Monday, July 15, 2013

Bee Pollen - Superfood


Bee pollen, sometimes referred to as nature's perfect food, is a combination of flower pollen, nectar and the digestive juices of worker bees. Human consumption of bee pollen has been praised throughout history. The Chinese emperor Shen Nung compiled an extensive medical collection which discusses the merits of beehive products as far back as 2735 B.C. Egyptian papyri refers to Bee Pollen as life giving dust and frequently outlines how to use it as a sacred offering to the gods. There are written accounts of Roman legions who carried dried cakes of Bee Pollen for sustenance. Bee Pollen is even praised in the Bible, the Talmud, the Torah, the Koran, and in the Code of Islam for its beneficial healing and nutritional properties. 

Research studies document the therapeutic efficacy and safety of bee pollen. Clinical tests show that orally ingested bee pollen particles are rapidly and easily absorbed - they pass directly from the stomach into the blood stream. Within two hours after ingestion, bee pollen is found in the blood, in cerebral spinal fluids and in the urine. By providing the human body with all the nutritional elements it needs, and in just the right proportions, honey bee pollen allows the body's own healing and rejuvenation mechanisms to perform their normal functions of building, restoring, maintaining and protecting every cell.

According to a bee expert Royden Brown, bee pollen contains differing quantities of a natural antibiotic which fights E. Coli and Proteus organisms which can cause serious diseases. Salmonella and other strains of colibacillus were found to be effected by the natural antibiotic action in bee pollen as well. This may well explain why the health benefits of bee pollen have long included boosting of the immune system.

Scientists recently found that bee pollen showed a strong anti-estrogenic effect. Furthermore, it caused no estrogenic activity or chromosome damage in cells whatsoever. Research also found that bee pollen showed a significant ability to protect cells from the genotoxic effects of three common anti-cancer drugs - mytomicin C, Bleommycin, and Vincristine. What that means is that these cancer drugs cause damage to our DNA when we take them. Not only do they damage and kill cancer cells, but they also damage our healthy cells. Reducing this damage is very valuable and can potentially lead to a healthier and more vibrant life after cancer treatment. The details of this study can be found in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2010 June 9.

With the addition of roughage and water, the human body can survive on honey bee pollen alone. This is because it is the only food which contains over 96 nutrients including all known vitamins from A to K, 28 minerals, 14 fatty acids, and all 8 essential amino acids, several hormone-like compounds and all 22 known essential nutritional elements, which humans require to achieve and maintain optimum vitality. Bee pollen contains 40% protein in a highly bio-available form of free amino acids which get directly assimilated by the body. Best of all, everything that can be derived from bee pollen is broken down as it is going to be, meaning that the body doesn't need to break the nutrients down any further.

Bee pollen can help the body build a resistance to allergies by lowering the body's sensitivity to pollen. This is similar to the way vaccinations prevent disease. By consuming it in small quantities it can help the body gradually build up a resistance.

Enjoy your bee pollen! You can find it in local health food stores. 

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