Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Dane Bramage on September 09, 2007, 01:01:11 am
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If you've done it, confess here (& pls share your experience(s)). If not, you know you wanna. :mrgreen:
I just experienced the volatile properties of the propolis I've harvested (red & blonde) and I have to say... wow! Aromatic utopia!
Cheers,
Dane
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Alright Dane, you made me go out back and try it. ;) Interesting to say the least. Wonder if it'll help with my congestion left over from a cold.
How did you go about it?
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Yeah,
I want to know also how you inhaled those vapors??
Annettte
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I just experienced the volatile properties of the propolis
I have bad experiences. So when I go to sauna and I have propolis I my fingers, vapour makes tickle my eys badly. And I do not rub my eys, it comes via air. Temp in my sauna is about 70C - but not on skin so much!
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Erik & Annette ~> :-D I went about it like this ~>
(http://vriptech.com/images/vriptake.gif) the direct approach (w/ceramic core heat gun & bong water tool). But, there are products which diffuse it into the air for sort of a 'whole-room' aromatherapy effect.
(http://www.biopureus.com/images/wood.gif)
This vaporizer has been designed to use the heat in order to obtain the volatile fraction of propolis.
When the vaporizer is switched on, propolis undergoes a rapid heating for about one minute so that the temperature rises first to 62° (melting point of the cerous fraction) and then to 85° (maximum temperature which proved to be the optimal temperature for the emission of the components without causing their alteration). Thanks to a sophisticated electronic regulator the temperature of the heated mass can vary between the two values.
With the heating the volume of propolis in the cylindrical container increases and nearly doubles when it reaches the limiting temperature of 85°. This expansion promotes convection currents, the continuous change of the surface mass and, as a consequence, the emission of the volatile substances.
They're doing some cool and innovative things in Turino.
Finksy ~> thats the right temp for vaporisation of propolis. It melts and vaporizes right off your hands and into the air. I would think it would be excellent in a sauna (like many essential oils can be) but - burning eyes - I wouldn't like that either! All the studies on propolis seem to speak of it as an absolute composition with the same characteristics. I would think much of the characteristics would be dependent on the plant source. Can bees collect propolis from poison oak, for example? :shock: My propolis is red and blonde/light tan. I'm going to have to vaporise some more later to better qualify the aroma.
<Dane makes note to search for analyses of varying propolis>
Erik ~> I would think it would be very helpful as remedy to your congestion. The study cited that I've come across so far (did not get a direct link to study yet) said it killed ~ 76% of airborne bacteria as a diffuser. A direct inhalation, it would seem, would be quite effective.
Gosh I love beekeeping!
Cheers,
Dane
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>Temp in my sauna is about 70ºC - but not on skin so much!
And I thought a Finnish Sauna was 110ºC (230 F)
http://www.scandinavica.com/culture/sports/sauna.htm
I've only managed to get a sauna to 100ºC and it doesn't feel as hot as an Inipi (Sweat Lodge) so I'm guessing 110ºC is about the limit and probably what a really hot sweat is.
I have not tried propolis on the rocks in a sweat nor heard of it being done.
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Smoking Propolis?!
The crack of the new generation.
The first one is free. >:)
Sincerely,
Brendhan
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Smoking Propolis?!
The crack of the new generation.
The first one is free. >:)
Cute... but please, don't cloud the thread/concept with erroneous comparisons to smoking and crack. :-x
"Smoking propolis" ~> Research vaporising vs. smoking. I've attached a little reference material quoted below.
Propolis, a 100% natural substance that bees collect from botanical sources and Crack, a crudely freebased form of cocaine... :roll:
The reason I've taken issue with your comment (joke?) is because, although you might dismiss the idea of vaporising propolis based on inaccurate analogies, I'm simply seeking truth through scientific method & empirical evidence. You may unnecessarily scare folks away from researching a potentially healthful/beneficial practise/remedy with such statements (even if made in jest).
Here's what one site is saying: "Revolutionary and unique, the Propolis Diffusers vaporize and release the volatile fraction of bioflavanoids found in Propolis. Researchers and medical professionals have used the proven benefits of Propolis for many years. But now with a patented, time-released method of releasing these valuable flavanoids, you can absorb them as you breathe.
Experiments carried out in schools by the A.S.L. 5 of Collegno (Turin) have shown, after three days of utilization of the Propolis vaporizer within a confined environment, resulted in an average reduction of the microbial load by 71,8%!!!
Effective against bacteria, viruses, acari, fungi and molds, the Propolis Diffusers are exceptional when treating conditions of the:
* Respiratory system - pharingitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, otitis, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, influenza, colds
* Oral Hygiene - gingivitis, stomatitis, abscesses
* Dermatological system - mycosis, eczema, herpes zoster, psoriasis, burns
* Digestive system - colitis, ulcers of stomach, restores flora
* Genital & urinary organs - infections of kidney, bladder, prostate, vaginitis, uterine inflammation
It's aromatherapy with therapeutic results!"
More on vaporization/volitization:
Vaporization is what occurs when the active medicinal constituents found in plants are heated to their boiling points, or vaporization temperature range, and release vapor containing the active constituents in a gaseous state. This vapor can be inhaled to deliver the actives via the tracheo-bronchial tree much like smoking or using a nebulizer, but without the harmful irritants and carcinogens found in smoke that results from combustion (as opposed to controlled heating) of the plant material and without the alcohol and preserved water that serves as a base for the nebulizer solutions. This is possible because the vaporization temperature range of the active constituents is significantly below their flash point and pyrrolytic temperature and that of the surrounding plant material, thus with an effective vaporization technique no combustion, or burning of the active constituents and the plant material they reside within takes place. Recently, this process that has conventionally been termed vaporization has been re-named volatilization for scientific purposes to be more technically correct in some applications due to the fact that it is the volatile plant oils that are being released in a vapor like form in extractions from volatile oil containing plants. The term volatilization is more scientifically correct in that it refers to the process of converting a volatile oil into a gaseous state while vaporization technically refers to the conversion of something that is normally solid or liquid into a gaseous state (volatile oils having different properties than either solids or liquids). We at VripTech Int. generally use the term vaporization because it is more widely known and understood even though technically speaking volatilization is the more correct term if you’re working with volatile oil containing plants. Whatever you want to call it…it's a whole lot better than smoking, teas, tinctures, or capsules as a delivery medium as it’s cleaner than smoking and much faster acting than any of the oral or metabolic delivery methods. The practice of warming plants and botanicals to the point necessary to induce vaporization or volatilization of the actives for extraction and inhalation purposes is called Hot Gas Extraction Aromatherapy or Phyto-Inhalation. This exciting new and rapidly evolving delivery method promises to play an important role in the future of alternative medicine and is even proving to have applications that have piqued the interest of mainstream Pharmaceutical companies. A future where you inhale virtually all of your medicines isn’t that far off…
Cheers,
Dane
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ok..so i have obtained some...propolis, now, i also have a sisha, so...do i understand it correctly? instead of tobaco i put propolis, heat it with a hair drier or some other heat source and then inhale it? basicly the principle is the same it just doesnt have to be lit?
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ok..so i have obtained some...propolis, now, i also have a sisha, so...do i understand it correctly? instead of tobaco i put propolis, heat it with a hair drier or some other heat source and then inhale it? basicly the principle is the same it just doesnt have to be lit?
Greetings Mici - :)
hehehe - that's one way to do it, though the heat source would need be a "heat-gun" (a bit more sophisticated than a hair drier). Preferably a heat gun with controllable temperature and airflow such as these from Steinel (http://www.steinel.net/products/heatguns/electronic_heatguns.cfm). It also requires some sort of adapter to seal the heat-gun nozzle and direct the hot air into the tobac/propolis chamber. It's all seeming terribly complex as I write it but there are various vaporizer models commercially available specifically designed for the task (some better than others).
I find myself using much simpler & whole-house/room methods most always. Perhaps try one (or more) of these first prior to retrofitting your shisha/hooka to see if it appeals to you.
- on sauna rocks -> try to place it on the coolest rocks else it will vaporize, then burn too quickly. Having some water handy to make a little steaming propolis pool works very well
- wood-stove -> it's getting cold here already. Placing some propolis in ceramic (tinfoil could be used as well) and placing this on the wood-stove is some divine aromatherapy (I love the smell of wood-burning fires)
- essential oil burners/heated-diffuser -> speaking of aromatherapy, these work very well also. I have some that I no longer used for essential oils (I prefer non-heated diffusion via nebulizers). Both electric and candle heated types are also an effective method for diffusing propolis
(http://www.candlebay.com/CandlePics/Med/596.jpg)
For me, it's aromatherapy with purpose (air purifying) & very enjoyable but, then again - I'm rather unorthodox (aka: weird!). I hope you like it too!
Cheers,
Dane
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So you just put a big glop of propolis into one of those thingys my wife likes to make the house smell good ? Do you put any water in with it at all ?
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yeah i had one of these vapori thingis, but my dad broke it so...after 4 years, still haven't had the time to buy a new one. :-D
well i tried it yesterday, i used a lava-lamp as a heat source and i cut a plastic flask to serve as the "catcher-inhaler"...but i think most of the stuff burnt, so it'ss not the best way to do it, lol.
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So you just put a big glop of propolis into one of those thingys my wife likes to make the house smell good ? Do you put any water in with it at all ?
Yes - just some propolis directly in the essential oil diffuser - no water. Propolis (& wax) are not water-soluble so the water just floats on top sealing in the vapor, at least in my diffusers. If yours was hot enough to heat the water to boiling temp it may work. I've found I even get better results when I pour off the melted wax (my propolis always has some wax mixed in). The propolis sticks in place. Oh, and I haven't attempted to clean my diffuser of the propolis either. Could be nigh impossible.
yeah i had one of these vapori thingis, but my dad broke it so...after 4 years, still haven't had the time to buy a new one. :-D
well i tried it yesterday, i used a lava-lamp as a heat source and i cut a plastic flask to serve as the "catcher-inhaler"...but i think most of the stuff burnt, so it'ss not the best way to do it, lol.
A light bulb as heat source? The plastic flask wasn't heated was it? (burning + plastic sounds scary!). What type of vaporizer is it? One of those old-style heat-tray types? Were you able to get any good aroma out before it burnt?
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Thanks for the info.. I'll try this when I get a chance
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no plastic was burned during the procedure, hehehe
ummm, it's simply a regular lightbulb and a glass flask filled with water and colored wax sitting on top of it
http://www.global-b2b-network.com/direct/dbimage/50147556/Lava_Lamp.jpg
i just removed the water+wax part so, the plastic bottle was only around it, to catch the vapours so i could inhale them.
i think the main problem is, i can't control the temperature.
hmmm, you say you simply put propolis in your diffusor, doesn't it simply burn and give off of aroma?
also..what is technicly speaking burned propolis, does it even burn if not under direct heat source, or does it simply vapourise?
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I wonder how propolis vaporization would work in a CPAP machine?
I suffer from Sleep Apnea as well as Asthma, Chronic Sinusitis, and Narcolepsy so if propolis vapor can help my asthma and siusitis I would be tickled pink. I will have to give this some thought. As yet I don't have enough propolis to harvest any as the bees in my apiary seem to go lite with it. The Italians make as much as my other 3 hives put together yet they are not nearly as propolis prone as Italian bees I've had in the past.
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Thanks for the info.. I'll try this when I get a chance
You're welcome CBEE. Please post back with your results/impressions. The red propolis I get here really smells great but I haven't sampled any other types.
i think the main problem is, i can't control the temperature.
hmmm, you say you simply put propolis in your diffusor, doesn't it simply burn and give off of aroma?
also..what is technicly speaking burned propolis, does it even burn if not under direct heat source, or does it simply vapourise?
Temperature control is helpful but, unless it's either too cool to get any vapor or so hot it's burning very quickly, you should be able to get a bit of an idea. Then you can obtain the tools you need/want as appropriate. I use a lot of herbal remedies = phytotherapy and already had all the equip necessary to efficiently heat the herbs to release the active constituents without combustion. I'm unsure if I would go to that expense solely for propolis, but it is nice having options. :)
Diffusers vs direct inhalation: Both have their purpose/application. Doing a direct inhalation is more concentrate and may (no studies known, of which I'm aware) be an effective remedy for respiratory ailments. Diffusing propolis is a more dilute approach, has been shown to neutralize ~ 72%-76% of airborne bacteria, reduce pollutants (such as Benzene and Hydrocarbons) from 15% to 70%, smells nice (aromatherapy), benefits everyone in the house and with every breath (as opposed to one person inhaling, directly a few breaths). So they're both good. ;) My personal practice is to have the diffuser going all the time (even as I write this post, love it) and to do direct inhalation if I feel any cough/cold/congestion (sometimes mixed with other herbs such as mullein, peppermint, borage, eucalyptus, etc.,).
Vaporising vs burning: 85°C is reportedly the "maximum temperature which proved to be the optimal temperature for the emission of the components without causing their alteration" (I have to research that further). So if you could keep it close to that temp it would seem ideal. That being said I have allowed propolis to cook to a crisp on the wood-stove, it did smoke lightly but was still quite pleasant. Nothing at all like smoke from incense, which I believe many people still use (not me, I dislike smoke). So if you're unable to keep the temp below the burning level it isn't too bad really.
I wonder how propolis vaporization would work in a CPAP machine?
I suffer from Sleep Apnea as well as Asthma, Chronic Sinusitis, and Narcolepsy so if propolis vapor can help my asthma and siusitis I would be tickled pink. I will have to give this some thought. As yet I don't have enough propolis to harvest any as the bees in my apiary seem to go lite with it. The Italians make as much as my other 3 hives put together yet they are not nearly as propolis prone as Italian bees I've had in the past.
CPAP Machine: if the machine is a model which draws ambient air (as opposed to from an oxygen tank) I would think that having a propolis diffuser in the room at the same time would be fine and with all the same benefits of unassisted breathing. I would be hesitant to introduce repeated, concentrated propolis vapor streams into the CPAP due to potential adverse effects upon the flow generator (air pump). A shot every once in a while may be a good natural disinfectant though.
Ailments: the marketing copy from one website lists: "Effective against bacteria, viruses, acari, fungi and molds, the Propolis Diffusers are exceptional when treating conditions of the respiratory system - pharingitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, otitis, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, influenza, colds". I've not suffered from any of these, can't prove propolis vapor is remedy nor preventative (I'm also using nano-colloidal ionic silver solution in an ultrasonic diffuser, have a "green" (non-toxic) home, etc., etc.,) but it surely couldn't cause any harm (Primum non nocere). I'd say go for it Brian! I have a suspicion it will help you.
No propolis? I thought all beeks had too much propolis gumming up the works. ;) I put one propolis collection mat on one hive... got a bit from that but it wasn't as easy to harvest as I would have hoped (put in freezer, flex and propolis is suppose to pop out... very little did). I'm also into my honey supers scraping from the bodies and frames already. Having this stuff diffusing every day, I can see how I could go through a lot (hope I make it thru the winter). You've no frames/hives to scrape?
Cheers,
Dane
Ps. Whew... this thread is getting serious eh? I think it's time for the disclaimer:
(http://www.roflcat.com/images/cats/270911970_db35fdd4ca.jpg)
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As bizarre, and OT, this thread has turned out...
I am still very surprised that someone hasn't created a perfume out of bee propolis, too me it is an extremely pleasant smell.
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As bizarre, and OT, this thread has turned out...
I am still very surprised that someone hasn't created a perfume out of bee propolis, too me it is an extremely pleasant smell.
i'd say the biggest issue is, propolis doesn't smell the same on two different occasions/hives/locations.../...
propolis actually is a perfume, and every single batch is unique.
@dane
i know you enyoj your propolis very very much, but i'd advise you to stop this daily therapyes. and only because long term treatment creates higher immunity, which also creates immuner bacteria(or are they viruses?). anyway..i t's actually not wise, coz once you'll get sick, not a ton of propolis will help you, as oposed to people who don't use it daily.
i don't know, maybe i'm mistaking but..as soon as it starts to vapourise, i can see it and also i get the feeling i'm smelling burned propolis so...i'm kinda sceptical.bwah, i'll just soak it in some alcohol and just pour it directly into the lungs stomach (ok OT, but i have a pint of the stuff and use it as aftershave-best thing ever.)
still don't really know how to vapourise it without burning it, most of your methods (wooden stove-essential oil diffuser..) sound like "burning"
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Dane, that's a seriously strange looking kitty! :-D
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Without some real, long-term research, I'm going to be hesitant about inhaling volatile oil mist into my lungs, regardless of the source. People used to think tobacco smoke was a cureall, too, until people did some serious research.
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I just got back from out Skagit County Beekeeper's meeting and guess who our speaker was? Bradford Weeks, MD, who as been advocating Apitherapy for about 30 years. See: www.weeksmd.com (http://www.weeksmd.com)
He talked on the benefits of bee sting therapy, use of raw honey for treating wounds, burns, and infections; and when I brought it up, even the inhalation of Propolis vapors. All very interesting.
Dr. Weeks has a medical practice on the south end of Whidbey Island (the next island south of mine) and is a beekeeper besides. If I remember correctly he said that chewing propolis was very benefical, that inhaling the vapors helped Asthma, Sinisitus, and other respitory problems.
He did not recommend using it in a CPAP machine for the reason cited by CBEE.
He seemed to indicated that it was hard to overuse apitherapy. I was the only one there who was using it--self prescribed and administered. I told everyone how it was working for me.
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Brian, CPAC, my brother-in-law uses one too, my sister claims she sleeps with Darth Vader :) ;) :)
Dane, look what you have done!!!!! You create the most interesting topics that I can ever think of, yeah!!!!! Good for you, whenever I see your name coming up as a new posty thing, I know "something interesting this way comes". Yeah!!!!!
Propolis sits in a little glass jar (actually getting bigger by the day) on my kitchen counter. I will begin to vapourize propolis, I have several apparatus for these kinds of things. BUT....until I get this part of my life together, I take a moment many, many times a day, to stick my nose right inside this little glass jar and go into the heavens of those warm summer days, sitting near the gargantuous pine tree in my yard, reeling in the scent of the warm pine pitch that falls to the ground, permeating the air with a scent that cannot be compared to.....oh yes, my little jar of propolis and going back to the beautiful dog days of summer. Have a wonderful day, I have to go and take a sniff of my propolis heaven, before I head off to the doctor. Have a wonderful and beautiful life and day, my best health wishes to us all. Cindi
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@dane
i know you enyoj your propolis very very much, but i'd advise you to stop this daily therapyes. and only because long term treatment creates higher immunity, which also creates immuner bacteria(or are they viruses?). anyway..i t's actually not wise, coz once you'll get sick, not a ton of propolis will help you, as oposed to people who don't use it daily.
Thanks Mici for your kind consideration :-* I am aware of the phenomenon you're describing... can't recall the technical term, but it is a valid concern when overly-sterilized internal/bio-environments lead to a compromised immune system. I can assure that I am exposed to plenty of germs. ;) Even using the propolis in the diffuser every day, it is only ~72% effective at air purification, I'm not using it 24/7 and also not at home 100%.
Get your temps down to the 85°C somehow - that is well below the burning temperature. The problem with oral delivery is due to the acids in the stomach, really the whole digestive process... the acids dissolve the medicine, absorption is variable depending on intestinal tract, etc. ,etc.,.
Propolis after-shave sounds excellent. Perhaps mix a little Tea Tree oil & Aloe in there & it'd be right at home in my cabinet. 8-)
Dane, that's a seriously strange looking kitty! :-D
Very seriously strange! :-P
Without some real, long-term research, I'm going to be hesitant about inhaling volatile oil mist into my lungs, regardless of the source. People used to think tobacco smoke was a cureall, too, until people did some serious research.
Health choices are definitely personal choices. My goal is not to advise nor judge anyone's decisions. You're definitely correct that people have done, and do, all sorts of unhealthy things - some under misconceptions of them actually being good, others as vice, and others still completely without consideration. It is that consideration where I attempt to focus my efforts. Smoking tobacco is too easy to discount (smoke=bad, tobacco=nicotine, a potent toxin). More covert are chemicals such as chlorine being inhaled in a steamy shower, lead and mercury in amalgam fillings, lead in lipstick just in the news (cosmetics typically have loads of toxins, etc.,), nutrasweet, toxic household cleaners, antibiotics, immunizations, flu shots, fluoride, pesticides/insecticides, preservatives/additives/contaminated foods.. and on and on.
Regarding hesitance to inhaling volatile oils -
(http://www.farfromneutral.com/exodus/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/o_rly.jpg)
heh - sorry, I just needed an excuse to use that image. ;)
Anytime one smells a plant one does so. Volatile oils are simply the organic aromatic compounds from plants. Ever been to the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia? They're blue because so much oil from the eucalyptus forest is suspended in the air. Gorgeous and wonderful. The warm pine pitch that Cindi described is another example. Drinking tea? Same deal. In fact, this was the first, crude method of vaporization... heat a bunch of herbs in a pot of boiling water and hold your head (& towel) over it to breath in the steam and volatile oils.
As far as a delivery method inhalation is the most direct, effective and least invasive route to the bloodstream (only a needle is quicker :-P). Once you've established that, then it is a matter of researching the monographs:
Historical Use
Cautions
Dose Dry Herb
Dose Extract
Indications
Qualities
Actions
Constituents
Toxicology
Pharmacological Studies
Clinical Studies
for the herb(s) in question. This is the field of phytotherapy and there are some excellent resources available.
Since it comes from various plants, I think propolis is a bit tricky to qualify (as I said earlier this thread). Still, there is some research available: http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=propolis+pharmacological+studies (http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=propolis+pharmacological+studies) & http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=propolis+clinical+studies (http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=propolis+clinical+studies)
&, propolis in general:
Indications
gingivitis, infection, gastrointestinal system, infection, respiratory tract, stomatitis, ulcer (topically), ulcer, gastriointestinal, ulcer, mouth, ulcerative colitis, wounds (topically)
Qualities
neutral, pungent
Actions
anaesthetising to mucus membranes, antiseptic (GIT), antiseptic (topically), antiulcerogenic (GIT), antiviral (systemically), immunostimulant, vulnerary
Constituents
acacetin (flavonoid), galangin (flavonoid), pinocembrin (flavonoid), quercetin glucosides
And, as with anything, moderation is key.
I just got back from out Skagit County Beekeeper's meeting and guess who our speaker was? Bradford Weeks, MD, who as been advocating Apitherapy for about 30 years. See: www.weeksmd.com (http://www.weeksmd.com)
He talked on the benefits of bee sting therapy, use of raw honey for treating wounds, burns, and infections; and when I brought it up, even the inhalation of Propolis vapors. All very interesting.
Dr. Weeks has a medical practice on the south end of Whidbey Island (the next island south of mine) and is a beekeeper besides. If I remember correctly he said that chewing propolis was very benefical, that inhaling the vapors helped Asthma, Sinisitus, and other respitory problems.
He did not recommend using it in a CPAP machine for the reason cited by CBEE.
He seemed to indicated that it was hard to overuse apitherapy. I was the only one there who was using it--self prescribed and administered. I told everyone how it was working for me.
Brian, that is great news. What a cool doc! Did he have any recommendations on vapor inhalation methods? Did you find any propolis yet? (I can post you some of my red to try). Please report back after you've tried it a bit.
Dane, look what you have done!!!!! You create the most interesting topics that I can ever think of, yeah!!!!! Good for you, whenever I see your name coming up as a new posty thing, I know "something interesting this way comes". Yeah!!!!!
Propolis sits in a little glass jar (actually getting bigger by the day) on my kitchen counter. I will begin to vapourize propolis, I have several apparatus for these kinds of things. BUT....until I get this part of my life together, I take a moment many, many times a day, to stick my nose right inside this little glass jar and go into the heavens of those warm summer days, sitting near the gargantuous pine tree in my yard, reeling in the scent of the warm pine pitch that falls to the ground, permeating the air with a scent that cannot be compared to.....oh yes, my little jar of propolis and going back to the beautiful dog days of summer. Have a wonderful day, I have to go and take a sniff of my propolis heaven, before I head off to the doctor. Have a wonderful and beautiful life and day, my best health wishes to us all. Cindi
Hey - you can count on me Cindi ~> Dane is bringing the weird! :mrgreen: Let us know on the propolis vapor (diffuser?). I need to make a nice propolis-echinacea tincture (grain alcohol based) for mouth and throat.
Cheers,
Dane
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My Carniolans gather very little propolis, so clean and not one little bit sticky at all. But holy carumba!!!! Those Kona Italian queens, their progeny take propolis gathering to the nth degree, eeeks!!!!! What messy girls. Can be good, can be bad. My preference would be to not have so much of this gooey stuff. So.......why I say this is:
Brian, if you cannot get propolis (I know Dane said he could send you some of his red), I could send you some too, with pleasure. Mine is kind of auburn. I gather and gather and gather it, and as I am getting things winter ready in my bee house, will have lots more, only can use so much, right? So feel free, lean on Dane and I, we can help you out with the propolis amounts that you have not been able to get, yeah!!!!! :) :) :) Have a wonderful day, best of our great life, great health wishes to us all. Cindi
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Dane & Cindi, thanks for the offers, I will accept them. PM me for address.
I am going to use a small crockpot for vaporization, the type they make for popporri (sp?). I will turn it on at night so that the CPAP machine will such it in along with the air from the room, Dr. Weeks indicated this should work.
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Brian, I am very excited for you, breathing in wonderful stuff at night is something to behold.
I have massive amounts of fresh air that come into our bedroom at night. Even though it is very cold outside, my bedroom patio doors remain open, revelling in this fresh air. We have a down that keeps us warm. When my nose gets too cold to withstand the open patio doors, then they will be shut, but we have windows, yeah!!!
Last week my Husband put in some new windows in our house (we are in the middle of more massive renovation. He installed a new window that is on the east side of our house, our bedroom is on this side.)
This window opens from the bottom, allowing more fresh air in. When I sleep, it brings on the beauties of the night air, extreme cool air, fresh air, oxygen. I believe this is the cue to great life....oxygen. Did I go off topic? Have a wonderful and beautiful day, best of healthy wishes for us all. Cindi
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Ok, so forget all the logistics of function-what did it feel like for you? I would like a little more detail on your experience and what this did for you. Personally i am pulling out the Volcano and trying it asap :-D
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Ok, so forget all the logistics of function-what did it feel like for you? I would like a little more detail on your experience and what this did for you. Personally i am pulling out the Volcano and trying it asap :-D
If feels very soothing on the throat & lungs. If your down w/the Volcano you should try a little dab of propolis atop your herb of choice. The propolis melts into the herb and diffuses quite wonderfully. In fact, it works best this way as doing it by itself it will tend to melt and run. I know the Volcano has no liquid moistening & cooling effect on the vapor as do some other vaporizers (i.e. vriptech (http://vriptech.com/home.htm) & others), so that soothing effect may be even more desirable.
If you're asking about the systemic mind/body altering aspects... my observations are that they are very subtle and along the degree of aromatherapy: calming, slightly euphoric perhaps. Alas, it isn't psychoactive nor the "bee-crack" that was mentioned earlier (darn!, lol) ;)
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I haven't gotten into the propolis yet but as for the other aspects of Apitherapy the bee stings have reduced the amount of pain and stiffness in the joints due to arthritis. The frequency of weird sensations from the Fibromyalgia have decreased as well. I'm hoping that the propolis with my asthma, sinusitis, and aid in the reduction of other medical problems I have such as the Fibromyalgia, already mentioned, and the diabetes. Consuming raw honey as my only sweetener has already improved the diabetes some.
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Brian, yeah!!!!! YOu are a walking testimony to the benefits of apitherapy. It is so good to hear from people how the hive products have benefited their lives.
I need to get out and get more bee stings, I have noticed the past few days that my knees have been bugging me quite a bit. I guess that comes with years of kneeling on the cold ground, pulling out weeeds. Oh brother. The wet weather also brings on the achy joints too. Oh brother.
So....today our sun is shinin' again (still dark, but I can see the stars). I will put on a pair of shorts later and get some bees that are almost on their death bed and begin the pain of the stings from some old gals. Have a wonderful and beautiful day in our great life. Cindi