Healing with Honey

What Is Honey?

Your throat feels scratchy. Swallowing hurts, and it's an effort to raise your voice above a whisper. You could suck on a cough drop or down some cough syrup, or you could choose to drink a cup of hot tea laced with honey.

Many professional singers and announcers reach for the honey jar to soothe the symptoms of an irritated or sore throat. But did you ever think of applying honey to a burn or a scrape? Scientists are discovering that the bee's number one commodity could be good medicine for us.

Honey is the combination of nectar — secretions from the flowers of some plants — and other sweet plant deposits that are gathered and modified by honeybees. Bees store honey in honeycombs and then use it for food in winter. A natural sweetener because of its high glucose and fructose content, honey is widely used in candies, cereals, and baked goods.

There are more than 300 types of honey, varying in flavor and colors (from pale yellow to dark amber), depending on the type of blossoms visited by the honeybee. Some common honeys are alfalfa, orange blossom, clover, buckwheat, and tupelo. Honey is produced in nearly every state in the country, but the top-producing states are California, Florida, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Here is some data on the number of metric tons of honey produced by the top three honey-producing states:

State 2000 2001
California 30,800,000 27,625,000
North Dakota 33,350,000 26,880,000
Florida 24,360,000 22,000,000
Total (all U.S.) 221,005,000 185,926,000

* What percentage of the total amount did each of these states produce in 2000 and 2001?
* By what percentage did the total U.S. honey production decrease in 2001?
* For help with these percentage problems, try this Destination Math tutorial. You'll need to be a Riverdeep subscriber to use it — or you can get a free-trial subscription.
* The National Honey Board's site includes production statistics, research updates, and information for beekeepers.
* This helpful chart lists the characteristics of some of the major varieties of honey.
* Download the "Story of Honey," which traces the route from the bee to the jar, from the National Honey Board. (Requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader.)

An Effective Healer
The ancient Egyptians used honey as an embalming material and treated cuts and burns with it. The Greek physician Hippocrates cured skin disorders with honey, and the Romans cleaned wounds with it. Even as recently as World War I, doctors treated wounds with honey. With the advent of antibiotics, honey fell out of use for its healing properties, but scientific research is now rediscovering honey's natural healing power.

Because of its high sugar, low protein composition, honey acts as a natural "antimicrobial" that limits the growth of bacteria by cutting off the supply of water and nitrogen. When honey is applied to a wound, it is diluted with fluids from the damaged tissue and combines with an enzyme added by the bee to form hydrogen peroxide, the same disinfectant found in pharmacies. The naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide promotes healing and reduces scarring as it is slowly released into the wound.

Honey 1, Superbugs 0: Researchers in New Zealand found that honey actually killed a number of highly contagious antibiotic-resistant viruses ("superbugs") such as multiple-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). The team showed that "honey killed 100 different strains of methicillin-resistant MRSA..." While this looks promising for scientists, health care, and hospital workers, the New Zealand team has not yet identified the powerful antimicrobial agent they believe to be in honey.

* Visit the scientists conducting this research at the University of Waikato's Honey Research Unit in New Zealand.
Non-Stick Coating: Several studies show honey's effectiveness as a treatment for burns and other skin disorders. In a study of burn patients, doctors in India treated 52 patients with honey and 52 with silver sufadiazine, a standard burn-treatment compound. Of those treated with honey, 87% improved within 15 days compared with 10% treated with the silver sufadiazine. In Australia, honey has had the status of medicine since 1999 — medicinal honey is available in pharmacies as a wound dressing. Honey used for medicinal purposes has not been pasteurized or heated, unlike most commercial honey.

* Read "Doctors turning sweet on healing with honey," a CNN article that describes honey's healing qualities.

* "Bee Bandages" describes some of the research with medicinal honey taking place at Sydney University in Australia.
Cleaning up the Body: In a study published last month, University of Illinois researchers say that honey may act as a dietary antioxidant. In other words, chemicals found in honey could help rid the blood of toxins or harmful substances. This would make using it as a sweetener more beneficial than using sugar.

The Bee Line
The industrious bee produces more than just honey. Apitherapy refers to the "healing use of the products of the hive." Some of these products may also have therapeutic qualities, although none have been scientifically proven. Some of the more commercial hive products are royal jelly, bee venom therapy, and propolis.

Royal jelly: The queen's diet consists exclusively of royal jelly. This creamy substance, secreted by nurse bees (groups of worker bees dedicated to the care of the queen), aids the queen's growth and enhances her fertility level and longevity. The compound is 12-13% protein, 12%-15% carbohydrates, 5-6% lipids. Rich in vitamins and minerals, royal jelly includes the B vitamin pantothenic acid, which is thought to reduce stress. Gamma globulin, an amino acid that helps the immune system fight infection and disease, is also present in royal jelly. Some people believe royal jelly strengthens the immune system, improves skin tone, and increases energy. It is also believed to have anti-viral and antibacterial qualities.

Bee venom therapy: Currently, bee venom therapy is approved in the United States only for desensitization of persons with allergic reactions to bee venom. Supporters of this therapy claim it reduces inflammation in the body using natural anti-inflammatory agents, such as melittin and adolapin, found in the venom. They contend that bee venom can be used to treat systemic inflammations, such as arthritis and asthma, injuries such as tendonitis, and may even minimize some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Propolis: Bees collect this sticky resin from certain flowers and trees, add salivary secretions to it, and use it to build, reinforce, and seal parts of the hive. It is also placed at the hive's entrance so that bees returning to the hive brush up against it as a way of "disinfecting" themselves before reentering the hive. In fact, propolis is sometimes called "nature's penicillin" or "nature's antibiotic." Proponents claim it rejuvenates the body's immune system by disabling viruses and fighting infections. Some advocate it for treating a variety of health problems ranging from headaches, sore throats, and colds to more serious illnesses such as tuberculosis and Parkinson's disease.

* You can learn more about apitherapy at The American Apitherapy Society (AAS) site. The AAS is a nonprofit organization that promotes the use of hive products to the medical community and others. It publishes a newsletter (an online version is available), maintains a library, and conducts workshops. (www.riverdeep.net)

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Anti Aging Skin Care Tips with Honey

Concoct your own favourit beauty treats at home using honey – pampering, anti aging skin care masks that give your skin the nourishing and relaxing effect. The beauty of homemade face masks is that fresh raw ingredients are used and no additives and preservatives are added.

Honey is a great natural anti aging skin care product. Throughout the centuries, legendary beauties like Cleopatra and Poppea, wife of Roman Emperor Nero have used raw honey as part of their skin and hair care treatments to keep them looking youthful. This natural healing agent contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase, that when combined with water, produces hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic. In addition to the glucose oxidase enzyme, honey also contains antioxidants and flavonoids that may function as antibacterial agents. Honey is also a natural moisturizer. It is a humectant, having the ability attract and retain moisture, and to rebuild the moisture level in the skin without making it oily. It helps replenish necessary skin moisture, especially during the winter months. This is why honey is a popular anti aging skin care ingredient in many commercial moisturizing products including cleansers, creams, shampoos, shower gels, and conditioners. And because it’s so gentle, it is suitable for sensitive skin and baby care products.

How do Face Masks Work and Help the Skin?
Our skin has a natural protective barrier of fats that creates a nice smooth waterproof layer to keep the moisture in and foreign substances out. The skin’s ability to stay hydrated is an important factor in its ability to maintain softness, suppleness and elasticity. Unfortunately, the drying effect of the cold weather or the air con, the damaging effect of the harsh sun and pollution from the environment can cause our skin to look fatigue, dull and blotchy. And combined this with the aging of the skin, the lack of sleep and our hectic stressful lifestyle, our skin can become wrinkled, flaky and look older than it should. In addition, the use of makeup on our face also could clog the pores of the skin, preventing carbon dioxide inside our body from coming out and fresh oxygen from entering the skin. This causes the skin to lose its glow and attractiveness.

Facial masks are an ultimate nutrient delivery system in anti-aging skin care. They are much thicker than a moisturizer or topical treatment, and because of its extended application time and the inner warmth generated, pores easily open and the penetration of nutrients into the skin occurs more efficiently.

Basically all face masks have some kind of a cleansing function; they remove excess oil, environmental debris and pollutants much more gently than astringents, toners or scrubs. Various anti aging skin care ingredients are used in the face masks, depending on the skin type and to some extent on the availability of materials. Clays form an important constituent of many face masks as they are excellent absorbing agents. Gums and polymers are added to lend sticking properties to the clays. They help to remove dirt, sebum, and dead skin so that the skin looks clean, soft and youthful.

Some facials are also meant to exfoliate, clarify and unclog pores. They work by causing an abrasive action against the skin that removes the top layer of dead cells from the skin and accumulated dirt, leaving behind fresh healthy-looking skin. Regular exfoliation can reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkle and improve the clarity, tone and radiance of the complexion. Some facial masks contain antioxidants to protect against free radicals. Facial masks for dry skin hold water in the skin, making it softer and more flexible. Facial masks for oily skin often contain natural fruit extracts and hydrating marine extracts. These oil-free facial masks peel away dead surface skin cells and refine the pores.

Applying a facial mask once a week helps revitalise the skin and keeps it smooth and youthful. Normally, the face mask is applied on the cleansed skin for about ten to twenty minutes, thereafter, wash the face with lukewarm water and afterwards apply a thin layer of cold-cream or a moisturizer.

Easy DIY Honey Face Masks for Anti Aging Skin Care
I have compiled several anti aging skin care masks using honey and other very simple, accessible ingredients such as carrot, papaya, apple, almond, yoghurt, banana, etc. And for your easy quick reference, I have organised them into different skin types use -- dry skin, oily skin, and sensitive skin. (benefits-of-honey.com)

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• How about taking a glass of sour milk and honey at the start of each day?
• Honey for Beauty Treatment
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• Propolis The Bee Hive Product
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20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!

I think we should get ourselves some honey bee facts, after all so many healing and health-promoting opportunities for the humans begin with this little busy creature. As you read the following 20 honey bee facts, you will be so intrigued just like me by this teensy-weensy fellow’s extraordinary abilities.

1. The honey bee has been around for 30 million years.

2. Honey bees, scientifically also known as Apis mellifera, are environmentally friendly and are vital as pollinators.

3. It is the only insect that produces food eaten by man.

4. Honey is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life, including enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and water; and it's the only food that contains "pinocembrin", an antioxidant associated with improved brain functioning.

5. Honey bees have 6 legs, 2 compound eyes made up of thousands of tiny lenses (one on each side of the head), 3 simple eyes on the top of the head, 2 pairs of wings, a nectar pouch, and a stomach.

6. The honey bee's wings stroke 11,400 times per minute, thus making their distinctive buzz.

7. A honey bee can fly for up to six miles, and as fast as 15 miles per hour, hence it would have to fly around 90,000 miles - three times around the globe - to make one pound of honey.

8. The average honey bee will actually make only one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.

9. It takes about 556 workers to gather 1 pound of honey from about 2 million flowers.

10. It takes one ounce of honey to fuel a bee’s flight around the world.

11. A honey bee visits 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip.

12. A colony of bees consists of 20,000-60,000 honeybees and one queen.

13. Worker honey bees are female, live 6 to 8 weeks and do all the work.

14. The queen bee lives for about 2-3 years and is the only bee that lays eggs. She is the busiest in the summer months, when the hive needs to be at its maximum strength, and lays up to 2500 eggs per day. Click here to learn more about the Honey Bee Life Cycle.

15. The male honey bees are called drones, and they do no work at all, have no stinger, all they do is mating.

16. Each honey bee colony has a unique odour for members’ identification.

17. Only worker bees sting, and only if they feel threatened and they die once they sting. Queens have a stinger, but don’t leave the hive to help defend it.

18. It is estimated that 1100 honey bee stings are required to be fatal.

19. Honey bees communicate with one another by "dancing".

20. During winter, honey bees feed on the honey they collected during the warmer months. They form a tight cluster in their hive to keep the queen and themselves warm.

The more I learnt about honey bee facts; honey's great creator -the honey bee itself, its highly organized society, how it acts with such intricate cooperation, and the various bee products, the more I admire and respect this amazing creature. It is no wonder why sometimes the colony is called a superorganism.

To know more about how honey bees learn and communicate, read this interesting article "Bee learning and communication" by Wikipedia.


"Unique among all God's creatures, only the honeybee improves the environment and preys not on any other species." ~ Royden Brown

"If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live?" ~ Albert Einstein(www.benefits-of-honey.com)

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The Honey Bee: Amazing Facts and Feats

• Honey bees must visit some 2 million flowers to make one pound of honey.

• Honey bees fly about 55,000 miles to bring in enough nectar to make one pound of honey.
• About one ounce of honey would fuel a honey bee's flight around the world.
• Honey bees have been producing honey from flowering plants for about 10-20 million years.
• The average honey bee worker makes 1/12 teaspoon of honey in her lifetime.
• Honey bees contribute 8 to 10 billion dollars to the U.S. economy yearly.
• Honey bees have four wings that are latched into pairs by hooks.
• There are an estimated 200,000 beekeepers in the United States.
• Honey bees are the only insects that produce food for humans.
• The male honey bee, the drone, has a grandfather but no father.
• The average honey bee flies between 12 and 15 miles per hour.
• A honey bee flaps its wings about 12,000 times per minute.
• A honey bee worker visits more than 2,000 flowers on a good day.
• Honey bees communicate with one another by smell and dances.
• The average summertime honey bee lives only about 28 to 35 days.
• There are 3 million plus honey-producing colonies in the UnitedStates.
• A honey bee visits between 50 and 100 flowers during one collection trip.
• A typical healthy hive may contain up to 60,000 honey bees during peak times.
• Honey bees make an average of 1,600 round trips in order to produce one ounce of honey.
• Bees will travel as far as one or two miles from the hive to gather nectar.
• Honey bees from a typical hive visit approximately 225,000 flowers per day.
• Queen bees will lay as many as 2,000 eggs on a good day -- an average of one every 45 seconds.
• A good queen bee will lay between 175,000 and 200,000 eggs per year.
• The average central temperature of the brood nest is kept between 92 - 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Beeswax production in most hives is only about 1.5% to 2.0% of the honey yield.
• Approximately eight pounds of honey is eaten by bees to produce one pound of beeswax.
• The Americas have no native honey bees -- early pioneers first brought them from Europe.
• Honey bees pollinate approximately 25% of all the foods humans consume.
• Besides honey, honey bees produce wax and propolis, gather pollen, and produce royal jelly.
•A typical foraging honey bee will work herself to death in about three weeks.

THE COLONY
Honey bees are social insects, with a marked division of labor between the various types of bees in the colony. A colony of honey bees includes a queen, drones and workers.

THE QUEEN
The queen is the only sexually developed female in the hive. She is the largest bee in the colony. A two-day-old larva is selected by the workers to be reared as the queen. She will emerge from her cell 11 days later to mate in flight with approximately 18 drone (male) bees. During this mating, she receives several million sperm cells, which last her entire life span of nearly two years. The queen starts to lay eggs about ten days after mating. A productive queen can lay 3,000 eggs in a single day.

THE DRONES
Drones are stout male bees, which have no stingers. Drones do not collect food or pollen from flowers. Their sole purpose is to mate with the queen. If the colony is short on food, drones are often kicked out of the hive.

THE WORKERS
Workers, the smallest bees in the colony, are sexually undeveloped females. A colony can have 50,000 to 60,000 workers. The life span of a worker bee varies according to the time of year. Her life expectancy is approximately 28 to 35 days. Workers that are reared in September and October, however, can live through the winter. Workers feed the queen and larvae, collect nectar, guard the hive entrance and help to keep the hive cool by fanning their wings. In addition, honey bees produce wax comb. The comb is composed of hexagonal cells, which have walls that are only 2/1000 inch thick, but support 25 times their own weight. Honey bees' wings stroke 11,400 times per minute, thus making their distinctive buzz.

Honey History Facts

LITERATURE: 21ST CENTURY B.C.
Honey is alluded to in the Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform writings, the Hittite code, the sacred writings of India, the Vedas and in the ancient writings of Egypt.
BIBLICAL
Palestine is often referred to as "the land of milk and honey." (Exodus 3:8)
EGYPT: 30TH CENTURY B.C.
Honey was used in most households as a sweetening agent. The people of this time valued honey highly, thus, it was commonly used as a tribute or payment. Honey was also used to feed sacred animals.
SUMERIA, ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA: 21ST CENTURY B.C.
Honey was poured over thresholds and stones bearing commemorative offerings. Honey and wine were also poured over bolts that were to be used in sacred buildings.
GREECE: 7TH CENTURY B.C.
An ancient custom was the offering of honey to the gods and to spirits of the dead. Mead, an alcohol drink made with honey, was considered the drink of the gods.
GERMANY: 11TH CENTURY A.D.
German beer was sweetened with honey. German peasants were required to give their feudal lords a payment of honey and beeswax.
AMERICAS: 16TH CENTURY A.D.
Conquering Spaniards found that the natives of Mexico and Central America had already developed beekeeping. A distinct family of stingless bees (not true honey bees) was native to these regions.
AMERICAN COLONIES: 17TH CENTURY A.D.
European settlers introduced European honey bees to New England in about 1638. North American natives called these honey bees the "white man's flies." Honey was used to prepare food and beverages, to make cement, to preserve fruits, to concoct furniture paste-polish and varnish and for medicinal purposes. (www.itsallaboutbees.com)

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Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

What do bees look like? All bees have a head, a thorax (middle section), and an abdomen (end section). The head has their eyes, feelers, and tongue. The thorax has six legs and two wings. The abdomen has the breathing sacs, scent gland, wax gland, poison gland, and the stinger on the very end. Honey bees are hairy. They are yellow and black in color. The back legs of the worker females have little sacs to carry pollen.

We made this picture really big so it would be easier see. A real honey bee is only 1/2 inch long!

What are workers, drones, queens, and larvae? There is only one queen per hive, and all she does is lay eggs. There may be 40,000 worker bees. The workers are all female, but they can’t have babies. There may be as many as 2000 males or drones. Drones don’t do any work. Only a few drones gets to be fathers of the babies. All the rest just hang around. The queen is the biggest, and the workers are the smallest. The queen lays her eggs in a cell of the honeycomb (hive). Each egg hatches, and a little worm-like larva crawls out. The worker bees feed pollen and honey to the baby larva. Soon, it spins a little web blanket inside the cell and becomes a pupa. After 16 to 24 days, a full grown bee climbs out of the cell. Worker bees do different things depending on how old they are. They take care of the babies, make wax, build the honeycomb, clean up the hive, store pollen, make honey, guard the hive, and collect pollen or nectar. When someone says "busy as a bee," they are definitely talking about the workers. If a worker (sterile female) is born in the spring, she probably only lives 4 or 5 weeks. If she’s born in the fall when there’s less work to do, she may survive the winter. Drones (males) are kicked out of the hive when the weather gets cold. Queens can live for several years.

What do bees eat? Bees eat nectar (sugary water) and pollen (yellow protein powder) which are made by flowers. Babies are fed lots of pollen, because they need the protein to grow. Since there are lots of flowers in the spring (and lots of pollen), most bee babies are born in the spring. Nectar is what the a worker bee uses to make honey. When she gets to a flower, she drinks as much nectar as she can hold. Then she passes the nectar to another worker bee (who holds the nectar on her tongue) so the water in it can evaporate. When most of the water has evaporated, the sweet nectar becomes honey, which is stored in the hive. During winter, when there aren’t many flowers, bees use this stored honey for food. In the spring and summer, when there are plenty of flowers, bees tell each other where to find nectar and pollen. If a worker finds a grape vine with lots of flowers, she marks it with a pheromone (scent). Then she flies back and dances in the hive. This dance tells other workers what direction to fly in and how far to go. Then they fly off to find her scent, the grape flowers, and the food.

What is pollination? Flowering plants need to get pollen (the powder in the flowers) from one plant to another one. Once the pollen is on the new plant, that new flower can make seeds (baby plants). This is called pollination. When a bee visits a flower to get nectar or pollen, it has to get really deep in the flower to reach these foods. If she is collecting nectar, the bee slurps it up with her long tongue. If she is collecting pollen, she stuffs the powdery pollen into little sacks on the back of her legs. While she’s doing this, she gets the dusty pollen all over her body. When she flies to the next flower, some of the pollen falls off. Presto, the new flower is pollinated. Because of this, flowers try to attract bees by having brightly colored petals, pretty smells, and very sweet nectar. Bees and flowers help each other. This kind of relationship in nature is called symbiosis.

How do bees see? Bees cannot see the color red. But they do see a color we can’t: ultraviolet (UV). UV is what gives us a sunburn. But to a bee, it’s a whole different color. Since bees can’t see red, red flowers are pollinated in other ways, by bats, butterflies, birds, or the wind. Flowers that want to attract bees have colors that bees can see. Often, white flowers, which look plain to us, actually reflect UV light, so they look very pretty to the bees.

What is a hive? A hive is the bees’ home. It is made mostly of wax. Worker bees can make wax from the bottom of their abdomens. They use their legs to shape this wax into the cells of their honeycomb or hive. Each cell is hexagonal or six-sided. The hive usually has several layers of cells. Some cells are just for baby bees. Near the baby bee section, there are cells for storing pollen. In other parts of the hive, there are cells just for storing honey. The queen stays in the hive for her whole life except when she flies off to mate. All the bees stay inside the hive at night to sleep. Hives are often inside hollow logs.

How does a bee sting? A bee has a poison gland in her abdomen. When she stings another insect (like a wasp), she can pull the stinger out of the wasp’s body and get away. So if a bee is fighting another insect, she can sting many times. But if a bee stings a person or a large animal (frog, raccoon, etc.) the stinger sticks in the animal’s tough skin and keeps pumping poison. The bee flies away, but she gets torn in half and dies. Bees only sting if they think they or their hive are in danger. If one bee is buzzing around you, she may smell perfume, soap, or hair spray and think the smell is nectar (food). She will check you out to see if she can find the nectar, but if you stand very still, she will realize there is no nectar and go away.

What are some dangers to bees? Right now, almost all of Florida’s honey bees live on honey farms called apiaries (ape- ee- air- ees). There aren’t many wild bee hives left because a tiny pest, called a Varroa Mite, is killing them. Bee farmers can use special chemicals to stop the varroa mite on their farm, but no one can help the bees hiding in the wild. If a new queen leaves a bee farm with her swarm of workers, the varroa mite will destroy her new hive. When a bee farmer takes honey from a hive, he always leaves enough for the bees to eat over the winter. It is important to take care of Florida’s bees. Orange trees need bees to pollinate them so they can make fruits and seeds. Without bees, many of the oranges won’t be able to grow.

What about killer bees? These are Africanized Honey Bees or AHB’s. These bees are a mix of European bees and African bees. We have European bees here. They make a lot of honey and don’t sting much, but they don’t live well in really hot areas. African bees were brought over to South America because they do like to live in the heat. When these two kinds of bees mated, the new bees (AHB’s) were smaller and very defensive. AHB’s act like normal bees while they are foraging for food, but if they feel their hive is in danger, they will defend it, attacking the people and animals for at least 100 feet around the hive. The AHB’s traveled up into Texas, but stopped and went up the Rio Grande River. It will be a few years before they get here. We already have yellow jackets, small wasps that are just as defensive as the AHB’s. So, killer bees are not so scary. Just stay away from bee hives, and tell a grown-up when you see one.

(pelotes.jea.com)

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Why Is Honey Healthier Than Sugar?

There are many different "sugars", and our bodies deal with them differently.

Table sugar (sucrose) is absorbed into the body via osmosis. This means that the sugar enters the bloodstream as quickly as it can pass through membranes - which, as we all know, is pretty quick.

Because of the type of sugars that comprise honey, their absorption by the body occurs through a mechanism called "active transport." While something "active " may seem like it should be quicker than the passive mechanism of osmosis, the opposite is true...

Because the sugars in honey depend upon a carrier to move them across the membrane barrier, the rate of their absorption is limited by how much carrier is available.

This means that there is less of a "sugar rush" with honey...

* Less of a stain on the pancreas to suddenly produce large amounts of insulin
* Less likelihood of large swings in blood sugar levels
* Less likelihood of hypoglycemia

But, there is a very important caveat. The honey must be raw, unheated and unprocessed. (santafecandle.com)

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Honey, Bee Pollen & Propolis, Royal Jelly for Health and Healing

We are all familiar with honey as a valuable substitute for refined sugar or chemical additives which have been shown to be neurotoxins. We often are unaware of using the incredible nutritional value of honey for a variety of health benefits beyond honey’s being a natural sweetener.

Honey is a natural glucose and fructose sugar that is readily recognized and used for energy by our bodies. Honey contains mineral such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and phosphate. Honey also contains small amounts of copper, iodine and zinc. Honey contains vitamins B1, B2, B6, B5 and B3.

Honey is often used to help us build immunity to pollens that are responsible for allergic reaction. Honey, because of its ability to attract water, is also used as a skin moisturizer and well as a hair conditioner when mixed with olive oil. Since Honey has powerful antimicrobial qualities, it can soothe raw tissue such as we experience with a “sore throat”. Honey is a natural anti-inflammatory agent containing phytochemicals that helps heal wounds by killing bacteria, virus, and fungus that cannot live in honey thus preventing infection. Honey is being used in Europe and the Middle East to treat ulcers and burns. The treatment of burns with honey reduces pain and result in healing with minimal scaring of skin. Honey reduces the swelling of wounds and is used by our body as building material for new tissue as honey actually traps moisture and oxygen around the wound that is vital for healing and tissue generation.

Honey has sustaining blood sugar concentrations that many athletes use for endurance training as honey maintains and stores muscle glycogen as a readily available, metabolized fuel. Honey promotes muscle tissue repair. Honey acts as a superior carbohydrate that helps athletes give a peak performance.

Honey contains small amounts of resins found in propolis. Propolis is used by bees to build and maintain their hives. Propolis makes the hive safe from bacteria and other micro-organisms. Propolis is anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal. Propolis contains phytonutrients which have been shown to have cancer preventing and anti-tumor properties. Propolis is contained in small amounts in honey and is available in concentrated supplement form.

Honey contains bee pollen. Bee pollen has been shown to correct the chemical imbalance that often leads to weight gain. Therefore, bee pollen has proven to be a valuable aid for weight loss. Bee pollen improves our metabolism, i.e. the rate at which our bodies burn fat. Bee pollen dissolves and flushes fat cells from our bodies because of the high amounts of lecithin it contains. Bee pollen helps us reduce our cravings for food. Bee pollen has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Bee pollen is also beneficial for our sexual health. Studies have shown that bee pollen helps restore the health of female reproductive system and relief from the discomfort of PMS. Bee pollen has been shown to help increase men’s sperm count, help maintain erection, and prevent prostate problems. Bee pollen has been shown to improve our immune systems and remove toxins from our bodies. In addition, many athletes use bee pollen for endurance, strength and stamina. Many of us use bee pollen to help improve mental clarity. Bee pollen is available in concentrated supplement form.

Royal jelly is the only food source for the queen bee. The queen bee lives up to forty times longer than the other bees. Royal jelly contains large amounts of protein and all eight of the essential amino acids that our bodies cannot manufacture. Royal jelly is an antioxidant that combats free radicals. Royal jelly contains large amounts of natural hormones e.g. pheromones, large amounts of amino acids and essential amino acids, B vitamins, vitamins A, C, D and E. Royal jelly contains essential fatty acids and acetylcholine, a natural neurotransmitter. Royal jelly contains sterols, phosphorus compounds nucleic acids and traces of calcium copper potassium, silicon and sulfur. Royal jelly helps lower cholesterol, promotes mental alertness and clarity, reduces dizziness and buzzing in the ears and improves energy levels thus eliminating fatigue. Royal Jelly has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression because of its high amounts of acetylcholine that is a natural neurotransmitter. Many of us report that it helps slow down the ageing process, improves vitality and energy levels. Royal jelly improves the conditions of our skin and improves the strength and condition of our nails and hair. Royal jelly contains lipids and carbohydrates and aspartic acid that facilitates growth and repair of cells and tissue. Royal jelly also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Royal jelly is available in concentrated supplemental form.

The next time we use honey, we can experience and extra satisfaction beyond taste, knowing the miraculous and amazing health benefits we are receiving. We can receive even more health and healing benefit from taking advantage of the availability of bee pollen and propolis and royal jelly in supplemental form. We need to find ways to protect our bee population and feel deep gratitude for the many gifts of health and nutrition they have provided us.

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Health Benefits of Honey & Bee Pollen

Honeybees are undoubtedly the most industrious, important and necessary creatures on the planet. The honeybee plays an absolutely essential role in our existence. Without honeybees, life on precious Mother Earth would most likely cease to exist. Honeybees are responsible for pollinating the vast majority of edible plants. It is estimated that 100,000 species of plants would become extinct without honeybees to pollinate them. Not only do honeybees pollinate our flowers and plants, they provide us with some of the most nutritious, healthy and delicious food in the world. Bees are perhaps the oldest living species on our planet. Our creator in His/Her magnificent wisdom knows perfection. It's no accident that bees have not changed in millions of years. The scientific community is finally finding out what our ancestors have known for thousands of years, that bee products play an important role in our good health and well being. Apitherapy, or bee therapy, is the use of products of the common honeybee for therapeutic purposes.

Honeybee venom, bee pollen, raw honey, royal jelly and propolis are the products generally considered to have medicinal benefits. These products are said to be effective against a wide range of ailments, from arthritis and chronic pain to multiple sclerosis and cancer, although few scientific studies have as yet proved their benefits. Most claims come from anecdotal evidence dating back thousands of years. Human consumption of bee products is praised in the Bible. They have long been prescribed by traditional health practitioners, including the father of western medicine, Hippocrates. He used bee venom to treat arthritis and other joint problems. The ancient Greeks and Romans fed their atheletes "bee bread" (a combination of raw honey and bee pollen) to enhance their stamina and athletic abilities. Also the early Egyptians and Chinese used a combination of pollen and honey as a rejuvenating medicinal agent. It has been called the "fountain of youth" and "ambrosia of the gods". Researchers have discovered that honey and bee pollen are a natural food source supplying nutrient dense food. Plants use pollen nutrients for life and bees use honey and pollen as an important food source. If ancient people successfully used honey and pollen as a food source, then modern people would also benefit.

HONEY:

Honey begins as nectar collected by bees as they forage from flower to flower. The nectar is stored in the bees "honey sac". When the bee returns to the hive a "receiving bee" helps to unload the nectar from its honey sac. Through a lengthy and labor-intensive process (all performed by the ever busy and clever bee), moisture is removed from each drop of nectar. When the moisture content is just right, the nectar is sealed in honeycomb to continue ripening into honey. To produce a single pound of honey, the honeybee must bring in approximately 75,000 loads of nectar.

All ancient societies prescribed honey for wound healing. During World War I, honey was on the battlefield as an indespensable treatment for wounds. Ancient societies also used honey as a laxative, cough suppressant, sore throat soother and a salve for sore eyes. Unfortunately, with the advent of antibiotics, the use of honey as a medicine has fallen by the wayside.

Honey is nutrient rich and contains as many as 80 different substances important to human nutrition. Honey is easily metabolized by the body and enters the bloodstream slowly, unlike refined sugar, which rushes into the bloodstream and jolts the pancreas into action, giving you the sugar rush and inevitable letdown that follows. People tend to avoid honey in the belief that its high in calories. An average teaspoon of honey contains only about 25 calories and converts quickly and efficiently into energy—unlike white refined sugar.

Dr. Susan Percival at the University of Florida, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition has concluded that honey [specifically raw honey] contains the following nutrients: Vitamin A, Betacarotene, B-Complex vitamins (complete), Vitamins C,D,E,K, Magnesium, Sulfur, Phosphrous, Iron, Calcium, Chlorine, Potassium, Iodine, Sodium, Copper, Manganese, Zinc, as well as Riboflavin, Thiamin, Panthothenic Acid, and live enzymes. There are other substances in honey that cannot be identified.

Dr. Paavo O. Airola states in his book "Health Secrets from Europe":

"Honey is a perfect food. It contains large amounts of vitamins, minerals, being particularly rich in vitamins B and C. It contains almost all vitamins and B-complex, which are needed in the system for the digestion and metabolism of sugar. Honey is also rich in minerals such as calcium, potassium, silicon, etc. . . . some kinds may contain as much as 300 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams of honey."

Dr. Peter Molan, MBE, Associate Professor in Biochemistry at the University of Waikato, in New Zealand. Dr. Molan has been researching the medicinal and healing properties of honey for over 17 years. His conclusions are that honey contains a degree of healing properties, mostly due to the antibacterial agent hydrogen peroxide, which is found in all honey regardless of region.

Studies by Dr. May R. Berenbaum, an entomologist at the University of Illinois, show that honey possesses surprising quantities of antioxidants, which fight toxicity in the bloodstream and prevent harmful infections and which also are proven to fight heart disease and cancer. According to Dr. Heidrun Gross, Ph.D., research scientist at the University of California-Davis, who has done research on the health benefits of honey, four to the teaspoons of honey per day is beneficial.

According to Royden Brown in his book "Bee Hive Product Bible" exhaustive studies conducted in Bulgaria show that "...honey has bactericidal, anti-allergenic, anti-inflamatory and expectorant properties that insure the body an immuno-biologicla defense and give it the capacity to regenerate is attacked cells."

BEE POLLEN:

Pollen is the male seed of flowers which is required for the fertilization of plants. There are two types of pollen - airborne pollen (anemophile) and non-airborne pollen (entomophile). Entomophile pollen or "bee pollen" is carried on the bodies of bees as they go from flower to flower fertilizing each plant they visit. Anemophile or airborne pollen is the culprit in seasonal allergies - not bee pollen. Bee pollen acts as an antigen against airborne pollen and can be effective in treating seasonal allergies [see FAQ for more on this subject]. As the honeybee makes its rounds, it packs its "pollen baskets" (located on its legs) full of pollen which it takes back to the hive as food for the colony. The colony is fed a combination of honey and bee pollen. Chemical analysis from research labs all over the world show that bee pollen is a complete food. Bee pollen contains the following nutrients [the location and source of bee pollen can cause variability in the vitamin and mineral content of bee pollen]: All essential amino acids, minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, manganese, iron and zinc, some trace minerals, all B vitamins, including B-12 [one of the few vegeterian sources of B-12], Folic Acid, Panthothenic Acid, Rutin, Lecithin, RNA, DNA and enzymes. It also contains anti-oxidants, including flavanoids, beta-carotene, Vitamins C and E, and Lycopene. Research has shown that bee pollen contains a substance which inhibits the development of numerous harmful bacteria, including E. Coli. Clincial studies have shown that bee pollen has a regulatory effect on intestinal function, relieving even the most stubborn constipation. Studies also show that bee pollen is high enzymes and co-enzymes. Enzymes are necessary in the body for digestive and immune functions. The enzymes present in bee pollen are especially important for a balanced chemical metabolism. This balancing or regulating function may be the key factor in bee pollen's ability to assist in weight regulation. Bee pollen is approximately 25% complete protein containing at least 18 amino acids, more than 12 vitamins, 28 minerals, 11 enzymes and co-enzymes, 14 beneficial fatty acids, and 11 carbohydrates. Bee pollen is low in calories at 90 calories per oz. (approx. 2 tsps.). It contains Lecithin which helps dissolve and flush fat out of the body, which in turn lowers low density lipoproteins (LDL) and raises high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Bee pollen stimulates metabolism and curbs the appetite due to its Phenylalanine content [one of the essential amino acids]. It is also a powerful antioxidant (one of the highest) and has a high polyphenol content -- a super bioflavinoid.

In 1992, Dr. R. Chandra of John Hopkins University gave moderate amounts of bee pollen to a group of elderly patients and noted an increase in their immunity and a decrease in the risk of infections. He also demonstrated a direct link between the level of Iron, Zinc, B6 and Beta Carotene with a strong immune system (all components of bee pollen).

The British Royal Society of Naturalists has been researching the health effects of bee pollen for years. They state "The nutritional tests supervised by the station at Bures on hundreds of mice have demonstrated that pollen is a complete food, that it is possible to let several generations be born and live without the least sign of distress, while nourishing them exclusively on bee pollen."

Dr. Carlson Wade in his book "About Pollen" states, "Bee pollen contains a gonadotrophic hormone similar to the pituitary hormone, gonadotrophin, which functions as a sex gland stimulant...By providing energy and stamina it's also helpful for infertility and impotence, especially when combined with honey and royal jelly. The healing, rejuvenating and disease-fighting effects of this total nutrient are hard to believe, yet fully documented. Aging, digestive upsets, prostate diseases, sore throats, acne, fatigue, sexual problems, allergies and a host of other problems have been successfully treated by using bee pollen." Viagra - move over!!!

Dallas Clouatre, Ph.D. is a researcher and author. In his book "Flower Pollen for Prostate Health", he reports that bee pollen consumption amoung men with prostate problems results in significant improvement and alleviation of symptoms. Specifically "less nightime urination, improved bladder emptying, and reduced prostate discomfort." A Swedish study conducted by Dr. Gosta Leander also concluded that bee pollen can significantly affect imflammation and swelling of the prostate gland.

Scientific evidence from all over the world and thousands of years of anecdotal evidence show a huge range of potential health benefits from the consumption of bee products (includes bee venom therapy, honey, pollen, royal jelly and propalis). They are as follows:

promote anti-aging/longevity stimulate the immune system and fight against viral and bacterial infection regulate and balance hormones increase vigor and physical strength can help regulate weight reduce cravings for food or nicotine stimulate memory and mental function fight chronic fatigue protect against hay fever and certain allergies help with stress and anxiety increased energy and stamina (bee pollen is taken widely by atheletes) fight colds and respiratory infections help promote smooth, healthy and toned skin improved sexual function, facilitates fertility and may help reverse impotence may help to regenerate bone growth build tissue and muscle may reduce blood lipids and cholesterol may reduce high blood pressure rejuvenate the aged, sick or week may help with menopausal-related symptoms may help endocrine system disorders hepato-protective (liver)

support the body during pregnancy and menopause correct hormonal imbalances reduce or protect against coronary artery disease prevent and treat bladder infections promote wound healing reduce inflammation treat liver ailments protect against cancer relieve arthritis relieve depression reduce symptoms of diabetes prevent asthma attacks anabolic support assist weak or tired eyes prevent arteriosclerosis treat malnutrition treat mononucleosis improve mental alertness prevent and treat ulcers relieve symptoms of eczema relieve symptoms of impetigo may increase hemoglobin count and treat or prevent anemia caused by nutritional factors.

(honeybeepollen.com)

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80 Million Year Old Bee May Hold Key

By David J. Webb

Several years ago, the perfectly preserved body of a bee, encased in amber, was put on display in the Museum of Natural History in New York City. It was carbon-dated to be at least 80 million years old, but may be up to 135 million years old. The little bee, was probably caught in a glob of tree sap while out on a mission of gathering the sticky fluid for the production of propolis. Propolis is the antiseptic or antibiotic that bees produce to keep their colonies protected from invasion by disease. It is believed that they keep their settlements more sterile and free from bacteria than a modern hospital.

The oldest continuously living species on earth has not survived all extinct earth dwellers' by accident The honey-bee is the embodiment of efficiency and ingenuity. Efficiency, in having the most effective social and production-oriented society ever known, and ingenuity in having the most masterful research and development program ever conceived.

Woolly mammoths died out, dinosaurs disappeared, but the bee has outlasted them all, and continues to flourish today even stronger than ever. As mentioned, this is no accident.

For over 80 million years the bee has been attacked by all variations of threats from viruses, fungi, bacteria and a host of little and large pests. Nothing has been able to interrupt the bee's survival plans. It just keeps on keeping on, providing us with the fruits of their labors, research and development.

Imagine, for a moment, one little section of the hive, designated for R & D. You open up a tiny little door, peek in to see thousands of busy bees, dressed in tiny white lab coats, going about the business of developing new anti-biotic like prescriptions that quickly act to neutralize the newest form of drug-resistant bacteria to attack their fellow bees. The formulae for these unique remedies are immediately communicated to the worker bees and synthesized into their food and germ-fighting products, to eliminate all threats to their existence.

Man and other animals, have harvested the products of the beehive, for their pleasure and very survival. The fact that bees have existed continuously for over 80 million years, tells us that whatever they are doing……works! There's a lesson in this experience, one that should be taken seriously.

The products of the bee hive, BEE POLLEN, HONEY, PROPOLIS and ROYAL JELLY, may just be the most potent combination of nutrients ever developed since time began. For the sake of brevity, I won't get into descriptions and studies of these products, but you may want to do this in order to see what you may be missing.

The most amazing little creature on this great earth of ours is the bee.

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7 Frequently Asked Questions About Honey

Author: Ruth Tan

Here are seven questions which are frequently asked by people who are exploring honey use.

Question 1: Can diabetics use honey? I have been told that diabetics can use honey. Is that true?

Ans: This kind of honey information is important for diabetic patients who try to take care of their diet. Commercially honey is sometimes adulterated by glucose, starch, cane sugar, and even malt. Hence it is better to be avoided by the diabetics. And whether raw honey is is okay for diabetics, this is better to be advised by the doctor personally attending to the patient.

Question 2: Both honey and table sugar contain fructose and glucose. So, chemically they have the same basic sugar units. Is it correct?

Ans: It is true that both honey and table sugar have the same basic sugar units. However table sugar, or sucrose, has glucose and fructose hooked or amalgamated together, whereas if you look at honey properties, fructose and glucose remain in individual units.

Question 3: Invert sugar is sucrose broken down into glucose and fructose. So, honey is an invert sugar. Is it correct?

Ans: This statement is correct. Chemically, honey is invert sugar. It has a mishmash of both glucose and fructose. The only difference is that honey is honey bee-processed, whereas invert sugar (e.g candies) is man-made!

Question 4: Honey contains more calories than table sugar. Does it imply that it is therefore less healthy to eat honey?

Ans: We all know that any excessive intake of calories in any form is not good. Yes, honey has more calories, but we actually need to use less of it since it is sweeter than table sugar. As a result, in the long run, you may in fact consume even less amount of calories that you would with table sugar. Moreover, unlike table sugar which is empty calories, honey has nutritional value.

Question 5: Compared to table sugar, honey is sweetener. This is because it has more fructose which does not convert to energy as efficiently as glucose. So does this mean honey is less healthy?

Ans: Yes, honey contains more fructose, but precisely because it is sweeter, you need less of it.

Question 6: If spores are harmful to babies, why aren't they removed in the pasteurisation process of making commercial honey?

Ans: All new mothers, please take note of this honey information. Pasteurisation cannot remove spores as they are very resistant to killing by physical and chemical agents. To kill spores which are harmful to babies, processors must heat the honey to at least 250 degrees Fahrenheit, under pressure for at least three minutes, but this cannot be done as honey burns under this high temperature, its flavor changes and some health beneficial honey properties are also destroyed. This explains why for so many honey FAQs concerning whether it is okay to feed infant honey, the answer is also a "NO".

Question 7: I was told that honey does not spoil. What if I mix it with water and leave it? Will it go bad?

You will learn from most sources of honey information that "honey does not spoil" and it has no expiry date. Nothing will grow in naturally antibiotic and antiviral honey as long as the moisture content remains under 18%. Natural, raw honey varies from 14% to 18% in moisture content. However, when water is added to honey, natural airborn yeasts can become active in the honey water. So your honey water will turn bad eventually.(www.articlesbase.com)

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Hold the Honey for Baby

Feeding honey to your baby could be harmful if he or she is younger than 12 months of age. Honey could be the cause of a rare type of food poisoning called infant botulism--a serious, even deadly, illness. Honey is the food most commonly found to contain the bacteria causing botulism. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that honey should not be added to the food, water, or formula that is fed to infants younger than 12 months of age. This recommendation includes foods processed with honey.

Honey is a known source of bacterial spores called Clostridium botulinum that produce a toxin which can cause infant botulism. These spores can also be found in soil, water, uncooked food, and even household dust. Infant botulism can occur from breathing in vacuum cleaner dust, but eating honey is the number one preventable cause. While honey is safe for infants over 12 months of age, infants under 12 months of age have not yet developed beneficial bacteria in their digestive tracts that can control botulism spores. Therefore, do not add honey to baby food, water, formula, or medicine. Do not dip a baby's pacifier in honey. Even the honey in some processed foods can cause this problem. After an infant eats the spores of this bacteria, the disease can occur within a few hours or up to a week after the exposure.

Symptoms of infant botulism include weakness in the neck, arms, or legs; inability to suck or cry normally; inability to feed or swallow; and persistent constipation. The first symptom is constipation, which can appear three to 30 days following ingestion of honey. The next symptoms observed are listlessness, decreased appetite, and a weakened cry over the next several days. Gagging and sucking reflexes diminish and the child moves less and less. Infant botulism frequently causes an infant to have an unusual breathing pattern, which often requires putting the infant on a ventilator to help with breathing.

Most infants recover from botulism with hospital care. However, if infant botulism is not treated immediately, it could result in death. Hospital care is necessary. Identifying the botulism toxin in the stool is needed for proper diagnosis. This toxin can cause nerve damage for weeks or even months. Neither antibiotics nor antitoxin have proven beneficial in treating infant botulism and may even make the illness worse. There is also a link between infant botulism and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), because breathing is affected in the most severe stages of the illness. It is believed to be the cause of death in 10% of SIDS cases. As children get older, the stomach acid, bacteria, and the intestinal tract mature to make them less susceptible to the toxins that botulism spores produce. The single most effective way to prevent infant botulism is to avoid giving honey to infants younger than 12 months of age. (www.healthgoods.com)

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Bee Venom Stimulates Human Melanocyte Proliferation, Melanogenesis, Dendricity And Migration

Author:

Songhee Jeon1*, Nan-Hyung Kim2*, Byung-Soo Koo3, Hyun-Joo Lee2 and Ai-Young Lee1,4

Pigmentation may result from melanocyte proliferation, melanogenesis, migration or increases in dendricity. Recently, it has been reported that secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) known as a component of bee venom (BV), stimulates melanocyte dendricity and pigmentation. BV has been used clinically to control rheumatoid arthritis and to ameliorate pain via its anti- inflammatory and antinociceptive properties. Moreover, after treatment with BV, pigmentation around the injection sites was occasionally observed and the pigmentation lasted a few months. However, no study has been done about the effect of BV on melanocytes. Thus, in the present study, we examined the effect of BV on the proliferation, melanogenesis, dendricity and migration in normal human melanocytes and its signal transduction.

BV increased the number of melanocytes dose and time dependently through PKA, ERK, and PI3K/Akt activation. The level of cAMP was also increased by BV treatment. Moreover, BV induced melanogenesis through increased tyrosinase expression. Furthermore, BV induced melanocyte dendricity and migration through PLA2 activation. Overall, in this study, we demonstrated that BV may have an effect on the melanocyte proliferation, melanogenesis, dendricity and migration through complex signaling pathways in vitro, responsible for the pigmentation. Thus, our study suggests a possibility that BV may be developed as a therapeutic drug for inducing repigmentation in vitiligo skin.

Full text : EMM039-05-05.pdf
(source: www.e-emm.org)

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Facial Paralysis Institutes

Here is Facial Paralysis Institutes, the place where you can treat unwanted eye complications, reconstruction of facial movement, restoration of a dynamic smile, and improvement of facial aesthetics. At the Institutes, you will meet Dr. Azizzadeh and his team of facial plastic surgeons, otolaryngologists, neuro-otologists, neurosurgeons, head and neck surgeons, ophthalmologists and physical therapists utilize a systematic approach to reach these objectives. If you want to be the Institutes patient, firstly you should consult to Dr. Azizzadeh who will utilize different members of the team to obtain the best possible outcome. The multidisciplinary approach is necessary in the treatment of facial paralysis.

Dr. Babak Azizzadeh is the Director of The Facial Paralysis Institute and expert in facial plastic & reconstructive surgeon. He treats individuals with Facial Paralysis and Bell’s Palsy. He is board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. Cause of his expertise in facial plastic surgery Dr. Azizzadeh has been featured in The New York Times, Discovery Health, and numerous other media.

There are many other things causes of facial paralysis, for example is a vehicle collision resulting in trauma to the head and face. With Facial Nerve Retaining and Therapy at Facial Paralysis Institutes the patients will get them back to the health they deserve.

Please visit Facial Paralysis Institute website now to get information about Facial Paralysis and more!

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Maryland Medical Center

Do you want to know about mitral valve surgery, mitral valve repair, mitral valve replacement and mitral valve? Find them completly at University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM) site. Mitral valve based on UMM site is the "inflow valve" for the main pumping chamber of the heart, the left ventricle. That's the important part of our body. Then a mitral valve replacement is required in order to treat severe cases of mitral valve prolapse, heart valve stenosis or other valvular diseases.Most surgeons will prescribe you to to for valve replacement or artificial valve implantation. It works.

Mitral valve repair surgery, performed at UMM is specializing in the surgical treatment of valvular disease, including mitral valve repair surgery. As a leader in repairing the mitral valve, about 92 percent of the patients at the Heart Center will have their valve repaired instead of replaced. That is well above the national average, where typically 55 percent of patients have their valve repaired. This last technology at UMM can reduce risk of stroke and freedom from long term treatment with blood thinners.

More detail information please visit its site now!

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