Beeswax Facts
- No two beeswax candle making sessions will yield the same color or scent. Partly due to how much the wax has been filtered and heated. Partly due to the flowers that the bees visit. Beeswax can vary tremendously in color and smell. The color can be anywhere from white to bright yellow to a cafe latte brown. Beeswax actually starts out white when the bees initially build it. As time goes on and the bees are out and about bringing in all sorts of debris, they walk on it and the color darkens. All of the tea lights in the picture above and the candles pictured below are pure natural beeswax.
- Beeswax candles offer a honey scent, a golden flame, and the longest, cleanest burn of any candle.
- For each pound of beeswax provided by a honey bee, the bee visits 33 million flowers. It eats 10 pounds of honey. It secretes the beeswax from its abdomen, and then uses the wax to construct a honeycomb.
- Beeswax candle fuel is the only fuel that actually produces negative ions, which not only helps remove pollution from the air but increases the ratio of negative ions to positive ions, the ideal and necessary scenario for clean air.
- Air contains billions of electrically charged particles called ions. Ions act upon our capacity to absorb and utilize oxygen, and therefore cause powerful effects on our lives and well being. The ions in the air can affect our mood, energy and health. Negative ions actually feel good. Too many positive ions make us feel bad and they are loaded down with pollution and allergens that are drawn to them and suspended in the air. Negative ions, on the other hand, remove the pollution and allergens from positive ions, allowing them to drop harmlessly to the ground.
Uses for Beeswax ~ Beyond Candles
There are literally over a hundred uses for beeswax, below are some of the ways that I have used beeswax in the past:
1) Lubricating furniture joints.
2) Lubricating hinges and channels for squeak free doors and smooth gliding windows.
3) Polishing bronze prevents it from tarnishing.
4) Coating nails and screws for easy entry and prevents wood from splitting.
5) To make crayons.
6) Rub some on thread strengthen the thread while sewing and prevent snagging.
7) Used in making soaps.
8) Used in making cosmetics.
9) Used in making lip balms.
10) Used in making salves, creams and ointments.
11) To un-stick drawers (great for antique furniture).
12) Keep zippers moving smoothly.
13) To seal envelopes (back in the day they would drip a spot of wax and imprint a seal).
14) Used to cover a broken wire on braces until you get to your orthodontist.
15) Temporary filling until you can see your dentist.
16) As a wood filler.
1) Lubricating furniture joints.
2) Lubricating hinges and channels for squeak free doors and smooth gliding windows.
3) Polishing bronze prevents it from tarnishing.
4) Coating nails and screws for easy entry and prevents wood from splitting.
5) To make crayons.
6) Rub some on thread strengthen the thread while sewing and prevent snagging.
7) Used in making soaps.
8) Used in making cosmetics.
9) Used in making lip balms.
10) Used in making salves, creams and ointments.
11) To un-stick drawers (great for antique furniture).
12) Keep zippers moving smoothly.
13) To seal envelopes (back in the day they would drip a spot of wax and imprint a seal).
14) Used to cover a broken wire on braces until you get to your orthodontist.
15) Temporary filling until you can see your dentist.
16) As a wood filler.
Propolis (Bee Glue)
Overview from WebMD regarding propolis:
Propolis is a resin-like material from the buds of poplar and cone-bearing trees. Propolis is rarely available in its pure form. It is usually obtained from beehives and contains bee products.
Propolis has a long history of medicinal use, dating back to 350 B.C., the time of Aristotle. Greeks have used propolis for abscesses; Assyrians have used it for healing wounds and tumors; and Egyptians have used it for mummification. It still has many medicinal uses today, although its effectiveness has only been shown for a couple of them.
Propolis is used for canker sores and infections caused by bacteria (including tuberculosis), by viruses (including flu, H1N1 “swine” flu, and the common cold), by fungus, and by single-celled organisms called protozoans. Propolis is also used for cancer of the nose and throat; for boosting the immune system; and for treating gastrointestinal (GI) problems including Helicobacter pylori infection in peptic ulcer disease. Propolis is also used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
People sometimes apply propolis directly to the skin for wound cleansing, genital herpes and cold sores; as a mouth rinse for speeding healing following oral surgery; and for the treatment of minor burns.
In manufacturing, propolis is used as an ingredient in cosmetics.
How does it work?
Propolis seems to have activity against bacteria, viruses and fungi. It might also have anti-inflammatory effects and help skin heal.
Propolis is a resin-like material from the buds of poplar and cone-bearing trees. Propolis is rarely available in its pure form. It is usually obtained from beehives and contains bee products.
Propolis has a long history of medicinal use, dating back to 350 B.C., the time of Aristotle. Greeks have used propolis for abscesses; Assyrians have used it for healing wounds and tumors; and Egyptians have used it for mummification. It still has many medicinal uses today, although its effectiveness has only been shown for a couple of them.
Propolis is used for canker sores and infections caused by bacteria (including tuberculosis), by viruses (including flu, H1N1 “swine” flu, and the common cold), by fungus, and by single-celled organisms called protozoans. Propolis is also used for cancer of the nose and throat; for boosting the immune system; and for treating gastrointestinal (GI) problems including Helicobacter pylori infection in peptic ulcer disease. Propolis is also used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
People sometimes apply propolis directly to the skin for wound cleansing, genital herpes and cold sores; as a mouth rinse for speeding healing following oral surgery; and for the treatment of minor burns.
In manufacturing, propolis is used as an ingredient in cosmetics.
How does it work?
Propolis seems to have activity against bacteria, viruses and fungi. It might also have anti-inflammatory effects and help skin heal.
Interesting!!!
It was once believed that bees sealed the beehive with propolis to protect the colony from the elements, such as rain and cold winter drafts. However, research has revealed that bees not only survive, but also thrive, with increased ventilation during the winter months throughout most temperate regions of the world.
Propolis is now believed to:
Propolis is now believed to:
- Reinforce the structural stability of the hive;
- Reduce vibration;
- Make the hive more defensible by sealing alternate entrances;
- Prevent diseases and parasites from entering the hive, and to inhibit fungal and bacterial growth.
Pollen - Ah-choo No More!
- Bee pollen is a natural food. It is not a drug. Honeybee pollen contains every known vitamin, all of the minerals, proteins (amino acids), enzymes, coenzymes, fatty acids, and carbohydrates that our bodies need to sustain life, and all in perfect balance.
- Bee Pollen cannot be duplicated in a laboratory, Many scientists have attempted to do this but failed. Take Bee pollen only in the WHOLE GRAIN natural form to assure that it is 100% Bee pollen and has no added fillers.
- Bee Pollen is a complete food. The maximum resistance to poor health and disease is gained by adding pollen to your diet everyday. Studies have shown that people can live indefinitely on a diet of Bee pollen and water. Chemical analyses show quality Bee pollen contains every nutrient necessary to life and something more, some "magic" the bees put in. This very complex substance contains factors science has not yet been able to identify, and cannot synthesize.
- Honey & Pollen contain only slight traces of residues from industrial emissions, car exhaust and agricultural chemicals because bees act as a biological filter: They die if they come into contact with toxins and thus do not bring pollutants into the hives. They're picky about their pollen!
- Bee pollen has at least 96 active nutrients, including 22 amino acids, 27 mineral salts, 16 vitamins (including B-12), trace elements, fatty acids, hormones and enzymes. One pound of pollen is comparable to 15 pounds of fruits and veggies.
- Our bodies were designed with immune systems to fight off the diseases and infections that come our way everyday. A lack of any one nutrient can create serious problems for our immune systems. Pollen is a complete natural food source supplying all nutrients to maintain healthy immune systems and general overall good health.
- Bee pollen has been used to retard hardening of the arteries, to strengthen the circulatory system and combat the symptoms of illness and allergies. It is believed to regulate the function of the endocrine system, aid digestion, reduce stress and increase alertness and stamina. Bee pollen has more protein by weight than meat, fish or eggs! It is the richest known vegetable source of steroid hormones which improve overall strength, muscle mass, endurance and sexual potency. Pollen is known to accelerate healing, and increase blood and sperm count.
- ADULTS: Work your way up to 1 teaspoon daily starting with a few granules and gradually increasing. If you have allergies take pollen in the morning and again in the afternoon.
- CHILDREN: Start children out on 3 to 4 granules in the morning and build up to 1/2 teaspoon a day.
- Please note that the body's response to bee products varies from person to person, including the length of time for certain results to occur. It does not guarantee total healing from every disease or illness. However, the overall results in all of our customers has been positive in the area of improved health -- many very dramatically. It seems once a person has enjoyed the benefits of these products, they do not want to give it up or return to their old vitamins and medications.
- A Swedish study has concluded that using bee pollen therapeutically can significantly decrease inflammation and swelling of the prostate gland. It is believed to be the natural hormonal substances contained in bee pollen that help to support the male urinary and reproductive systems. Some researchers have suggested that men should take bee pollen after the age of 30 to help prevent the onset of prostate disorders. Bee pollen has also been found to greatly reduce the symptoms of menopause for women.
- A study conducted in Germany has revealed that the daily use of bee pollen is an excellent natural way to lower cholesterol with no side effects found in synthetic medications.