The Amazing Bee

We at Ion Exchange Inc. have been following the news about the honeybees and the struggle they are going through. I happened upon this article and was just amazed at the capabilities of the this tiny creature. We have also become aware of a documentary being created about the honeybee. Check it out at http://www.vanishingbees.com/
Bee Pollen - A Budget Friendly Food for Health and Healing
by Barbara L. Minton
(NaturalNews) Bee pollen is often referred to as nature’s most complete food. Pollen harvested from a diverse selection of geographic areas contains all the essential components of life in a good tasting, chewable, easily digested, and highly bio-available form that can be consumed by anyone from young children to the very old. All the nutritive and rejuvenating elements contained in expensive, whole food vitamin pills can be found in bee pollen. But since these elements are crafted into the most super of superfoods by nature, they have the added benefits of perfect synergy. Pollen also offers healing, with interesting research studies documenting its medicinal effects.Bees Are LegendaryThe bee was revered and deified in many religious cultures. The Hindu text, Rig-Veda, written in Sanskrit between 2000 and 3000BC, speaks of bees with awe. Vishnu, the powerful preserver and protector of the Hindu trinity, is frequently symbolized by a blue bee sitting on a lotus flower. Kama, the Indian god of love, carries a bow strung with a chain of entwined bees. Cultures worshipping fertility goddesses such as Venus, Diana, Ceres, or Iris, used the bee as a symbol for scared festivities. Next to man, no other living creature has been so highly esteemed by so many diverse cultures.The bee is believed to be over 80 million years old. The Bible, the Torah, the Koran, the Talmund, the scrolls of the Orient, and the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans all praised the healing and health properties of foods created by bees. The bee’s nectar is mentioned 68 times in the Bible.The old Caucasus mountaineers used to be beekeepers and knew that the waste matter from bees enhanced health. They would sell their bee products at the market and then eat the leftovers. They exercised every day by working outdoors, got plenty of fresh air, and ate a whole foods diet. Many of them were the same weight they were at age 18, had no disease, and were reported to be over 150 years old.D.C. Jarvis, M.D. and Charles Mraz, a beekeeper in Vermont, searched to find cases of cancer or deaths from cancer among beekeepers. They were unable to find any deaths from cancer. One keeper had Hodgkins disease which he contracted before becoming a beekeeper. He was cured of it once he started his new occupation and began consuming bee products.Pollen is the male seed of flowers. It is essential for the fertilization of most plants. All the varieties of flowers in the universe put forth a dusting of pollen, including the many fruiting agricultural crops. One teaspoon of pollen contains approximately 2.5 billion grains, each of which has the capacity to supply those factors necessary for the fertilization and reproduction of a particular species.As with all species except man, bees seek out and create the most nutritious food to feed to their young. Pollen contains 40% protein, about half of which is in the form of free amino acids that are ready to be assimilated and used by the body.The Master Craftsmanship of the BeeGathering pollen is an arduous process. When bees arrive at flowers, they pick out the best pollen from the millions of grains that are present. Then they scrape the powdery loose pollen from the stamen with their jaws and front legs. They moisten the pollen with a sticky substance secreted from their stomachs so it will adhere to their rear legs. The jagged bristles of their rear legs are used to comb the powder from their coats and front legs. The outsides of their tibias form concave areas used as pollen baskets, into which they press their golden deposits. When each of these baskets is fully loaded, the microscopic dust has been tamped down into a single golden granule.Many thousands of chemical analyses of bee pollen have been performed, but there are some elements present in bee pollen that are not yet identifiable. When man-made pollen is fed to young bees, they die, even though all the known nutrients are present in the lab synthesized version. These unknown elements may be the reason why bee pollen is so beneficial to so many diverse health conditions.The Amazing Nutritional Properties of Bee PollenThe Chinese consider pollen to be an energy enhancer and restorative tonic. Cultures around the world use pollen for improving vitality and endurance, aiding recovery from chronic illness, promoting longevity, regulating intestinal functioning, building blood, preventing infection with its antibiotic properties, restoring lost sexual desire and energy, alleviating menstrual cramps, promoting fertility, alleviating depression and fatigue, alleviating migraine headaches, normalizing cholesterol levels, and treating cravings and addictions. There is mounting evidence that pollen can help overcome retardation and other developmental problems in children. Pollen prevents many side effects of radiation treatment and has anti-cancer properties.Pollen is richer in protein than any animal source, and contains more free-form amino acids than beef, eggs or cheese of equal weight. It contains an abundance of pro vitamin A in the form of carotenoids, the B complex vitamins and folate (the natural form of folic acid), vitamin C and vitamin E, as well as a wealth of minerals, enzymes, lecithin, carbohydrates in the form of natural sugars, and fatty acids. The amino acids found in pollen are the most indispensable in our daily diet and cannot be manufactured or synthesized in our bodies. Pollen also contains lecithin, amines, nuclein, guanine, xanthine, hypoxanthine, vernine, waxes, gums, resins, hydrocarbons, sterols, polypeptides, ribose, desoxyribose, hexuronic acid, vegetable oils, and various growth factors.Pollen is superior to both honey and royal jelly, and possesses a similar but more stable composition than that of royal jelly.Researchers at the Institute of Apiculture, Taranov, Russia, report that “honeybee pollen is the richest source of vitamins found in nature in a single food. Even if bee pollen had none of its other vital ingredients, its content of rutin (a bioflavonoid) alone would justify taking at least a teaspoon daily, if for no other reason than strengthening capillaries”.Pollen also provides a high content of the immune boosting nucleics RNA (ribonucleic acid) and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). RNA and DNA are critical for health and longevity. They are responsible for directing cellular growth, renewal and repair, and deficiencies of them cause premature aging and compromised immunity. RNA-DNA is depleted in the body by exercise, stress, pollution, and poor diet. Replenishing RNA-DNA is critical to every aspect of bodily health and longevity.Research on Bee Pollen Produced Compelling ResultsResearchers have demonstrated that there is a substance in pollen that inhibits the development of numerous harmful bacteria. This antibiotic property is effective against salmonella and other stains of bacteria. Clinical studies have shown a regulatory effect on intestinal function attributable to pollen.Studies with lab animals have shown that ingestion of pollen has a positive affect on blood composition, promoting red and white cell increases. Pollen will raise the level of hemoglobin considerably in those who are anemic.“Delay in Appearance of Palpable Mammary Tumors in C3H Mice Following the Ingestion of Pollenized Food” is the title of an article published back in 1948 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The study, led by Dr. William Robinson, began with mice that had been bred to develop and die from tumors. Mice of this strain developed tumors at ages ranging from 18 to 57 weeks, with an average age at appearance of 33 weeks. Tumor incidence was 100%. The pollen used for the study was of “the bee gathered type”. One group of mice was fed mice food only, while another group was fed mice food with the addition of a small amount of pollen.Dr. Robinson reported his dramatic results, “In the untreated mice, mammary tumors appeared as expected at an average of 31.3 weeks. Tumor incidence was 100%. In the treated mice (the ones with the pollen in their food), the average onset of tumors was 41.2 weeks, a delay of 9.8 weeks. Seven mice in the pollen eating group were still tumor free at 56 to 62 weeks of age, when the tests were ended. Remember, these mice were bred to die from tumors. The mice without the protection of the pollen in their food developed tumors and died right on schedule.It kind of makes you wonder why we don’t hear about this study now, when mammary tumors are so pervasive, doesn’t it?In a study at the University of Vienna, twenty-five women with inoperable uterine cancer were treated with chemotherapy. The women who were given pollen with their food exhibited a significantly increased level of immune-system cells and antibody production, as well as a higher concentration of oxygen carrying red blood cells. These women experienced less nausea and hair loss from their chemotherapy. The control group experienced no comparable relief.From Agronomic Institute in Romania come more results revealing the immune strengthening effects of pollen. Researchers documented an increase in the level of blood lymphocytes, gamma globulins, and proteins in those subjects given pollen in comparison with control groups. The results signified a strengthening in the resistance of the organic systems, particularly the lymphocytes. These are the white blood cells that are the guardians of the immune system, protecting the body from injurious or harmful substances, infected or diseased cells, mutant and cancerous cells, viruses, and metabolic debris.A treatment for allergies, called desensitization, was developed at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London over 100 years ago. It improves allergies and controls asthma by helping to build immunity to allergens by using pollen as an antigen. A report from Dr. Leo Conway, a pioneer in the field of desensitization, documented that 94 percent of his treated patients were completely free of allergy symptoms.Pollen is reportedly an agent for the relief of hay fever, bronchitis, ulcers of the digestive tract, colitis, and urinary disorders. It supports the endocrine system, helps protect the arteries of the heart from atherosclerosis, and treats prostate conditions. It is beneficial for the brain and nerves, acne and fatigue.Another study documented the ability of pollen to stimulate ovarian function. When given pollen supplementation of 2 parts per 100 in food, or 5 parts per 100 as substitution for animal protein, the intensity of ovulation increased. Pollen also increased the ability of eggs to withstand the incubation period.The benefits of bee pollen extend to the area of weight loss. Pollen has been shown to have an ability to promote fat loss by rectifying the chemical imbalances that many overweight people have. Pollen also improves metabolism, and dissolves and flushes fat cells from the body due to is high percentage of lecithin. Because pollen is so nutritionally complete and balanced, it helps reduce food cravings.What a Healthy Person Can Expect From Bee PollenWhen pollen is regularly ingested by healthy people, they can expect protection against any insufficiencies in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, particularly during times of intensive physical or mental work. Optimal physical and mental output may be expected. The body will receive greater reinforcement during its resistance toward any environmental insult or aggression. Internal metabolic disorders that may eventually generate disease conditions will be forestalled. It is a natural product that is well tolerated by the body. During its many years of testing, pollen has been notably free of harmful side-effects.Buying and Using PollenBee pollen in the form of tablets should be avoided, since heating of pollen during compression will destroy its enzymes and vitamin C content. Since pollen is a food, buy it in granules that can be chewed and eaten. Pollen has a slightly sweet, pleasant taste that will be agreeable with most children. For the very ill, pollen can be almost completely dissolved in the saliva of the mouth and swallowed.Start slowly with a few granules and build up your consumption over time to as much as several teaspoons daily. Choose pollen that has been harvested from a diverse selection of geographic areas to achieve a nutritional profile that is balanced. Keep opened containers of pollen in your refrigerator. Unopened containers can be kept in your freezer. Pollen is very reasonably priced, at about 10 dollars a pound. It is an extremely effective and convenient way to supplement on a fairly low budget.
About the author
Barbara is a school psychologist, a published author in the area of personal finance, a breast cancer survivor using "alternative" treatments, a born existentialist, and a student of nature and all things natural.

Choctaws: The True Master Gardeners

This is something you might use in the blog, and it is very close to my heart because I am half or more Choctaw Indian and I have been a vegetarian for 31 years.

Choctaws: The true master gardeners. Among my own people, the Choctaw Indians of Mississippi and Oklahoma, vegetables are the traditional diet mainstay. A French manuscript of the eighteenth century describes the Choctaws’ vegetarian leanings in shelter and food. The homes were constructed not of skins, but of wood, mud, bark and cane. The principal food, eaten daily from earthen pots, was a vegetarian stew containing corn, pumpkin and beans. The bread was made from corm and acorns. Other common favorites were roasted corn and corn porridge. The rich lands of the Choctaws in present-day Mississippi were so greatly coveted by nineteenth century Americans that most of the tribe was forcibly removed to what is now called Oklahoma. Oklahoma was chosen both because it was largely uninhabited and because several explorations of the territory had deemed the land barren and useless for any purpose. Although many Choctaws suffered and died during removal on the infamous “Trail of Tears “. Those that survived, survived with their agricultural genius intact. George Catlin, the famous nineteenth century Indian historian, described the Choctaw lands of southern Oklahoma in the 1840’s this way: “… the ground was almost literally covered with vines, producing the greatest profusion of delicious grapes,…and ganging in such endless clusters…our progress was oftentimes completely arrested by hundreds of acres of small plum trees…every bush that was in sight was so loaded with the weight of its…fruit, that they were in many instances literally without leaves on their branches, and quite bent to the ground… and beds of wild currants, gooseberries, and (edible) prickly pear.” (Many of the “wild” foods Anglo explorers encountered on their journeys were actually carefully cultivated by Indians.)Their sweetest treat, of course: melons, a never-ending supply. More tribes were like the Choctaws than were different. Aztec, Mayan, and Zapotec children in olden times ate 100%vegetarian diets until at least the age of ten years old. Such a diet was believed to make the child strong and disease resistant. The Spaniards were amazed to discover that these Indians had twice the life-span they did. Nearly half of all the plant foods grown in the world today were first cultivated by the American Indians, and were unknown elsewhere until the discovery of the Americas. Many history textbooks tell the story of Squanto, a Pawtuxent Indian who lived in the early 1600’s. Squanto is famous for having saved the pilgrims from starvation. He showed them how to father wilderness foods and how to plant corn. There have been thousands of squantos since, even though their names are not so well-known. In fact modern day agriculture owes its heart and soul to Indian-taught methods of seed development, hybridization, planting, growing, irrigating, storing, utilizing and cooking. Choctaws believe the Great Spirit resides within the sun, for it is the sun that allows the corn to grow!
Thanks so much Jerry for sharing with us. www.ionxchange.com

Jerry Hinton of the Natural Gait.
Source: Vegetarian journal
Jerry Hinton, ManagerThe Natural Gaiit
877-776-2208 563-419-3938
http://www.thenaturalgait.com/
...where nature plays and your heart sings

Food For Thought

I ran across this photo a few days ago and it stuck in my mind. This is the caption that accompanied the picture.

"Nothing beats the power of a good photograph. Reading about rainforest deforestation doesn't have the same impact as a picture of native indians walking through recently burnt rainforest. "

Taken from "World Enviornment News"

Couch Potato Syndrome and Our Kids

Couch Potato Syndrome and Our Kids
A recent study warns that couch kids ( kids that play video games for hours a day) are missing out on nature. Virtual play is replacing the real thing. With all the video games and the introduction of new game consoles such as the newer Wii the kids can set for hours and hours watching "virtual nature"
We are even starting to see other medical problems aside from the rising obesity and diabetes in children. Kids get strained wrists, neck pain and headaches from playing these games hour upon hour.

The popularity of these video games has created a new study that looks at all kinds of outdoor activites and has found an alarming decline in visits to national parks and all sorts of other outdoor activities like camping and fishing. Outdoor recreation has fallen by as much as 25% in the last 20 years. This new research has been a great cause of alarm among the conservationists since it has been proven that exposure to nature promotes environmentally reponsible behavior. Our pediatricians recomend that children need at least 1 hour of play outdoors. Maybe some of us grown ups should follow this advise as well.

If you would like to get back to nature a great place is The Natural Gait They are adding nature walks, frisbee golf and there are many oppurtunities to view wildlife, go hiking, fishing, bird watching, stargazing, night moth watch and much more.

Resources: Eric Bergan Chronicle,SciGuy blog

Amphibians Dying Out At Alarming Rate

I heard about this alarming news the other night on Coast to Coast radio.
Following is a short clip copied with permission from Linda Moulton Howe's web site which can be found at www.earthfiles.com or go directly to her free report at http://www.earthfiles.com/news.php?ID=1378&category=Environment
Photo AmphibianArk.org

Howard at www.ionxchange.com

Amphibians Dying Out At Alarming Rate

© 2008 Linda Moulton Howe

“This recent and massive decline in amphibian populations,
that have been on Earth for millions of years, is one of the greatest extinction
events in history.” - Andrew Blaustein, Ph.D., Oregon State University

January 18, 2008 Corvallis, Oregon - Can you imagine what the Earth would be like without frogs, toads and salamanders? Mosquitoes, flies and other insect populations eaten by amphibians would soar. Until now, the possibility that frogs, toads and salamanders that have been living on this planet for millions of years could ever disappear was unthinkable. 2008 has been declared the Year of the Frog by Amphibian Ark.org, which is trying to let the world know that amphibians are dying out in ever-increasing numbers. Scientists say that without immediate public, zoo and government efforts to conserve them, this century could see the extinction of nearly half of all the world's 6,000 amphibian species.

How many amphibian species are already declining so rapidly that extinction seems inevitable? 500


For more info go to...http://www.earthfiles.com/news.php?ID=1378&category=Environment

Hoar Frost

Occasionally I am reminded that winter also carries many beautiful faces. I wrote this last week after we had days and days of fog. Suddenly the fog lifted it's veil to reveal the following.

This morning on the way to town we had the most spectacular view of hoar frost on the trees and bushes.
The sun was just beginning to peak out from the haze that had created this frosty celebration on the trees.
As we drove along the ridge on our journey, taking in the panoramic view of the hills and valleys for many miles on both sides of the road, we were amazed at the beauty of the landscape.
The pristine fresh snow and the trees all dressed up in hoar frost - as if they were just posing for our delight and enjoyment.
As the sun began hitting the trees it reflected the ice crystals, turning them into a thousand little glass reflections.
Every time I am lucky enough to catch one of these displays of nature’s beauty I am reminded of how glad I am to live in beautiful Northeast Iowa! Kay at the Ion Exchange Inc