THE MIRACLES OF BEE PROPOLIS
Bee Propolis is a substance that the bees make from tree resins, sap, pollen and bee saliva -- it's that sticky paste used to caulk and seal every crack in the hive. A very thin coat of Propolis is spread over the surfaces of the honeycomb cells that contain the lavae, as well as the cells that store the honey and bee pollen.
Propolis is also used extensively at the entrance of the hive to form an elaborate winding tunnel. Bees literally have to crawl through a tight tunnel of Propolis to enter and leave the hive. In this way, bees are cleansed of microbes as they enter the hive and the sterility of the hive is maintained. In fact, the beehive is the most sterile environment found in Nature.
That this structure, lactated in the wild and full of food and organisms, can be kept free of disease and infection is quite remarkable. In very real terms Propolis functions as the natural defense and immune system of the beehive. Propolis is the only natural antibiotic found in the entire world, this means that it creates the defenses and antibodies needed in the human body.
The word “Propolis” is reputed to have been coined by Aristotle, from the Greek words “pro” (in favor of, for, before, forward) and “polis” (population, city) – meaning, “in favor of population”. In his writings, Aristotle showed a remarkably accurate and detailed knowledge of bee propolis. The name “in favor of population”, is a very appropriate term to describe the role of propolis in the beehive. About History…
Aristotle studied and wrote extensively about propolis and was the first to specifically identify propolis as a substance. He also wrote the first scientific study of the honeybee. The Greek physician Hippocrates (460-377 BC), who is considered to be the father of modern medicine, recognized the healing properties of propolis. Hippocrates prescribed propolis for a wide variety of ailments. The Greeks were also the first to develop beehives as agricultural products. The Romans further developed beekeeping and expanded on the knowledge and benefits of propolis.
Propolis is rich in antioxidants and has many of the same polyphenols (huge class of nutrients) found in bee pollen, but in much higher quantities.
Historically, indigenous people have used tree resins as natural medicines for heath and healing. The Biblical history tells that two of the gifts from the three wise men were tree resins – Frankincense and Myrrh. Modern science has since validated both as valuable for health and healing. Finally, it was discovered that Propolis and Myrrh are identical. The miracle of Propolis!
For more than two thousand years Propolis has been used as an antiseptic, antimicrobial and detoxifier, treating both humans and livestock. European, Asian and Middle Eastern cultures used propolis to repair festering wounds, bedsores, skin ulcers and jagged battlefield slashes (many weapons of war were purposefully designed to create wounds that would be difficult to suture, thus they wouldn’t readily heal and became easily infected).
Anecdotal reports of the healing qualities of propolis are so numerous and convincing that researchers have formally investigated propolis to a greater extent than either bee pollen or royal jelly. Propolis is available in capsules, extracts, in honey, lipsticks and toothpaste.
Data excerpted from High Desert Beehive Product and Dr. C Leigh Broadhurst’s book on Bee Products:
"Hi! Here is another miracle history about Bee Products. It was 1995, near Christmas and I have my business in Argentina and a woman came to me because her pancreas was not working and she needed a job to have enough money to go to France and do a transplant of her pancreas. She was pregnant (four months) and it was dangerous because she can lose the baby. She started taking Propolis and Bee Pollen and other natural products. Two weeks later she returned very happy to tell me that the pancreas started working again. To make it short, she never went to France to do the transplant, she had a very nice boy and also she was pregnant again and this time she had a beautiful girl."
A Christmas miracle? Why not?
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