Monday, March 25, 2013

How Honey, Other Bee Products Can Help With Your Health


Dr. Mao's Wellness Living
Dr. Mao Shing Ni, Santa Monica Mirror, 3/17/2013
http://www.smmirror.com/articles/Health/Spring-Is-Buzzing-How-Honey-Can-Help-With-Your-Health---Dr-Maos-Wellness-Living/37039
Spring is in the air and as flowers start to bloom you might notice an increase in the bee population as well. Bee products have long been used in medicine and cooking as a healthy alternative.
Honey contains the vitamins and minerals that are lacking in refined table sugar, making it a much healthier sweetener. As a folk remedy, honey has traditionally been taken for heartburn and stomach ulcers. Read on to find out what they can do for your health.
Self-Healing With Honey: The Natural Antibiotic
In fact, Western research indicates that honey may halt the growth of H. pylori, the bacteria responsible for most gastric ulcers, and the caffeic acid found in honey may also prevent colon cancer. The only warning for this delicious, bacteria-fighting sweetener is that it should never be given to a child under the age of one because raw honey may contain botulism spores.
Here are some home remedies for common ailments, in which honey takes center stage!
1) First aid for wounds. Honey can also be used topically. Honey-soaked gauze can be wrapped around burns and wounds to help healing and applied to insect bites to soothe and prevent infections.
2) Soothe a sore throat. Eat a teaspoon of honey to soothe and coat the throat.
3) Remedy your allergies. One teaspoon of unfiltered and unprocessed honey taken daily can do wonders for allergies.
4) Cure a cough. Core and peel one Asian pear, adding one tablespoon of honey to the center, and steam or bake for 10-15 minutes. Eat this two to three times a day to nourish your lungs and soothe a cough.
5) Counteract constipation. When you wake up in the morning, on an empty stomach, drink a 12 oz glass of lukewarm water with one tablespoon of honey.
Be Healthy With Bee Pollen And Propolis
Here are two bee products that might surprise you with their beneficial properties: bee pollen and propolis. Bee pollen, rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and amino acids, gives your energy and vitality a boost. It also protects the liver from toxins and benefits men with enlarged prostates.
Propolis is a resin that’s secreted by the bees to repair their hive and it acts as a protective layer against invading microbes and other organisms. Propolis stimulates immune functions and is full of flavonoids with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains terpenoids, which possess antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents…

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