What Do You Take When You’re Sick? And Have You Ever Tried … Propolis?
The last time I went to see my acupuncturist, he took a look at my tongue, pressed his pointer finger into my jumpy pulse, then said, “You’re burning the candle at both ends.” Busted! And totally true.
One thing I’ve learned with a little age is that my body reacts very quickly to stress and poor self-care. All it takes is a couple of bad nights’ sleep, one too many nights out, or a few weeks of not really paying attention and woooooomp. I get a bug.
Pain in the butt as it is, I sort of like it this way because it keeps me in check. I have friends who can do just about anything to their body and bounce back like it’s nothing (jalouse!), but some people (moi!) need a certain amount of routine and rest to feel their best. Easy to say, hard to do, and when I don’t, I pay for it. Like I am now.
Problem is, I’m scared of pretty much all OTC drugs except Advil (and sunscreen), so when the boy kindly asked me if he could get me any medicine this weekend, my first thought was: “But I don’t take medicine!” Which, on its face, is ridiculous. If you feel bad and something can make you feel better…
Right. So for me, that’s where propolis comes in.
Propolis is a resin that bees collect from trees and other plants to seal up holes and gaps in their hive. That’s not all it does, though. Propolis is also used by bees to fight bacterial growth, disease and parasites—and human, cleverly taking cues from the bees, use the stuff for all kinds of infections, bugs, fungi, viruses etc. And we’ve been doing that for approximately 2,500 years.
The research on it says that in certain formulations it can be powerfully antibacterial and antifungal, can be used for canker sores and herpes, as well as other kinds of infection and inflammation. A recent study also showed it to be as effective as prescription drugs on toenail fungus, which, if you have toenail fungus, could be good news. It may also be an immunostimulant.
As is often the case with plant medicine, the studies about the stuff are mostly small and inconclusive. Very promising, though, if you ask me.
And no, I can’t be sure that propolis shortens the length of my colds or prevents them from spreading and worsening… But considering my colds typically last about 3 days and never get that bad, it certainly seems to work for me.
So what about you guys? Do you look forward to getting a cold so you can take Nyquil? Do you use homeopathic stuff? What’s worked for you?
Propolis is my favourite! My homeopathist recommended it to me years ago to help kill a stubborn throat infection, and now I take it whenever I feel myself getting sick & whenever I get on a plane. My body is also super sensitive to stress/ overdoing it and I swear propolis helps! I also started eating raw honey with live propolis every day and (so far) that seems to be helping keep things at bay. Touch wood!
I definitely take propolis, it speeds up recover time, for anything I have it seems.
I also believe in taking a good probiotic daily (the kind that has to be stored in the fridge). I also give it to my two children. If you have lots of healthy bacteria in your system, you’re not as susceptible to the bugs out there. The probiotic has made a huge difference in our health this winter. I would choose it over vitamin C any day.
(if I had to choose, otherwise I take both :P)
I use propolis usually when I have a sore throath. I put some drops in a halg glass of water and drink it. The throath heals very fast compared to sinthetic medicine.
I rarely use cold medicine. I prefer to fight colds with rest, hot liquids, B vitamins, ginger and honey. I have not tried propolis because I read somewhere that people w seasonal pollen and bee allergies might not want to (same goes for calendula and chamomile). The last time I took off the shelf medicine for a cold was when I had really bad chest phlegm – like I was choking on it all day long – and needed something to break it up. sorry if I just grossed everyone out.
Tried and tested Umcka (cold care) + Sambucus (sore throat/coughs) . It works:)
Hope you feel better soon!
I live in Spain and they seem to be OBSESSED with propolis and royal jelly… so when I got a cold shortly after moving here, and all my usual meds were en route to our new place, I stopped in a farmacia and they recommended propolis. I have to say, I didn’t notice even a smidge of difference. I don’t really think it did anything. But, as they say, your mileage may vary!
**It should be noted that I’ve been told by several sources that people with bee sting allergies shouldn’t take propolis. I don’t really know why they can eat honey but not take propolis (I suppose I don’t have a strong understanding of that particular allergy), but definitely not worth chancing it when anaphylaxis is on the menu…
I pretty much refuse to take anything but vitamins until I feel REALLY bad, but then I’ll give in and take some Oil of Oregano which seems to kick it pretty fast (there are studies showing that it kills MRSA and other bacteria better than antibiotics… the use as an antiviral is pretty much just anecdotal, but it seems to help me.) The only downside is that you burp oregano all day (and sometimes it gives me a headache.)
Unless your are referring to a real child and not a grown adult male, you lost me at \the boy\. Cringe. Cringe. Cringe. Cringe. Cringe.
My boy buys us bee pollen, which is choc full of vitamins and minerals so it’s great at preventing a cold, and even seasonal allergies if it’s fresh and local! You can take a little spoonful everyday, or add it to food…..it’s great mixed with honey on bread, or in a citrus vinaigrette on salad….YUM!!! Thank you bees!
I actually love propolis, although I haven’t found it to be the best for cold/flu. I typically find people to respond really well to it for the use of acne. My favorite for cold and flu and even injury/surgery recovery, swear by it, is Nucleotides. They are the building blocks for RNA and DNA and jump start the immune system like crazy! Typically my clients can recovery from a cold/flu within 1 day (if they take it upon onset) and I have had clients get out of the hospital in half the time. Not to mention, I used them with a friend who completely cut off his finger in an accident, and after using them for a week, healed well enough that he didnt have to have a surgery (1 out of 7). Amazing tool I found :) I buy them Here: http://www.healthbeyondhype.com/nucleotide-complex-nucleo-immune-p-106.html , if you want to check them out.
I would love to take propolis but alas am allergic to bees and have found that bee pollan was not good for me. I would second that if you are allergic to stay away from both. I have been using the vitamins and I swear by chicken broth with garlic and spinach for any under the weather feeling. It really does work unless you are vegan. Love to see more alternatives for us allergy people.
Can you buy propolis at Whole Foods? My boy has toenail fungus (ew), thinking of trying this.
ugh. I was coincidentally sitting in an urgent care center hoping to get some antibiotics (for a stress induced sore throat) when I read this post. Massive bill later and they sent me away telling me to take some ibuprofen (duhhhh). I never take medication, but I’m going out of town tomorrow and thought antibiotics were my best option at this point. Perfect timing on this post! Getting myself some propolis right now…
If you have a throat infection, the easiest and most effective thing to do is to gargle in warm salt water, several times a day, but definitely as soon as you wake up and before you go to bed ( to clear out what has been building up overnight and make sure you go to bed with as little phlegm as possible).
This is incidentally the reason salty chicken broth/miso soup works – It’s not about your grandma’s special recipe or anything, it’s the warm salt water. It simply disinfects and basically tears away the slimy phlegm that is such a nice breeding ground for your infection and for bacteria. IF the infection has to “rebuild” itself several times a day you severely undermine it. Of course it’s even BETTER if you combine this with propolis or a nice hot drink full of ginger, raw honey, lime juice and garlic (if you can stomach the garlic..). Personally I think honey, especially Manuka, works on everything.
But the trick of simply gargling ambitiously with strong, warm salt water really does make it easier for the other remedies to work – they go to work on a clean slate so to speak. I’m not going to lie, it can be a little unpleasant at first, but then it gets better. My father keeps his chronically inflamed throat clear this way and it’s the same principle that makes your little cut and bruises heal up faster after a nice day on the beach. I’m interested to know if anybody has any experience with the toe fungus – in our household it’s not “the boy” that’s afflicted, but me….
I regularly eat raw honey with the propolis, and I’ll specifically aim for the lovely cap of propolis on a new jar of honey if I’m not feeling well. That and fresh ginger juice (drink and/or gargle). Mostly I feel this helps with preventing an illness from taking hold when I feel it \coming on.\ It works fabulously for me. If I’m already truly sick, it’s less helpful, but I still feel like it has a positive effect. But honey in any case is soothing even if not a cure. There’s also a throat spray, Natura brand Throat & Gland. Taste is heinous but it helps. Just generally eating super healthy keeps me from getting sick and helps me heal faster when I do get sick. I nice blast of nutrients in veggie/fruit juice form is great.
I use a throat spray of cider vinegar, honey and propolis when I feel a cold coming on or I have a sore throat and that seems to work. The spray is made and sold by a bee farm-owning family. And they also make a propolis balm in an olive oil base. Ever since I’ve started using that on would-be pimples they never blow up into actual pimples. So now I use it on any scrapes or skin problems and it seems to clear them right up. I’ve never tried taking propolis internally though.
I take Manuka Honey and lots of water! Then I sleep like a bear during winter. :D
Why so many people saying “my boy” and also what does your boyfriends father that is a doctor say about the advil being placed on the sore? thanks