Beesfor Development Journal 82
PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING
How to cleanse propolis
How to use propolis against diseases
Much propolis is harvested from old broken log hives, hollow tree trunks and holes in the ground. Such propolis will be mixed up with wood, dead insects, beeswax, dust and pollen. To remove these unwanted elements, put crude propolis into a sizeable pot. Add water to cover all the lumps. Boil over a fire and stir to melt while the water is boiling. Remove the pot and allow to cool. When cooled, the debris will float on the water while the propolis sinks to the bottom of pot.
Gastritis Put a tablespoonful of propolis granules in warm water. Shake well and allow to stand overnight. In the morning shake again and drink the water with the granules from a glass cup. Eat an equal amount of well filtered brown honey (use the glass cup as a measure). Do not eat any other food before or after. The honey will: 1) provide nutrition for the body; 2) treat ulcers and 3) enhance the effectiveness of the propolis. Drink the same quantity after lunch but do not eat any honey. The use of propolis like this will treat many stomach problems.
Decant the debris and water leaving the propolis in the pot. Put the propolis granules over a fine piece of cloth and allow the water to drip out. Dry the propolis in cold air: do not expose it to sunlight or it will turn back into lumps. Store the propolis granules in plastic or glass bottles in a cold place.
Haemorrhoids Put a quantity of propolis granules in the sun or near a fire source to become soft. Roll small balls between your clean palms to smooth the surfaces. Make the balls about the size of a cowpea grain. Swallow five balls with water before or after each meal. Toothache Chew granules of propolis into gum-like paste, place the gum between the jaw and the painful tooth/teeth and hold in place. Replace when the gum becomes tasteless. When you use propolis for one disease it treats others - this will treat so many mouth problems.
Finighang Aaron Ndichia is with ANCO (the Apiculture and Nature Conservation Organisation), Bamenda, North West Province. See BfDJ 80 ‘Apiculture and poverty alleviation in Cameroon’.
Further reading on propolis and its uses can be found in the Bee Products category on our web store at www.beesfordevelopment.org/catalog
If you have good beekeeping advice or tips to share send your ideas to Bf D and we will endeavour to include the information in a future edition of the Journal. Our website Information Centre holds articles about all aspects of bees, beekeeping and development. If you have information that could be usefully added to these pages, or have other suggestions, tell us about it. See www.beesfordevelopment.org
BEE GENTLEMEN As we go to press, news of the passing of two VIPs from our ‘bee world’ Professor John Free CMG was a honey bee scientist working at Mr Les Thorne was a dynamic bee enthusiast who early on realised Rothamsted Research Institute, during the golden period the need for a business approach to beekeeping equipment (1960s-1990s)and became an international authority on pollination, manufacture and supply. Les Thorne regularly attended Apimondia social organisation of honey bees and pheromones. At Rothamsted, Congresses, and grew his business from local supply, to exporting he established pollination research as a major scientific discipline of beekeeping equipment world-wide. The business he developed, global importance, and inspired many students to follow him in this E H Thorne (Beehives) Ltd, has by today grown to become one of the work. largest European companies in this sector. Following his death, the Thorne family carried out the tradition of ‘Telling the bees’. At Just one timely example: much of the information presented in our Mr Thorne’s apiary, they knocked twice on each hive and informed the new Poster about pollination is based upon articles he wrote for bees: “The Master is dead, the Master is dead”. editions 50 and 51 of this Journal. Both of these kind and friendly ‘bee gentlemen’ will be missed sadly.
Do your bees make propolis? www.beevitalpropolis.com
We would like to test it and possibly buy it from you.
James Fearnley of BeeVital is a leading world authority on the nature of propolis & its medicinal properties, he is author of Bee Propolis-Natural Healing from the Hive retailing at £9.99 plus p&p. A major research project has been started by BeeVital and we would like your help. If you are interested in finding out whether your propolis is suitable for medicinal use and learning about sustainable ways of harvesting & using propolis please send a sample (50g) to: BeeVital, Brereton Lodge, Goathland, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO22 5JR, UK Tel: ++44 (0) 1947 896037 Fax: ++44 (0) 1947 896482 Email: info@beevitalpropolis.com 4
