Many of my patients ask me if there is an easier way to take nutritional supplements. I completely understand the question; after all, even I get tired of having to open all those bottles and swallow all of those pills day after day.
While there may be no substitution for some necessary nutrients, as you just can’t fit the needed dosages in a tiny spray bottle, what would you say to a spray that supports your immune system - just in time for cold and flu season?
While writing about the health benefits of manuka honey, I knew there was more to the story as bees also make propolis which has been used for millennia to boost people’s health and other assorted uses. For example, the Egyptians used it for embalming bodies - whether to help them stay healthy on their journey to the afterlife; or simply as a preservative we will likely never know. There is also evidence the ancient Greeks and Romans used it in wound-healing. In today’s world, it’s been in traditional use around the world, and is thought to have anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.
To be precise, propolis is the glue-like compound that coats the hive. It is made from substances that the honeybees collect from plants, combining these with saliva and beeswax, to form a sticky, waxy ‘glue’ that’s soft and pliable in warmer temperatures and hard when it’s cold. Bees use propolis as a sealant for their hives, to fill in cracks, smooth walls and form a protective layer against the weather and invaders.
In fact, propolis also has some antibiotic properties and has been found to contain resins, waxes, oils and pollens. As with many things in nature, the propolis of any given hive will depend a lot on where it is located in the world; but, over 300 compounds have been identified. Most of these are antioxidant polyphenols called flavonoids, known to help protect the body.
And these polyphenols could be measured by looking at the MED scale. Once the propolis is purifies, you will see a number on the bottle or package that looks like this:
M.E.D. 100 contains 1 mg/ml of Polyphenols
M.E.D. 250 contains 2.5 mg/ml of Polyphenols
M.E.D. 500 contains 5 mg/ml of Polyphenols
As winter approaches, and viruses start to multiply like crazy, you might want to know that propolis has been shown in vitro to have anti-viral properties. In fact, propolis has been shown to fight the herpes virus that causes cold sores, potentially shortening the duration of an outbreak.
Propolis has properties that help fight inflammation, help blitz bad bacteria and helps to gobble up those nasty free radicals trying to make you sick at every turn.
So, in order to get health benefits from a spray, it is best to combine propolis with some other good guys like Vitamin D. I could write about the health benefits of vitamin D all day. This wonder hormone works in our body to help in cancer, build strong bones, and can also act as an incredible anti-inflammatory. There is nothing more important to immune health than having a significant level of vitamin D coursing through your body.
So, as winter grows colder, be sure to have on hand propolis, Vitamin D and of course, Manuka honey - a gift of protection from Mother Nature.
Manuka Doctor’s range of Bee Propolis Sprays all contain Vitamin D. Browse the range here today.
