Bee propolis: One of nature’s most effective antibiotics

Bee propolis: One of nature’s most effective antibiotics
Sunday, March 04, 2018

(Natural News) Though not as well-known as honey or pollen, bee propolis is a bee-derived product that has its own plethora of health benefits. Various cultures have recognized the amazing medicinal properties of this resinous combination of saliva, beeswax, and sap. From being used as an abscess treatment by the Greeks to the Assyrians applying it onto wounds to fight infections, bee propolis is a truly miraculous substance that you should take notice of. Why? Well, that’s because bee propolis is a potent natural antibiotic.

There are well over a hundred beneficial compounds present in bee propolis. This diversity and abundance of compounds has contributed to bee propolis having notable antimicrobial, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties.

“These properties work to raise the body’s natural resistance to disease by stimulating and rejuvenating the body’s own immune system,” explained noted herbalist, James Green. “The saliva becomes activated by the resins, and as the saliva is continually swallowed it efficiently distributes the antimicrobial components of the propolis throughout the throat and adjacent areas.” (Related: Bee Propolis: Nature’s Healing Balm With Immune Boosting Properties.)

As such, this substance has been tested against and discovered to be suitable for treating numerous health conditions. According to GreenMedInfo.com, bee propolis has been found to prevent middle ear infections and respiratory tract infections in children, and can even alleviate the symptoms of the common cold.

More than that, however, bee propolis has also proven to be better at treating genital herpes than a commonly used drug. A 10-day trial with 90 participants called for the application of an ointment that was a placebo or contained either a herpes sores drug or propolis flavonoids. By the end of the trial, only 14 out of 30 participants in the drug group were healed from their herpes, while 12 out of 30 in the placebo group enjoyed a similar benefit. In comparison, 24 out of 30 participants in the propolis group were cured of their genital herpes.

The immune-boosting effects of bee propolis are such that, as per NaturalLivingIdeas.com, it can accelerate the healing of cuts and bruises, inhibit the growth of Candida, and even stop the activity of strep bacteria. Those behind the study of bee propolis’ antibacterial effects even wrote that this substance could potentially “be used in the development of alternative products for therapy of microbial infections.”

The other benefits of bee propolis

Of course, that isn’t all bee propolis can do. These are just a few more health benefits associated with it:

• Bee propolis can play a role in good oral health — Thanks to its impressive range of health-promoting qualities, bee propolis can help you attain exceptional oral health. Using it to treat periodontitis and gingivitis has produced very positive results, and some researchers have even suggested that it could encourage the growth of dental pulp, cartilage, and bone tissue.
  
• Bee propolis can improve the health of your skin — For one, the flavonoids in bee propolis can protect your skin from bacteria and fight skin irritations. For another, bee propolis contains minerals that help rebuild and nourish the skin. Because of these, bee propolis can greatly benefit those who struggle with psoriasis, eczema, pyoderma, and various other skin conditions. You could even use bee propolis to get rid of warts.
  
• Bee propolis is great for your heart — Tyrosine hydroxylase is an enzyme that can curb the production of nitric oxide, leading to problems with heart health. Bee propolis can decrease the activity of Tyrosine hydroxylase, in turn steadying blood pressure and cutting back the risk of hypertension.
  
• Bee propolis can relieve allergies — Brazilian researchers discovered that bee propolis has the ability to obstruct the release of histamines, which are the chemicals that cause the many symptoms of allergies (like sneezing or a runny nose). As a bonus, one major advantage that bee propolis has over antihistamines is that it doesn’t cause allergy sufferers to endure any of the irritating side effects.
  

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