Bee Products in Traditional Medicine
Pollen
Pollen consists of plant reproductive cells located in the stamens of flowers. Traditional medicine recommends its use to treat male impotence, as it positively impacts male reproductive health. Pollen contains a high concentration of biologically active microelements. Despite its tiny size, this substance plays a critical role in the early stages of a plant’s growth when it lacks leaves or roots to absorb nutrients from the soil—all nourishment comes from pollen.
- How Bees Collect Pollen:
Worker bees transport pollen grains to the hive in the form of “pollen baskets” on their hind legs. As the bee moves between flowers, pollen sticks to the hair on its legs, which the bee processes by adding enzymes and packing into special pockets. Bees store the pollen in hive cells as food, especially for winter reserves. Unfortunately, humans often harvest this pollen by placing grids at hive entrances, causing the pollen to fall off the bees as they pass through. - Characteristics of Pollen:
Pollen collected by bees forms granules of varying colors, depending on the source plants. Multicolored pollen is typically the most beneficial, as it comes from a variety of plants. The healing properties of pollen also depend on the plants visited by the bees. During collection, bees introduce enzymes that enhance the pollen’s medicinal qualities. - Storage and Shelf Life:
After six months, 30% of pollen’s healing properties are lost; after a year, 40-50%. Beyond this period, pollen loses its medicinal value. To check its quality, drop a handful from 40-50 cm onto a hard surface: if it bounces like tiny pellets, its quality is doubtful; good pollen falls softly.
Healing with Pollen
- Pollen is a natural tonic and biological stimulant, relieving fatigue and boosting overall vitality. It has been traditionally used to treat mental and physical exhaustion. Folk healers recommend pollen for liver, kidney, prostate, and thyroid diseases. It is particularly beneficial for the elderly and children, as well as for normalizing digestive system functions.
- How to Use Pollen:
- Chew pollen and drink it with warm boiled water, taking 20-30 g daily in 2-3 doses.
- Alternatively, place it under the tongue (sublingually) and let it dissolve completely without swallowing.
Combining pollen with honey enhances its effectiveness, especially for treating brain atherosclerosis. Long-term use has been shown to improve sleep, memory, and general well-being, while alleviating or eliminating headaches. Pollen is also a preventative measure against strokes due to its high rutin and microelement content.
Interestingly, pollen prepared by bees does not typically cause allergies. This is because the bees add enzymes that neutralize allergenic antigens, and they collect pollen only from specific plants, avoiding those dispersed by wind.
Perga (Bee Bread)
Perga is pollen stored in honeycomb cells and fermented with bee enzymes. During fermentation, lactic acid is produced, acting as a preservative. This process creates new biologically active compounds, making perga even more potent than pollen. It is sold as moist granules or sealed in honeycomb cells. Its uses and benefits are similar to those of pollen.
Royal Jelly
Royal jelly is a secretion produced by young worker bees aged 5-15 days. It is an exceptionally potent substance used to feed queen larvae and worker bee larvae differently. The intense feeding of queen larvae transforms them into significantly larger queens with longer lifespans and incredible reproductive capacity.
- Properties and Uses:
Royal jelly has remarkable healing properties but is highly perishable. It oxidizes and loses its benefits within two hours at room temperature but can be preserved for up to six months at 0°C without air exposure. Bee farmers often mix royal jelly with honey for easier storage and dosage. - Health Benefits:
Royal jelly is valuable for treating memory loss, vision and hearing issues, neurotic disorders, atherosclerosis, angina, hypotension, hepatitis, and general weakness. It is also noted for its ability to regulate autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and bronchial asthma, by inhibiting harmful antibody synthesis. - How to Use:
- Take 30-60 mg daily in two doses, avoiding nighttime use to prevent overstimulation and sleep disturbances.
- Prepare a 1% mixture with honey (e.g., 1 g royal jelly per 100 g honey) and consume 2 g daily (divided into two doses).
Courses of treatment last 3-6 months, with one month on and a 10-day break.
Treat yourself naturally and stay healthy—may you be blessed with good health!