For hundreds of centuries, beekeeping products have been used in Russia as a source of health, youth and longevity. Propolis is very popular among them. This is the most famous product for its medicinal properties after honey. In ancient Egypt, it was used for treatment and mummification as a strong preservative. Much has been said about the value of propolis in ancient medicine books.
Definition
Propolis is a sticky resinous substance that has a dark green or yellowish color and a bitter taste with the aroma of honey, wax, birch buds. It is produced by bees from resins that they collect from buds, branches, tree leaves. Transferring the resinous substance to the hive on their paws, they treat it with the secret of the jaw glands, adding wax and pollen to this mass. Therefore, the prevailing opinion that propolis is a bee droppings is fundamentally wrong. A quality product may contain up to 70% of vegetable resins and the secretion of the glands of bees. In Greek, the word "propolis" means "cover up", "close up". It is to cover cracks, to protect nests from diseases and pathogenic microorganisms, propolis is used by bees, which one family collects in the amount of 30-80 grams per season.
Beneficial features
Propolis is effective against a huge number of diseases. Often, preparations from it are much more effective than many modern chemotherapeutic agents. In addition, their combination with pharmacy drugs significantly enhances the effect of the latter and removes possible side effects. It is known that when antibiotics are used for a long period, microorganisms begin to get used to them, and this entails the use of increasingly powerful drugs. Affecting the entire microflora, including the beneficial, they can cause dysbiosis and other negative consequences for the body. Propolis is a natural antibiotic that, unlike the pharmacy, has no side effects, kills pathogens, while at the same time strengthening the immune system.
Due to the presence of phytoncides and flavonoids with powerful antioxidant activity in propolis, it is able to delay the aging process and help the body resist cancer. In addition, this product is effective for normalizing blood pressure, improves hematopoiesis, helps with diseases of the digestive system. In dermatology, dentistry, pediatrics and gynecology, propolis has perfectly established itself as a medicine. The healing properties and contraindications of it were known to our great-grandmothers, who used this product to treat a huge range of diseases.
Biological properties of propolis
They are due to the presence of a number of compounds and acids, the combination of which provides the incredible effectiveness of propolis for healing the body. This is a powerful radioprotector that can protect against radiation. Propolis is known for its antimicrobial and antiviral properties; its effect is detrimental to the causative agents of tuberculosis, salmonella, and typhoid. The ability to improve human blood counts allows the use of this product for diseases of the circulatory system and heart. The phenolic acids that make up propolis are effective against fungi and parasites, have choleretic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects. One of the important components that gives propolis its beneficial properties is beeswax.
It normalizes digestive processes, has a wound healing and bactericidal effect. In general, it is difficult to say which component of propolis to a greater extent ensures its effectiveness. Most likely, this is the interaction of all the components that are present in it.
Propolis to strengthen immunity
All beekeeping products work to strengthen immunity, but propolis especially. The mineral substances included in its composition modulate the protective functions of the body, providing resistance to many diseases. Therefore, the use of propolis-based products is recommended after severe illnesses, during mental and physical stress, before and after surgery. Propolis is used in a variety of forms - an aqueous solution, alcohol, with milk and honey, with rowan berries and cranberries.
Propolis for diseases of the cardiovascular system
Even in ancient times, beekeeping products were widely used to treat people with cardiovascular diseases. The property of propolis to lower blood pressure is used to treat hypertension. A 30% alcohol extract of propolis gives a very good result.
In combination with garlic, elecampane and other medicinal plants, the product can help in the fight against atherosclerosis - the main disease of the cardiovascular system. It is also known about how effectively it lowers cholesterol in the blood, contributing to its dilution, which prevents the formation of blood clots. Propolis is successfully used for anemia due to its property of stimulating the production of red blood cells.
For diseases in the acute stage or their severe course, do not immediately use propolis. The medicinal properties and contraindications it must be carefully studied, because in some cases it may not give the expected result, and time for therapy will be missed.
Propolis for the treatment of digestive diseases
Problems with the gastrointestinal tract have a depressing effect on the nervous and muscle tissue of the digestive system. Treatment with synthetic drugs due to their foreignness to the biological organism sometimes gives a more destructive effect than a therapeutic one. Propolis is characterized in that in the absence of harmful effects on the body it has an anti-inflammatory effect, antibacterial, relieves spasms, lowers the acidity of gastric juice and improves bile secretion.
Propolis is especially attractive in the treatment of peptic ulcer. It covers the ulcer with a protective film, which eliminates the ingress of harmful microorganisms guilty of this disease. Under the influence of propolis, they die pretty quickly.
For treatment, a 20 percent propolis tincture is used, but it is advisable to switch to it smoothly, starting with 5 percent. Propolis can also be used in vegetable or animal oil. It helps in the treatment of cholecystitis, pancreatitis, giardiasis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. With the help of candles made from propolis, rectal cracks are treated .
Propolis in Dermatology
Recipes using this beekeeping product for the treatment of skin diseases are known to many. The most popular are those that use native propolis. What it is? A photo of him can be seen in the medical books. In other words, it is a natural propolis that has not undergone processing and purification. Pellets from it are applied to boils, corns, help to quickly get rid of them.
Propolis-based products (alcohol tinctures, ointments, etc.) relieve many skin diseases: fungal infections, corns, herpetic eruptions, juvenile acne, eczema, anthrax and skin cancer. For hair loss and seborrheic eczema, a 30 percent ointment with propolis or its alcohol extract is used.
In pediatrics
Propolis is simply a unique treatment for children due to its anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating properties. It is recommended literally from the first days of the baby’s life, but before using it, you should make sure that the child does not have allergies. For babies, propolis mixed with honey can be applied to a pacifier. This helps restore the gastrointestinal epithelium after antibiotics and fungal infections. Promotes rapid skin regeneration during diaper rash, propolis oil, if you treat them with reddened areas, and also use it for prevention.
Propolis increases the protective forces of the child's body, is effective in the treatment of colds. In some cases, it makes it possible to exclude the use of pharmacy antibiotics that have unwanted side effects for the child.
Treatment of other diseases
Propolis, like all other beekeeping products, is effective in the treatment of diseases of the oral cavity, such as stomatitis, gingivitis, periodontal disease, and other viral and fungal diseases. To do this, apply a 10 percent alcohol propolis inside or rinse with an aqueous solution. A small propolis ball glued to the tooth on its inside can kill pathogenic microflora, and at the same time prevent infection during epidemics. In the old days, honeycombs were used instead of synthetic chewing gums - this is propolis, wax, pollen. In combination, these products helped to prevent the appearance of all kinds of diseases of the oral cavity.
Propolis preparations have been successfully used to treat myopia, cataracts, conjunctivitis, etc. These are mainly aqueous solutions and ointments. Their anti-inflammatory effect promotes rapid tissue healing.
Colds, colds, and coughs can also be treated with propolis. For this, infusions and decoctions are taken, inhalations are made. With a runny nose, turundas with propolis oil are recommended, as well as instillation of a 5% propolis solution.
Folk remedies
For the preparation of medicines, native propolis is usually used (what it is, described just above). They are prepared in a variety of forms.
- Propolis water. To obtain it, you need to place the beekeeping product in boiled water (two parts of water in one part) and heat it in a water bath for 10-15 minutes (do not boil). After filtration, we get an aqueous solution of light brown color.
- Alcohol solution. Shredded propolis in an amount of 10 g mixed with 100 g of alcohol and put to infuse in a dark place for 7 days. If the alcohol solution needs to be prepared quickly, you can heat the mixture of propolis and alcohol in a water bath to 40 ° C.
- Propolis ointment. In an enameled dish, place 100 g of animal fat and bring it to a boil, then cool, add 10-15 g of propolis and heat again to 80 degrees, stirring for 10 minutes. Filter the resulting mixture and cool.
Contraindications
Allergic reactions to propolis are extremely rare. But people who are allergic to bee products should be careful when using it. The reaction may result in itching, headache, or swelling.
It is not recommended to take inside in one day more than 5 grams of propolis. This is how much you need to take, without weighing? You can determine this way: sprinkle the crushed product on the surface of the table. 5 grams - the amount of propolis, occupying a plot of 2-3 square meters. cm.
People with pancreatitis, a disease of the biliary tract, liver, need to consult a doctor to determine the dosage of drugs with propolis.