By Amanda King
Saludify, 4/24/2013
Without bees, we wouldn’t have apples, broccoli,
strawberries, nuts, asparagus, blueberries and cucumbers. And now bee venom
seems to be useful in finding an HIV cure. (Shutterstock)
We have all heard about how bees are disappearing, and about
how this could mean disaster for our ecosystem.
According to the U.S. Dept of Agriculture, bees pollinate 80 percent of
our flowering crops and without them, we wouldn’t have apples, broccoli,
strawberries, nuts, asparagus, blueberries and cucumbers, as well as feed
grains that sustain our beef and dairy industries.
It is obvious that bees are important to our health on a
grand scale, but did you know that bees can also be an integral part of a
healthy lifestyle on a much more personal level?
Bee venom and HIV prevention and treatment
bee venom
Bee venom carries melittin, which perforates the protective covering around HIV.
(Shutterstock)
A recent study by a team at Washington University School of
Medicine in St. Louis, showed that bee venom may be an HIV cure and prevention
method.
Results showed that bee venom carries a substance called
melittin, which has the ability to perforate the protective covering around
certain viruses, including HIV.
Most importantly, melittin kills HIV without harming surrounding
healthy cells.
Scientists believe that, in the near future, they will be
able to create a vaginal gel containing bee venom, which will act as a
preventative measure against the spread of HIV.
Bee pollen and your health
In addition to the virus busting properties of bee venom,
people have been using bee pollen for thousands of years to treat everything
from gastrointestinal complaints to annoying spring allergy symptoms.
If you suffer from allergies, bee pollen may help clear up
your “hay fever” symptoms. Many natural
practitioners recommend bee pollen for the treatment of allergies under the
theory that ingesting small amounts of local allergens will help the body
develop a resistance to them, much in the same way that vaccinations build a
resistance to infectious diseases.
The International Federation of Beekeepers Association
reports that bee pollen may contain antibacterial properties and can be helpful
in treating infections, especially those caused by staph and salmonella...
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