Bee Pollen - long

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Bee Pollen.

Referred to as the 'Food of the Gods', bee pollen is a superbly

nutritious product and is used

world-wide as an energy boosting supplement.

Bee Pollen is the male seed of flowers, created in the stamen within the

blossom of the plant.

Honeybees collect the pollen and during the collection process it is

combined with secretions

from the bee, as it is worked from the stamen of the plant. The bee uses

its tongue and

mandibles to collect the pollen, it then brushes the pollen from around

its mouth area using it's

forelegs and moves the now sticky substance towards it's second pair of

legs. The worker bee

assembles a mass of pollen, all of which has been mixed with the bee

secretion and moved to

storage on the bees body and legs. When the bee has collected sufficient

pollen it returns to

the beehive to deposit the load.

What is the chemical composition of bee pollen?:- Because of the plant

origin of bee pollen the

actual chemical composition of will vary depending on location and

season. Regardless of

regional and seasonal variations, the product is very rich in B Vitamins

1,2,3,5,6 and B 12,

contains Vitamin C, A and E along with Carotenoids and Folic acid.

Bee pollen also includes collagen and lecithin. Lecithin is associated

with the dissolution of

body fats and is an effective constituent of bee pollen that can help

with weight loss and weight

control.

Bee pollen contains all of the essential components of life. The

percentage of rejuvenating

elements in bee pollen remarkably exceeds those present in brewer's

yeast and wheat germ.

Examinations of the origin of collected pollen indicate that the

honeybees only collect pollens

which are rich in nitrogenous matter (amino acids), leaving lesser

quality pollen behind.

Around 20% of bee pollen is composed of amino acids and proteins, and it

is extremely rich in

Rutin.

It is a rich source of minerals, including magnesium, calcium, copper,

manganese

and more.

Bee Pollen and our health:- A complete food in every sense of the word,

extensive tests have

concluded that life can be sustained on an exclusive diet of bee pollen

and water alone.

Research from the Royal Society of Naturalists stated:- " 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 " .

The list of potential benefits to health is simply vast. Here are some

of the more common

associated health benefits of bee pollen:

l energy

l weight loss / appetite suppressant

l stamina

l allergies

l antibiotic

l sexual function / impotence / infertility

l asthma

l chronic fatigue

l immune system booster

l prostate diseases

l menopause

l anti aging / longevity

Bee pollen as a dietary supplement may help us in many ways. Bee pollen

is taken by many

people to supplement the nutrients that are deficient in our diet,

nutrients which are important

not just for raw energy, but also for their ability to remove harmful

free-radicals or toxins from

our body.

Clinical tests have proven bee pollen to be effective in combating the

effects of hay fever and

other airborne allergens. In a clinical test, bee pollen was given to

individuals suffering from

hay fever allergies. It was given over a period and was found to

desensitize people from the

effects of hay fever and other allergies.

Bee pollen may help with many conditions including obesity. Its ability

to act as an appetite

suppressant and also a general craving suppressant, makes it popular

amongst people looking

to loose weight or even quit smoking.

Many athletes around the world attribute their successes in large to

using bee pollen as an

effective energy/stamina supplement. Muhammad Ali contributes his

success to bee pollen

and many Olympic athletes have used pollen during training.

Steve Reddick - GOLD MEDALIST on the US Relay Team at the Montreal Games

1976 says:

" It gives me a lot more energy too. I used to take honey but this Bee

Pollen is far better. I take

3 pills a day "

Taking bee pollen may also help reduce the effects of stress and aid

digestive system function.

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. The healing, rejuvenating and disease-fighting effects of

this total nutrient are hard

to believe, yet are 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 the use of bee pollen " .

Pollen has been taken for centuries to assist in body system regulation

and to provide a tonic

for reproductive systems, male and female. Providing energy and stamina,

it is also considered

to assist in alleviating infertility and impotence, particularly when

combined with honey and

royal jelly.

A note on bee pollen and prostate disorders:- Clinical research suggests

that bee pollen can

reduce prostrate enlargement and painful symptoms associated with

prostate disease.

Dallas Clouatre, Ph.D. is a researcher and author of Flower Pollen for

Prostate Health. In his

book he reports that controlled bee pollen consumption among men with

prostate problems

results in significant improvement and alleviation of symptoms.

Specifically, " less nighttime

urination, improved bladder emptying, and reduced prostate discomfort " .

Dr Clouatre also says that bee pollen helps relax smooth muscle, making

it easier to empty the

bladder. It may also act as an anti-inflammatory and decrease the

swelling of the prostate,

resulting in a better urine flow and reduced discomfort.

Dr. Clouatre comments that 80% of those people using pollen find marked

relief and that

pollen may also forestall future problems. " Patients often report that

they are no longer getting

up at all during the night and that they no longer have difficulty or

discomfort upon urination. "

Source includes BW HealthWire, Nampa, Idaho June 9, 2000.

A Swedish study has also concluded that bee pollen can significantly

affect inflammation and

swelling of the prostate gland. Dr Gosta Leander conducted a

double-blind controlled study of

93 patients in which a placebo was given to 43 men, and bee pollen to

the remaining 50. Fortysix

men out of the fifty who took the bee pollen were successfully treated,

while the control

group did not experience any significant improvement.

Many experts believe that the natural hormones contained in bee pollen,

along with a wide

range of nutrients, magnesium, essential fatty acids and zinc, help to

support the male urinary

and reproductive systems. It is generally considered that men over the

age of thirty could

benefit from bee pollens ability to help prevent the onset of prostate

disorders.

Bee Pollen and weight control:- Our body processes all nutrients and

deals with them

according to the type and quantity consumed. Consumption rates for

calorie-bearing nutrients,

coupled with the rate of our metabolism, will generally determine

whether we build fat, maintain

our body weight or loose weight.

However, we can help our body become more efficient in processing

certain nutrient types and

certain food groups. By supplementing our food intake with certain

nutrient combinations, we

can create an environment where we become more efficient at processing

carbohydrates, fats

and sugars, and can avoid under some circumstances the production of

excessive body fat.

Pollen contains over 5,000 enzymes and co-enzymes, considerably more

than is present in

any other food. These enzymes are necessary in the body for digestive

function and immune

function. The enzymes present in bee pollen are considered important in

creating a chemical

balance in the metabolism. This balancing or regulating function may

be the key factor in bee

pollens ability to assist in weight regulation.

When taking bee pollen as a diet supplement, it is best consumed an hour

or so before meals.

Where body weight is normal, and there is no desire to loose weight,

pollen may be consumed

with, or directly following a meal.

Some important studies have been conducted into the role of bee pollen

in helping to control

body weight.

S. Blauer (Hippocrates Health Institute) " Bee pollen minimizes, reduces

or eliminates the

normal person's cravings for heavy concentrated protein... [bee pollen]

aids in the digestion of

other food "

When investigating bee pollens role as a natural appetite suppressant,

Dr. J. Chen and Dr. L.

Chu (Aerospace Medicine & Life Sciences), " ... found the average daily

food consumption in

the Bee Pollen fed group was generally 15-20% less. "

Ingesting bee pollen in supplement form can be a great way of assisting

the body in

processing and 'burning' carbohydrates and converting calories into energy.

Bee Pollen can also supplement nutritional intake in certain areas that

are inadequately

catered for by the foods that we eat - providing essential vitamins and

minerals that are

deficient in processed foods.

How is Bee Pollen processed for human consumption?:- The beehive is a

remarkably efficient

workplace constructed and operated in a way that has remained unchanged

for millions of

years. The beehive contains a brood chamber where the Queen bee lays her

eggs. The brood

chamber is the larger of several chambers within the beehive, the

smaller chambers are where

the worker bees store the honey and pollen.

The pollen is collected in " pollen traps " . In commercial hives, these

traps are created by the

beekeeper and consist of mesh wire with small apertures which brush the

legs of the bee as it

enters the hive. The pollen granules then fall into a tray, which is

removed by the beekeeper.

In most cases, little or no processing is performed on the pollen

after it is removed from the

hive in its granulated state. It is purged or sifted of any foreign

particles, and then packaged

and generally frozen.

In its raw state it should be maintained frozen until it is ready for

consumption, at which point

the thawed bee pollen should be kept refrigerated until consumed.

A more convenient way of consuming pollen is in capsule form. Capsulated

pollen if processed

correctly, contains all of the nutritional content of the raw pollen but

has a much longer shelflife,

typically 3 or 4 years.

Bee pollen has no regulatory status, it is considered a food and not a

herb or vitamin

supplement. There are no guidelines for effective daily dosages, but

many people take

upwards of 1000mg per day.

Bee pollen is a nutritive power-house providing a vast array of

potential benefits to our health.

Termed a super-food and labeled by ancient cultures as The Food of

the Gods, bee pollen

contains all of the essential nutrients to sustain life.