May 5th, 2009
Bee Propolis
Man has used propolis for healing since ancient times. The first known users of substances from the beehive were the Egyptians, and the preservative qualities of the beehive were well known to them. The ancient Egyptians believed that they would need their bodies in the afterlife. In order to preserve their dead bodies, they would melt down a whole hive, including the honey, wax and propolis, and use the mixture to coat bandages used in their mummification process. The Egyptians, Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians used another method of preservation for burial. This involved immersing the dead bodies in large jars of honey and sealing them with wax. On his deathbed, the Greek conqueror Alexander the Great ordered himself to be buried in this way. His teacher, Aristotle, studied and wrote extensively about propolis, and was the first to specifically identify propolis as a substance. Aristotle also wrote the first scientific study of the honeybee.
The Greek physician, Hippocrates (460-377 BC), who is considered to be the father of modern medicine, recognized the healing properties of propolis. Hippocrates prescribed propolis for different types of ailments. The Greeks were also the first to develop beehives, and honey, as agricultural products. The Romans further developed beekeeping and expanded on the knowledge and benefits of propolis. Pliny the Elder, the famous Roman researcher and natural historian, showed a detailed understanding of propolis in the beehive. He also was well versed in the applications of propolis.
High Desert® Propolis has an astonishingly high polyphenol content at 13.568%. No other natural substance comes close. In terms of dietary supplements, no laboratory could do better than natures design of propolis. Since the presence of an assortment of polyphenols seems to signify a nutritious, health-promoting food, then propolis, by definition, may the best nutritional supplement ever manufactured by Mother Nature.
SuperSizeHealth.com – The nutritional supplement source for unique health products.
