BEE Powered Help for the Common Cold

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

 Sneezing, wiping runny noses

Head congested, having a cold is

Not much fun. But here’s great news.

There is now something you can do!

About those symptoms  getting us down.

Use PROPOLIS, and they won’t be around!

I just saw on Facebook that my niece is sick with what she thinks is a bad cold or flu.  She was complaining about how there was nothing she could do about it.  Well, I’m here to tell you, that THERE IS!.  It’s called PROPOLIS and it’s made by the honeybees.

If you are new to this blog, you need to know that propolis is made when the bees go out and collect resin from tree buds and bark.  They take this sticky resin back to their hive, mix it with things in their bodies, and make an even stickier goo with it.  The bees use this substance to seal up cracks in their hive and  coat all the surfaces to sterilize it.   The bees also encase intruders to the hive that they have stung to death, “embalming” the corpse with propolis, so it doesn’t rot and infect the hive.   The beehive is one of the most sanitary environments found.

Propolis use for human medicinal purposes is verified back to the times of early Greeks and Romans.  Modern-day research has been done on it since the early 1900’s, with much done in the last 50 years.  Most of the research had been done in Europe and Asia, and propolis is used all over the world for its medicinal properties.  Though it is not widely known in the US, studies are being done here, and world-wide research is referenced and documented on the government’s National Institute of Health website. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

I am always looking for research to back up what I have read, heard and experienced regarding propolis.  Recently I read a report of a study done in 1998 with human subjects who had rhinovirus – the cause of the common cold.  This study gave half the subjects a propolis extract and half a placebo.  In the group who took the propolis,  their  colds were  2.5 times shorter vs. the contol group!  Their  symptoms improved in 1 day,  and were completely gone in 1-3 days.  In the control group the mean (average) length of the colds was 4.8 days.

On the NIH website, I also found a study on the action of propolis on the infuenza virus that was done in 2008 using mice.  (Anti-influenza virus activity of propolis in vitro and its efficacy against influenza infection in mice. Shimizu T, Hino A, Tsutsumi A, Park YK, Watanabe W, Kurokawa M).  Brazilian propolis extracts were given 3 times a day for 7 days after infection. In the propolis group there was a significant reduction of the virus in the lungs of the infected mice.  Their conclusion was that propolis extract (tincture) may be a possible candidate for an anti-influenza dietary supplement for humans.

Although we have not had true influenza at our house, these studies mirror the success we, our friends and family members have had using propolis for viruses that cause cold and viral symptoms.  We start taking propolis oil or tincture the minute we start feeling sick.  We take 1/2 to 1/3 dropperful, three times a day, until symptoms  are gone.  This usually happens within 2 days.

This is quite amazing in our family, as husband/Dad, Steve, and three of our grown children  have asthma.  Usually, if they get a cold, it triggers their asthma and ends up turning into 3 weeks of bronchitis or pneumonia and a round or two of antibiotics.  With propolis, cold symptoms are gone in two days!  Husband Steve has not seen a doctor for lung issues for three years, where in the past, he would be on round after round of antibiotics all winter.   He now uses propolis as a preventative, taking it once  daily to fend off any germs that might be lurking around.

So , as I wrote  my niece, NO MORE COMPLAINING about there being nothing one can do for colds or viruses –  BECAUSE, THERE IS!   God’s little, tiny creatures, the honeybees, make this  incredible natural substance, called propolis, that is out there waiting for us to start reaping its benefits!

HEALTH ~ POWERED BY BEES!

For Propolis Products go to:   mkt.com/beepothecary

Jeremiah 17

¹² A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.
¹³ Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord,  the spring of living water.

¹⁴ Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.

Propolis Has Arrived!

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Eagerly anticipated, Our box of golden propolis

Purchased from a fellow beekeeper, Can not wait to open it!

We cherish every golden nugget Like the miners on TV’s “Gold Rush”.

It’s value is unmeasurable. We’ll make some tincture of it.

Clover, Bee, and Revery

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

 

We found an Ohio beekeeper who was collecting propolis, and were able to purchase 6 pounds of this wonderful, healing goo!  We had run out of the propolis we had collected from our hives, and needed more to keep up with the demands for propolis oil and tincture from our customers.

treasured box of golden propolis

A whole box of propolis, what a beautiful sight!  We cherish every bit of it, and go around picking up tiny stray morsels of it, as if it were nuggets of gold!  We won’t let any of it go to waste, as we process it into useful healing forms.  We are continually amazed at how it works to keep us healthy.

A month ago, husband Steve felt as if he was getting sick.  He had congestion and a tightness in his chest, that usually means 2-3 weeks of bronchitis and asthma flare-up in addition to antibiotics.  He started taking 1/3 a dropperful of propolis tincture 3 times a day for three days, and was fine!

Last week, I had a flare-up of carpel tunnel syndrome and my arm and hand hurt so that I could not sleep.  Ibuprofen was not helping the deep ache in my forearm.  When I got up in the morning, I tried ice and then heat – no  help.  Then I decided to try rubbing my arm down with propolis oil.   I had a tin of propolis coconut oil, a new item we had made.  I rubbed this in and in about 30 seconds, the deep aching was GONE!

I just tried the propolis coconut oil on my very dry and peeling feet last night.  When I got up this morning, they were so much better.  I did another treatment before I put my socks on this morning, and by afternoon, my feet are almost completely smooth!  Steve used our wound salve on his cracked and dry feet a few days ago and had similar success.

A few days ago, we were at son Nate’s house and noticed his dog Bella’s hot spot on her paw was back and she had licked it raw.  I got out my tube of propolis tip balm, took a hunk off, rubbed it into the sore, and left the tube with Nate.  He said, the next morning it looked so much better, all the redness was gone.

New batch of propolis tincture “brewing”

We are continually amazed at what  propolis can do for health and healing.  We encourage everyone to try this nature made substance to see for yourselves what it can do!

HEALTH  ~  POWERED BY BEES!

John 6

²⁸ Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

³⁰ So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

³² Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

³⁶ But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.

³⁷ All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

⁴⁰ For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Propolis and Cancer

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

God designed bees to make perfect hexagon cells,

Delicious honey and beeswax to spare.

But most amazing of all, the red-gold propolis goo

Healing from the hive for me and you!

Clover, Bee, and Revery

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

 

People are talking about propolis and cancer on the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Survivor Network!  Cancer patients are using propolis and posting information about propolis and cancer fighting properties.  I decided to do some research to verify what is being said.

Propolis is a natural compound made by honeybees to coat the inside of their hives.  It is collected by the bees from plant buds and bark to disinfect and protect their beehive from disease, bacteria, viruses, and fungus. Its composition is approximately 55% resins and balms, 30% wax, 10% etheric oils, and 5% pollen. It contains over 180 compounds, many of which are biologically active. It contains almost all minerals, vitamins and amino acids needed by the body. Its great content of flavonoids, amongst others, is what makes it antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-allergenic, antibiotic, and anesthetic.  It can be ground into powder and consumed with honey, or it can also be chewed with gum. It may be dissolved in alcohol or in natural glycerin to make a tincture.

Some of propolis’ ingredients have shown antioxidant and anti-tumor properties in early laboratory and animal studies,

• A study published in 2008 by Biosci Biotechnol Biochem shows that propolis suppresses tumor angiogenesis by inducing apoptosis in tube-forming endothelial cells.  This means that propolis suppresses the growth of blood vessels by the cancer cells and causes cell death.  This study can be found at:

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/propolis-suppresses-angiogenesis

• Another study published in 2008 showed Anticarcinogenic and antimitotic effects  of propolis on tissue cultures of bladder cancer.  This means it decreased the cell division of the cancer cells.  This study is found at:

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/propolis-has-anticarcinogenic-and-antimitotic-effect-tissue-cultures-bladder-cancer-0

• A study from 2009 showed growth inhibitory activity of an alcohol tincture of propolis in four human colon carcinoma cell lines.  It states that propolis may provide a novel approach to the chemoprevention and treatment of human colon carcinoma.  This study can be found at:

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/propolis-inhibits-growth-human-colon-cancer-cell-lines

Studies cited on http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/propolis, state that:

• One of the flavonoids extracted from propolis showed a more potent cytotoxic activity against human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) and human fibrosarcoma (HT-1080) cells than did the anticancer drug 5-fluoruracil .  It also cited a study that showed propolis was found to inhibit proliferation and induced cell death in human leukemia (HL-60) cells.

Researchers from the University of Chicago Medical Center, intrigued by propolis’ anti-cancer potential, decided to look at one of its bioactive components, caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), and its impact on human prostate cancer cells.

• In cells grown in a lab, even small doses of CAPE slowed the growth of tumor cells. And when low oral doses were given to mice with prostate tumors, tumor growth slowed by 50 percent! What’s more, feeding CAPE to mice daily caused the tumors to stop growing, although they returned when the CAPE was removed from their diets.

• This suggests the propolis compound works by impacting signaling networks that control cancerous cell growth, rather than by killing the cells directly. However, there are at least four studies on propolis’ apoptotic properties, indicating that technically it is capable of directly killing cancer cells, including prostate cancer, melanoma and more, as well. You can read more about this at:

http://www.uchospitals.edu/news/2012/20120504-beehive.html

Writing in Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology, researchers expanded on some of propolis’ potential effects:

• “Propolis, a waxy substance produced by the honeybee, has been adopted as a form of folk medicine since ancient times. It has a wide spectrum of alleged applications including potential anti-infection and anticancer effects. Many of the therapeutic effects can be attributed to its immunomodulatory functions. The composition of propolis can vary according to the geographic locations from where the bees obtained the ingredients.

• Two main immunopotent chemicals have been identified as caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and artepillin C. Propolis, CAPE, and artepillin C have been shown to exert summative immunosuppressive function on T lymphocyte subsets but paradoxically activate macrophage function.

• On the other hand, they also have potential antitumor properties by different postulated mechanisms such as suppressing cancer cells proliferation via its anti-inflammatory effects; decreasing the cancer stem cell populations; blocking specific oncogene signaling pathways; exerting antiangiogenic effects; and modulating the tumor microenvironment.

• The good bioavailability by the oral route and good historical safety profile makes propolis an ideal adjuvant agent for future immunomodulatory or anticancer regimens.”

More on this at:http://www.naturalnews.com/040533_propolis_cancer_prevention_immune_function.html

• A study from 2010 tested propolis for its effect on malignant colon cancer cells and normal cells. The extract of propolis compounds were found to be the most active against HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells, without affecting normal human cells, arresting the cancer cells at the G(2)/M phase of the cell cycle.  This article can be found at:

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/greek-propolis-exhibits-antiproliferative-effects-against-human-colon-cancer-cells

For Propolis Products go to:    mkt.com/beepothecary

Deuteronomy 28

1 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.

² All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

³ You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

⁴ The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

⁵ Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

⁶ You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

Propolis for Arthritis

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

One simple substance

Can do so much

A miracle from the hive

That bee propolis!

Clover, Bee, and Revery

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

A family member asked me about using our propolis oil on arthritic knees. I didn’t know the answer, so I jumped online to do some research.  Bee propolis is made by honeybees from tree resin.  It contains organic acids, essential oils, flavonoids, vitamins, minerals and 16 amino acids.  It has antibiotic, anti-fungal, antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. see http://nih.gov – the National Institutes of Health.

Livestrong.com reports that propolis can help with the pain and inflammation of arthritis, by using it as a topical treatment and an internal health supplement.  They referenced a  2007 article published in the “Journal of Venom and Animal Toxins” explains that propolis is an inexpensive yet effective topical treatment for both acute and chronic inflammatory processes such as arthritis. Propolis is particularly useful for treating these conditions when they occur in the joints between bones, where arthritis often appears.

Another research article I found done at a university in Seoul, Korea in 1999,  stated that the ethanolic extract of propolis had a profound anti-inflammatory effects on both chronic and acute inflammations and exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects in animal models.  It always amazes me that this kind of information has been around for so long, yet so few know about it in the US!

To use propolis to help with arthritis, apply a topical cream or ointment, that contains propolis extract,

tto help reduce the inflammation caused by arthritis.

Take a propolis supplement in capsule or extract form to help reduce  arthritis inflammation.   According to MedlinePlus, an exact dosage of propolis currently does not exist, however, for most uses the website Puritan recommends that you take 500mg once or twice a day. Take the supplement with a full glass of water and with food because it can cause slight nausea if taken on an empty stomach.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/373187-how-to-use-propolis-for-arthritis/#ixzz2ZawITXEl

For Propolis products, click on the  tab –  Our Products – at the top of the page.  This will take you to our online market – http://www.mkt.com/beepothecary.

Psalm 65

8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;  where morning dawns, where evening fades,  you call forth songs of joy.

⁹ You care for the land and water it;  you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water  to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it
¹⁰ You drench its furrows and level its ridges;  you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
¹¹ You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.
¹² The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;  the hills are clothed with gladness.
¹³ The meadows are covered with flocks  and the valleys are mantled with grain;  they shout for joy and sing.

Honey Facial and Body Scrubs

Land of Milk and Honey

Cooking with Honey by Laurie Dotson

This came to me while drinking my morning coffee. The perfect facial scrub! I know what honey and cinnamon do for the body. So, why not make a scrub, out of my favorite ingredients.  I fix my coffee with cinnamon and honey every morning.  The combination has so many amazing healing properties. Not only can it cure many conditions such as headaches, constipation, and fatigue, it also has strong preventative powers. It reduces muscle and joint inflammation. It helps the body properly regulate insulin production and lowers cholesterol and many more things.  So why not put them all together and make a cleanser, moisturizer, and exfoliates for my face.  Try it out!!!! Let me know what you think.

A Sweet Scrub:

Coffee Cinnamon & Honey Scrub

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of olive oil or coconut oil
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds

Combine all of the ingredients together and stir. If the recipe being too runny, or too dry. This is really just personal preference, so if you find it’s too runny, add more sugar, and if it’s too dry, add a tad more coconut oil or honey. This scrub smells so good you  will  want to eat it:)

Scrub. With a moist hand, rub the facial into your skin in small circular motions. If the facial is too tight to move easily, add some warm water with your hands. Rinse. The facial is easiest to remove in the shower. Stand under the shower and let the warm water dissolve the facial from your face. Be sure to rinse thoroughly, especially near the hairline.

Apply Hive & Honey BEEpothecary Propolis oil,  coconut oil, or olive oil to your face as a moisturizer.

Now A Salty Scrub:

Honey and Salt Facial Scrub

Ingredients:

• Honey
• Kosher or sea salt

Honey will provide the base for your salt scrub. Make sure your honey is at room temperature because it will be easier to work with. Pour honey into your small bowl until it’s almost half full.  Add enough salt to the honey to thicken it; mix thoroughly. The mixture should be thick enough to stick to the back of the spoon without dripping. Continue adding salt by the teaspoon and mixing it with the spoon until it’s the right consistency.

Spread the facial scrub on your face, gently. Start with your forehead and work down, avoiding the eye area. If the facial is too thick to spread easily, moisten your hands with warm water. Be sure not to pull or stretch your facial skin when applying the scrub.  Allow the scrub to sit on your face for about five minutes. The weight of it will draw the blood to the surface of your skin. Your face should appear slightly red and feel warm.

Scrub. With a moist hand, rub the facial into your skin in small circular motions. If the facial is too tight to move easily, add some warm water with your hands.Rinse. The facial is easiest to remove in the shower. Stand under the shower and let the warm water dissolve the facial from your face. Be sure to rinse thoroughly, especially near the hairline.

Apply 2-4 drops of Hive & Honey BEEpothecary Propolis oil,  coconut oil, or olive oil to your face as a moisturizer.

You are going to be glowing and your face will feel vibrate!

Happy Scrubbing!

Colossians 4:6  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person

How We Make Propolis Oil and Tincture

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Turning propolis, sticky goo

Into something good for you

Is ever so rewarding.

Hard work and messy

But in the end a blessing.

Clover, Bee, and Revery

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

Today, Laurie and I made new batches of propolis oil and tincture, from the propolis we had collected from the hives last fall.  First, we had to do the last cleaning step, (see our recent blog – How to Clean Propolis) which was to crumble apart the frozen propolis patties and pick out the remaining debris – wood shavings, beeswax, etc.  A messy job, but much easier to work with than when the propolis is room temperature.  It is  stiff and sticky then!

We did this in the garage, as propolis crumbs dropped on the floor, will need to be SCRAPED up – not fun!  After this messy job, we headed into the kitchen to mix up our “potions.”

crumbling up frozen propolis, picking out debris

We make propolis mixtures two ways – as an oil, and as an alcohol based tincture.  Propolis is not as easily dissolved in oil as it is in alcohol, and the percentage of the mixture isn’t as exact, but we like it better for some applications.  For instance, when using propolis on a cut, the oil is much more soothing than the alcohol tincture!

We have made Propolis Oil two ways in the past, but find that it seems more potent if we use the heated method, than just letting it sit.

Propolis Infused Oil

Here’s the recipe we use for Propolis Oil:

• 1 part propolis by weight to
• 9 parts olive oil (any healthy vegetable oil is okay to use)

Heated Method

Mix the propolis and olive oil together in the top of a double boiler.  ( small sauce pot in a larger pot partly filled with water)    This helps control the temperature of the oil, which you do not want to get too hot.  This would destroy the beneficial properties of the propolis.  Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature and heat the oil to no higher than 122 degrees F.  Stir and heat for about 10 minutes.  (or longer if you wish).  The propolis will not all dissolve.

Strain this  mixture through cheesecloth (coarser, so faster, but might require a second straining) or a paper coffee filter (finer, so slower, but you end up with a cleaner oil).  The propolis that remains in the filter can be used again to make more oil! (freeze it for another time) Store it in a sealed jar in a dark place.

2 Week Unheated Method

Mix the same quantities/ratio of oil and propolis as above in a container with a sealing lid.  We use canning jars.  Shake up and store in a dark place.  Shake 2-3 times a day, for 2 weeks.  Then proceed as above, to strain.

Propolis Tincture

With Propolis Tincture you can get a more exact percentage, as the propolis dissolves more completely in alcohol.  It is important to use weight measurements rather than volume for this mixture.  It is recommended that you not try to make anything stronger than a 30% solution, as it is harder to get that much propolis to dissolve.  We usually make a 10% solution. Then, after it is done infusing, if we want it stronger, we evaporate the alcohol down by half to make it 20%.

For a 10% tincture,

• mix 1 part propolis by weight to

• 9 parts grain alcohol, by weight  (we use 75 proof or higher vodka, or Everclear)  Do not use isopropyl alcohol(rubbing alcohol) – it is poisonous!

Mix together in a lidded container (again, we use canning jars).  Shake.  Store in a dark place. Shake 2-3 times a day for 1-2 weeks.  Then strain the same way as described above for the oil.  Store in a dark place or in a dark jar.  Propolis left in filter material may be reused for another tincture or oil. Use again or freeze for later.

We put our propolis oil and tincture in amber dropper bottles and store in our medicine and kitchen cabinets!

Tune in next time for how we are using propolis oils and tinctures for health and healing!

Psalm 128

1 Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.

2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.

4 Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.