“Life is the flower for which love is the honey”. — Victor Hugo
“For so work the honey-bees, creatures that by a rule in nature teach the act of order to a peopled kingdom”. — William Shakespeare
In nature all things are perfect; there is a sacred geometrical design that cannot be forced by human hands. All moving parts must work together with respect of the whole. This is the proper way for the inhabitants of nature and humans to live together. The importance of the bee kingdom is misunderstood on various levels. Bees are important for certain ecosystems as a major pollinator of flowers. Bees cross pollinate from the flower to other plants. The flower contains the sexual reproductive pollen of nature, and it is delivered to other plants by bees in order to help them fully develop.
The use of bee products have spanned across the frontiers of recorded history as a core component of nearly all longevity diets. It may be possible that no other animal has had more of an intimate connection with the human species than bees. The magic of honey during ancient times seems to be shrouded in a bit of mystery and the attraction to it must have been instinctive to indigenous peoples as it surely has been for wild animals. We have good evidence that one of the staples of many cultures was the use of honey and pollen. Countless biblical references have been presented such as Proverbs 25:16: “Hast thou found honey? Eat so much as its sufficient for thee”. The book of Ezekiel shows true in Ezekiel 16:13: “Thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil; and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom”. The great cultures of the past knew these foods had inherent longevity enhancing qualities unlike anything else that positively effects clarity of mind, strength of the body, and conscious awareness.
“The longest living people in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia, upwards of 125 years of age, regularly consumed honey they harvested fresh from the combs.”
The magic of this category of food produced from the sacred bee hive appears to be the source in which they come from. Bees are cultivators and travel from some of the most mana-filled areas of nature. What this means is they are absorbing the intrinsic factors of nature and these energies are giving us that direct connection when we consume these foods raw. Each one of these foods has its own properties that make them complete nutrition sources and excellent foods for a longevity diet. When combined, they become a power house of nutrition that could store in the body for future needs.
When Professor Nicolal Vasllievich Tsitsin from the U.S.S.R (Russia), a biologist and botanist, did a long term study on the longest living people in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia, he was very intrigued with what reports have stated over 200 people living in the upwards of 125 years of age, some say even 150. What was most surprising to Professor Tsitsin was all of the natives were still working well into their older age. This was a clear sign of remarkable health. The common theme he was looking for between the people was that they all worked with bees and what they consumed regularly was the thick residual accumulation of honey they harvested fresh from the combs. Tsitsin was served a portion of what he would believe to be their longevity nectar, a sticky glob-like substance (honey) that had inside it noticeably large amounts of bee pollen. The product of the bee hive combined with the villagers’ healthy lifestyle and clean air was what is to be believed to be the main ingredients to their longevity diet and impressive vitality.
Honey
“The people of antiquity knew that both milk and honey are strongly connected with healthy human life force.” — Rudolph Steiner
The sweet nectar we call honey has had a long history as a revered longevity enhancing food in different civilizations such as Egypt, the Middle East, Ancient China, mighty Rome, mythical Greece, and traditional Central America. Honey has had different uses than just food. In Egypt they used it for embalming the dead. It was used as an ointment for burns and skin rashes as well as helping to alleviate throat issues like chronic bronchitis and asthmatic conditions. Topical honey has been used in the place of topical antibiotics for diabetic ulcers. Honey is a verified antibacterial substance because of the natural hydrogen peroxide properties present in most honey. Honey has been used in Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese medicine through their traditional applications. A common practice in China, as well as India, is to ball up certain herbs and honey an effective herbal delivery system.
The nutritional complex of raw honey is very impressive, far more than any other sweetener. Honey is a far superior source of carbohydrates than heavier sources before and after workouts to influence muscle recuperation. The carbohydrates stored in the muscle (glycogen) help effective restoration. Most protein supplements contain a carbohydrate derived from corn called maltodextrin which is used to compliment protein intake. Studies have verified that using honey instead of maltodextrin has equal, if not better, effects for muscle repair.
Honey has a good response in moderation for those dealing with glycemic sensitivities due to the complex sugars it gradually releases into the blood stream, making it a sustainable source of energy. Honey is extremely enzymatic, making it much more digestible than more sugar concentrated foods, specifically processed carbohydrates, which, in most cases, glob up our cells and can shorten our life span. The big problem with carbohydrates in conventional food practices is that they are void of complimenting nutrients which honey has in excess. High quality raw honey is full of B Vitamins such as Thiamin(B1), Niacin(B3), Riboflavin(B2), and Pyridoxine(B6). It has an impressive list of minerals which may vary depending on the source of the pollination. For instance, Manuka honey is said to have the highest concentration of minerals of any honey. The darker the honey, the more dense the nutrition is in most cases, assuming it is raw, organic, and unfiltered, making it an ideal food for a longevity diet.
Bee Pollen
Bee pollen is one of the best sources of nutrition in nature, making it an excellent addition to a longevity diet. It can bridge the gap for almost anyone experiencing nutrient deficiencies. The protein content is said to be around 40% free-form amino acids which means the protein is highly available and can act almost immediately in the blood stream. Bee pollen exceeds all animal products as a complete protein. Serious athletes and body builders have used this food for decades. Muhammed Ali who is considered the greatest boxer of all time by many was known to start using bee pollen to supplement his training. This is possibly where he got the phrase “Float like a butter fly, sting like a bee”.
“Honey bee pollen is the richest source of vitamins found in nature in a single food.” — Institute of Apiculture, Taranov Russia
Bee pollen is one of the most concentrated sources of polysaccharides (essential sugars), that reprogram our immune system. Bee pollen also contains a high amount of RNA (ribonucleic acid) and DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), nucleic acids that aid in the formation of healthy cells and can stimulate the growth of new skin tissue. As a result of these unique nucleic acids, it can positively effect our genetic code and is a key component of a longevity diet. This food is so powerful that it is not to be abused; it must be respected like any of the foods we would deem “super foods”, and therefore you would only require a decent amount to make a difference. You can mix half a tablespoon or possible even less with some honey or just eat it straight.
Royal Jelly
When the time comes for the worker bees of a colony to breed a new queen they must select several small larvae to feed them generous amounts of royal jelly in order to initiate the transitional stages. Royal jelly is the secretion from a honey bee used as a high quality source of nutrition originally for the development of the queen. In asian cultures, royal jelly is celebrated as a longevity diet food, supporting fertility, immunity, and long life. Considering how this food in particular is reserved for the queen bee who lives exceedingly longer than regular worker bees, the queen also matures sexually whereas the worker bees do not. This presents an interesting idea, such as the doctrine of signatures, when looking at the potential of a food so unique and exclusive to the royalty of an entire species.
Royal jelly contains many of the same B-complex vitamins in honey and bee pollen along with sources of different amino acids, simple sugars (monosaccharides), and fatty acids. The main constituent of royal jelly that causes a female larvae to develop into a fully matured queen bee is the individual protein royalactin. This protein seems to cause a phenotypical change in the bee, giving it a larger size and ovary development. Bee products have always been linked to increased sexual health and royal jelly seems to be no different. Royal jelly has also been shown to improve brain health by stimulating the growth of glial cells (provide protection and support to brain neurons) and neural stem cells(self renewable cells). This can explain why the queen bee develops quicker than the other’s due to an increased production of glial cells that, both protect, and build out the queens nervous system.
If you decide to use royal jelly then do it sparingly since it is very potent. About the size of your pinky finger tip is enough to begin with.
Propolis
Propolis is the resinous material that is collected by bees from a mixture of botanical sources. This waxy substance is used to provide protection from outside invaders as well as to seal up any holes or cracks in the hive. Propolis has been studied extensively for its unique anti-bacterial compounds that have been used all through human history as food and treatments. Bees are depicted on Egyptian vases because it is a well known fact that they used this product of the hive effectively for sores and ulcers. The Egyptians were also known to use strips of propolis on the bodies of the deceased in order to prevent decay from microbes and other bacterial infections. In the book Health from the Hive, Carlson Wade points out the recognition of propolis by the Roman scholar Pliny (A.D.23-79) as a medicinal tool to soothe pain, reduce swelling and heal sores. Wade had this interesting observation, “So we see that the beehive is a miniature city teeming with life. The temperature inside the hive is kept at approximately 95 F. With 90% humidity—a perfect breeding ground for all kinds of molds, mildews, and bacteria. Yet the hive remains the most sterile environment found in nature. Reason: Propolis has antibacterial and fungicidal agents and contains many different antibiotic substances.”
The nutritional composition of propolis varies from hive to hive, like most natural foods. Propolis is said to be approximately 55% resins and balms and 30% wax. These are considered to be the bacteria fighting compounds in this exotic, longevity enhancing substance. It is full of amino acids, minerals such as iron, zinc, manganese, copper along with most likely “undiscovered trace minerals” to note. Perhaps the most important aspect of propolis is its bioflavonoids, otherwise known in the medical community as “vitamin P”. These flavonoids are a type of plant pigment found in certain fruits and vegetables as well as flowers found in nature. Our immune system gets attacked on a daily basis. Flavonoids add a tremendous antioxidant surge to our body, thus empowering our immune system to full strength. Oxidative stress on our internal system is a major issue in any city environment, especially considering the food choices most people are making. Terms some people may be familiar with are polyphenols (cellular restoration, blocks cancer cells from forming), quercetin (Anti-inflammatory, helps vitamin C work better), and epicatachin (supports heart health, circulatory health-also found in cacao) which are different types of flavonoids that work to increase vigor and extend all forms of life and should be included on any longevity diet!
Source: The Inner Alchemy Youthening Program
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Source: The Inner Alchemy Youthening Program
Also read:
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