Friday, November 29, 2013

Beauty and the Bees

My dad is a bee keeper and often shares the benefits of eating honey and getting stung by bees. You may not know that when a bee stings, it releases venom. Your skin reacts to the venom as an irritation. Accordingly, your skin increases circulation and stimulates production of collagen and elastin, which plump and firm fine lines.*

So my dad recently emailed me this article, and it sparked my interest in using bee products for health benefits. To summarize, the article suggests that bee venom could cure Lyme Disease in some people. Amazing. I wanted to share some bee health products with you that are out there. Some I already use, and others I'm interested in trying. [links are in orange]

1. Burt's Bees

Who hasn't heard of Burt's Bees? I love, love, love their chapstick. It's 100% natural and leaves my lips silky smooth. I also use their cuticle cream on my fingernails and toenails when doing at-home manis/pedis.

2. Bee Healthy Farms

I came across their body cream. It contains organic propolis, a bee product found in hives. It has many health benefits, including fighting inflammation and allergies. The cream also contains honey and shea butter. 

3. Beepharm Apitherapy

Frederique Keller, a bee expert, was featured on Dr. Oz a few years ago and told the audience of a facial mask and night cream. Both products contain bee venom. Currently, she is having a holiday sale where you can get both products for $60. I am definitely considering ordering, knowing the great benefits of bee venom for my skin.

Also, honey itself also has some pretty amazing benefits when eaten. First of all, it's a natural sweetener. My mom substitutes some of the granulated sugar from her apple pie recipe and adds my dad's honey. DELISH! Honey is also a natural cough suppressant. Feeling like you're developing a sore throat? Brew some organic green tea and add a tablespoon of honey or eat the honey on its own. The honey will instantly coat your throat, reliving some of your symptoms. Finally, honey is a natural source of carbohydrates, which is the body's primary source of fuel. Add honey over plain Cheerios or toast in the morning, and you'll be energized for the rest of your day!

It's important to buy honey that has contains NO high fructose corn syrup. Buy only organic or raw honey. It's even better to buy from local apiaries. Always read labels.

Be aware that honey should NOT be fed to infants under one year old.

Do you currently use any bee products in your beauty regime or add honey to your meals? I'd love to hear feedback.

*Info courtesy of Dr. Oz

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