to build tiny hexagonal cells all exactly the same;

 

 

 

 

 

to make nutritional and healing honey;

to mix up the antimicrobial, healing propolis out of tree resin;

 

 

 

 

to navigate their environment to find food and resources for their fellow bees;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and to live in a highly organized community where each member has a job to do and works together for the prosperity of all. 

 

 

 

 

 

~  ~  ~  ~

A beautiful, complex building, an architectural wonder, didn’t just design and build it self.  It didn’t happen by accident. It was designed by an architect with vision, expertise and brilliance and built by those with intelligence, skill and tenacity.

~  ~  ~  ~

by Rebekah Saum

 

I KNOW that my bees, in all their perfection,complexity and ingenuity were created by GOD, not by happenstance.

So watching and working with the bees validates and confirms what I KNOW to be true:

that GOD created the birds and the bees,

and me and you.

There, I said it and shared it.

And you are free to believe or not.

But I KNOW he is right here waiting for you…

Psalm 139:13

15 For you created my inmost being;  you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Jeremiah 1

⁴ The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,   before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

⁶ “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

⁷ But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.

⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

 

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.

We have a new name ~ BEEpothecary

Land of Milk and Honey

Cooking with Honey by Laurie Dotson

What exciting times we are experiencing, these days!

We have officially changed our name to BEEpothecary

from Hive & Honey BEEpothecary.

We found that people started to call us Hive and Honey.  There’s nothing wrong with that. Until you start searching the interweb for our company.  You will find other beekeepers around the U.S of A using hive and honey. We have one in our backyard… You will find a shoe company, lingerie store, boutiques, clothing brands, photography, jewelry and on and on carrying the Hive and Honey name.

We felt we needed to stand out more. We are a unique company that makes the most of Propolis in all of our Skin, Hair and Health Products.

What is Propolis, you ask?

Bees make propolis, which they use to glue the materials of their hives together, by mixing beeswax and other secretions with resins from the buds of conifer and poplar trees. Those resins have natural germicidal properties. For centuries, people have used propolis on wounds and as a remedy for ailments ranging from acne to cancer, osteoporosis, itching, and tuberculosis. Today, propolis is used in the manufacture of chewing gum, cosmetics, creams, lozenges and ointments and is being investigated as a dental sealant and tooth enamel hardener. A number of studies have tested its effectiveness in humans and animals as a treatment for burns, minor wounds, infections, inflammatory diseases, dental pain, and herpes. While promising, the results of these studies are preliminary.  However, propolis does have proven antibiotic and antiseptic properties and may also have antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects. I consider it safe and useful as a home remedy.

So… with a swipe of our wrists and the removing of just “Hive and Honey.”  This small deletion, will give us exactly, what were looking for.

A Name the Stands out all by itself.

Where did we come up with the name, you ask?

A year ago, we had a name and logo ready to be published.  It was Honey Bee Apothecary. A Great name! It says everything we wanted it to emphasize.  BEE’s, Honey and Hive Products with medicinal properties.  But, as we were attending a Beekeeper’s conference in Michigan.  My brother-in-law a licensed pharmacist, Raymond Rutkowski, threw us a curveball. He told us that in Michigan, only Pharmacist and/or Pharmacies can carry the “Apothecary” name.   We were to double check our research in the State of Ohio.  Low and behold, he was right and we were again searching for a new name for our company.  On the way home, to Ohio, after a great conference and short family reunion with my twin sister Deborah.  We stopped off at a watering hole to get some comfort food. We decided that a full stomach and blackberry cobbler would help us achieve the maximum level of creativity. AND Shazam!  A powerful force came upon my husband and he uttered these famous words “Let’s switch out the “A” for “B” and add “pothecary”. Making sure that we use two capital EE’s to showcase the BEE. Because the BEE’s make the medicine and they should get all the credit.”

After, almost, a year in business. We have found that we need to simplify our name. So today, We would like to introduce to you, our new name

and show case all of our value added hive products. With that being said I have a ton of work to do. Creating new labels for every product we have, changing out the old logo to the new, marketing our new names in social media and local businesses.  So, Keep you eyes out for us.  We are at Celebrate Local at Easton Towncenter, City folks Farm Store in Clintonville, The Well, down in Lancaster (opening soon). We have a couple of hopeful business in Canal Winchester. When the weather get nicer, we will be at Pearl Alley in downtown Columbus, friday mornings,  Moonlight Market on Gay Street- once a month, and multiple other venus that we will promote as we lock in our calendar.

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

Like us on Facebook!  Stop by and and pick up products that you need.

In honor of our Name Change.

I thought I would make Blackberry Jam

It’s very complicated. Stick with me and you will be amazed at your Jam making skills!!

Homemade BEErry Jam

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds
• 1 Cup Blackberries or mixed berries of your choice
• 1 Tablespoon Honey

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Gather all the ingredients, listed above. Then, put them into little glass bowls and place on a pretty cutting board. (You don’t have to do this. It just pretty to lay everything out – I feel like a professional TV chef when I do it.) If you do do it.  You midas well (might as well) take some pictures and post them to the interweb for ohhs and ahhs Wink!!

2. Now the hard part: Blend all ingredients in a blender, mixer, or a handblender, like the one I used.  Blend until well mixed and berries are pulverized. 

3. Pour into Jam Jars and ‘frigerate over night.

4. Dish on to toast, yogurt, with ice cream,  or on crackers and cream cheese, if desired.

5. Finally, you must smile while you enjoy your hard work!

Your Health…Powered by BEES!

Laurie

Genesis 9:3 ESV 

Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.

 

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.”

More Research on Honey Bee Products

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Propolis, honey, pollen, too

Amazing treasures for me and you.

For health and wellness,

Beautiful skin

Get healing from the hive

Outside and within!

Clover, Bee, and Revery

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

 

Every week, it seems, I read about more research that is being done on propolis, honey and pollen.  I get a daily e- newsletter from Apitherapy News which reports the latest findings from apitherapy (the use of bee products for medicinal purposes) research.  If interested, you can sign up for this newsletter at http://apitherapy.blogspot.com.

The articles are sometimes difficult to understand, as they are medical abstracts.  I will attempt to summarize some here, in layperson’s words!

A study was posted in October 2013, titled “Total monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition by chestnut honey, pollen and propolis” by researchers, O. Yildiz, F. Karahali, Z. Can, H. Sahin, and S. Kolayli,  from   the Department of Chemistry, Science Faculty, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey.  This study was done to see if propolis, honey or pollen would function as MAO inhibitors (Monoamine oxidase), like many drugs on the market that are used to treat depression and other neurodegenerative illnesses, like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

They found that propolis, honey and pollen all exhibited substantial inhibition of MAO, with propolis having the highest effect. Their conclusion states that bee products possess a sedative effect and may be effective in protecting humans against depression and similar diseases.  It is amazing to me that a substances created by God’s little creatures, the honeybees, could do such amazing things for us humans. And they do it without college degrees, and laboratories, and artificially made chemicals, and multimillion dollar pharmaceutical companies backing them!

Another study was published in October, 2013 showing that Manuka Honey (from the Manuka trees in New Zealand)  decreases the virulence of the super bug, MRSA! This study is titled, Proteomic and genomic analysis of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) exposed to manuka honey in vitro demonstrated down-regulation of virulence markers, (Whew, that’s a mouthful!), by J Antimicrob Chemother.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a dangerous pathogen. It is resistance to multiple antibiotics and is very prevalent in healthcare facilities and is easily spread.  It is a serious threat to human health that requires novel interventions.  Manuka honey is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that is gaining acceptance in the topical treatment of wounds.  But the way it works is only partially understood.  This study set out to investigate the effects of manuka honey on MRSA at a molecular level.

In laboratory experiments, they found that glucose, one of the major sugars in honey, altered the genes in the MRSA  bacteria, reduced its cell division ability and its ability to invade healthy cell tissues.  Authors of this study conclude that these effects of honey on MRSA  need to be investigated by more use on actual MRSA infected patients.  My daughters, who are nurses, tell me that manuka honey IS being used here in the Columbus, Ohio area, to treat wounds, bedsores, and MRSA infections in hospitals and nursing homes.  I also inquired about its use when caring for my mother in Wichita Kansas, and was told medicinal honey is part of their wound care protocol as well.  This is encouraging news!  Natural treasures from our Creator’s flora and fauna CAN be of incredible benefit to our health and well-being!  BEE Power!!

Isaiah 45

2 I will go before you  and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.
³ I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the  Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.
⁴ For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a  title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.
⁵ I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me,
⁶ so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
⁷ I form the light and create darkness,  I bring prosperity and create disaster;  I, the Lord, do all these things.

Blessings for our Thanksgiving!

Land of Milk and Honey

Cooking with Honey by Laurie Dotson

Thanksgiving has become one of my favorite holidays. An acquaintance wrote my sentiments to a tee and I would like to post them. So without further ado… She says, For weeks I look forward to preparing a beautiful meal and relaxing with my family. Sadly, Thanksgiving night invariably finds me deflated. I regret having gotten irritable in the final crazy minutes of gravy making and turkey carving or feel dispirited by the lack of meaningful conversation at the table. I miss the family members who are absent. I wish people would have gotten along better and connected more deeply. The list of discontents varies from year to year but the theme is the same: it didn’t turn out exactly as I had hoped.

This year I am on to myself. All month I’ve been thinking about letting go of my imaginary ideals and showing up with an open heart for whatever happens. I anticipate that it may be a little hard to pull off on the big day. I know I’m not alone. For many people the holidays are a time of heightened need for things to be a particular way. Certainly there’s nothing wrong with wanting a lovely holiday. But high expectations can hold us in their grip. What we want to see blinds us to what is actually in front of us and diminishes it. If we then distance ourselves from the imperfect, that gap makes it even harder to connect to things as they are. It is only in approaching a thing — be it this particular holiday meal or an individual human being — with attention that we can fully appreciate it, for all its faults and strengths, for all its funky uniqueness. Paying attention with kindness opens us to the wholeness around us. From there it is a short leap to gratitude. That which we see deeply enough can virtually always be counted as a blessing.

As we each look around our Thanksgiving tables next week, may we focus on the kindness and generosity that is shared between us and give thanks for the day we have been given, whether or not it is the one we had imagined.

Blessings on your holiday table.  Don’t forget to invite a friend or two who need a family to share this day with! 

Honey Roast Turkey

Turkey ingredients

• 1  12 – 14  pound  fresh or frozen natural turkey
• 2 cups  water
• 1/2 cup  Hive & Honey BEEpothecary honey
• 1/4 cup  finely snipped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons  finely snipped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons  snipped fresh thyme
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon  olive oil
• 1/2 kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup  Hive & Honey BEEpothecary honey
• 2 tablespoons  butter
•  Apple Cider Sauce (see recipe below) (optional)

directions

1.Thaw turkey if frozen. In a medium saucepan combine water, 1/2 cup honey, and about half of the parsley, sage, thyme, and garlic. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in olive oil. Cover; let stand 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids.

2.Rinse turkey; pat dry with paper towels. Skewer the neck skin to the back. Tie legs to tail. Twist wing tips under the back.

3.Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Using a flavor-injector syringe, inject the honey mixture into the meat of the turkey. (This may take up to 20 injections, so try to evenly distribute the seasoned mixture in the turkey. If the syringe gets clogged with a bit of seasoning, you will need to flush it out with water and a toothpick.) Sprinkle turkey lightly with salt and pepper.

4.Insert a meat thermometer into the center of one of the inside thigh muscles without the thermometer touching the bone. Cover turkey loosely with foil. Roast in a 325 degree F oven for 2-1/2 hours.

5.For glaze, in a small saucepan, heat and stir 1/4 cup honey and butter until butter is melted. Stir in remaining parsley, sage, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper.

6.Remove turkey from oven. Cut the string between the drumsticks so the thighs will cook evenly. Remove the foil to let the bird brown. Brush about one-third of the glaze over turkey. Return turkey to oven and roast for 30 to 60 minutes more, brushing two more times with remaining glaze, or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees F and juices run clear.

7.Remove turkey from oven and cover loosely with foil. Let stand for 15 minutes before carving. Carve turkey into thin slices and, if desired, serve with Apple Cider Sauce. Makes 18 servings.

Apple Cider Sauce

 ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons  butter
• 3 tablespoons  flour
• 1 1/2 cups  chicken broth
• 1 cup  apple cider
• 1/4 cup  Hive & Honey BEEpothecary honey
• 2 tablespoons  cider vinegar
•  Salt
•  Pepper

directions

1.In a medium saucepan, cook onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour, broth, apple cider, honey and cider vinegar. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

From the Laurie and Pete Dotson and Jeannie and Steve Saum,

We wish you Great Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving Eating !

(P.S. Take your Propolis and Honey and stay healthy this holiday season!)

Psalm 95:2-3  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.

Honey for Healing – Powered by Bees!

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Honey, natural, gold and pure,

Yes, we love its sweet allure.

But did you know, there’s more for you

Coming from this sticky goo?

Not only is it tasty to devour

It can also heal cuts, sores and wounds

With its power.

 

Clover, Bee, and Revery

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

 

Honey, one of the valuable gifts from the beehive, is being used for more than just a yummy sweetener in food.  With two nurses in the family, I had heard my daughters talk about using honey- treated dressings on wounds and bedsores in hospitals and nursing homes here in Ohio. As I cared for my mother in her last days,  I asked every nurse and wound care specialist, in Kansas, if they were using medicinal honey. They all confirmed that yes, they were! Though none of them knew about the even more amazing benefits of propolis from the beehive, I was encouraged to hear that the natural healer, honey, was now widely accepted in the medical field. I’d like to share some information with you, documented with reliable research, on the medicinal uses of honey. I have paraphrased this information to be a little more understandable to us laypeople!   The entire article, “Understanding how honey impacts on wounds: an update on recent research findings”, by Abdul Seckam and Rose, complete with references to the research and a bibliography, is available at: http://www.woundsinternational.com

Understanding how honey impacts on wounds: an update on recent research findings

Honey has been used for centuries in wound care as a topical antimicrobial agent. Licensed wound care products containing medical-grade honey first became available in 1999 and are now widely used. Honey’s therapeutic properties come from its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Laboratory evidence published in the past 5 years is helping the medical community understand how honey works to heal wounds and is now being integrated into modern medical practice. A range of medical honey products are available from several manufacturers for use on traumatic wounds, surgical incision sites, burns, sloughy wounds, and pressure ulcers.

Some researchers have criticised that clinical evidence to support the use of honey in the treatment of superficial wounds and burns was of low quality. By contrast, a review of 19 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 2554 participants suggested that honey improved healing times in mild to moderate superficial and partial thickness burns when compared to conventional dressings. Another recent review of 33 RCTs noted that participants using honey had increased from 1965 in 2006 to 3556 in 2011, with a broadening in the range of wound types included, the choice of dressings available to clinicians, and the types of honey employed. Clinicians suggest that the effectiveness of different types of honey dressings used on similar wounds, be studied to test and compare the healing effectiveness of each.

Therapeutic properties of honey

Research has shown that honey has the following qualities: antimicrobial activity, deodorizing action, debriding action and osmotic effect, anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant activity, and enhanced rate of healing. Essentially, honey can be regarded as an antimicrobial agent with the ability to promote wound healing.
Chemically honey is a complex substance whose antimicrobial components have been well established but , all honeys are not equal. Methylglyoxal was shown to contribute to the antibacterial activity of manuka honey, frequently used medicinally. Many honeys generate hydrogen peroxide on dilution, but manuka honey does not produce detectable levels and, as such, has been called a non-peroxide honey.

Honey has a broad spectrum of activity against bacteria and fungi. Gram-positive bacteria are

often involved in wound infection. Staphylococcus aureus – the most common cause of wound infection – has been shown to be inhibited by relatively low concentrations of honey. Antibiotic resistant strains, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-sensitive and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VSE and VRE) have shown to be inhibited by honey. A recent study showed that the growth of 15 cultures of Streptococcus species isolated from wounds were inhibited by honey.

Of Gram-negative bacteria commonly implicated in wound infection, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, enteric bacteria, Stenotrophomonas species, and Acinetobacter baumannii, have been shown to be susceptible to honey in vitro. Honey works in several ways to inhibit bacteria including: interrupting cell division, causing cell walls to break down, and damaging the bacteria’s DNA.

Patients with infected or highly exuding wounds may experience wound malodor. Honey has been shown to have a deodorizing effect in patients with malodorous wounds, which is probably due to the inhibition of bacteria. This trait is most notable within 24 hours of the application of honey to the wounds

Antimicrobial resistance to honey

With the introduction of new antimicrobials into clinical practice, the emergence of resistant strains of bacteria normally follows at some point. But experiments in which bacteria were exposed to low concentrations of manuka honey failed to select for honey-resistant strains. While these findings do not prove that bacterial strains won’t become resistant to honey in the future, they do suggest that the possibility is slight.

Debriding action of honey and osmotic effect

The role of honey in wound debridement ( the removal of dead tissue) has been described in research. Manuka honey was demonstrated to promote improved debridement, compared to a hydrogel.  Manuka honey reduces the PH in the wound, preventing the formation of nonviable tissue.
The osmotic effect (ability to attract and hold water) of honey has been thought to encourage lymphatic flow to devitalized tissue, while reducing bacterial load This promotes debridement by allowing substances to form in the wound that lower the quantity of nonviable tissue .

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of honey

Wounds that do not progress through the usual phases of healing persist in a chronic inflammatory state caused by damaging chemicals and reactions in the wound. One way to interrupt this chronic inflammatory cycle is to remove free radicals with antioxidants and honey is known to contain antioxidants that scavenge free radicals. Although the anti-inflammatory effects of antioxidants in honey have been demonstrated in animal models, clinical studies are scarce, but it may be that these effects explain the benefits seen in treating burns with honey.

The future

The use of honey in modern wound care is still met with some skepticism. Since the advent of evidence-based medicine, changing clinical practice depends on providing clinicians with appropriate levels of evidence of clinical efficacy. Although honey has become a first-line intervention in some wound care clinics, larger and better designed studies are needed to cement the role of honey in modern wound care.

I have witnessed the healing effects of honey and propolis on wounds and sores. Honey and/or propolis have replaced triple antibiotic, burn ointment and other wound treatments in our family medicine cabinet, and they can in yours, too! Hopefully, research will continue to be done in this country, so Americans can further benefit from these natural treasures! Meanwhile, jump in and try out the healing resources – powered by bees!

 

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 45

3I will give you hidden treasures,   riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord,  the God of Israel, who summons you by name.
⁴ For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name  and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.

⁵ I am the Lord, and there is no other;  apart from me there is no God.  I will strengthen you,  though you have not acknowledged me,
⁶ so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me.    I am the Lord, and there is no other.